‘Moby-Dick’ at The Metropolitan Opera
This March, Stephen Costello returns to the role of Greenhorn in the Metropolitan Opera’s company debut of Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick. Mr. Costello originated the role in the opera’s world premiere at The Dallas Opera in 2010. Since then, the opera — based on Herman Melville’s classic 1851 novel — has been performed at San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, LA Opera, and other major houses.
Stephen Costello’s interpretation of Greenhorn, renamed from Ishmael in the book, has earned critical praise. In the 2012 San Francisco Opera production, Joshua Kosman of SFGATE described him as an “ardent, sweet-voiced Greenhorn,” while Bachtrack lauded his “sympathetic tone” and the depth he brought to Greenhorn’s journey “from innocence to experience.”
Led under the batone of conductor Karen Kamensek, the Metropolitan Opera cast also includes Brandon Jovanovich as Captain Ahab, Janai Brugger as Pip, William Burden as Flask, Peter Mattei as Starbuck, Malcolm MacKenzie as Stubb, and Ryan Speedo Green as Queequeg in the original staging directed by Leonard Foglia.
Performances are scheduled for March 3, 8, 11, 15, 19, 22, 25 and 29.
Photo: Dario Acosta