Friday, July 26, 7:30 p.m., Orcas Center
from Artha Kass
Renée Fleming, starring in Armida. Photo by Ken Howard.
Don’t miss the summer encore screening of The Met: Live in HD presentation of Rossini’s Armida. Renée Fleming stars in the title role of this mythical tale of a sorceress who enthralls men on her magical island. Armida screens in HD at Orcas Center this Friday.
Rossini tells the story of Armida, a sorceress who tempts the Christian paladin army during the Crusades. She manages to ensnare their best warrior, Rinaldo, and it takes several men to break her enchantments over him and make him return to war. Magic, passionate music, and sensuous singing from Renee Fleming and her five tenors make this a brilliant production. Production directed by Mary Zimmerman, music conducted by Riccardo Frizza. This is the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Armida, recorded in 2010. This is a must-see, magical opera that showcases Fleming, Brownlee, and the Met at its finest.
“And then there is Renée Fleming, looking and sounding consistently lovely in the title role. What soprano wouldn’t want to sing Armida? She is the opera’s only female principal and makes a specialty of enchanting men. The three gowns Hudson designed for her, one for each act, ensure a regal demeanor while contributing to the sorceress’s allure. Fleming phrases seductively and her tone is pure and focused.” —The Classical Review
“The true hero of the evening, both dramatically and vocally, was the Rinaldo of Lawrence Brownlee. He sang with astonishing agility and a rich and varied range of vocal color. Compounding the difficulties of the role are the large ensembles, which require enormous stamina. Brownlee met these challenges with an ease of vocal delivery that was jaw-dropping. All the while scaling height after technical height, he managed to convey the expressive humanity of Rinaldo himself — a transcendent achievement.” —The Opera Tattler
Tickets for The Met: Live Summer Encore Armida are $18, $13 students, and $2 off for Orcas Center members, and may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281 ext. 1 or visiting the Orcas Center Box Office open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon – 4 pm. For more information about Orcas Center 2013 season events, please visit www.orcascenter.org.
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