Emma Dante’s 2017 staging of Verdi’s first opera based on Shakespeare at the Teatro Massimo de Palermo exhibits a few imaginative touches—Macbeth, for example, arrives on a skeleton of a horse that carries intimations of death from the very start; huge grill-like crowns allude to how he is imprisoned by his lust for kingship; and a ladder-like throne suggests his tottering power base. For the most part, however, the physical staging is pretty threadbare, with minimalist sets and costumes (the frequently used device of having chorus members gyrate under swirls of cloth gets old fast), while many of the effects, such as beds moving about the stage during Lady Macbeth’s mad scene or the well-tended shrubs that represent Birnam Wood toward the close, are almost comical. Even the dressing of King Duncan’s body for burial, mimicking a crucifixion, comes across as precious rather than powerful. Musically, the best element here is Anna Pirozzi’s ferocious Lady Macbeth, beside which veteran Roberto Frontali’s Macbeth comes across as merely adequate. Gabriele Ferro conducts with a keen ear and the orchestra and chorus respond enthusiastically. Presented in DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.0 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
Macbeth
(2017) 156 min. In Italian w/English subtitles. DVD or Blu-ray: $24.99. Naxos (avail. from most distributors). Volume 34, Issue 4
Macbeth
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