Verdi’s chorus of witches does, indeed, gaudily set the scene by opening the drama with cackling weirdness, forecasting the futures of Macbeth and his fellow general, Banquo. For him, the anguished utterance sounded an act of defiance signifying everything.
Not Domingo, who is defying biological fate as no opera star before him. Most baritones handle this as the decisive moment of profound resignation, the sealing of fate. No doubt an indefatigable 75-year-old Domingo required great will, upon learning of Lady Macbeth’s death, to summon up the sound and fury for Shakespeare’s famous line that life is a tale told by an idiot and signifying nothing.
Opera’s general director, and on this “Macbeth,” the company’s first production of Verdi’s first Shakespeare opera. His voice rises into a stressed high range, and harmonies in the orchestra offer little comfort as he acknowledges that advancing age will not strew a single consoling flower.Īdvancing age has done nothing but strew bouquets of honor, love and admiration on Plácido Domingo, L.A.
As Macbeth’s fate begins to catch up with him, the king in Los Angeles Opera’s 31 st season opener cannot look forward to having earned honor, love or compassion.
