Lovers of Shakespeare attending a performance of Macbeth await the familiar opening curtain and the appearance of three witches dancing around a boiling cauldron and the familiar lines: “Double, double…toil and trouble.”
Hence, it’s a bit off-putting when attending the Glimmerglass Festival production of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of that name, that a chorus of a dozen women in modern dress tells us in song of impending trouble in Scotland…and the men in principal male roles have gold-embroidered epaulets on their uniforms denoting their military rank.
Ah well, over the years Glimmerglass Artistic and General Director Francesca Zambello and her stage directors have crafted bold approaches to classic plays and operas…some successful, some a bit too bold.
By the very titles of plays – and their opera adaptations – the focus is to be on the central character. Both Shakespeare and Verdi in some of their greatest works focused on an individual’s ambition and moral corruption: Shakespeare in King Lear, Hamlet, Richard III…Verdi in Aida, Rigoletto, and again turning to Shakespeare for Otello.
Certainly Artistic Director Zambello and Stage Director Anne Bogart of this Glimmerglass production have the credentials to seek new approaches. But if diversions change the focus of attention – for example, if Duncan’s death is the result of being killed by a gunshot – we have to question, what happened to the soliloquy: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, handle toward my hand?”
Or, to quote Shakespeare in another context: “The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”
What fully redeems this production is a cast of brilliant singers under the musical direction of Joseph Colaneri. In the lead roles are two Metropolitan Opera stars: bass-baritone, Eric Owens in the title role, and soprano Melody Moore as Lady Macbeth. They both deliver their music with the highest passion and quality.
Indeed, for Act I, Verdi composed some stirring arias – sung with great skill and beauty by Ms. Moore. If the opera had ended at that point, it would have to be re-named Lady Macbeth and Friend.
The supporting cast is equally and consistently superb…most especially Soloman Howard as the doomed Banquo, whose voice is wonderfully powerful and fluid.
The early comments in this review represent my personal discontent. But, let me firmly stress: Verdi’s Macbeth is rarely produced…It’s a glorious work of grand opera…now having a grand production…delivered by fine operatic artists. If you’re truly into opera, you can add this to your summer list of “have to see.”
Macbeth plays in repertory on selected dates until August 22nd, at Glimmerglass Festival, Cooperstown, New York.
Herbert Wolff studied under the guidance of Lee Strasberg and subsequently had roles with summer theater companies in upstate New York and on “live” television.He is former vice president of International Television Association and former Chairman of Massachusetts Advisory Council on Scientific and Technical Education. Herb continues to write, direct and appear in stage plays. For 25 years he has been the on-air reviewer of theater and opera productions for WAMC/Northeast Public Radio.
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