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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 Boh?me" 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 ?lan 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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Search by title: Luisa Miller,
Met careers
- Nello Santi [Conductor]
- Kallen Esperian [Luisa]
- Luciano Pavarotti [Rodolfo]
- Leo Nucci [Miller]
- Paul Plishka [Count Walter]
- Sergei Koptchak [Wurm]
- Isola Jones [Federica]
- Judith Christin [Laura]
- Tim Willson [Peasant]
- Nathaniel Merrill [Director]
- Thomas Andrew [Choreographer]
- Attilio Colonnello [Set Designer]
- Charles Caine [Costume Designer]
- Christopher Mattaliano [Stage Director]