Opera review
Oct. 30th, 2008 10:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
theatokosOn Tuesday night I went to see Mozart's Idomeneo at the San Francisco Opera. I went with The Opera Tattler for standing room. I just love going to the opera; I get so excited when the conductor walks in the for the first time. Mozart is my favorite so I knew I would love the opera. Without fail there was a love triangle and mistaken identity. It was sufficiently ridiculous, although not quite as absurd and soap opera-like as his later operas.
The production was delightful to look at. Again, appropriately silly: Greek ruins, with costumes that were late 18th century with Greek themed embroidery or togas over the top. The color scheme was an invigorating shade of turquoise. Act II ended with a deep shade of red and 4 angry horse heads rising up from the sea (on a scrim).
The singing was for the most part absolutely wonderful. Kurt Streit played Idomeneo. His voice was beautiful and dramatically raw in some places. I thought his acting was the best of the show. It's hard to be a good opera actor. The main soprano of the work, Ilia, played by Genia Kuhmeier, was beautifully sung. Her aria in the second act, in which she sings to Idomeneo, was moving - in part because of Streit's acting, even though he didn't sing a note.
The love interest, Idomeneo's son, Idamente, played by the cover in this performance, Daniela Mack, was not too good. Her voice is unsuited for Mozart, mainly due to a rather heavy vibrato. Her acting looked stock and stiff from the back of the house. However, just before Act II a couple approached the Tattler and me and said they weren't going to stay, would we like their seats in the second row? Yes, we would indeed! Sitting there, I realized that I liked Mack more. Her face was charming. However, in a large opera house her acting needs to be more physical to translate beyond the first few rows.
I just love pants roles. Through out the operas that have them I like to switch my thinking to imagining that it's really a lesbian couple. That is much fun.
The chorus must also be mentioned. Mozart wrote some beautiful chorus pieces for this opera. Turns out I knew and have sung a piece from the third act, "Placido e il mar," in my high school chorus. No wonder I can still remember the piece! I may even have the sheet music still. Anyway, the chorus was great. I especially loved the men's chorus in the first act - the echo effect was expertly written. But it's Mozart, so why am I surprised?
The last thing I'll mention is that the motifs and orchestration used for Elettra's character prefigure the Queen of the Night in Mozart's later Die Zauberflote. At least, I think they do.
The production was delightful to look at. Again, appropriately silly: Greek ruins, with costumes that were late 18th century with Greek themed embroidery or togas over the top. The color scheme was an invigorating shade of turquoise. Act II ended with a deep shade of red and 4 angry horse heads rising up from the sea (on a scrim).
The singing was for the most part absolutely wonderful. Kurt Streit played Idomeneo. His voice was beautiful and dramatically raw in some places. I thought his acting was the best of the show. It's hard to be a good opera actor. The main soprano of the work, Ilia, played by Genia Kuhmeier, was beautifully sung. Her aria in the second act, in which she sings to Idomeneo, was moving - in part because of Streit's acting, even though he didn't sing a note.
The love interest, Idomeneo's son, Idamente, played by the cover in this performance, Daniela Mack, was not too good. Her voice is unsuited for Mozart, mainly due to a rather heavy vibrato. Her acting looked stock and stiff from the back of the house. However, just before Act II a couple approached the Tattler and me and said they weren't going to stay, would we like their seats in the second row? Yes, we would indeed! Sitting there, I realized that I liked Mack more. Her face was charming. However, in a large opera house her acting needs to be more physical to translate beyond the first few rows.
I just love pants roles. Through out the operas that have them I like to switch my thinking to imagining that it's really a lesbian couple. That is much fun.
The chorus must also be mentioned. Mozart wrote some beautiful chorus pieces for this opera. Turns out I knew and have sung a piece from the third act, "Placido e il mar," in my high school chorus. No wonder I can still remember the piece! I may even have the sheet music still. Anyway, the chorus was great. I especially loved the men's chorus in the first act - the echo effect was expertly written. But it's Mozart, so why am I surprised?
The last thing I'll mention is that the motifs and orchestration used for Elettra's character prefigure the Queen of the Night in Mozart's later Die Zauberflote. At least, I think they do.