Metropolitan Opera revives a cartoonish Frau ohne Schatten

Russell Thomas (The Emperor)

Elza van den Heever (The Empress)

Ryan Speedo Green (Spirit Messenger) and Nina Stemme (Nurse)

Michael Volle (Barak) and Lise Lindstrom (The Dyer's Wife)

Die Frau ohne Schatten

By Cameron Kelsall, 30 November 2024

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“Michael Volle brought linguistic sovereignty and an actor's craft to Barak”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City on 29 November 2024

Strauss R., Die Frau ohne Schatten

Metropolitan Opera

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Conductor

Herbert Wernicke, Director, Set Designer, Costume Designer, Lighting Designer

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

The Metropolitan Opera Chorus

Russell Thomas, Emperor

Elza van den Heever, Empress

Nina Stemme, Nurse

Michael Volle, Barak, the Dyer

Lise Lindstrom, Barak the Dyer's Wife

Ryan Speedo Green, The Messenger of Keikobad

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Susan Stempleski, 20th April

The Lithuanian soprano’s riveting performance as the central character in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece lights up Deborah Warner’s mostly bland production.

****1

Innocence: Saariaho’s final opera receives New York premiere

Kurt Gottschalk, 6th April

At the Metropolitan Opera, Innocence proves a gripping and perhaps divisive piece which feels real because it is a reflection of our reality, with no realistic hope of finding peace.

*****

Tristan und Isolde at the Met: staging gets in the way of the music

No’a L. bat Miri, 9th March

Michael Spyres shines in his debut as Tristan alongside powerhouse soprano Lise Davidsen as Isolde in Yuval Sharon's new, beguiling production at the Metropolitan Opera.

***11

Ailyn Pérez is the perfect Butterfly in the Met’s revival

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Good Butterflys are not that difficult to come by but great ones are very very rare. Ailyn Pérez fits the bill in this revival of Anthony Minghella’s classic staging.

*****

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Marco Armiliato conducts a finely balanced rendition of Bellini's final masterpiece with a stellar cast headed by Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee.

*****

Porgy and Bess returns stronger than ever at the Met

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Back to Catfish Row for another revival of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess and James Robinson’s show continue to wow our writer.

*****

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.