Almost rescued from tyranny: Smetena's Dalibor stuns at Bard

Cadie J Bryan (Milada) and John Matthew Myers (Dalibor)

Dalibor at Bard College

Alfred Walker (Vladislav)

Cadie J Bryan (Milada)

By Robert Levine, 30 July 2025

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“Dalibor is a trying Heldentenor role, and Myers conquered it with unflagging power, grace and nuance”

Reviewed at Richard B Fisher Center for the Performing Arts: Sosnoff Theater, Annandale-on-Hudson on 27 July 2025

Smetana, Dalibor

SummerScape Opera

Leon Botstein, Conductor

Jean-Romain Vesperini, Director

Bruno de Lavenère, Set Designer

Alain Blanchot, Costume Designer

Christophe Chaupin, Lighting Designer

American Symphony Orchestra

Bard Festival Chorale

John Matthew Myers, Dalibor

Cadie J Bryan, Milada

Erica Petrocelli, Jitka

Terrence Chin-Loy, Vítek

Eric Greene, Budivoj

Alfred Walker, Vladislav

Wei Wu, Beneš

Damning with faint praise: Berlioz at Bard

Cameron Kelsall, 18th August

As part of a festival considering the composer's oeuvre, Leon Botstein leads a concert performance of La Damnation de Faust lacking in French style.

**111

The fat knight sings in Bard Festival's Sir John in Love

Cameron Kelsall, 13th August

A two-week Ralph Vaughan Williams retrospective closed with his gentle, folksy spin on Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor.

***11

Saint-Saëns rarity Henry VIII takes the crown at Bard SummerScape

Cameron Kelsall, 21st July

Conductor Leon Botstein and director Jean-Roumain Vesperini treat this Tudor soap opera with appropriate grandeur, while a top-notch cast deliver the vocal goods.

****1

Strauss' Silent Woman makes a grand noise at Bard

Robert Levine, 24th July

Bard’s always courageous Music Director, Leon Botstein, never one to shy away from a challenge, presents Strauss' comedy uncut.

****1

Bard Musical Festival presents a thrilling Die tote Stadt

Cameron Kelsall, 18th August

American singers Clay Hilley and Sara Jakubiak offered performances of distinction in two fiendishly difficult roles.

****1

Das Wunder der Heliane makes long-awaited US debut

Cameron Kelsall, 28th July

Although Bard's production is only intermittently successful, the chance to hear this Korngold rarity live should be savored.

***11

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Robert Levine

Robert T. Levine is a New York born-and-bred music writer with a particular interest in music for the voice. His work has appeared in many periodicals and newspapers. He is the author of many books, including The Story of the Orchestra, four volumes in the Black Dog & Leventhal Opera Library, and, most recently, Maria Callas: A Musical Biography.