Malgorzata Walewska

I was scanning the Deutsche Oper website checking on Nicole's dates and I happened to notice that Malgorzata Walewska is singing the title role in Gnecchi's CASSANDRA which is being given on a double bill with ELEKTRA. Gnecchi's opera is an unknown quantity to me, but Ms. Walewska is not: she made an exciting Met debut as Dalila in March 2005. Appearing opposite the impassioned Jose Cura - his vocalism not to all tastes but fascinating in my opinion - the attractive Polish mezzo scored an emphatic success with the audience as she drenched the familiar melodies of Act II with her sensuous timbre. She & Cura raised the temperature in the house by several degrees in their love scene and Ms. Walewska capped the evening with a sustained high B-flat as the Temple of Dagon was brought down. After her debut she sang one additional Dalila with the Company in the Parks series and then she stepped in for Dolora Zajick once night as Amneris for the fourth act of AIDA and then - like so many interesting singers over the years - Walewska vanished from the Met roster.

Comments

[Nicole]

I LOVE this woman! Her voice has a true dark quality, like Borodina. She's a beautiful figure on stage as well. Unfortunately her role as Cassandra is so short, maybe 20 minutes of singing, if that. She sings a lot in Europe. The Met has their favorites ... there are plenty of singers who should be singing on that stage who aren't.
The Double Bill Premiere was a success on Saturday night & it's just what we needed. Both casts are wonderful & there is some great singing going on. Bravi tutti!

[Philip]

Nicole, I was looking at the photos from the productions on the DOB website and was trying to figure out which ones were from which opera! E-mail me if you have a chance to look at them.

After Walewska sang her Dalila at the Met we had people coming to Tower wanting recordings of her. She got a lot of interest when she sang here and I wish she would come back.

[Dmitry]

I also saw that Met Dalila and it was excellent. One got the sense that the house was too big for all that Walewska wanted to do vocally, but the impression she made was definitely lasting.

[Philip]

She might have misjudged the House in Act I, which I thought was beautiful but a little 'light'. Thereafter I thought she really opened up. I'd like to hear her as Carmen or Fricka.