[Met Performance] CID:303350



Luisa Miller
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, February 7, 1991

Debut : Christopher Mattaliano




Luisa Miller (58)
Giuseppe Verdi | Salvadore Cammarano
Luisa
Kallen Esperian

Rodolfo
Luciano Pavarotti

Miller
Leo Nucci

Count Walter
Paul Plishka

Wurm
Sergei Koptchak

Federica
Isola Jones

Laura
Judith Christin

Peasant
Tim Willson


Conductor
Nello Santi


Director
Nathaniel Merrill

Set Designer
Attilio Colonnello

Costume Designer
Charles Caine

Choreographer
Thomas Andrew

Stage Director
Christopher Mattaliano [Debut]





Luisa Miller received thirteen performances this season.

Review 1:

Bill Zakariasen in the Daily News
“Miller”: Voices Big and Small

For the Metropolitan Opera's revival of Verdi's "Luisa Miller" Thursday night, the highly touted soprano Susan Dunn was originally slated to perform the name part. During rehearsals, however, she was removed from the cast without explanation. It was rumored she was having a vocal crisis, which has caused some wags to dub her the American Elena Souliotis — another soprano who had a meteoric career. Her place was taken by young Kallen Esperian, a protegee of Luciano Pavarotti who made a successful Met debut in "La Bohème" two years ago.


Though her voice is not large, Esperian seems a Verdi soprano to the manner born. Her scale is wide-ranging and seamless, and while her extreme top notes were rather pinched, they were always there. Furthermore, her middle and low registers were often sumptuous, reminding us of her mezzo-soprano origins. She is, moreover, strikingly attractive, moves gracefully and acts the role of the much put-upon heroine Luisa with believable and winning vulnerability.


Pavarotti returned to the role of the rather caddish Rodolfo, and sang it with élan and ardency — his rendition of the act II aria "Quando le sere al placido” deservedly won a show-stopping ovation.


Baritone Leo Nucci played the part of Miller (Luisa's father) well, but he tended to sharp alarmingly on high notes. Basses Paul Plishka and Seigei Koptchak were powerful of voice and presence as Rodolfo's father, Count Walter, and the black-hearted villain, Wurm, respectively. In the small but crucial role of the "other woman" Federica, Isola Jones' raucously overblown chest tones made her seem a parody of certain mezzos who sing Dalila.


Nello Santi's conducting really couldn't be faulted, and the chorus was in particularly good shape. By the way, veteran tenor Carlo Bergonzi (another fine performer of Rodolfo) was in the audience, which gave him as big an ovation as it gave virtually anyone on stage.



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