Meyerbeer: L'Africaine

Meyerbeer: L'Africaine

189 mins | Music | Jan. 1, 1988

This was a 1988 revival of a 1971 production that teamed Domingo (Vasco da Gama) and Verrett (Selika - both then very much in their prime) in Meyerbeer's discursive swan-song. Seventeen years on, they are more statuesque than sexy, but both give larger-than-life performances that contain moments of completely thrilling vocalism. The casting is very strong, with the exception of Justino Diaz's Nelusko, which has strong presence but not much vocal allure. As Inez, Vasco da Gama's fiancee and rival for Shirley Verrett, Ruth Ann Swneson sings with great beauty and has impressive stage presence, very much holding her own in the confrontation with Verrett in the last act. Domingo is refulgent of tone and dramatically convincing, and he and Verrett strike sparks. She really comes into her own in one of the most preposterous mad-scenes in all opera, where she is slowly poisoned by the scent of a giant tree, contriving to make this dramatically truthful and even moving.

Meyerbeer: L'Africaine

189 mins | Music | Jan. 1, 1988

Meyerbeer: L'Africaine
This was a 1988 revival of a 1971 production that teamed Domingo (Vasco da Gama) and Verrett (Selika - both then very much in their prime) in Meyerbeer's discursive swan-song. Seventeen years on, they are more statuesque than sexy, but both give larger-than-life performances that contain moments of completely thrilling vocalism. The casting is very strong, with the exception of Justino Diaz's Nelusko, which has strong presence but not much vocal allure. As Inez, Vasco da Gama's fiancee and rival for Shirley Verrett, Ruth Ann Swneson sings with great beauty and has impressive stage presence, very much holding her own in the confrontation with Verrett in the last act. Domingo is refulgent of tone and dramatically convincing, and he and Verrett strike sparks. She really comes into her own in one of the most preposterous mad-scenes in all opera, where she is slowly poisoned by the scent of a giant tree, contriving to make this dramatically truthful and even moving.
Producers San Francisco Opera
Original title L'Africaine
Directors Lotfi Mansouri, Brian Large
Writers Eugène Scribe

Cast

Plácido Domingo

as Vasco Da Gama

Shirley Verrett

as Sélika

Ruth Ann Swenson

as Inès

Justino Díaz

as Nélusko

Patricia Spence

as Anna

Kevin Anderson

as Don Alvaro

Michael Devlin

as Don Pedro

Philip Skinner

as Don Diego

Mark Delavan

as High Priest of Brahma

Joseph Rouleau

as Grand Inquisitor of Lisbon

Sigmund Seigel

as A priest

Maurizio Arena

as Conductor