Met loses a star soprano
NewsThe Dutch star Eva Maria Westbroek has pulled out of the title role in the upcoming Shostakovich Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, which opens on September 29.
She is replaced by the Russian soprano Svetlana Sozdatelev, a Met debutant.
I was fortunate to attend a performance of her singing Lady Macbeth at the Vienna State Opera, and she was incredible!
Westbroek or Sozdatelev?
If I could have chosen a replacement I’d have wanted Ausrine Stundyte.
Didn’t we see Catherine Malfitano in that role?
Miss Malfitano did the first revival (after 1994) at the Met in 2000. Wonderful portrayal.
Miss Westbroek was fantastic in 2014 in the same production.
Not a shock, really. Her performances of late have been atrocious from a vocal standpoint. High notes are screams and she seems to constantly need to scoop upwards to reach them. She’s a terrific performer, but her voice, I’m sorry to say is in tatters. I really hope she can rebuild her voice, because at its prime, was a thing of true beauty.
This is a worrying title. Glad to hear Ms Westbroek has not joined rhe Angel choir!
Why was Svetlana Sozdatelev removed from the roster ? Has the Met become part of the cancel culture crowd ?
What are you talking about? She’s on the cast list, and the description of the opera leads off with “Soprano Svetlana Sozdateleva makes an exciting Met debut…”
When it is convenient, Russian ppl are good, when it is not, “they are the worse people”, hypocrites!
Do we know why? I don’t see a note as to why she withdrew or didn’t read on the Met site.
Pet-hair allergy?
The substitutions at the Met are constant. I’m glad I waited till I saw this news before purchasing tickets. I specifically wanted to see Westbroek. Lady Macbeth doesn’t require the same vocal resources as Norma, so this role would’ve been fine with her current resources.