Macbeth - Giuseppe Verdi

Metropolitan Opera 26-27 Season

Macbeth returned to the Met Opera after 12 years, and it was star-cast. Quinn Kelsey, one of the top Verdi Baritones of today, was Macbeth; Lise Davidsen, mostly known for her Wagner, sang Lady Macbeth; Freddie De Tommaso, a prominent tenor on the world stage, sang Macduff; and Ryan Speedo Green, a familiar name at the Met Opera, sang Banquo. With all this star power, one would expect that the show would be nothing but stellar, right?

Ryan Speedo Green enters the scene with his gruff Bass-Baritone, but his sound was almost grainy, and his voice started uneven. His voice was often uncentered, and this affected the intonation very heavily. In his duet with Macbeth, “due vaticini compiuti or sono”, his phrases often lacked legato, having an effect that can only be described as pulsating in and out rather than one connected line. When going to his famous Act II aria, “Come dal ciel precipita”, Nézet-Séguin completely overpowered Green, and the aria was very slow. A barely audible Banquo and an orchestra that was too loud led to a subpar performance for such a pivotal moment.