Verdi’s admiration for Shakespeare led to such masterpieces as Othello and Falstaff, and if the earlier Macbeth isn’t on their exalted level it’s still a powerfully dramatic opera that hews closely to the original’s story line. The MET’s production retains the dark aura of the opera while updating it to a vaguely post-modern context. So the witches are bag ladies in various stages of decrepitude, with children in tow. The Banquet Scene features lowered chandeliers, a plethora of chairs, and a slew of extras dressed in tuxedos and party gowns. Macbeth sports a leather coat, the soldiers are in drab brown uniforms and seem to have fingers on their triggers even when they’re supposed to be in non-threatening situations. Director Adrian Noble also has Lady Macbeth do an inordinate amount of writhing around and singing from a lying-down position, adding to the feeling that a less interventionist directorial hand might have generated more impact.
Credits
The Metropolitan Opera – Verdi: Macbeth Cast
| Name |
Character |
|
Maria Guleghina
She was 48, now 64 years old
|
as Lady Macbeth |
The Metropolitan Opera – Verdi: Macbeth Crew
| Name |
Department |
|
Giuseppe Verdi as Original Music Composer. He was 194 (87) years old when He died
|
Sound |
|
Gary Halvorson as Director. He was 8 (now 24) years old
|
Directing |
