When it comes to Massenet's best opera, it is between 'Manon' and 'Werther' for me. 'Thais' also has some lovely music and an affecting final scene. While there is a preference for Rossini's better known version ('La Cenerentola') of the fairytale, 'Cendrillon' is definitely well worthwhile, the story is true in spirit to the fairytale with everything that makes the story so timeless and even more magic. And the music is tuneful and beautiful, especially the Act 2 love duet.
This is the third time of having seen Laurent Pelly's version of 'Cendrillon', first with the Royal Opera House production and later in 2018 at the Met with Joyce DiDonato (both outstanding productions). This production has a couple of interest points that will be divisive, one being that it is abridged and the other being that it is in English (to make it accessible to a family friendly audience who wants something different to 'The Nutcracker' once in a while perhaps?). What could have been issues, as abridgements has the danger of lack of coherence, weren't at all and Pelly's production continues to enchant. There have been many revivals over the course of the Metropolitan Opera HD Live series with varying success, this is a revival that this reviewer wouldn't mind seeing again.
The sets are minimalist but not so much that it is unappealingly ugly and are imaginatively used. The costumes are lovely, did like that the servant's drab clothes were different in look to everybody else's exotic and fantastically glamorous ones. Also really liked the idea of having the French text of Perrault's story as part of the production values. The stage direction from Pelly is not what you call traditional, but it is imaginative without ever jarring or feeling distasteful, with sparkling wit (essential for an opera full of it) and a real sense of atmosphere and understanding of the setting, story and characterisation. There is a strong emphasis on comedy, but it never felt like it was trying too hard and it didn't swamp the charm and heart of the story which are far from lost.
Massenet's music is full of fairy magic and the orchestral playing allows that to sparkle to often magical effect. The piccolo and harp are particularly good and the strings did well in being well synched together in their staccatos, not easy to do. The chorus sing beautifully too and act with brio throughout. Emmanuelle Villaume's conducting is vibrant and elegant, didn't find anything heavy about it at all.
Performances-wise the production is near uniformly excellent. Isobel Leonard is very moving in the title role and acts with great charm and feeling, so rooting for Cendrillon was very easy. Stephanie Blythe booms thrillingly as the stepmother and has hilarious comic timing, have never seen Blythe have this much of a ball before. The stepsisters are also great fun. Jessica Pratt hits all the right high notes with a fresh tone and is so beguiling and benevolent that you do wish her for your fairy-godmother. Laurent Naouri is a warm tender father figure.
Emily D'Angelo does sing beautifully as Prince Charming and has heart melting chemistry with Leonard, but characterisation wise this reviewer would have liked a little more ardour and a little less pout (even for a production that takes a comedic approach to the story for my tastes the latter got a tad much).
Overall, a great performance that has just about the right amount of enchantment. 9/10.
This is the third time of having seen Laurent Pelly's version of 'Cendrillon', first with the Royal Opera House production and later in 2018 at the Met with Joyce DiDonato (both outstanding productions). This production has a couple of interest points that will be divisive, one being that it is abridged and the other being that it is in English (to make it accessible to a family friendly audience who wants something different to 'The Nutcracker' once in a while perhaps?). What could have been issues, as abridgements has the danger of lack of coherence, weren't at all and Pelly's production continues to enchant. There have been many revivals over the course of the Metropolitan Opera HD Live series with varying success, this is a revival that this reviewer wouldn't mind seeing again.
The sets are minimalist but not so much that it is unappealingly ugly and are imaginatively used. The costumes are lovely, did like that the servant's drab clothes were different in look to everybody else's exotic and fantastically glamorous ones. Also really liked the idea of having the French text of Perrault's story as part of the production values. The stage direction from Pelly is not what you call traditional, but it is imaginative without ever jarring or feeling distasteful, with sparkling wit (essential for an opera full of it) and a real sense of atmosphere and understanding of the setting, story and characterisation. There is a strong emphasis on comedy, but it never felt like it was trying too hard and it didn't swamp the charm and heart of the story which are far from lost.
Massenet's music is full of fairy magic and the orchestral playing allows that to sparkle to often magical effect. The piccolo and harp are particularly good and the strings did well in being well synched together in their staccatos, not easy to do. The chorus sing beautifully too and act with brio throughout. Emmanuelle Villaume's conducting is vibrant and elegant, didn't find anything heavy about it at all.
Performances-wise the production is near uniformly excellent. Isobel Leonard is very moving in the title role and acts with great charm and feeling, so rooting for Cendrillon was very easy. Stephanie Blythe booms thrillingly as the stepmother and has hilarious comic timing, have never seen Blythe have this much of a ball before. The stepsisters are also great fun. Jessica Pratt hits all the right high notes with a fresh tone and is so beguiling and benevolent that you do wish her for your fairy-godmother. Laurent Naouri is a warm tender father figure.
Emily D'Angelo does sing beautifully as Prince Charming and has heart melting chemistry with Leonard, but characterisation wise this reviewer would have liked a little more ardour and a little less pout (even for a production that takes a comedic approach to the story for my tastes the latter got a tad much).
Overall, a great performance that has just about the right amount of enchantment. 9/10.
