9 November 2019
It was an interesting opera. In essence, it was a modern take on an ancient tale. The narrator spoke in English (or you could opt for German) and only one or two of the arias had words to the music. Most of the singing was more like chanting.
The lead was Anthony Ross Costanzo as Akhnaten, newly crowned pharaoh and husband of Nefertiti and father of their six daughters. He immediately begins reforms, one of which is to convert Egypt from polytheism to monotheism, much to the disappointment of the priests. As you might guess, the priests encourage rebellion against Akhnaten and he is eventually overthrown and the city he established is razed.
Costanzo is a noted actor both of stage and film and is also considered one of the finest countertenors. (I had to look that up and it means he sings in the range of mezzo-soprano and contralto.)
Due to the distance from the stage and my lack of opera glasses, when Nefertiti and Akhnaten did their duets, you couldn’t tell who was singing what line (or chanting what line).
In the preparation for the installation of the new pharoah, Costanzo appears totally nude with both penis and breasts. Recent studies of statuary has shown him with both and as androgynous. Later, both Nefertiti, played by J’Nai Bridges, wear see through gowns that don’t leave anything to the imagination. Porn at the Met!
This was so modern of an interpretation I’m not sure I could appreciate it. For example, in this opera, everyone juggles – constantly. I think the whole production was done by Ru Paul and her drag queens. It had more than a little Catholic imagery, hoop skirts, and flowing jeweled gowns.
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The production was spectacular (the years budget of the Met had to go to the gowns) although it had the usual opening night glitches. In one scene where the old pharaoh was sent packing, the priests weigh his organs against a feather (the feather wins) and a sliding, translucent panel was supposed to open. It wouldn’t. You could see the stage hand go behind the panel and start kicking it to get it back on track and to move.
This was my first time inside the Met and to hear an opera here. Tom had reserved a pre-dinner at the Met and we did the prix fixe for $98 each. I had the worst martini in my life there.
The Met is impressive but I think the San Francisco Opera House is better thought out. For example, on the Grand Tier where we sat, there were, for the men, two urinals and 1 stall for the entire Grand Tier. I can only imagine the horror for the women on the opposite side.
Everyone masses out front in the lobbies and it is impossibly crowded in trying to get to your seats or out of the opera house. Unlike San Francisco Opera House, the staff didn’t seem to know any answers to any questions. They had a gala going at the same time as seating for dinner and no one knew when anyone would be seated or in what line they needed to be in.
All in all, it was a great experience to be inside the Met and experience an unusual, to say the least, opera.
Our flight leaves around 4 pm back to Fort Lauderdale with an expected ETA of around 7:30pm . It’s been a great trip!
