Violins swirl into an orchestral storm. It foreshadows the tragedy to come. Footsteps. Lightning. Poison? Verdi strictly writes for a narrative and there are things in these noises. Just over three minutes in, the orchestra quells to nothing but a soft solo clarinet that clears the air for Luisa’s melody, and I will hum it for weeks to come.
It mingles with ascending and descending phrases that march me forward to the opening crescendo and beginning of the story.
Verdi hooks me with note one and never lets go.
The distant curtain rises to a realistic courtyard with stone steps where children play and church bells are heard in the distance. The space quickly bustles and sings with morning activity. Sleepy-head Luisa, saccharine as Snow White wakes to bluebirds. I might be new to opera, but even in my naïveté, I don’t think Luisa should trust any character with the name of Wurm.
Placido Domingo plays Luisa’s father and even I know him to be one of the ‘three tenors’ strong enough to share a stage with the incomparable Pavarotti. This is becoming a special evening in many ways, but I don’t think even he will be able to protect Luisa from Count Rodolfo and Wurm.
The counts mansion is a grand darkened space where high windows cast moonlight shining downward to the count who sits near a huge fireplace (It’s a real fire ablaze on stage). The real and faux together like the village strikes a believable realism that really grounds the narrative for me.
I am really moved beyond words. I have never heard of Luisa Miller, yet it leaves such an impression. I have been introduced to Verdi. I have seen Placido Domingo perform. I play Luisa every night before bed for a week and I am still humming her melody.
I wonder what other opera experiences I might be missing?
Listen for:
The clarinet during the overture
Quando le sere al placido – As soon as this aria began I was really feeling it, like a heartbeat underneath the voice. An undulating arpeggio.
The clarinet when Luisa writes the letter (verdi will use this in La Traviata when Violeta writes her letter.
So what’s Luisa Miller all about? Luisa loves Carlo who is really the important son of Count Rodolfo. The count’s assistant Wurm secretly loves Luisa and he and the count want Rodolfo to marry someone named Federica. There will be poisons and swords before the curtain falls.
Notes on the production:
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Composer…………………….. Giuseppi Verdi
Luisa…………………………… Sonya Yoncheva
Miller…………………………… Placido Domingo
Rodolfo………………………… Piotr Beczala
Laura…………………………… Rihab Chaieb
Wurm…………………………… Dimitry Belosselskiy
Conductor……………………… Bertrand de Billy
The Metropolitan Opera
4/6/2018