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.

Cast

Plácido Domingo

Vasco Da Gama

Shirley Verrett

Sélika

Ruth Ann Swenson

Inès

Justino Díaz

Nélusko

Patricia Spence

Anna

Kevin Anderson

Don Alvaro

Michael Devlin

Don Pedro

Philip Skinner

Don Diego

Mark Delavan

High Priest of Brahma

Joseph Rouleau

Grand Inquisitor of Lisbon

Sigmund Seigel

A priest

Maurizio Arena

Conductor