Le Nozze di Figaro
The Met struck gold with both casts in this iconic opera, but the latter cast featuring Isabel Leonard, Ailyn Pérez, Nadine Sierra, Ildar Abdrazakov, and Mariusz Kwiecien was simply golden. The chemistry from the lead singers with one another was palpable and brought together the complex narrative and musical threads in a cohesive and immersive manner.
-DS
Thaïs
Massenet’s glorious opera was simply that in the hands of Maestro Emmanuel Villaume. The conductor’s way with this repertoire is as elegant and polished, every note simply feeling perfectly placed. He added a sense of freedom within a strict and propulsive line, allowing his singers structure and freedom. And they delivered with Gerald Finley and Ailyn Pérez simply at their very best as the two competing forces of this opera. This was arguably the first truly incredible performance of the 2017-18 season with every piece fitting perfectly.
–DS
Image: Chris Lee / The Metropolitan Opera