Opera Review of Thais and La Rondine
Thais – 2 out of 4 Stars
La Rondine – 3 out of 4 Stars
While hugely elaborate, expensive, rather overcrowded productions of “Doctor Atomic” and “La Damnation de Faust” opened the Metropolitan Opera’s fall season, it has lately been ruled by intimate revivals of two extremely rare, hardly ever performed operas that are meant primarily to showcase celebrated diva sopranos.
Massenet’s 1894 French opera “Thais” has not been performed at the Met since Beverly Sills played the role in 1978. It revolves around an Egyptian courtesan who unexpectedly gives up a life of luxury in order to pursue spiritual sustenance after some convincing by a scarily obsessed monk.
“Thais,” which Jesús López-Cobos conducts with noticeable restraint, is a delicate, meditative, yet underwhelming work that is full of awkward eroticism. John Cox’s visually spare production, which originated at Chicago’s Lyric Opera, feels lost and altogether uninspired.
If not much else, it provides Ms. Fleming with the opportunity to wrap herself in a curly blonde wig and deluxe Christian Lacroix costumes, strut down a staircase, and perform the opera’s notoriously difficult aria "Dis-moi que je suis belle." She sings absolutely beautifully and acts with real passion. Baritone Thomas Hampson is also convincing as the monk who yearns to save her from sin.
On the other hand, Nicolas Joël’s production of Puccini’s “La Rondine,” set in 1920s Paris, makes a far more compelling case. Believe it or not, this gorgeously melodious 1917 lyric opera, which was originally conceived as an operetta, has not been performed at the Met since 1936.
Rather like in “Thais,” “La Rondine” focuses on a stylish mistress who impetuously abandons the lap of luxury to pursue a young male lover. Unlike other Puccini operas like “Madame Butterfly” and “Tosca,” this is far lighter and romantic. In other words, no one dies!
This production stars the real-life opera duo Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Roberto Alagna. Though they are dramatically fine and look gorgeous, each occasionally displays a surprising lack of vocal power. At our performance, Alagna was nearly reduced to screaming his highest notes.
Nevertheless, this fairly short, waltz-infused opera is wonderful to hear under the lively conducting of Marco Armiliato. Let’s make sure “La Rondine” never falls out of our repertory again.
Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center. 212-362-6000. Go to www.metopera.org for dates and prices.
