by Paul J. Pelkonen
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| "What do you mean, no horned helmets?" Ambrogio Maestri is Sir John Falstaff in Robert Carsen's production of the Verdi opera, premiering at the Met Dec. 6, 2013. Photo by Catherine Ashmore © 2012 The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. |
It's an unusual schedule this year. Scratch that--it's downright weird. Some unloved productions from recent years return, including the Luc Bondy Tosca and Mary Zimmerman's controversial "rehearsal" version of La Sonnambula. There are three operas by Bellini and three operas by Richard Strauss including the mighty Die Frau ohne Schatten. There are three Russian operas (two of them new productions) and one in Czech.
An article in the New York Times announced that ticket prices in the expensive seats will drop by 10%, with the burden being placed on Family Circle Balance seats--they go up 20%. Happily, the Rush Program will continue next year.
So what's missing? First of all, there is no Wagner on the schedule. Planned revivals of Tannhäuser and Parsifal were reportedly nixed in favor of Dvorak's Rusalka (starring Renée Fleming) and Berg's Wozzeck with Thomas Hampson and Deborah Voigt. And there's only two Verdi operas (Falstaff and a revival of the Vegas Rigoletto) after last year's slew of seven.
Also anticipated: the return of Shostakovich's The Nose, Sondra Radvanovsky and Angela Meade alternating in Norma and a much-needed revival of A Midsummer Night's Dream. But nothing is more eagerly anticipated than the return of music director James Levine to active duty after a long absence. He's scheduled to conduct a revival of Cosí fan tutte, the aforementioned Wozzeck and the new production of Falstaff.
That's one of six new productions. And here....they....are:
