Feb 21, 2007

Simone Boccanegra at the Metropolitan Opera, outstanding reviews for Fabio Luisi

Standing ovations for a great performance with Thomas Hampson (Simone), Ferruccio Furlanetto (Fiesco), Marcello Giordani (Adorno), Angela Gheorghiu (Amelia) and Vassili Gerello (Paolo).
“Fabio Luisi conducted with lyrical grace counterbalanced by dramatic passion. This man understands the period and the style, the inherent sweep and pathos” (Martin Bernheimer, Financial Times). “Fabio Luisi conducted with a full heart and mind, not doing anything by rote. The Prologue began with unusual warmth and fluidity, and Act I began with unusual delicacy, plus a hint of tragedy” (Jay Nordlinger, The Sun). “On Monday, some splendid voices and an equally fine chorus delivered a “golden age” performance under the baton of Verdi master Fabio Luisi, a native of Genoa, who drew finely colored subtleties and brassy climaxes from the Met orchestra” (Harald Tribune). Bernard Holland wrote in the New York Times: “My star of the evening was the conductor Fabio Luisi, a musician who knew exactly what he wanted and conveyed it through the Met’s orchestra and chorus with electrical jolts of conductorial will”