It was always going to be interesting how this Met double bill was going to turn out, not just because of a cast who have done a lot of stuff I've liked between them and having one of the better conductors today but also to see how two operas so completely different from one another were going to work together.
After seeing the live in HD cinema simulcast last week, this double bill production of Tchaikovsky's Iolanta(not my favourite of his operas and slightly static at times but very charming with typically sublime music) and Bartok's Duke Bluebeard's Castle(one of the composer's best works and a very musically rich and atmospheric work) was not at all disappointing. And it's also one of the best of the 9th season of the Met Opera Live in HD series, with just Le Nozze Di Figaro and Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg being ahead of it. Sometimes the orchestra and singers are not always well-balanced with some of the singing in supporting roles sounding distant and the middle part of Duke Bluebeard's Castle occasionally dissipates in suspense due to Judith and Bluebeard's chemistry being at times almost too mutual(the more psychological the story gets though the more intense and believable the chemistry gets), other than those the production is wonderful.
Both Iolanta and Duke Bluebeard's Castle are striking visually, the set design in Iolanta is austere but as this is Iolanta's story and her world is very oppressive and somewhat bleak too the austerity was actually effective and suited the story very well. Duke Bluebeard's Castle's set design is as grim and ominous as the story itself and it added hugely to the suspense the opera has. The lighting is both haunting and beautiful and the costumes suit every character and performer aptly, especially Nadja Michael's Judith and Anna Netrebko's Iolanta. Both Iolanta and Duke Bluebeard's Castle have compelling staging here that is almost cinematic in places without resorting to eccentricities, at least also the stories and motivations of the characters in both operas remain and make sense. Iolanta's story is potentially static but is staged with real charm and poignancy here and while the suspense in Duke Bluebeard's Castle does dip at times in the middle the dangerously ominous beginning and the nail-biting penultimate and final doors scenes more than make up for that(there's a chilling Hitchcockian-like touch too with Bluebeard's hand appearing around the penultimate door).
Musically the production's outstanding. The orchestra play beautifully and incisively throughout but also give the music drama and shape, vital in Duke Bluebeard's Castle. The lyrical charm and grim intensity of both scores both come through and in a thrillingly evocative way, the woodwinds in Iolanta are particularly note-worthy. Valery Gergiev as ever shows himself to be a very musical and authoritative conductor who does more than conducting a score, from his (less-than-subtle admittedly) body language you can tell that he feels it too, he really allows Tchaikovsky's music and style to properly breathe in Iolanta and there is no signs of suspense-dissipation in the music values in Duke Bluebeard's Castle, in fact the vibrantly suspenseful and thrillingly evocative orchestral playing is what makes it come alive.
All the performances are spot-on, top honours going to Nadja Michael as a magnificent if more symbolic than usually portrayed Judith, her singing is some of the most enthralling she's ever done and she brings touching vulnerability and vivid intensity to her acting. As Iolanta Anna Netrebko again, like with her Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, is in a role that fits like a glove, you can positively drown in the glowing but also dark warmth her voice has, she looks wonderful and she has a charming and poignant stage presence. Piotr Bezcala is an ardent Vaudemont with a bright lyrical voice that provides plenty of strong heft and character, seeing him and Netrebko in the big duet was just a joy to see and hear. Elchin Azizov's robust doctor and Ilya Bannik's heart-wrenching King Rene provide great support and Alexei Markov is also commanding. Mikhail Petrenko is in the other title role as Bluebeard and while Judith is more interesting I did appreciate the dark subtlety that Petrenko gave Bluebeard making the character even more dangerous, he is also in good voice with a darker and richer tone than heard before with him.
Overall, two very different operas but very well contrasted, and the production apart from the odd balance issue and the suspense not being entirely consistent is exhilarating. 9/10 Bethany Cox
After seeing the live in HD cinema simulcast last week, this double bill production of Tchaikovsky's Iolanta(not my favourite of his operas and slightly static at times but very charming with typically sublime music) and Bartok's Duke Bluebeard's Castle(one of the composer's best works and a very musically rich and atmospheric work) was not at all disappointing. And it's also one of the best of the 9th season of the Met Opera Live in HD series, with just Le Nozze Di Figaro and Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg being ahead of it. Sometimes the orchestra and singers are not always well-balanced with some of the singing in supporting roles sounding distant and the middle part of Duke Bluebeard's Castle occasionally dissipates in suspense due to Judith and Bluebeard's chemistry being at times almost too mutual(the more psychological the story gets though the more intense and believable the chemistry gets), other than those the production is wonderful.
Both Iolanta and Duke Bluebeard's Castle are striking visually, the set design in Iolanta is austere but as this is Iolanta's story and her world is very oppressive and somewhat bleak too the austerity was actually effective and suited the story very well. Duke Bluebeard's Castle's set design is as grim and ominous as the story itself and it added hugely to the suspense the opera has. The lighting is both haunting and beautiful and the costumes suit every character and performer aptly, especially Nadja Michael's Judith and Anna Netrebko's Iolanta. Both Iolanta and Duke Bluebeard's Castle have compelling staging here that is almost cinematic in places without resorting to eccentricities, at least also the stories and motivations of the characters in both operas remain and make sense. Iolanta's story is potentially static but is staged with real charm and poignancy here and while the suspense in Duke Bluebeard's Castle does dip at times in the middle the dangerously ominous beginning and the nail-biting penultimate and final doors scenes more than make up for that(there's a chilling Hitchcockian-like touch too with Bluebeard's hand appearing around the penultimate door).
Musically the production's outstanding. The orchestra play beautifully and incisively throughout but also give the music drama and shape, vital in Duke Bluebeard's Castle. The lyrical charm and grim intensity of both scores both come through and in a thrillingly evocative way, the woodwinds in Iolanta are particularly note-worthy. Valery Gergiev as ever shows himself to be a very musical and authoritative conductor who does more than conducting a score, from his (less-than-subtle admittedly) body language you can tell that he feels it too, he really allows Tchaikovsky's music and style to properly breathe in Iolanta and there is no signs of suspense-dissipation in the music values in Duke Bluebeard's Castle, in fact the vibrantly suspenseful and thrillingly evocative orchestral playing is what makes it come alive.
All the performances are spot-on, top honours going to Nadja Michael as a magnificent if more symbolic than usually portrayed Judith, her singing is some of the most enthralling she's ever done and she brings touching vulnerability and vivid intensity to her acting. As Iolanta Anna Netrebko again, like with her Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, is in a role that fits like a glove, you can positively drown in the glowing but also dark warmth her voice has, she looks wonderful and she has a charming and poignant stage presence. Piotr Bezcala is an ardent Vaudemont with a bright lyrical voice that provides plenty of strong heft and character, seeing him and Netrebko in the big duet was just a joy to see and hear. Elchin Azizov's robust doctor and Ilya Bannik's heart-wrenching King Rene provide great support and Alexei Markov is also commanding. Mikhail Petrenko is in the other title role as Bluebeard and while Judith is more interesting I did appreciate the dark subtlety that Petrenko gave Bluebeard making the character even more dangerous, he is also in good voice with a darker and richer tone than heard before with him.
Overall, two very different operas but very well contrasted, and the production apart from the odd balance issue and the suspense not being entirely consistent is exhilarating. 9/10 Bethany Cox
