# MET Broadcast Aïda



## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

As related on our sibling-board, I was unable to attend the MET in HD theatre-cast of _Aïda_. However, I _was_ able to catch a sizeable chunk of the Radio Broadcast. Just going to start with a few surface thoughts- simply to make a beginning of it.

*Liudmyla Monastyrska* _sounded_ like a fabulous "Aïda," and was enjoyable on the radio-waves. 
I'll leave it to the theatre-goers to relate what she looked like.:devil:

I really want to root for *Roberto Alagna*- honestly, I do. Typically, I seek to resist getting all catty-hink about challenging opera roles and the performers who have the courage to sing them on the largest of stages. Candor impels me to conclude, though, that this foray as "Radamès" was uneven, to put it simply. This is nothing new for Alagna- I think you pays your money and you takes your chances with him.

The most outsized unpleasant surprise, however, was the conducting of *Fabio Luisi*. I try to feel for the plight of a conductor leading this work- those familiar with this opera are going to compare your vision with any number of 20th Century immortal conductors, and also add the unfair perspective of studio recordings vs. live performance. Still, he's the MET's acting Prinicipal Conductor, you'd expect this piece to be in his interpretive wheelhouse. One would expect better than "workmanlike," and certainly nothing less than "idiomatic." There were some strangely chosen (and not always steadily maintained) tempi, and some jarring togetherness issues among the singers. I don't know what unified vision he was trying to achieve. This is in contrast to the way he essayed even Wagner, where (what ever one might think of the approach), it was clear that he was trying for Janowski-ish clarity. Perhaps he was seeking to highlight the variegate nature of the music itself-- but to me it sounded like plasticity for the sake of plasticity.

Except for the lower registers and the women, not a performance to remember, I'm afraid...


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Didn't see it, unfortunately. I just have tried Aida too often and have kind of given up on it. Never seen a production that sells it to me. I did think, in the short video clip they showed to advertise it at the broadcast of Ballo, that Monastyrska was going to be quite something, and in spite of my antipathy to the opera, was thinking of going myself, but ... didn't.


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## Hesoos (Jun 9, 2012)

Alagna is not a good Radames, I agree, he shouts, he doesn't sing good this role.

I like the best Pavarotti's Radames, is so lyrical and nice.






And Bergonzi, a classic Radames:






Aida is one of my favorites operas, Guythegreg, don't give up! Have you tried the San Francisco version with Pavarotti and Maria Chiara (a good Aida)or The Met version with Domingo and Zajick (as Amneris) ?


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

I won't give up on it, I promise. I'm in the middle of a big Pavarotti effort right now, trying to find things I like that he's done, so his Aida will be interesting to hear. Thanks for the encouragement!


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