Ruth Ann Swenson

Die Entführung aus dem Serail

Matthias Habich, Ruth Ann Swenson

Contemporary criticism in a Turkish setting.

Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Robert Carsen, François Roussillon

Neil Shicoff, Bryn Terfel

Live performance from the Opéra National de Paris, 2003.

L'Africaine

Brian Large, Lotfi Mansouri

Plácido Domingo, Shirley Verrett

This was a 1988 revival of a 1971 production that teamed Domingo (Vasco da Gama) and Verrett (Selika - both then very much in their prime) in Meyerbeer's discursive swan-song. Seventeen years on, they are more statuesque than sexy, but both give larger-than-life performances that contain moments of completely thrilling vocalism. The casting is very strong, with the exception of Justino Diaz's Nelusko, which has strong presence but not much vocal allure. As Inez, Vasco da Gama's fiancee and rival for Shirley Verrett, Ruth Ann Swneson sings with great beauty and has impressive stage presence, very much holding her own in the confrontation with Verrett in the last act. Domingo is refulgent of tone and dramatically convincing, and he and Verrett strike sparks. She really comes into her own in one of the most preposterous mad-scenes in all opera, where she is slowly poisoned by the scent of a giant tree, contriving to make this dramatically truthful and even moving.

Pavarotti 30th Anniv. Gala

Luciano Pavarotti, Ruth Ann Swenson

Celebrating a great artist is always a gala occasion, but when the honoree is the legendary Luciano Pavarotti, the event is one to treasure. To pay tribute to the 30th anniversary of Pavarotti’s Met debut, the company featured him in fully staged excerpts of three operas: Act II of Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, Act III of Puccini’s La Bohème (the opera he sang at his debut), and Act IV of Verdi’s Aida. Joining the superstar tenor were colleagues like Ruth Ann Swenson, Leo Nucci, Daniela Dessì, Maria Guleghina, and Dolora Zajick, all conducted by James Levine.