Sir David McVicar Directed Five 2017-2018 Met Opera Season Productions

Summary: Sir David McVicar directed five 2017-2018 Met Opera productions, including new stagings of Bellini’s Norma and Puccini’s Tosca.

Scottish opera and theatre director Sir David McVicar’s first new 2017-2018 Met Opera season production, Bellini’s Norma, premieres as the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s opener: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Facebook Sept. 25, 2017

Scottish opera and theatre director Sir David McVicar directed five 2017-2018 Met Opera productions, comprising new stagings of Bellini’s Norma and Puccini’s Tosca as well as revivals of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Verdi’s Il Trovatore.

Sir McVicar’s first 2017-2018 Met Opera season production premiered as a new production of Norma by Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sept. 23, 1835). Opening night Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, marked the new staging’s season premiere as well as the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s opening night. The season premiere numbered as the Metropolitan Opera’s 157th performance of Bellini’s opera about a conflicted Druid high priestess.

Twelve performances, including opening night, were offered. In addition to two September performances, five October performances took place. Five winter performances happened in December, including closing night Saturday, Dec. 16.

Sir McVicar’s new production emphasized the forest setting that was intrinsic to the Druids’ world. His production team for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s Norma comprised Robert Jones, set designer; Moritz June, costume designer; Paule Constable, lighting director.

David McVicar’s new production replaced staging debuted Oct. 11, 2001, by John Copley. The last staging directed by the British opera and theatre director and producer’s occurred in the 2013-2014 Met Opera season.

Sir McVicar’s second 2017-2018 Met Opera season production premiered as a new production of Tosca by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). Opening night Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, marked the Metropolitan Opera’s 951st performance of Tosca.

Fifteen performances of the new production were offered. Nine winter performances, including December’s season premiere, took given. Six spring performances comprised three April dates and three in May, including closing night Saturday, May 12, 2018. Tosca’s closing night performance also closed the 2017-2018 Met Opera season.

David McVicar’s new production emphasized the opera’s architectural grandeur. His production team comprised John Macfarlane, set and costume designer; David Finn, lighting designer; Leah Hausman, movement director; Jonathon Loy, revival stage director.

Sir McVicar’s new production replaced staging debuted Sept. 21, 2009, by Luc Bondy (July 17, 1948-Nov. 28, 2015). The last staging of the Swiss film and theatre director’s production took place during the 2016-2016 Met Opera season.

Sir McVicar’s third and fourth 2017-2018 Met Opera season productions were the double feature of Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni (Dec. 7, 1863-Aug. 2, 1945) and Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo (April 23, 1857-Aug. 9, 1919). Opening night Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, marked the Metropolitan Opera’s 690th performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and the opera house’s 732nd performance of Pagliacci. Seven performances, including opening night, were offered in January. Closing night was Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018.

Sir McVicar’s production team for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s double feature, known popularly as Cav Pag, comprised Rae Smith, set designer; Moritz Junge, costume designer; Paule Constable, lighting designer; Andrew George, choreographer. Pagliacci’s vaudeville consultant was Emil Wolk.

David McVicar’s double feature revived staging that he debuted April 14, 2015. His debut staging of Cavalleria Rusticana occurred for the Metropolitan Opera’s 671st performance. His debut staging of Pagliacci marked the Metropolitan Opera’s 713th performance of Leoncavallo’s opera about a jealous clown.

Sir McVicar directed Il Trovatore by 19th century opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) for his fifth 2017-2018 Met Opera season production. Opening night Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, marked the Metropolitan Opera’s 648th performance of Verdi’s operatic tragedy about brothers separated as infants.

Eight performances were given. Three January performances included opening night. February’s five performances included closing night Thursday, Feb. 15.

David McVicar’s production updated the turbulent opera’s setting from 15th century Spain to early 19th century Spain during Napoleon’s Peninsular War. His production team comprised Charles Edwards, set designer; Brigitte Reiffenstuel, costume designer; Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer; Leah Hausman, choreographer.

The 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s production of Il Trovatore revived staging that marked David McVicar’s Metropolitan Opera debut Feb. 16, 2009. His new staging debuted in the Metropolitan Opera’s 600th performance of Verdi’s opera about revenge via fratricide.

The takeaways for Sir David McVicar’s directing five 2017-2018 Met Opera season productions are that Bellini’s Norma and Puccini’s Tosca are new stagings, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci are revivals and Verdi’s Il Trovatore is a revival that reprises the Scottish opera and theatre director’s Met Opera production debut in the 2008-2009 Met Opera season.

Scottish opera and theatre director Sir David McVicar’s second new 2017-2018 Met Opera season production, Puccini’s Tosca, closes the 2017-2018 Met Opera season: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Facebook Dec. 24, 2017

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Scottish opera and theatre director Sir David McVicar’s first new 2017-2018 Met Opera season production, Bellini’s Norma, premieres as the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s opener: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Facebook Sept. 25, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10159463136580533.1073741938.20807115532/10159495559130533/

Scottish opera and theatre director Sir David McVicar’s second new 2017-2018 Met Opera season production, Puccini’s Tosca, closes the 2017-2018 Met Opera season: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Facebook Dec. 24, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10159885398195533/

For further information:

“Debuts: David McVicar, Charles Edwards, Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Leah Hausman.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353605 Il Trovatore {600} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/16/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353605

Marriner, Derdriu. “2017-2018 Metropolitan Opera Season Offers Five New Productions.” Monday, June 26, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/06/2017-2018-metropolitan-opera-season.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Cav Pag Is Jan. 13, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 8, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/01/cavpag-is-jan-13-2018-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Norma Is the Dec. 16, 2017, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 11, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/12/norma-is-dec-16-2017-met-opera-saturday.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Tosca Is Jan. 27, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 22, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/01/tosca-is-jan-27-2018-met-opera-saturday.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Il Trovatore Is Feb. 3, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 29, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/01/il-trovatore-is-feb-3-2018-met-opera.html

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “The 2017–18 season opens tonight! Take a sneak peek at Sir David McVicar's new production of Norma starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Joyce DiDonato, and Joseph Calleja. Photos by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera.” Facebook. Sept. 25, 2017.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10159463136580533.1073741938.20807115532/10159495559130533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Inside the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle, Željko Lučić takes center stage as Scarpia with the Met Opera Chorus in this early stage rehearsal of Tosca. Set and costume designer John Macfarlane visited the iconic church in Rome to research his scenic design for the new production. Tosca opens Dec 31. Photo by Jonathan Tichler/Met Opera." Facebook. Dec. 24, 2017.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10159885398195533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Tosca rehearsals are underway! Sir David McVicar's sumptuous new production of Puccini's masterpiece will ring in the new year on Dec 31 starring SONYA YONCHEVA, Vittorio Grigolo, and Željko Lučić. Emmanuel Villaume conducts. Photos by Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera.” Facebook. Dec. 15, 2017.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10159855424265533

“New Production Norma.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356744 New Production Norma {157} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/25/2017.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356744

“New Production Il Trovatore.” [Met Performance] CID: 353605 New Production Il Trovatore {600} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/16/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353605

“New Production Tosca.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356838 New Production Tosca {951} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2017.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356838

“New Productions Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355936 New Production Cavalleria Rusticana {671} Pagliacci {713} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/14/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355936