Work in progress: Met’s Manon Lescaut

By Ako Imamura, 14 February 2016

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Puccini’s score, rich in emotional and psychological complexity, seemed lost in the scenery”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City on 12 February 2016

Puccini, Manon Lescaut

Metropolitan Opera

Fabio Luisi, Conductor

Sir Richard Eyre, Director

Rob Howell, Set Designer

Fotini Dimou, Costume Designer

Kristine Opolais, Manon Lescaut

Roberto Alagna, Chevalier des Grieux

Massimo Cavalletti, Lescaut

Brindley Sherratt, Geronte di Ravoir

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

The Metropolitan Opera Chorus

Asmik Grigorian strengthens the Met’s revival of Eugene Onegin

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

Robert Levine, 13th January

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.

*****

Vocal thrills in Met’s traditional staging of Bellini’s I puritani

Susan Stempleski, 31st December

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

Robert Levine, 7th December

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

*****

More reviews...

Ako Imamura

Atsuko (Ako) Imamura is a retired investment banker in New York City. Born in Japan, she trained as cultural anthropologist in the US before turning to ﬁnance. She now spends her time attending opera and classical music concerts in New York and in Europe. Wagner is her favorite opera composer.

Work in progress: Met’s Manon Lescaut starring Opolais and Alagna