Recorded live at The Royal Opera House, 13 June, 2011
Simon Keenlyside (Macbeth), Liudmyla Monastyrska (Lady Macbeth), Raymond Aceto (Banquo), Dmitri Pittas (Macduff), Nigel Cliffe (Servant), Steven Ebel (Malcolm), Elisabeth Meister (Lady-in-Waiting) & Lukas Jakobski (Doctor)
Black, red, cream and gold are the colours that define Phyllida Lloyd’s Royal Opera House staging of Verdi’s robust, yet penetrating setting of Shakespeare’s Scottish play.
Manipulated by a whole coven of cunning, scarlet-turbanned witches, the characters often evoke figures in a splendid Gothic fresco. With Simon Keenlyside making his British role-debut, as an athletic, brooding Macbeth and Liudmyla Monastyrska as his Lady, both imperious and subtle, this performance, masterfully conducted by Antonio Pappano, goes far beyond mere sound and fury.
This production went out LIVE to cinema screens around the world.
…an impressive company showcase, full of moments when chorus and orchestra are at full throttle. Whipped up by Antonio Pappano's baton, they sound truly thrilling.’ The Guardian
Extra features:
Cast gallery
Interviews with Simon Keenlyside, Raymond Aceto and Liudmyla Monastyrska
Rehearsing Macbeth with Antonio Pappano
Running time 170 mins
Region Code All regions
Picture format 1080i High Definition / 16:9
Sound format 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS
Menu languages EN
Subtitles EN/FR/DE/IT/ES
Short interviews with Pappano and Keenlyside
An excerpt from the Act One duet 'Tutto è finito!'
July 2012
“you know that Keenlyside is an accomplished lieder-singer by the dramatic precision in this phrase readings throughout (his Act 4 aria has such emotional transparency he almost breaks your heart)...Monastyrska unleashes such pent-up venom with her sharp-edged vocalism that the total package is almost too psychologically repulsive...the production is wonderfully atmospheric...Pappano is the most important artistic catalyst”
May 2012
****
“Lloyd's Covent Garden staging of Verdi's opera has a good deal going for it; there's plenty of atmosphere in Anthony Ward's aptly dark-toned sets...Keenlyside sings the title role with imagination and insight, even if his lyric approach doesn't command the full cut and thrust of a true Verdi baritone...Pappano is an authoritative Verdian, punching the score out into the theatre.”
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