Classical Voice Opera Review - Met AIDA, October 7, 2009

Daniele Gatti, conductor
Risa Larson, soprano
Tracy Van Fleet, mezzo-soprano
James Callon, tenor
Reid Bruton, bass

t must have seemed a wonder and a marvel for the audiences of late 19^thcentury Europe to have a curtain raised on a representation of ancient Memphis with its temples and throngs made up of a hundred or so choristers and principles. Aside from a few engravings and coffee colored post cards, the splendors of ancient Egypt were almost entirely the province of the imagination or the printed word. Of course this was long before Cecil DeMille’s epics with their proverbial casts of thousands, and the rise of present cinema technology, which can show the spectacular collision of entire constellations, or cities swept away by a tidal wave. In the light of this, the Metropolitan Opera’s venerable production of some years achieves the almost impossible by presenting the Egyptian capital by traditional means, to a grand and believable affect.

Not only visually, but musically as well, the triumphal scene this evening was truly a triumph, thanks, in no small part, to the magnificent singing of our wonderful Metropolitan Opera Chorus. For tone, phrasing, ensemble, and style it cannot be surpassed by any theater in the world.

Another triumphal scene took place in the fourth act with Amneris’ formidable aria and confrontation with Radamés. Although one cannot say that Dolores Zajick carries herself in a regal manner she is nonetheless a lioness on stage with electrifying vocal and technical capabilities and the power to evoke sympathy. Matching her in vocal opulence and dramatic strength was Johan Botha who proved that what many opera-goers consider to be a wasteland between the Nile scene and the tomb scene is as gripping as the rest of this, the grandest of grand operas. After much stentorian singing he displayed remarkably controlled lyricism in the soaring phrases of, o terra addio, in the finale of the fourth act.

The soprano Violeta Urmana was at her best here as well, matching his rich tone and spun line. Her beautiful pianissimos seemed, surprisingly, to have nothing to do with the voice heard in the previous acts. It was as if a new singer appeared at this point. Her phrasing too, which, especially in the Nile Scene, had been desultory and shapeless, became expansive and free. Although a respectable artist, she is grievously miscast as Aida. She lacks most of the absolutely necessary qualities that Verdi’s dramatic heroines require: a solid middle register, fortes and fortissimos that do not even hint at stridency, and a soft voluptuous quality that blooms as it ascends. But one wonders, who can be cast in this role? Who indeed can sing Aida today? Where are the Milanovs and Tebaldis of our time? Of course this is a favorite topic of devoted opera attendees, and many interesting reasons are bandied about, especially in standing room and the upper tiers, where one finds the most knowledgeable listeners.

Carlo Guelfi gave a strong performance as Amonasaro, although he had to struggle with the rather tepid responses of his daughter while terrifying and rebuking her for resisting his demand to betray Rhadamés.

Maestro Daniele Gatti drew a beautiful sound from the orchestra, and proved himself quite adept at keeping the daunting number of singers and instrumentalists together. He relies heavily upon fortissimo and pianissimo - whether or not they are marked in the score. After relentless succession they tend to lose their effect. The tempos, solid and well defined, were sometimes none too subtle, as in the closing of the second act where Verdi asks for piu mosso and sempre animando toward the end of the final chorus. There was simply an abrupt charge forward, a dash to the finish, which detracted from the flow and consequently the grandeur of the climax.

This was the 1,105^th Metropolitan Opera performance of Aida, and perhaps the 40^th heard by this writer. I wish to hear many more. A great work of art such as this has something of the infinite about it, and as the years pass it becomes clearer to the listener and, in equal proportion, more mysterious. For the dedicated artist as well, there is always some newly found detail to examine, some new element to inspire, some new life to breathe into it, as we witnessed this evening.

To purchase tickets for the Metropolitan Opera's 2009/10 season, call 212-362-6000 or visit www.metopera.org

Raymond Beegle is Contributing Editor of Opera Quarterly, has written for Fanfare Magazine, the Classic Record Collector (UK), and also appeared on The Today Show (NBC) and Good Morning America (CBS). As an accompanist, he has collaborated with Zinka Milanov and Licia Albanese. Currently Mr. Beegle serves on the faculty of Manhattan School of Music in New York City.