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COPYRIGHT 2006 All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of The Condé Nast Publications Inc.
OPERA
METROPOLITAN OPERA -- The return of the Zeffirelli production of "Tosca" is notable for the powerhouse casting of the roles of Tosca and Cavaradossi--the estimable Andrea Gruber and Jose Cura. James Morris, who has whittled his interpretation of the villain Scarpia down to a fine point, completes the fatal triangle; Nicola Luisotti conducts. (Nov. 1 and Nov. 7 at 8 and Nov. 4 at 1:30.) Juan Pons should be a reliably decent "Rigoletto," but the excitement in this revival of Otto Schenk's archconservative production will come from the new Duke--Joseph Calleja, the honey-toned Maltese tenor, making his Met debut. Other debutants include a new Gilda, Ekaterina Siurina, and the conductor, Friedrich Haider. (Nov. 2 and Nov. 6 at 8.) The Met brings back Zeffirelli's dense, overstaffed production of the uneven, bloody diptych that is "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagliacci." In the first, Maria Guleghina provides some brilliant singing as the spurned lover, with the duelling suitors, Franco Farina and Ambrogio Maestri, appropriately inflamed; in the more fulfilling second opera, dazzling performances from the soprano Patricia Racette and the tenor Salvatore Licitra are aided by a surprise, celebrity Silvio--Dwayne Croft. Marco Armiliato leads his musicians with a firm but flexible hand. (Nov. 3 at 8.) Anthony Minghella's unmissable production of "Madama Butterfly" is awesome, deliberate, and artfully romantic--no surprise to fans of his films. With Cristina Gallardo-Domas...
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