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Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Compare and Contrast 13

The Met's new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula opened the other day, by Mary Zimmerman and starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez. The reviews are in entertaining contrast to one another:
  • Martin Bernheimer is displeased.
  • Anthony Tommasini is skeptical about the concept, vague about how good the vocal performances were (but I agree with him in general about Florez), and hilarious on one aspect of the updating: "When the villagers in Bellini’s opera discover Amina asleep in the count’s room, they are scandalized. But why would Amina’s colleagues be so shocked by a little backstage hanky-panky? What kind of urban opera company is this?"
  • Jonathan Wellsung had a great time.
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2 comments:

  1. Henry HollandMarch 4, 2009 at 4:10:00 PM PST

    Please, Mr. Bernheimer, come back to Los Angeles, PLEASE.

    I love the Wellsung's play-by-play of the snarking in the balcony: "Oh, whatever, just go back to Long Island!". What would be the Bay Area equivalent? "Oh, just go back to Richmond"?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lisa HirschMarch 4, 2009 at 4:11:00 PM PST

    Concord.

    ReplyDelete

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