June 13, 2000: Sly in Barcelona

2000-06-13 Sly (E. Wolff-Ferrari), Gran Teatre de Liceu (Barcelona)

Sly = Josep Carreras
Dolly = Isabelle Kabatu
Westmoreland = Sherill Milnes
John Plake = Alessandro Guerzoni
The Hostess = Mireia Pinto

David Gimenez, conductor



It was the first time for me in his operahouse, Gran Teatre del Liceu. It was wonderful. Josep Carreras was great. Isabella Kabatu was a wonderful Dolly. Sherill Milnes was the Count, I liked Juan Pons much better in that role. Guerzoni was a sympathic and good-looking John Plake, good voice, but Carlos Chausson (Zurich) was greater. Mirea Pinto was the hostess, weak voice and that lack of that stage presence that made Stefania Kaluza so memorable in Zurich. I sat close to the stage and took no photos.

On June 13 and 16 I went to the Liceu to see this opera with José Carreras as Sly. Twice for really getting into this opera. Dig deeper... The same production as in Zurich, but another conductor, and the rest of singers except Carreras was the same. David Gimenez, the conductor, gave more beauty to the opera, a more subtle way of conducting. Isabelle Kabatu as Dolly was great, warner than Daniela Dessi. I had seen Kabatu earlier as Dolly in Zurich 2000 (May 17th) and that told me that Barcelona Zurich was worth seeing twice. Josep Carreras was even better, and June 16 was the best performance. Sherrill Milnes was not as great as Juan Pons as Westmoreland. Only David Gimenez, Isabelle Kabatu and Josep Carreras was better than Zurich 1998.

OD Travel