Anthony Roth Costanzo at the Players, September 28, 2012
The New York Times, Oct. 1, 2012 (web exclusive)
This one left me wishing that I had a wider dance vocabulary, as such situations tend to do. Still, obviously it's a very short review, and the basics come across. I've heard Anthony Roth Costanzo in several different settings before, and it's a pretty wonderful thing to witness his rapid progress from promising new arrival to accomplished, satisfying and multifarious artist.
That one of Costanzo's arias for the evening came from Handel's Giulio Cesare seemed both savvy and fortuitous, considering how many times he was asked to step in last season to replace David Daniels in The Enchanted Island at the Met. A wonderful 2005 Glyndebourne production of Cesare by David McVicar comes to the Met next April — somewhat oddly, with Natalie Dessay scheduled to take the role of Cleopatra in a production originally designed to take advantage of Daniele de Niese's particular skills. De Niese is a controversial artist, but I reviewed the production at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2007, and was charmed by her and by the entire cast. Good to see that the Met has engaged Patricia Bardon and especially Christophe Dumaux (whose Tolomeo is a tour de force); Alice Coote is a welcome addition as Sesto, and conductor Harry Bicket is a superb Handelian.
But enough asides. Harpsichordist Bradley Brookshire, who I'm pretty sure I was hearing in person for the first time at the Players, is every bit the marvel his recordings and press clippings assure you that he will be. And Jared Angle is a tremendously accomplished dancer; seeing him work at such close quarters felt like a rare, fortunate opportunity.
Shame about the uncomfortable warmth, but perhaps that's just to be expected in a historic building packed to capacity. Kudos to Salon/Sanctuary Concerts for the venture, nonetheless.
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