Saturday, April 9, 2011

Gioachino Rossini's "Le Comte Ory"

A most wonderful MET Live in HD day to everyone!


Today's Metropolitan opera performance?  Gioachino Rossini's Le Comte Ory.  A most enjoyable comedy presented by The Metropolitan Opera.

It's an opera composed by an Italian, sang in French and performed by a cast consisting of a Peruvian, German, American, Swede, French, and Italian operatic talents.

Countess Adèle (Diana Damrau), Isolier (Joyce DiDonato) and Count Ory (Juan Diego Flórez)

Synopsis?
  • Men off fighting in the Crusades leaving the women alone at the mercy of one particular womanizing Count Ory. 
  • He desires the Countess Adele who has sworn no men into the castle until the troops return home.
  • Count Ory and friend Raimbaud concoct devious plan.  Count Ory disguises as "hermit" to get attention of the ladies with aim to gain private audience with Countess Adele.
  • All goes well until Ory's page Isolier and tutor seek out Count Ory who they find up to no good.  Isolier has hots for Countess too.
  • Count Ory's guise unmasked.  Now for "Plan B".
  • Count Ory gains entrance into castle with his men disguised as nuns seeking shelter from the storm outside.
  • All goes well until, once again Isolier and Countess Adele see the con.
  • They play trick on Count Ory by turning off the lights in the boudoir and using the Countesses voice to lure the Count towards Isolier instead.
  • Trumpets sound that troops are returning home and force the Count to run.
  • Isolier wins and identifies his identity to the Count.  Count Ory scrams. 
Once again, the MET pulled together a most magnificent production!  What can I say?  The music, the costumes, the singing and storyline added up to nothing short of a perfect 10 production!  Hmm... maybe an eleven?

Hi-dee hi-dee only-three-more-MET-Live-in-HD-performances-remain-for-the-season-ho my friend.

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