The “Ingemisco” revealed a breathy tone when he tried to rein in his powerful voice and exposed a patchiness of intonation that nagged him throughout. While the tenor part of the Requiem has opportunities for Antonenko’s muscular sound to shine, nuance is required, as well. There was unevenness in the solo quartet, as well–Aleksandrs Antonenko has enjoyed some high-profile engagements at the Met, sporting a claxon-like tenor that rings out in difficult, high-lying roles. As with many Levine performances these days, Friday’s Requiem was an experience of something close to cognitive dissonance: boundless admiration for the orchestra he built, which maintained note-for-note precision even in the tumult of the “Dies irae,” and serious questions about what he can achieve with it in the twilight of his career. He mostly managed the performance, rather than giving it real direction, and even that was inconsistent, often losing control of the ensemble. James Levine was an obvious choice to lead these concerts from a box office perspective, but his direction from the pit on Friday was frustrating. It was certainly fitting that the iconic funeral mass by Verdi, who wrote many of Hvorostovsky’s most celebrated roles, should serve as a memorial tribute.Īnd a moving tribute it was, for its flaws.

One of the greatest artists of his field for more than two decades, he doubtless would have been in the hearts of many listeners during Friday’s performance of the Requiem at the Met, which was dedicated to him in a program insert. This week, the Metropolitan Opera and its many sister companies around the world are mourning the death of Dmitri Hvorostovsky, the great Russian baritone. That performances of the Requiem often come to feel like public outpourings of grief–even for events unforeseen when the performance was scheduled–is only natural. The mass’s emotional intensity, its massive expressions of awe and its moments of intimate reflection, make it a powerful experience for both performer and listener. Verdi’s Requiem has a way of always being pertinent.

Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem was performed by James Levine and the Met Orchestra Friday night.

Metropolitan opera verdi requiem