Christmas 2007, day 6

MATINEE: Is He Dead?, at the Lyceum. This is a totally ridiculous play, both as conceived by Mark Twain and as rewritten (David Ives), directed (Michael Blakemore) and acted (by a bevy of NY's finest, led by the great Norbert Leo Butz). And I smiled pretty much non-stop. I understand the criticisms of those who didn't get on board with this silliness, but I can't join them: well before NLB went into high gear, I was seduced by the antics of the likes of Michael McGrath, John McMartin (he's just always fabulous; I don't know how he does it at his age), Byron Jennings, Patricia Connolly and Marylouise Burke. I guess this says something bad about the state of NY theater, that all these wonderful people were available for something as absurd as this, but lucky the audiences that reap the benefit. I ate it all up.

EVENING: Romeo et Juliette at the Met. This was my 2nd New Year's Eve there, and I was much happier this time around. (The previous occasion was Die Fledermaus a couple of years back, which was underwhelming but partially redeemed by the stunning high notes of Sondra Radvanovsky and Marlis Petersen.) Anna Netrebko was on her best behavior, which means the voice sounded pretty free and very beautiful, she managed the Waltz decently, and she phrased more sensitively than is her wont. For that last, I credit Matthew Polenzani, her superb Romeo: unlike the shrill and phony Roberto Alagna (who shared the telecast a couple of weeks ago), his tone spins and shines, and he commands gorgeous pianissimo, diminuendo and long-line phrasing. It was worth it to hear him soar through "Ah, leve-toi, soleil!" (with an amazing morendo on the final B-flat) and sustain his longest spans while lying prone and supine in his death scene.