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Newcity Stage, 29 September 2008 |
Dennis Polkow |
Manon, Chicago, 27
September 2008
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Review: Manon/Lyric Opera
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In recent seasons, the Lyric Opera modus
operandi has been to take an operatic warhorse, usually Italian, and open
and close the season with it but with different and often mediocre casts to
trade primarily on the marquee value of the work itself. Kudos to Lyric for
setting aside that tired formula and for opening the 2008-9 season with a
spectacular production of Masenet’s “Manon” that forms the basis of one of
the most memorable Lyric openings in years.
Other than “Carmen” and “Faust,” French opera is rare at Lyric and when it
is presented, key segments and ballets are often cut and there is little
that is, well, French. How luxurious then, to bring in French soprano
Natalie Dessay to sing her signature role at the vocal height of her career,
giving us the “Manon” of a lifetime complete with all of the grand French
trimmings. Unlike Renée Fleming, who sang a single act of this role to open
the Metropolitan Opera season last week and who exudes confidence and
glamour at every turn, Dessay not only has the advantage of having French as
her native language and a truly French color to her voice, but she is able
to make us believe in the opera’s opening act that she is indeed a naïve,
16-year old girl who is leaving home for the first time. We see the wonder
of the world through her eyes, and even Dessay’s vocal colorizations match
what her character is feeling. As she falls in love and becomes more world
weary, Dessay is able to act and sing that difference. And the coloratura
ornaments and trills are exquisite at every turn.
This could well have been Dessay’s show exclusively and no one would
complain, but German tenor Jonas Kaufmann makes a tender partner for her,
matching her delicacy and fragility as an actor as well as her vocal
shadings. Seldom has music and drama been both so well served. How rare and
wonderful to experience two performers who appear to fall in love and be
able to sustain that illusion all while singing their hearts out. No
less significant is the work of French conductor Emmanuel Villaume, who is
able to make the Lyric Opera Orchestra play with the delicacy, feeling and
timbre of a French orchestra, but with greater precision and accuracy. Miss
this extraordinary production at your own peril. |
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