The Metropolitan Opera – Verdi: Macbeth

Overview

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.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

April 13, 2008

Original language

Italian

Spoken languages

Italian

Countries

United States of America

Production

EMI,The Metropolitan Opera

Cast

Ashley Emerson,James Courtney,Russell Thomas,Adam Hauser Piñero,John Relyea,Keith Miller,Anne-Carolyn Bird,MET Orchestra,Maria Guleghina,Željko Lučićand 7 more

Director

Gary Halvorson

Writer

William Shakespeare,Andrea Maffei,Francesco Maria Piave

Producer

Peter Gelb,Louisa Briccetti,Victoria Warivonchik

Music

Giuseppe Verdi

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

IMDb

tt1253679