Metropolitan Opera Archives

As Adriana Lecouvreur at the Metropolitan Opera Renata Scotto created an entirely believable character, raising Cilea's opera from a sweet mélange of tunes to a thrilling theatrical experience. Miss Scotto's Adriana, which took place on Friday night, differed completely from those of the past. Not melodramatic, she went back to the historical Adrienne Lecouvreur, a famous French actress, and created a simple woman - realistic in her actions and torrid in her passion.

The historical character revolutionized the French stage by acting in a natural style. Miss Scotto did the same, following the composer's indications in both speech and song but never overstating any emotion. The Italian soprano not only looked the role - she has trimmed off more than 40 pounds and now has an hour-glass figure with a tiny waist - but, in that indefinable theatrical manner, seemed from her entrance "to be" Adriana.

Every detail in her performance counted - a question about her lover's fidelity, the recitation of "Phèdre" in a rising crescendo from quiet speech to brilliant song, her final hallucinations which seemed almost to pass from the theatrical to the real. Her voice was even, true, flawlessly on pitch and controlled dynamically to the finest degree of shading. In the fourth act "Poveri fiori" and indeed throughout the performance, she and her conductor, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, had worked out excellent tempos which kept the music from dragging, yet varied the line stylishly within good rhythmical limits.

Miss Scotto has one of the few true pianissimos to be heard today, and both at that volume level and at the powerful fortes, she colored her voice to express the exact emotion of Adriana. As usual with this soprano her diction was impeccable. Her interpretation inspired in her Maurizio, José Carreras, the most involved, heroic singing he has brought to the part at the Met, and both Fiorenza Cossotto the Princess, and Louis Quilico, the Michonnet, seemed to take fire from Miss Scotto's brilliant performance.

There are two more performances, Wednesday and Saturday nights. Don't miss it!

Search by season: 1977-78

Search by title: Adriana Lecouvreur,

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