Macbeth

The first of Giuseppe Verdi's Shakespeare-based operas, Macbeth is the work of a young man—the composer was still in his early 30s when it premiered in 1847—but Verdi revised it for Paris 18 years later, and it's this version that serves as the basis for this staging by Phyllida Lloyd, which debuted at Covent Garden in 2002 and is seen here in a 2004 production at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. The opera itself is one of the strongest of Verdi's pre-Rigoletto scores, mixing exceptionally powerful arias with characteristically rousing choruses, and Lloyd's is an imaginative rendition, employing darkness and a rather constricting wood-paneled enclosure, featuring a rotating cage within, to give the action a sense of almost claustrophobic fatalism. Admittedly, the gloomy ambience sometimes plays havoc with the images, which are occasionally dim, but the sound (with DTS and LCPM stereo options) is marvelous throughout. Musically the performance is a strong one, with Carlos Álvarez exhibiting a firm, rich baritone in the title role and Maria Guleghina showing great fire and spirit, if not always flawless control, as Lady Macbeth. Bruno Campanella's conducting may not be the last word in elegance, and the orchestra isn't always ideally crisp, but generally they provide the singers with solid support. DVD extras are limited to a brief “illustrated synopsis” and a cast photo gallery. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)