Above: Viktor Vasnetsov's Rejoice In The Lord (1896)
~ Author: Oberon
Saturday December 1st, 2018 matinee - The Robert Carsen production of Arrigo Boito's MEFISTOFELE premiered at the Grand Théâtre de Genève in 1989. Soon after, it was given by the San Francisco Opera as a vehicle for Samuel Ramey. There was a telecast - which became a DVD - with Ramey and his co-stars Gabriela Beňačková and Dennis O'Neill, which widened the popularity of the opera and of this production. The Met first presented the Carsen production in 1999, with Mr. Ramey, Veronica Villaroel, and Richard Leech.
My experience with MEFISTOFELE goes back to the opening night of the New York City Opera's classic production in 1969. At that time, the opera was a rarity and something of a curiosity. On the first night, the audience did not seem to know what to expect. Some twenty minutes after the opening downbeat, the State Theatre erupted in a massive ovation as the Prologue in Heaven came to its mighty end; it seemed like the entire audience were on their feet, screaming their heads off. I'll never forget it.
Above: Norman Treigle as Mefistolefe at the New York City Opera
It was Norman Treigle for whom NYC Opera mounted the Tito Capobiano production. This magnificent singer and hypnotic stage presence, with a cannon of a voice and the body of a ballet dancer, thrilled us with his stentorian singing and agile acting: from his stunning "Ave Signor!" to his final staggering and rolling about the stage and into oblivion as the heavenly hosts whistled him relentlessly, Treigle gave a definitive performance of the role.
His co-stars that night were Carol Neblett (Margherita/Elena) and Robert Nagy (Faust,) both of whom who won their own accolades. Later in the run, my beloved Gilda Cruz-Romo made her New York debut which marked the start of our long acquaintance. (One of her 1970 performances, audio only, is on YouTube.)
NYC Opera certainly got their money's worth with this production: it remained in the repertory for many seasons, and served as a vehicle for such bassos as Michael Devlin, William Chapman, Robert Hale, Samuel Ramey, Justino Diaz (marvelous!), John Cheek, Harry Dworchak, and Spiro Malas (who was best- known as a buffo.)
At the Met (the Old Met), MEFISTOFELE entered the repertory in 1883, just a couple of months after the house opened; such basso legends as Édouard de Reszke, Pol Plançon, Adamo Didur, José Mardones, and Fyodor Chaliapin took on the title-role, with Chaliapin causing a scandal by showing off quite a bit of skin. The Met stopped performing the opera in 1925, and it was absent from the house's repertory until the Carsen production arrived in New York in 1999. One wonders what such interim bassos as Jerome Hines, Cesare Siepi, Giorgio Tozzi, Bonaldo Giaiotti, and Nicolai Ghiaurov might have done with the role here.
I remember watching the San Francisco telecast and enjoying it very much, but for some inexplicable reason I skipped the earlier runs of this opera at The Met; so this afternoon was my first "live" encounter with the Carsen production.
Top honors today went to the Met chorus and orchestra under Joseph Colaneri's baton. The Maestro, who conducts far too rarely at The Met, laid out the complex, quirky score with perfect pacing: the drama, piety, and occasional subtle wit of the music was all there to savour. Oddly, I found some passages Berliozian in today's rendering.
Christian van Horn (in a Met Opera rehearsal photo, above) was a worthy successor to the devils who dominated the stage at New York City Opera all those years ago. Mr. van Horn is tall, pale, commanding of presence, and ample and wide-ranged of voice. If it is a voice that lacks an instantly identifiable timbre - such as Treigle, Ramey, and Diaz so very memorably had in this music - van Horn certainly filled every requirement of the role, and seemed to enjoy his every moment onstage.
At New York City Opera, a single soprano (almost) always sang both Margherita and Elena (aka Helen of Troy); Carol Neblett had one of her great career successes in the double role, with a face and figure to launch a thousand ships. Today, I wished that the sopranos had switched roles...at least vocally: Angela Meade's increasingly diffuse tone didn't do "L'altra notte" any favors, but her surprisingly strong use of chest resonance would have been welcome in Helen's 'fall of Troy' narrative. Conversely, Jennifer Check (who looked gorgeous as Elena) had the desired lyricism for Margherita's aria and the gentle "Lontana, lontana" duet. Ms. Meade was touching in "Spunta l'aurora pallida" though its climatic high-note flapped in the breeze. At the close of the prison scene, Mr. van Horn threw away the key line: "A me, Faust!"
Michael Fabiano, always a generous singer, has the voice for Faust - and the passion - and he looks terrific. Some of his highest notes, though, never quite got up to pitch. But his final top-B, as Faust chooses angels over devils, was sensational. He and Ms. Meade sang with exquisite tenderness in the "Lontana, lontana" duet.
Raúl Melo made an effective Wagner, and two mezzos delighted: the ever-welcome Theodora Hanslowe as Marta, and relative newcomer Samantha Hankey, showing off her dusky, appealing low range as Pantalis in a duet with Ms. Check's Elena.
The afternoon was full of wonderful passages, both musically and visually, but two of the opera's scenes are pretty much expendable, plot-wise: the village fair and the garden scene - although the delightful rhythmic vitality of the swift, percolating quartet in the latter is a lot of fun.
From the pit, the sound of the harps in the opening "Ave Signor" was enchanting, and in the "Troy" scene, principal harpist Emmanuel Ceysson had a long solo, marvelously played.
Mr. van Horn turned conductor at the close of the Witches' Sabbath, leading the chorus - romping in their underwear - in the rollicking "Saboe! Saboe!" whilst periodically peering at the audience over his shoulder, as big-band leaders have ever been wont to do.
The production ends sensationally, with the chorus thundering "Ave, Ave!" as Faust and the Devil are borne off to oblivion. Click on the above image to enlarge.
Metropolitan Opera House
December 1st, 2018 matinee
MEFISTOFELE
Arrigo Boito
Mefistofele.............Christian Van Horn
Faust...................Michael Fabiano
Margherita..............Angela Meade
Elena...................Jennifer Check
Wagner..................Raúl Melo
Marta...................Theodora Hanslowe
Pantalis................Samantha Hankey
Nerèo...................Eduardo Valdes
Conductor...............Joseph Colaneri
Photos in this article are from The Met website.
~ Oberon