# my fall season at the Met



## marceliotstein (Feb 23, 2019)

This is what I'll be seeing at the Met this fall season, from now to December. All six operas are new to me (I've been preparing/watching/listening as usual - I would never go an opera without being fully familiar in advance).

Manon 
Macbeth
Turandot
Akhnaten
The Queen of Spades
Der Rosenkavalier

Based on what I know now, I'm most looking forward to Queen of Spades (my first Russian opera!) and least looking forward to Turandot (I'm mainly going to figure out what all the fuss is about, since so many opera people I know love this one). The biggest unknown for me is Akhnaten. No idea what that experience might be like.

Curious to know, what would be your most and least favorite opera from this list?


----------



## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Is the Met still running the Zeffirelli Turandot?


----------



## JoeSaunders (Jan 29, 2015)

Great selection. Which dates have you booked for Queen of Spades? Because heaven help you if you end up having to listen to Antonenko as Hermann. I had to endure that in January and it's probably the most traumatising singing I've ever listened to - just so your expectations are in check! Either way, you'll get to hear Lise Davidsen, as Lisa, who's an up and comer worth looking out for in the future.


----------



## marceliotstein (Feb 23, 2019)

Couchie said:


> Is the Met still running the Zeffirelli Turandot?


Yes, apparently it will be the Zeffirelli. Is that a good or bad thing?

(I do love his La Boheme.)


----------



## marceliotstein (Feb 23, 2019)

JoeSaunders said:


> Great selection. Which dates have you booked for Queen of Spades? Because heaven help you if you end up having to listen to Antonenko as Hermann. I had to endure that in January and it's probably the most traumatising singing I've ever listened to - just so your expectations are in check! Either way, you'll get to hear Lise Davidsen, as Lisa, who's an up and comer worth looking out for in the future.


Huh! Well, I've never heard of Antonenko, but I'm going December 18 and apparently this is the one date he will not be performing as Hermann! It will be one Kristian Benedikt, who I've also never heard of. So I guess I've dodged a bullet ... though honestly now that you've said this I'm intrigued by how bad Antonenko could be and almost wish I could find out.


----------



## JoeSaunders (Jan 29, 2015)

^Here's an audio clip of one of his performances in last year's Aida (first half of the video):


----------



## marceliotstein (Feb 23, 2019)

I listened to this and yeah, even to my untrained ear, the vocals do seem strange and wobbly.

For what it's worth - I've mentioned before on this forum that, apparently unlike most people who are really into opera, I never choose an opera based on who's singing. Not being remotely a vocalist myself, I probably do not have the training to notice a situation in which one singer struggles while another singer excels. I have attended some operas in which I heard mistakes - and exactly once, at a Met "Otello" last year, I noticed the lead tenor was struggling in the first act and then an announcement was made during the second act that he was sorry for a slight illness but wished to keep singing. (The audience, given no choice, was dutiful about it, but he did not get great applause at the curtain calls.) This did prove to me that I have some ear for mistakes. But, mistakes aside, I usually find that most singers do their job admirably, and they usually sound just fine to me. What I find most fascinating about operas are the works themselves - the challenges the composer and the librettist faced, the historical context, the insights we can gain into European culture (or world culture) by experiencing the entertainments that wowed crowds 200 or 150 or 100 years ago.


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Lucky you chose that one date without Antonenko.
You don't have to be an expert on fine singing to know that he's had it and is just fulfilling his commitment of a contract that was written years before.

Even if you don't happen to prefer lavish staging with Zeffirelli's glitz and extravagant costumes in Turandot, (I love all of it by the way), you will be given a treat of Christine Goerke as Turandot. She is dynamite.
In order to enjoy this opera better, simply recognize and accept the fantasy of the story and try not to make good sense of it.

I will be seeing the Tuesday Macbeth (the only one with Lucic whom I really love as a baritone, and by doing so was able to avoid Domingo in the same role which I do not prefer). Just watch Netrebko's sleepwalking scene -- a magical experience.

You said: "What I find most fascinating about operas are the works themselves - the challenges the composer and the librettist faced, the historical context, the insights we can gain into European culture (or world culture) by experiencing the entertainments that wowed crowds 200 or 150 or 100 years ago."

Well for me, fine singing only serves to exacerbate the works themselves by adding to the magic and becomes the cherry on top of the already delicious cake.


----------



## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

nina foresti said:


> . . . .
> 
> You said: "What I find most fascinating about operas are the works themselves - the challenges the composer and the librettist faced, the historical context, the insights we can gain into European culture (or world culture) by experiencing the entertainments that wowed crowds 200 or 150 or 100 years ago."
> 
> Well for me, fine singing only serves to *exacerbate *the works themselves by adding to the magic and becomes the cherry on top of the already delicious cake.


Not sure that's the word you're looking for.

"verb (used with object), ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing.
to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.
to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate; exasperate."


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

jegreenwood said:


> Not sure that's the word you're looking for.
> 
> "verb (used with object), ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing.
> to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.
> to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate; exasperate."


You are so right. "Invigorate" seems to fit the bill a bit better.
Thank you for noting that. (senior moment)


----------



## marceliotstein (Feb 23, 2019)

nina foresti said:


> Lucky you chose that one date without Antonenko.
> You don't have to be an expert on fine singing to know that he's had it and is just fulfilling his commitment of a contract that was written years before.
> 
> Even if you don't happen to prefer lavish staging with Zeffirelli's glitz and extravagant costumes in Turandot, (I love all of it by the way), you will be given a treat of Christine Goerke as Turandot. She is dynamite.
> ...


Thanks, Nina. I bet I'll love Zeffirelli's staging too. And I will take your advice on accepting the fantasy in the story - this wouldn't usually be a problem for me. I am more concerned about stale stereotyping of Asian culture and Asian music - then again, I'm aware that this kind of cultural representation problem is nothing new for opera!

Regarding Domingo, I feel the same way as you. I would rather see Macbeth without him in it, but I am not free for any of those dates. I won't let his scandal ruin my opera experience, so I plan to enjoy the opera without paying attention to his presence. Based on what I have heard in my preparatory listening to this opera, Lady Macbeth and Macduff have the best arias anyway.


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Just to be clear, when I speak of not preferring Domingo, I simply meant as a baritone and having nothing to do with his personal issues.


----------

