# Christie's Così at the Met = a disaster???



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

The current Opera News magazine has a review of the much anticipated Met debut of applauded conductor William Christie in _Così fan tutte_, with the most dreamy female team I can think of: Miah Persson, Isabel Leonard, and Danielle de Niese.

I was so excited about this performance that I had considered a trip to New York City to attend it. For various reasons I was unable to go, and reading the review, what I had thought to be an unlucky turn of events that prevented me from going may have been instead a lucky way to save my money and time.

Opera News, as you all know, is a publication that belongs to the Metropolitan Opera organization, and even though I am a long time subscriber and generally like the magazine, I've always felt that the writers are (maybe understandably - they do need to fill those seats) overgenerous in their reviews of the Met's own productions.

So when they put down one of their own, we should better believe that it was pretty bad.

To my deep surprise, the review of this _Così_ is negative from top to bottom, except for praising Isabel's and Danielle's singing (not even Miah is spared). But even worse than the occasional singing blunders, they harshly describe maestro Christie's performance at the head of the Met Orchestra as something that can only be defined as a total disaster, with tempo problems, synchrony problems with the singers, and dull sounds.


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

strange. I thought with a cast like that you couldn't go wrong (I've seen Miah Persson and Isabel Leonard in the Salzburg Così on TV, with Patricia Petibon as Despina), plus I was under the impression that William Christie is among the best conductors out there - the only negativity I've heard of him concerns his personality and not his craft. 
On a side note I'm going to see this Così production next week, it's in Oslo but a guest visit from the Swedish national opera in Stockholm and by the director who also directed the Poppea I saw last year. 
http://www.operaen.no/Default.aspx?ID=27244&ProductID=PROD449


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

karenpat said:


> strange. I thought with a cast like that you couldn't go wrong (I've seen Miah Persson and Isabel Leonard in the Salzburg Così on TV, with Patricia Petibon as Despina), plus I was under the impression that William Christie is among the best conductors out there - the only negativity I've heard of him concerns his personality and not his craft.
> On a side note I'm going to see this Così production next week, it's in Oslo but a guest visit from the Swedish national opera in Stockholm and by the director who also directed the Poppea I saw last year.
> http://www.operaen.no/Default.aspx?ID=27244&ProductID=PROD449


Yes, I was equally surprised with the review. I wouldn't ever expect a bad performance from Christie.

I got that Salzburg Cosi on blu-ray and loved the first act (less so the second act).

Enjoy your Cosi next week!


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Interesting. I'm listening to a Met production of La Traviata right now on wbjc radio, and the lead soprano Marina Poplavskaya is rather disappointing.. her voice cracked several times and she lacked vitality. I sincerely hope the Met isn't lowering its standards.. Matthew Polanzani was excellent as Alfredo, however.

If you read this article the comments agree with me: http://www.wqxr.org/programs/metropolitan-opera/2011/jan/15/


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Ravellian said:


> Interesting. I'm listening to a Met production of La Traviata right now on wbjc radio, and the lead soprano Marina Poplavskaya is rather disappointing.. her voice cracked several times and she lacked vitality. I sincerely hope the Met isn't lowering its standards..
> 
> Matthew Polanzani was excellent as Alfredo, however.


All companies are lowering standards during the economic crisis.
Anna Netrebko was supposed to be in that production but balked at wearing the tiny red dress since she gained so much weight in the last five years.
One thing, though: this is a very physical production and the soprano is supposed to move a lot on stage, sing upside down, etc. According to Anna herself, this production makes the soprano be out of breath and consequently have breathing control problems. This may explain Poplavskaya's trouble, since she is generally good.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Interesting. I might dig up more on it. Keep us posted.


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