It was the HD broadcast of Don Carlo (yes, Italian version) from the Met. We sat through all four and a half hours during the afternoon. The singing was superb, and Nicholas Hytner's production was clearly and powerfully directed. This was great operatic theatre. Don Carlo is one of my top three operas, so you can imagine how intoxicated I felt at the end. And I know the French version is more official but the Italian version was the one I fell in love with (listening to Giulini's recording) so I'm biased emotionally. Actually emotional bias is my most prevalent in any situation - it doesn't require rationalization. My favourite character in all opera is Rodrigo, so to see/hear him sung by the hotness that is Simon Keenlyside was a delicious treat. The rest of the cast wasn't too shabby: Marina Poplavskaya (Elisabetta), Roberto Alagna (Carlo), Ferruccio Furlanetto (King Philip), and Anna Smirnova (Eboli). Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducted.
Earlier this fall we've seen René Pape as Boris Godunov and Anna Netrebko in Don Pasquale. And Rheingold in the Met's new Ring by Robert Lepage, with the amazing Bryn Terfel as Wotan. Not in New York? No excuse mate, not with these hi-def broadcasts. Yes, obviously, it's best to see anything live, but this is great performance made available all over the world. A whole new world - I love it. And the National Theatre performances are available from London too. We've missed the first two this year, but are getting tickets for the rest. I'm a bit of a convert as you can tell... heh heh.
More delicious treats after, with a visit to Yorkville, and walking past Pusateri's windows (they're a very fine food store).
Leering in their cheese window:
The destination, Trattoria Nervosa:
For Prosecco and clam linguine:
And home to let it all marinate in my happy mind and tummy.
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