Amsterdam DC

Hello from --always great fun to visit-- Amsterdam where the Nederlandse Opera revived their good production of Don Carlo produced by the Talented Mr. Decker, and Yours Truly wouldn't want to skip as the cast looks terrific on paper (I love-love Katya Gubanova, Chris Maltman and Misha Petrenko). Massimo Giordano is in the title role, instead of the previously scheduled Andrew Richards who had to pull out due to throat infection. Massimo was excellent in Berlin so it should be goood!  I am  also curious to hear what Yannick Nézet-Séguin made of this perilous score.

Very good show. The production is not matching the greatness of the legendary Konwitschny show but it is clever and stylish at the same time -- which is what Decker always manages to do in his peculiar way. It is also much much better than the tired Met/ROH production that flooded the world n DVD and the HD broadcast to the movie theaters. 

The cast is really brilliant with Chris Maltman killing Posa [this must be unbeatable singing/acting of this role -- this man is über-talented]. Camilla Nylund was amazing too -- the role of Elisabetta seems like written for her. Bravi tutti! Yannick Nézet-Séguin came with his orchestra and it shows -- extraordinary precision and they obviously practiced a lot to give DC a fresh look. YNS has a very lyric approach to the score and it often sounds different from what we're used to. Will hopefully blog tomorrow more. Cheers