Tonight’s the night for the lyrical, sweet music that plummeted Bizet to success. Click here for the Met Opera free livestream.
He was 25! Everyone knows Carmen – which didn’t follow till 15 years later. Far less well known is his ‘exotic’, anthropologically dubious but extraordinarily beautiful entry into the competitive world of French opera. Forgive the improbable plot – just enjoy the music. Set designers love this one.
The story is in Ceylon, and sets variously use palm trees and hanging vines, but the Met brilliantly sets it in the rickety waterfront slum home to the fishers.
And yes, they famously brought in the swimmers, diving deep and at risk - the focus on those fishers and the fear of drowning made (some) sense of the plot.
This is the 2016 Met production, a beautifully staged frame for three great voices. Diana Damrau is a formidable Leila (inviting more interesting interpretations than are usual. Listen to her singing 'Comme autrefois dans la nuit sombre' - with more than a hint that her status as the vestal virgin is a bit iffy - English translation here.)
Matthew Polenzani, and Mariusz Kwiecien are the voices in That Male Duet - which everyone knows. They've done this one many times.
A nice interview here before their later version for Lyric Opera in Chicago. And here they are on YouTube. Wikipedia has the lyrics translation here.
Back to the Met in 2016, a fine production, and the voices and Met orchestra triumphed. Gianandrea Noseda conducts one of the repertory’s most beautiful scores.
This stream will be available until 6:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 4 (that’s 8.30am our time Sunday. Don't forget Daylight Savings!)
See you in the theatre!
- Lyn
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