Critic’s Choice
It takes little critical imagination to recommend an appearance by mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, who is reliably sumptuous and satisfying in everything she does. It also takes little critical imagination to recommend a premiere at the Metropolitan Opera.
However, this coming Monday, DiDonato will appear at the Met in an unusual and notable premiere: not a new work, but the first production at the Met of Rossini’s La Donna del Lago. The opera is one of Rossini’s lyric tragedies, and DiDonato is the lady in question, pursued by King Giacomo V—tenor Juan Diego Flórez—in a new (of course) production by Paul Curran, created with Santa Fe Opera. Expect dazzling vocalism and the pleasure of a familiar package wrapped around a brand new present.
La Donna del Lago opens at 8 p.m. Monday, February 16 metopera.org