The Met premiere of Rossini's "Le Comte Ory", directed by Barlett Sher was last night. It is an opera buffa. Juan Diego Florez sang Count Ory, a Don Juan type, who pretends to be a holy man in the first act and a nun in the second. As the Renaissance Italians intended to copy Greek theater by adding music to their dramas, the opera buffa would be an attempt to copy Aristophanes. In "Le Comte Ory", most of the men have gone off to the crusades. Except Ory who is free to try to seduce the beautiful Adele. She is sung by Diana Damrau. Adele is in love with Ory's aide Isolier, sung by Joyce DiDonato. Isolier is played by a woman which gets to be fun in the second act when Ory tricks his way into Adele's bed and with the lights out doesn't realize Adele and Isolier are both in bed with him. In the end the crusaders return. Ory escapes without achieving his goal, and Adele and Isolier live happily ever after.
Great music and singing. The chorus of over 30 woman is very powerful. Diana Damrau is absolute bliss, her singing of "En proie a' la tristesse" was wonderful. She was most definitely my favorite of the night. Second favorite would be the end of Act One, a vocal septet unaccompanied by instruments. As always at the Met the staging, set design, costume design, lighting, and orchestra are the best that you will see and hear anywhere.
The Met does four shows a week. One show rehearses during the day with scenery, props, costumes, cast and orchestra and a second opera performs that night. It is a 24/7 operation with the largest number of unions and stagehands of any theater. Since they have begun showing the operas in high definition at movie houses 250,000 people in 47 countries have seen the Met productions. The Met is doing 209 performances of 28 operas. I just renewed my subscription for next year for six more operas.
Giacchino Rossini, 1792-1868, composer of "The Barber of Seville" & "Otello" and about 40 other operas. He is also famous for the William tell overture, which is the Lone Ranger theme. He was born in Pesaro on the Adriatic coast which at that time was under the French and then the Austrians. His father was the "town" trumpeter and his mother was a singer. Rossini played the pianoforte, trumpet, and cello. He also sang and performed at the age of 10 in Paer's "Camilla". His first opera was produced in Venice when he was 18. He was always very popular with the public and worked for the French King, The English King and the Hapsburg Emperors. In 1829 he stopped writing operas, "officially" retiring in 1832 at the age of 40. No reason was given; some say he suffered from poor health. However, he continued to socialize and his home was a well known gathering place for artists. He died at his country home in France and is buried at Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
