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Director: Brian Large
Conductor: James Levine
First performance at Rome, February 17, 1859
Time: 18th century
Place: Boston; Note—Sometimes the scene of the opera is shifted to Naples, sometimes to Stockholm; sometimes the names of the characters are changed accordingly, sometimes not. The music remains the same.
So the Met _can_ light the stage up when they want to. Some scenes are dark, like the poster, but the actual masked ball is quite bright, with pastel gowns showing their colors nicely.
You would think a Masked Ball would be a venue for comedy, but no, it's the "opportunity" for murder. Seems like a great place to land the wrong victim, but ok. (Apparently Verdi wrote only 2 comedies, 40 years apart; only Falstaff is performed regularly.)
The characters are not deeply developed here. LN's Renato changes from loyal friend to murderer in the blink of one suspicion. And when his victim swears on his death bed that the suspicion is false, LN gets remorseful. But we know nothing about his nature, not even any exposition about prior rash decisions or cause for jealousy to be an extraordinary trigger for him. And LN has a very dignified presence, so the wild swing to action is bizarre. His 2 co-conspirators had old reasons to target the victim; LN did not.
Interesting too that he held a sword to his wife's neck, but she talked him out of her own death by pleading to see their/her son "first". And then he involves her in the plot to kill her lover, taking her to the ball with him, and doing basically nothing to prevent her from warning the victim of this danger.
Ah, but the victim is vain, not wishing to avoid the ball for fear of appearing cowardly. How about stepping up security, wearing some hidden armor under that flowing cape?
An interesting role here is the page, a trouser part (woman playing man). But the interesting aspect is the page's relationship to the king. He's almost a court jester, but with official non-humorous duties. I was struck by the scene where the king was sitting for his portrait, and had the page sit beside him. The page sang multiple times, and was in the closeup for the king's final scene. And no, the king didn't seem interested in the page romantically. More of a close companion?
The music is ok; I didn't recognize anything as particularly famous.
AM got lots of cheers during curtain calls, as did LP. Well deserved.
Cast:
RICCARDO, Count of Warwick and Governor of Boston Tenor : Luciano Pavarotti (Gustav III)
RENATO, his friend and secretary Baritone : Leo Nucci (Captain Anckarström)
AMELIA, Renato’s wife Soprano : Aprile Millo
ULRICA, a fortuneteller Contralto : Florence Quivar (Ulrica Arfvidsson)
OSCAR, a page Soprano : Harolyn Blackwell
conspirators
. SAMUELE Bass : Terry Cook (Count de Horn)
. TOMMASO Bass : Jeffrey Wells (Count Ribbing)
SILVANO, a sailor Baritone : ?
Met Opera, cond. Levine; 7
