fyglia

With this opera, Verdi composed a true music drama. For this great early opera, he demanded from his librettist Francesco Maria Piave a text that would have “extravagance, originality brevity and sublimity.” Thomas Hampson made a triumphant début in the title role of Verdi’s Macbeth in this Zurich Opera production, with Paoletta Marrocu as his beautiful, power-hungry wife. In David Pountney’s hard-edged, post-modern production duality of man and woman is constantly brought into question. His Macbeth is not just a story about the usurpation of a crown with supernatural intervention, it resonates with symbolic references to the battle of the sexes and throws into sharp relief the link between power and gender. A strong supporting cast draws a top quality performance from the Zurich Opera Orchestra.



Shakespeare’s drama on the Scottish nobleman Macbeth who is corrupted by power and loses his wife, sanity and finally his life to his ambitions is one of the greatest plays of world literature. Although the work was simplified for the opera libretto, its core – a mixture of the realistic and the supernatural – has remained intact. This is an overwhelmingly powerful staging, by star director David Pountney who is known for his lush, psychological plausible and realistic stage inventions. One of the most challenging features in Macbeth is the constant change between the real world and the supernatural. Pountney does not so much make a difference between the levels of reality but sees the apparitions and visions of Macbeth as an integral part of his personal reality and very much the driving force behind his decision-making.

Filmed closely and almost movie-like, this DVD production portrays to full extent the excellent singing and acting prowess of American star baritone Thomas Hampson, who creates the despair of the power-hungry Macbeth with intensity.

REVIEWS:

"Für Thomas Hampson ist der Macbeth neben dem Padre Germont die Verdi-Partie, die er mit seinem lyrischen Bariton singen sollte, und als hervorragender Schauspieler kann er Zerrissenheit und Abhängigkeit berührend gestalten. […] Glanzleistungen vollbringt der Chor (Jürg Hämmerli), das Orchester unter Franz Welser-Möst vereint italienische und düster schottische Elemente zu betörend- unheimlichem Klang." Ingrid Wanja, deropernfreund.de, 21.02.2011

"Unter den Sängern räumt zu Recht Thomas Hampson den größten Applaus ab. Nicht nur stimmlich, sondern auch darstellerisch mit Haut und Haaren steigt er bis in die schwärzesten dämonischen Tiefen der Hauptfigur hinab. Nach Belieben ist er Herr über alle Ausdrucksmittel zwischen voluminöser Kraft und mystischem Pianissimo." Thomas Gehrig, klassik.com, 06.02.2011

"Hampson's handling of the “Perfidi, all anglo...” recitative that leads to his Act III aria is a masterful example of the variety of colors and inflections this superb artist has at his command; his ending of “Pietà, rispetto, amore” is impeccably brought down to a pianissimo on the final “...la nenia tua sarà.” In short, a great artist at the top of his game. [...] both the audio and video of this DVD are state-of-the-art and vintage Arthaus Musik." Rafael de Acha, ConcertoNet.com, 19.03.2011

"Ungemein intensiv gestalten in Zürich Paoletta Marrocu und Thomas Hampson die beiden zentralen Rollen in Giuseppe Verdis "Macbeth", den David Pountney im düsteren Ambiente von Stefanos Lazaridis mit einer wahren Flut von symbolträchtigen Bildern inszeniert hat." Ernst Naredi-Rainer, Kleine Zeitung, 06.03.2011

Works on This Recording
Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi
Performers: Roberto Scandiuzzi (Bass), Paoletta Marrocu (Soprano), Thomas Hampson (Baritone), Luis Lima (Tenor)
Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst
Orchestra/Ensemble: Zurich Opera House Orchestra, Zurich Opera House Chorus

Period: Romantic
Written: 1847/1865; Italy

No Password