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OperaNotes Review
Metropolitan Opera House
January 6, 2005
By Charlene Frank
Rodelinda
Music:
George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Harry Bicket
Production: Stephen Wadsworth
Set Designer: Thomas Lynch
Costume Designer:
Martin Pakledinaz
Cast:
Rodelinda:
Renče Fleming
Grimoaldo:
Kobie van Rensburg
Garibaldo:
Oren Gradus (cover)
Eduige : Stephanie Blythe
Bertarido
: David Daniels
Unulfo: Bejun Metha
Flavio: Zachary Vail
Elkind
Tonight I left the Metropolitan Opera feeling exactly the way one thinks one should feel when they leave this most prestigious house! I kept wishing that I had seen this performance on opening night, rather than closing night so I could come back and seen it again and again. It was opera at its most incredible, a total operatic masterpiece. You may be thinking that I am talking about Ms. Fleming, and I am! But I am not only talking about Ms. Fleming! It was everything! When Stephanie Blythe was on stage, she was the most wonderful part of the evening, when Kobie van Rensburg was on stage he was the most wonderful part of the evening, when David Daniels was on, it was he who stole the show, when Bejun Metha was on it was him! Even the set (the incredible Milanese palace, the dungeon and more) was the most wonderful part of the evening! And let's not forget the orchestra led by Harry Bicket! They too were the most wonderful part of the evening! Oh, what about the acting! That was also the best part of the evening! Opera as one dreams it should be at the Metropolitan Opera House was there tonight in Rodelinda by George Frideric Handel. A feast for senses.
I went to this opera because of Renče Fleming and Handel. I had never seen it before, I wasn't familiar with the music (but it was Handel, so...) and the synopsis I read prior to attending sounded pretty bad. Plus, I don't like countertenors sound. And this opera doesn't just have one counter tenor, it has two. At first I thought that it would be difficult to sit through 4-hours with two countertenors, but these men, David Daniels and Bejun Metha were not just two countertenors, they were two knock-out great countertenors.
Handel operas are not a part of the regular Met lineup. Rodelinda this season is only the forth. Why is that? The story of this opera is typically operatic except that, at least with Stephen Wadsworth's and Ms. Fleming's interpretation, Rodelinda is probably one of the smartest and most courageous female characters in opera. It needs and had a brilliant cast and we can only hope that it's tremendous success ensures that we see Handel here more often.
Aria after aria after aria made up tonight's performance. As Rodelinda Ms. Fleming sang so many absolutely beautiful arias that this could have been a Renče Fleming concert, but better. Better because she was wonderful in the role of Rodelinda. I have seen her perform several times before, never have I seen her so perfect in a role. Never have I even imagined her so perfect in a role. She was truly enchanting with a coloratura agility rarely heard anywhere.
Tenor Kobie van Rensburg made his Met debut as Grimoaldo, good guy turned bad guy and finally good guy again. And what a debut it was! He was perfect as the tortured usurper of the throne and a tenor who will definitely be remembered in this demanding role.
And then there was Stephanie Blythe, a rich full mezzo. Everything was perfect. What a night, everything it should be at this most incredible of houses.