Thread: Help me decide my 2012 NYC trip

I'll be the first to say that I hate threads (on other forums) where people ask others to choose things for them, being incapable of deciding between pop-tarts or yogurt for breakfast (pop-tarts all the way!), but I am well and truly stumped. My budget supports one trip to the Met per year, and I'm torn between these three productions:

Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Damrau, Lee (?), Pogossov, Del Carlo, Furlanetto
Pros:
- Big fan of Damrau
- Love this opera and never seen it in person
Cons:
- Peter Mattei is in the other cast ... aside from Del Carlo, not really thrilled with the rest of the cast

L'Elisir d'Amore
Renzetti; Damrau, Flórez, Kwiecien, Corbelli
Pros:
- Again, I'm a big Damrau fan
- Absolute all-star cast, vocally it should be one of the highlights of the season
Cons:
- Not in my top 20 of operas. It's enjoyable but far from a favorite

La Traviata
Luisi; Dessay, Polenzani, Hvorostovsky
Pros:
- Don't know if I've mentioned this, but I rather like Natalie Dessay. This would give me the opportunity to get my picture taken with her after a missed opportunity this year.
- Great cast
- Ms. Dessay is rapidly approaching an age where retirement is likely; who knows if/when I'll get to see her again
Cons:
- While I like La Traviata more than Elisir, I still prefer Barbiere more than either
- While I really love Natalie as a performer, her voice is not a good fit for this role imo, nor more generally speaking for the Met. Ms. Damrau has a much bigger and more lush voice that purely from a vocal standpoint would be my preference.

So I'm really torn. How can I pick against Natalie? And yet...

Anyone have any input? If anyone here is attending one of these and would want to meet up before / after the opera that might tip my decision one way or the other.

Well if it were me I'd go for L'elisir. What a cast!

I hate that Traviata production, I agree about Dessay, and I feel that Polenzani is bland.

As for Barbiere - well there is Damrau, but I don't like Del Carlo and who are Lee and Pogossov? But it IS a fun production.

So I'd vote for
1. Elisir
2. Barbiere
3. Traviata
in that order

(Shall we make it a TC vote?)

OT - I've read about poptarts in Janet Evanovich books. What are they? (I'm guessing really bad for you)

I agree with Natalie. The cast for Elisir sounds absolutely spectacular.

I vote La Traviata!!

It is much anticipated, and Natalie Dessay gives her all in every role she performs, perhaps she isn't always suited to every role dramatically but, to me, she is just so magical on stage that she becomes the character no matter what. And Hvorostovsky as well? That's pretty amazing.
I would give anything to go and see this - I hate living in England sometimes!
But yeah, I vote La Traviata, it is probably (like it was for Netrebko) going to be one of the real milestones in her career and I have faith in her as a performer - I don't think her Violetta will start ironing frantically or anything like that... haha
But obviously Elisir and Barbiere are awesome too, I would say Elisir next, because I love Florez

Just had the bright (read: obvious) idea to check the Live in HD schedule. La Traviata is the only one of the three that will be playing in theaters, so with reluctance I'll eliminate that from my choices. Still tough -- one of my favorite operas with a decent cast vs. a good opera with a stellar cast. On balance, I think I'll probably go with Elisir unless anyone else wants to make a case for one of the others.

Natalie: Pop-tarts are a pre-packaged breakfast pastry wherein a thin layer of jam or chocolate or cinnamon, etc is spread within a double layer of pastry similar in taste and texture to shortbread pie crust, and generally with a layer of "frosting" on top. They can be eaten at room temp or warmed in the microwave or toaster. Definitely not a nutritious breakfast but oh so tasty, especially the S'Mores flavor (chocolate and marshmallow filling, graham cracker pastry, chocolate frosting).

Liss: There is no one who loves Ms. Dessay more than I, but Ms. Damrau is my 2nd favorite performer and the one who first got me into opera, and I think that for this year the choice of either one of my favorite operas or a stupendous cast will edge out La Traviata.
e: given that you live in England, I'd imagine it wouldn't be too much trouble to hop over to France now and again? She'll be singing La Traviata in Aix-en-Provence next month, Manon in Paris in Feb, and Hoffman (Olympia/Antonia/Giulietta/Stella !) in Paris in September 2012 (would kill to see this!). http://sites.google.com/site/dessayn.../concert-dates

Believe me, I'll trade in a minute -- you move to the US, I'll head over to Europe and count myself ahead of the game

Originally Posted by rgz

Natalie: Pop-tarts are a pre-packaged breakfast pastry wherein a thin layer of jam or chocolate or cinnamon, etc is spread within a double layer of pastry similar in taste and texture to shortbread pie crust, and generally with a layer of "frosting" on top. They can be eaten at room temp or warmed in the microwave or toaster. Definitely not a nutritious breakfast but oh so tasty, especially the S'Mores flavor (chocolate and marshmallow filling, graham cracker pastry, chocolate frosting).

My arteries hardened a little just reading that.

Hey, as long as your trip doesn't involve that dreadful Natalie Dessay, all is good.
I recommend that you change your goals entirely and include Anna Bolena with that fabulous Anna Netrebko La Bellissima.
She is so much better than Natalie Dessay!

Originally Posted by rgz

Just had the bright (read: obvious) idea to check the Live in HD schedule. La Traviata is the only one of the three that will be playing in theaters, so with reluctance I'll eliminate that from my choices. Still tough -- one of my favorite operas with a decent cast vs. a good opera with a stellar cast. On balance, I think I'll probably go with Elisir unless anyone else wants to make a case for one of the others.

Liss: There is no one who loves Ms. Dessay more than I, but Ms. Damrau is my 2nd favorite performer and the one who first got me into opera, and I think that for this year the choice of either one of my favorite operas or a stupendous cast will edge out La Traviata.
e: given that you live in England, I'd imagine it wouldn't be too much trouble to hop over to France now and again? She'll be singing La Traviata in Aix-en-Provence next month, Manon in Paris in Feb, and Hoffman (Olympia/Antonia/Giulietta/Stella !) in Paris in September 2012 (would kill to see this!). http://sites.google.com/site/dessayn.../concert-dates

Believe me, I'll trade in a minute -- you move to the US, I'll head over to Europe and count myself ahead of the game

Aah fair enough Damrau is a stunning performer, I always thought she was underrated!

Thanks for the link, I will have to check out her schedule because I have only seen her live once (Pelléas et Mélisande concert at the Barbican) and I would hate it if she retired before I got to see her in a full scale Opera!

I've never been to the Met and I hate how far I would have to travel to get there! So I would trade England for anywhere nearer to America! lol

Originally Posted by Almaviva

Hey, as long as your trip doesn't involve that dreadful Natalie Dessay, all is good.
I recommend that you change your goals entirely and include Anna Bolena with that fabulous Anna Netrebko La Bellissima.
She is so much better than Natalie Dessay!

Originally Posted by Liss

It's a running joke. I keep teasing rgz about Dessay. I do like Dessay, but the two of us have this ongoing war of words about Dessay and Netrebko. It's all in good fun and not to be taken too seriously.

Originally Posted by Almaviva

It's a running joke. I keep teasing rgz about Dessay. I do like Dessay, but the two of us have this ongoing war of words about Dessay and Netrebko. It's all in good fun and not to be taken too seriously.

Aaah I see

Originally Posted by Almaviva

It's a running joke. I keep teasing rgz about Dessay. I do like Dessay, but the two of us have this ongoing war of words about Dessay and Netrebko. It's all in good fun and not to be taken too seriously.

I take it *very* seriously. You have impugned the honor of a lady, sir. As soon as you finish your nuclear annihilation of Il_Penseroso on the sands of the Sahara, I'll be waiting to challenge you on behalf of my beloved Natalie!

Originally Posted by Almaviva

Hey, as long as your trip doesn't involve that dreadful Natalie Dessay, all is good.
I recommend that you change your goals entirely and include Anna Bolena with that fabulous Anna Netrebko La Bellissima.
She is so much better than Natalie Dessay!

La Bellissima indeed. I think Ms. Netrebko needs a more fitting nickname; what's Italian for 'chunky'?

Originally Posted by Liss

I would hate it if she retired before I got to see her in a full scale Opera!

Well of course this you simply must do. I had the good fortune to see her at the Met in Lucia in March and it was thrilling. I insist you visit France and see her (and report back on your experience, natch).

Originally Posted by rgz

La Bellissima indeed. I think Ms. Netrebko needs a more fitting nickname; what's Italian for 'chunky'?

Paffuta might do. But women need curves!
She is adorably chunky.
Once she dumps her husband and moves in with me, I'll put her through some exercise, she'll lose weight.