Fleming Hits the Heights as Thais

I listened to prima of Massenet's Thais from the Metropolitan Opera last night and can only say I absolutely loved it. I’m a Massenet freak and have always felt Thais gets short shrift by critics - but audiences seem to love it, and I'm happy to see it being brought out a little more frequently than in the past. I am in love with Massenet's score, the story and there are moments of Thais that number in my “all time favorite” moments in opera. I know there are still criticisms of the “orientalism” elements of the score, but I adore even those. The opening music of the first Alexandria scene is so evocative of not just the time and place of the story (though, I admit not particularly ancient Egyptian sounding) but also of the period in which it was composed.

I've always liked Lopez-Cobos’s way with French music in general, and Massenet, in particular. His Manon a few seasons ago garnered some great reviews – and last night, I thought he did fine work as well (though I heard a couple of timing gaffs in the strings toward the end). Renee Fleming was, in a word: incredible. There was cream, velvet and, when necessary (and once or twice when not) a little steel. I’ve heard some criticism of the opening aria, but I felt it was sensational and really did have that “time standing still” element that the very best Thais’ (like there are so many of those!) can and do.

The voice sounds in absolutely incredible shape for a diva with 50 right around the corner – there are 30 year old singers just coming out who wish they could sound this fresh. The trademark pianissimi, floated tones and other tricks of the trade are shown off better in this role than 30 more popular operas I can immediately think of, and Fleming nailed nearly every one of those moments last night. The photos I saw of the production are fantastic, Renee looking impossibly glamorous . . . very nice!

The big bedroom scene leading into the Meditation was performed by everyone sounding and playing as though they were on fire! It was smoking hot and even Tommy Hampson who I admit can sound a bit fussy at times, was cutting loose and letting sparks fly, right up until Thais’ pronouncement/rejection “ Non je reste Thaïs! Thaïs! la courtisane!” where Fleming went (properly) mildly insane before cackling out her laugh and falling into sobs. This moment – that bridge to the Meditation –slays me, absolutely slays me every time. People make fun of this music at times and perhaps I don’t have a good perspective: I first heard this score when I was about 14 years old and thought it was “cool” – so it’s been locked in my heart pretty much since childhood.

The Desert Song . . . er Desert scene was marvelous with Fleming actually sounding as though experiencing a post-epiphany peace, and Hampson somehow conveyed (beautifully) sexual frustration through his sound. Again, I felt the orchestra took off in that marvelous storm music leading into the final scene. I have not seen (yet!) this production, but enjoyed the description of it that Thais is already dead, seated on an altar surrounded by flowers and candles, and doesn’t directly address Athanael during the final duet. And that duet is one of my favorite endings in all of opera – but it’s a voice buster. Massenet’s girl must wail pretty much in all registers, on that ascending four-note phrase that keeps descending in each repeat until she’s showing off her chest(!) – covering several extremes of the range in a handful of bars of music.

Unfortunately Fleming is only human and the top phrases sounded forced as if she were out of steam and willing the notes to be there. They still came off with a good deal of excitement, but not without noticeable effort. I worried that the final phrase “Ah! le ciel! Je voix... Dieu!” wouldn’t have the float necessary, but I that fear was unfounded, Fleming (with just the right amount of breathlessness and shimmer) floated it perfectly, leading into Hampson’s pathetic howl of heartbreak.

A friend wrote last night he thought Hampson was devoid of passion or involvement – I responded “he sounded like he was spitting blood” in the final scene. I listened again to the final duet three more times late last night and I’m sticking to my guns on this one!

How cool that when the curtains opened for the second time, Concertmaster David Chan was standing solo onstage to take a bow for his beautiful playing of the Meditation (and other moments).

And now, a couple of odd observations. Mary Jo Heath commented how when Meditation theme returns “this time it’s with a flute instead of violin.” Not in the score and not what we heard. Later she wondered how many chorus members were there when Thais was last performed 30 years ago, prompting William Berger to comment how the ’78 Met Thais was “a concert performance.” Wrong again. Who scripts for the hosts? It can’t be difficult to check facts in the archives. This ain’t the first time wrong info has come over the Sirius wire. That aside, it was a marvelous night for the Fleming, Hampson, Lopez-Cobos and the Met.

I can’t wait for the HD presentation which should be settled even better by the 20th!

Met Opening Night Gala: A Wagnerian Length Evening of Scenes

After picking me up early from work, my Met HD Gang and I headed to the Brunswick Regal for the Met Opening Night Gala. Years ago I realized I’m not really an opera gala kinda guy – nights in “three acts” from different works not really being my cup of tea. Much preferable to me are evenings comprised of aria recitals or, even better, entire operas. But there was so much hullaballo surrounding this one there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of missing it. It felt pretty special returning to the sold-out show (as with all of the Met HD offerings here, two or more theatres had to be opened). I must say the chaotic, disorganized hour or so before the gala proper began was a bit of a chore to sit through after a long day at work: a beer and a sandwich would have helped enormously. Still, it was pleasant enough to catch snippets of some celebrity sightings and listen to the unimportant blatherings – as we all agree – these things ain’t all about the music!

First a word on the gowns (and I’m no fashionista – quite the opposite). Renee looked sensational all night, even in that wretched, godawful, tattered Christian Lacroix deconstructed rag for the first Traviata scene. Seriously, it looked like a clown blew up and was then fed into a shredding machine. It was horrific. The next scene’s gown looked considerably better, but so too would have a dirty housedress. The Karl Lagerfeld gown for Manon reminded me nothing so much as something designed for Elsa . . . and I don’t mean von Brabant, but Lanchester - as in “Bride of Frankenstein.” Seriously. It looked particularly drab in comparison to the “lesser lights” of the costumes for the overblown Cours-la-Reine scene (which looked strangely deflated on the big screen in comparison to having seen it a number of times in the house). The final Galliano number for Capriccio was absolutely stunning (though my friends and I got unduly excited thinking Fleming had a snake tattooed on her back . . . she should!). She looked like a million bucks primping, massaging her boobies, and slinking back and forth across the stage like Veronica Lake in a bob (and did anyone get a load of the heels on her? Holy Stiletto, Batman!)

I thought Hampson started off a bit dry and stiff vocally, but my lord, he opened up for the Di Provenza. I found him to be an extremely and uniquely touching, Germont: awkward and thoughtful (and I believe these were choices, not discomfort of being in the role). When Violetta asks “embrace me as a daughter” and throws herself into his arms, this Germont simply didn’t know how to respond, which I felt entirely appropriate. As to complaints about Fleming slowing down the “Amami Alfredo!” – there is a long tradition of Violettas who have done so and I LOVE it when they do. Sills, one of the lightest voiced Violettas ever, could turn, pull and chew those few bars almost into an entire aria. Callas could bring down the pace here, as well. I think it fits the drama perfectly and though Fleming does not necessarily place among my favorite Violettas of all time, I liked what she did with the role (at least for an act) last night. Very much so. (What a drag that Vargas didn’t get his cabaletta, though!)

Throughout the night the singing would be mixed, but mostly good throughout the night, with top vocal honors going easily to Ramon Vargas. My God, I cannot wait to hear him as Des Grieux, a role I find it hard to believe he’s not yet taken on. The “Ah, fuyez” began a bit softer than I like (but hardly inappropriately so) with a slight hesitancy that had me worried he wouldn’t pour everything he had into it. I needn’t have been concerned, as he simply tore the aria up! I really think this is one of the “prettiest” tenor voices in the opera world today, and even if he’s not quite a dynamo actor, he has such appealing, genuine presence that I find myself always routing for this singer (and his Rodolfo last season was exceptional). I loved how he and Fleming kicked it up a couple of notches completely losing all inhibitions and raising the erotic quotient to . . . well, pretty damned high. People in the Cineplex gasped and tittered when Renee literally flung herself backwards over the Prie Dieu, pushing up her girly bits and striking – and holding – a “take me now” pose that was smoking hot! This really is the best scene (and music) of this opera and they did it proud last night.

I really thought Robert Lloyd pulled off Daddy Des Grieux rather nicely (loved the mocking applause and admonishment he gave his son – comical, snide, paternal . . . ). Armiliato got a good reading of the French perfume out of the Met band, moving things along nicely when necessary while still being able to luxuriate in the sound of his singers.

Though Fleming sounded good, involved (and sometimes slightly taxed by the evening) the Strauss was sung with an often refulgent tone that hadn’t been present in anything else all evening. It was a nice capper and what made it especially sweet was seeing Michael Devlin again . . . I’ve always been a fan of his and he seems to be going on forever, good for him! I was startled - pleasantly so - by how many people in our audience were riveted by the Dr. Atomic previews. I can't wait for this one!

It was fun spotting Joe Clark in an early backstage moment (funny how many people recognized him from previous cinecasts, even though he was “out” of the limelight last night) Equally fun was meeting his replacement, (can’t remember his name, but we dubbed him “Little Joe” last night!) who seems like a real charmer. Susan Graham and Deborah Voigt seemed a little odd and stiff last night, both in a sort of "charm the masses" mode that didn't feel natural from either of them.

I think Martha Stewart should've been mixing those cocktails a little earlier in the evening. It WAS funny watching Rufus Wainwright in his sparkly cowboy outfit trying to steal a bit of camera time thought mostly ignored and blocked from view by Martha and Susie. It was a ridiculously long night and not the best showing from from the Met, but as noted already, these evenings ain't all about the music; the buzz is out for the season and I think great, great things are in store for us this year! I can't wait!