Metropolitan Opera 2018-19 Preview: Adriana Lecouvreur
A Look At Anna Netrebko & Piotr Beczala’s Collaborations
By Francisco Salazar
On Dec. 31, 2018, the Metropolitan Opera will celebrate the New Year’s with a new production of Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur,” with the opera making a return for the first time since 2009.
This time, Sir David McVicar will bring his acclaimed production from the Royal Opera House with Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala. The duo will reunite at the Met for the first time since 2015.
Here is a look at the duo’s collaborations at the Met as well as other work they have done together internationally.
Lucia di Lammermoor
After a breakout earlier in the 2008-09 season, Beczala stepped in for an ill Rolando Villazón and performed in the HD showcase of Donizetti’s masterpiece alongside Netrebko, marking their first collaboration at the Metropolitan Opera. The video recording was subsequently released on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon and also stars Ildar Abdrazakov and Mariusz Kwiecień.
La Bohème
In 2010, Netrebko and Beczala reunited for an acclaimed revival of Puccini’s most popular work alongside Nicole Cabell and Ruth Ann Swenson, who alternated the role of Musetta. They performed the work eight times that season.
Manon
In the 2011-12 season, Beczala and Netrebko premiered a new production of Massenet’s “Manon” by Laurent Pelly. Nine performances were given that season with an HD. It would be Netrebko’s final performances of the title role.
Eugene Onegin
Netrebko opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2013-14 season as Tatiana in Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, making history as the only diva to ever open three straight seasons. In the cast was Beczala as Lensky in a role he had garnered raves for in 2009. An HD performance was recorded with a DVD released on Deutsche Grammophon.
Iolanta
The duo’s last collaboration at the Met was in the 2014-15 season for the company’s premiere of “Iolanta,”Tchaikovsky’s final opera. The performances were recorded on HD and it also marked the final time Netrebko and Beczala performed the work.
Outside of the Met
While it has been years since the dynamic duo has performed at the Met, they have collaborated numerous times in many acclaimed productions overseas. In 2005 they both appeared in “Rigoletto” at the Royal Opera House; in 2012, it was a production of “La Bohème” at the Salzburg Festival that brought them together; and in 2010, they were the doomed lovers in Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” at Salzburg. They also performed “La Bohème” at the Vienna State Opera and Teatro alla Scala and have performed in duet at the Red Ribbon gala among other concerts.
Recently, the two collaborated in a celebrated “Lohengrin” at the Semperoper Dresden and also premiered Sir David McVicar’s production of “Adriana Lecouvreur” at the Vienna State Opera.
Here is are some clips of Adriana “Lecouvreur” and “Lohengrin.”
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