Above: mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke in a Cherubino selfie; borrowed from Sasha's Facebook page
Author: Oberon
Thursday April 21st, 2022 - I very seldom go to evening performances at The Met these days; the long intermissions can leave me getting home after midnight, which makes me nervous. However, I could not possibly forego a chance to see Sasha Cooke's Cherubino at The Met, and since this cast did not have a matinee I could attend, I went tonight with a plan to stay for two acts, thus hearing both of Sasha's arias. Once there, the excellence of the entire cast made me wish I could stay to the end...to give Sasha a big "bravissima" during the bows.
The Met's current NOZZE DI FIGARO production, needless to say, is updated, having a sort of Downton Abbey feel. The set, of metallic latticework, seemed ugly at first, but I soon got used to it as it revolved from room to room. Richard Eyre's staging is excellent, each character being finely delineated. I "learned" this opera in the late 1960s when I attended several performances of the New York City Opera's English-language production, and the words kept coming back to me this evening: opera in English works well for comedies. Of course, tonight it was Italian that was being sung.
The Israeli conductor Nimrod David Pfeffer (above) made his Met podium debut tonight; a member of the Company's music staff since 2014, Maestro Pfeffer was given this last NOZZE of the current run, and he did a very fine job. The brisk overture set the tone of the evening, and he kept the energy level high whist still allowing the singers some leeway here and there to spin out their lines, or add a bit of embellishment. A couple of times, things got out-of-sync; but this was swiftly remedied. Of special note this evening were the expert continuo players: Howard Watkins (fortepiano) and Julia Bruskin (cello)...bravi!!
Every person in the cast was outstanding; from both a vocal and a theatrical point of view, this NOZZE stood with the finest performances of this masterpiece that l have attended.
Above, in a Ken Howard/Met Opera photo: Gerald Finley, Federica Lombardi, Christian van Horn, and Ying Fang
Let's start with the title-role: Christian van Horn's Figaro was at the same entrancing level as his Mefistofele here in 2018. With his house-filling voice and tall, slender frame, this singer compels you to attend to his every note, word, and gesture; yet somehow he also always manages to be part of the ensemble, so attentive to everything that happens around him. His "Se vuol ballare" and "Non piu andrai" were splendidly sung.
Mr. van Horn and the lovely Ying Fang as Susanna made a cozy couple; they were very comfortable with each other physically, and their by-play in the opening scene was quite intimate. It seemed obvious that, while their marriage vows were as yet unspoken, this would not be a "brautnacht" in the true sense of the word. Ms. Fang's singing was simply delicious; her voice so sweet and clear in the big House. As an actress, she proved deft and subtle, with expert timing and witty facial expressions. One can hear already a Contessa in her future, but for now let us savour her delectable Susanna.
Above, the Almavivas: Ferderica Lombardi and Gerald Finley; a photo borrowed from Mr. Finley's Twitter page
Gerald Finley's Count was yet another feather in the cap of this wonderful Canadian bass-baritone, who I last saw as a magnificently-sung Athanaël in THAIS in 2017. He gave a perfect portrayal of the predatory Count, constantly thwarted by Figaro & Friends. I was surprised to discover that Mr. Finley is in his 60s now: he sounds and moves like a much younger man. The voice is in fine estate, including an interpolated top note as his dismissed his wife's story about Cherubino's presence in her boudoir: "I don't believe you!"
I heard the Italian soprano Federica Lombardi earlier this season as Musetta in BOHEME and thought she was good but unexceptional. Reading her Playbill bio tonight, I found that it's loaded with Mozart roles; and then, hearing her "Porgi amor", I could easily understand how her Mozart is valued. The voice is clear, with a kind of quiet allure; she sometimes employs straight-tone to lovely effect, and her dynamics gave me tingles of delight. In the ensemble where her husband tries to win her forgiveness, Ms. Lombardi's voice flew up to two crystalline high-Cs. A tall, slender woman, the soprano looks striking onstage, and she conveyed the Contessa's nobility and the long-suffering abuse she's endured in he marriage. But also: she let us know that Rosina is still a young woman, and understandably tempted by the over-sexed Cherubino. Ms. Lombardi is a valuable addition to The Met roster
Above, two girls and a boy in a bedroom: Ying Fang, Federica Lombardi, and Sasha Cooke; a Met Opera photo
I first heard Sasha Cooke when she was a Met Young Artist; she was in the same 'class' as my lovely Lisette Oropesa, and they both had their 'stepping out' in solo parts in HANSEL & GRETEL: Sasha as the Sandman, and Lisette as the Dew Fairy. I heard Sasha at various Young Artist presentations, and was much taken with both her voice and her distinctive personal beauty. Since then, she has become a world-class recitalist whilst continuing to take on choice operatic roles. This season, after being absent since 2008, Sasha returned to the Met as Edwige in Handel's RODELINDA and as Cherubino.
The first thing I noticed about about Sasha tonight - aside from what a handsome boy she makes - was that the voice has grown larger and warmer over time, without losing its unique qualities. In the playful "Non so più cosa son", she handled the Maestro's swift tempo with complete assurance, and then made a very touching impression as the page turns more pensive at "E se non ho chi mi oda..." before polishing it off with a joyous ..."parlo d'amor con me!" In the page's trademark aria, "Voi che sapete", Sasha's warm tone and perfect diction set her comfortably in the high echelon with my delightful Cherubinos of the past: Biancamaria Casoni, Evelyn Lear, Rosalind Elias, Kay Creed, Helene Schneiderman, Frederica von Stade, Susanne Mentzer, and Susan Graham.
Sasha's Cherubino was a lively youth, crawling under the bed to hide from the Count, enjoying her transformation into a girl, and finally clambering up a tall armoire to leap out of the window. In sum, she simply lived the part...and it was very sweet to read that Ms. von Stade had sent Sasha her bejeweled 'Cherubino' shoe buckles to honor Sasha's return to The Met. Now, we just need to keep her here!
Four top-flight singing actors graced the cast with their presence: Elizabeth Bishop (whose Berlioz Dido and Gluck Iphigenie I had the good fortune to see) was a voicey Marcellina, with astute comic timing, whilst Maurizio Muraro, a basso buffo the great tradition of Salvatore Baccaloni and Fernando Corena, gave a powerful rendering of Bartolo's "vendetta" aria. Paul Corona's strong-toned Antonio was another plus, trying hard not to be duped by Figaro's made-up story of who it was who jumped from the window.
As Don Basilio, Giuseppe Filianoti revealed his still-beautiful voice aligned to the touching colours he found in the words - something that comes naturally to a native Italian.
~ Oberon