One of two sopranos called in fairly last-minute to replace operatic superstar Sondra Radvanovsky – Macbeth’s curse is far-reaching, it seems – Pendatchanska found herself on considerable display. Even the brief appearances of Canadians Tracy Cantin, Adam Luther, and Clarence Frazer were jam-packed with stunning sound.Īs Lady Macbeth, Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska is a slow burn.
Up-and-coming Canadian tenor Matthew Cairns created a moment for himself with his portrayal of Macduff, including a stunning display of legato and careful artistry in his fourth-act aria, “ Ah, la paterna mano.” Turkish bass Onay Kose sings the ill-fated Banquo with gorgeous ring in the sound, his voice alerting us that he was a good guy in a world where good guys end up dead. The COC has piled onstage a world-class cast of singers, and there isn’t a weak link in the bunch. Just like the discomfort that lives in Verdi’s music, the true power of this production comes from the performances. Kelsey fills the role of Macbeth like a glove his baritone is constantly round and impossibly beautiful. It’s a fascinating way to rediscover Shakespeare, to hear Verdi’s imagination of iconic theatrical moments – “Out, damn spot,” anyone? And under the taut brilliance of conductor Speranza Scappucci, the COC Orchestra delivers these moments like a thrilling film score. The instrumentation isn’t quite right the melodies curve downward when they should soar upward there’s labour in the music where it should amble with ease. Amid his signature sound of nobility, empires and high stakes, Verdi composes a score that is somehow off. The darkness doesn’t only come from McVicar – it’s inherent in the music of Macbeth. Verdi calls Shakespeare’s play “one of the greatest creations of man” and it’s not hyperbole: what better cathartic experience than the story of a powerful man, driving himself (and his wife) to madness and death over the pursuit of even more power? And the Bard’s play brims over with unease, telling the story of a ruler on a knife’s edge, crushed beneath hubris and guilt. Really, it’s a perfect pairing of director and opera last seen at the COC in 2019 for his dank Rusalka, McVicar’s style leans hard into darkness and discomfort – elements I’m told are embedded into Scottish DNA. The stars – and Scots – were aligned on Friday night, as the Canadian Opera Company opened its spring season line-up with Sir David McVicar’s new production of Verdi’s Macbeth. Duncan's murder is symbolised by the image: "A falcon, towering in her pride of place,/ Was by a mosuing owl hawked at and killed".Please log in to bookmark this story. As well as "night's predominance", horses have "Turned wild in nature" and eaten each other.Ģ. The way nature behaves shows the state of events, Duncan's murder disrupts the natural order. Nature represents the correct order of the world.ġ. "signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine". This image shows that darkness and evil (Macbeth) have overcome the natural goodness and light (Duncan) "by the clock, 'tis day,/And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp". This is further reflected by the "strange" and "unnatural" events that take place after his death. "Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark." Act 1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth. "Stars hide your fires, Let not light see my black and deep desires."- Act 1 Scene 4 Macbeth The darkness highlights how evil Duncan's murder is. The Macbeths want to "hide" their evil thoughts and deeds in darkness, the murder of Duncan takes place on a dark, starless night when the "candles are all out".
Macbeth realises that his intentions are evil, he begins to describe his thoughts as "black". They also use darkness to represent blindness and ignorance, and light to represent sight and knowledge. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both use images of darkness when they talk about evil deeds. Light symbolises good, dark symbolises evil.
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