Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.For 19th-century audiences, Giacomo Meyerbeer was synonymous with grand opera. The German composer combined the vocal virtuosity of the Italian bel canto school with the large-scale orchestral brilliance of Berlioz; when performed with the vast theatrical resources of the Paris Opéra, it culminated in a true spectacle. Meyerbeer’s works, though, have fallen largely out of favour — they were frequently performed at the Metropolitan Opera in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but have not been seen there since 1979.It falls to people such as Leon Botstein, president of Bard College in upstate New York and director of the American Symphony Orchestra, who has long had a penchant for French grand opera, to advocate for Meyerbeer. Le prophète, which tells the story of John of Leiden (Jean de Leyde in French), a real-life Dutch Anabaptist leader, is a rousing tale of fanaticism, political manipulation and interpersonal drama.But Meyerbeer and librettist Eugène Scribe stretched it into an evening exceeding four hours, and despite Botstein’s best efforts and excellent playing from the American Symphony Orchestra, there simply isn’t enough musical interest to sustain it for that length of time. Meyerbeer even cut the overture before the opera’s premiere; Botstein’s inclusion of it suggests that Meyerbeer made the right decision.Director Christian Räth makes the most out of limited resources, with three massive leather bibles rotating to evoke the cathedrals, prisons and countryside encampments of the plot. Video projections stand in for the explosive final tableau, in which the palace collapses in flames. If only more attention had been paid to the interpersonal relationships between the characters — the singers are largely left to stand in front of the moving sets, making the plot drag on even longer.The exception to this are the three Anabaptists who manipulate Jean for their own political ends. Brian Vu, Harold Wilson and Wei Wu form a dynamic trio, with well-blended sound and a sinister presence. As the feudal Count Oberthal, Zachary Altman leans too hard into the character’s villainy, pushing his velvety bass-baritone harshly.In the title role, tenor Robert Watson effectively portrays Jean’s transition from simple peasant to fanatical leader. It is a vocally taxing part and Watson struggles with his high notes throughout, but provides vibrant, ringing tone elsewhere. Jean’s mother, Fidès, forms the emotional heart of the work, tortured by guilt and religious fervour. Her prison aria is the evening’s showpiece, with roulades and trills reminiscent of bel canto. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Feinstein’s juicy lower register and easy coloratura readily encompass the role’s vocal demands but lacks the dramatic force needed to carry the opera.The star performance comes from soprano Amina Edris as Jean’s fiancée, Berthe. Edris brings real dramatic fire to the part, typically portrayed as an ingénue, here accompanied by a dark, rich soprano with flexible coloratura.★★★☆☆To August 4, fishercenter.bard.edu
