Le Cid in Zurich 2008, February 3

2008-02-03 Le Cid (J. Massenet), Opernhaus Zurich



Le Cid - Massenet
with German surtitles


Supported by the Georg and Bertha Schwyzer-Winiker-Foundation


Conductor
Michel Plasson


Producer/production
Nicolas Joel


Set design
Andreas Reinhardt


Costumes
Andreas Reinhardt


Lighting
Jürgen Hoffmann


Choir rehearsal
Jürg Hämmerli


With
Isabelle Kabatu (Chiméne), Isabel Rey (L'infante); Jose Cura (Rodrigue), Andreas Hörl (Don Diège), Massimo Cavalletti *role debut (Le Roi), Cheyne Davidson (Le Comte de Gormas), Tomasz Slawinski (St. Jacques), Kresimir Strazanac (1 envoyé Maure), Miroslav Christoff (Don Arias), Kresimir Strazanac (Don Alonzo)

Finally in Zurich to see Le Cid with Jose Cura as Rodrigue. A new singer as The King. His debut. Massimo Cavalletti did well.

Difficult music in act 1+2, almost no help in orchestra for the singers. Mass scenes are wonderfully sung.

Did not like the scenery in this production. If you sat in the middle or high up you could see everything. But for those on the sides very much up the opera was not to be seen because of 2 decorative walls. So how could the Infante Isabel Rey see Chimene Isabelle Kabatu when she came from the right, not at all. Stupid.... Just like Isabelle Kabatu was looking out in the audience when she "saw" Rodrigue Jose Cura. (stupid).

Michel Plasson directed the orchestra and so he must be blamed for the slow and boring "Pleurez mes yeux" from Isabelle Kabatu. Kabatu was in excellent form especially in acts 3+4, but she was boring and having heard Montserrat Caballe singing this opera means that one know how wonderful and exciting it can be.

The great and wonderful aria from LE CID "O souverain, o juge, o pere" was not such a jewel in the opera version. The concert version is so much more wonderful, the opera has the chorus interrupting and St. James singing to Rodrigue. Very disappointing.......

The costumes was somewhat extreme "historic" idiocy. Jose Cura in soldier's uniform was great. Otherwise the production was a half-way: modern in scenography and "traditional" in costumes, and Regie was not great. Did Chimene have to act like a silly teenager? Stupid. Luckily Isabel Rey was wonderful, acting a dignified L'Infante.

Andreas Hörl was a wonderful Don Diego. The arrogant Count of Gormas was sung by Cheyne Davidson.

Isabelle Kabatu and Isabel Rey sound perhaps too alike to make the duet great. I wound have wanted more music for L'Infante and Isabel Rey. A duet with Rodrigue Jose Cura would have been great.

I found the libretto somewhat weak and the music unexciting