CRITIC’S PICK: “Girard’s ‘Lohengrin,’ which brings the opera back to the company after 17 years, is an emphatic, serviceable, basically conservative framework for the piece. Thankfully, some superb singers fill the frame.”
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“Closing your eyes during a long, stately opera is risky — you may forget to open them again until the standing ovation starts — but when the staging interferes, it’s a way to savor the full spectrum of Wagner’s musical iridescence. There’s more action onstage than the eyes perceive thanks to a vibrant cast.”
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“...neither the political motivations nor the Christian vs. pagan themes of the opera coalesced into a coherent narrative, and the treatment of the human story remained cursory at best”
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“ ‘Lohengrin’ contains Wagner’s most demanding and rewarding choral writing, and the Met’s unrivaled ensemble performs it with unflagging power and superb control.”
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“Forget about the style of the show and think about the music, because it's well-worth cheering over, particularly with Nezet-Seguin on the podium to keep the romantic score in place, with its huge demands on the orchestra and chorus.”
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“The glorious singing on stage from both the cast and chorus was matched if not surpassed by the playing of the Met Orchestra. Nézet-Séguin led a performance that was perfectly paced to the drama and aligned to the voices on stage.”
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