FROM AROUND THE WORLD: BARCELONA.(Review)

For some in the audience, the Liceu's new production of Aida provided a nostalgic look back; for others, an archaeological adventure. Under design director Jordi Castells, the theater restored and revived designs by Josep Mestres Cabanes, Catalan master of illusory realism. His impressive, often delightful designs for Aida, originally mounted in 1945, featured painted Egyptian motifs and monuments, paper sets, skewed perspectives and altered proportions, achieving interesting theatrical effects when seen under Albert Faura's marvelous lighting. The sets limited directorial choices, however; Jose Antonio Gutierrez directed as well as he was able, without surprises but also without boredom. The costumes, by Franca Squarciapino, were similarly predictable: stereotypically operatic notions of Ancient Egypt executed in plenty of gold cloth, a staple of Squarciapino's work. The performance adhered to the good taste of a half-century ago, but with occasional concessions to kitsch, recalling The Ten Commandments and other Hollywood historical epics from the 1950s and '60s.

As far as the musical performance was concerned, only conductor Bertrand de Billy failed to win over the audience. At the curtain-call, he was greeted by a clamor that was certainly out of proportion to his shortcomings, but his work with the orchestra was far from superb. He offered very little nuance, his tempos were often sluggish, and at times ...