Daniele Rustioni conducts the new production of Carmen at MET

https://bachtrack.com/review-carmen-cracknell-akhmetshina-davila-metropolitan-opera-new-york-december-2023 Aigul Akhmetshina leads powerhouse cast in the Met’s contemporary new Carmen “The Met Orchestra played brilliantly for Daniele Rustioni. After an exhilarating rendition of the prélude – vibrant and exquisitely phrased – he adhered to mostly brisk, appropriately-balanced tempos. Eliciting precise, transparent sound, his direction drew exceptionally beautiful playing from the woodwinds, most notably in the preludes to Acts 3 and 4. The singing from the Met’s adult and children’s choruses was first rate as always.” Bachtrack, Susan Stempleski

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2024/01/01/metropolitan-opera-carmen-review/ At the Met, a daring new production of ‘Carmen’ takes flight “… Rustioni drew particular tartness from the flutes and strings, and whipped up a wild, windblown energy across the orchestra that lent the whole score a refreshing vivacity.” Washington Post, Michael Andor Brodeur

https://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2024/01/cast-brings-vocal-luster-to-mets-grim-truck-stop-carmen/ Akhmetshina debut propels Met’s retooled rodeo “Carmen” “In the pit, Daniele Rustioni led a blazing reading of the Prelude, yet his direction was better displayed in revealing the lyricism and emotion of Bizet’s score. … the orchestra performed brilliantly. The solo flute passages in the Act III prelude were so hauntingly beautiful that Rustioni stopped the action to afford the player a solo bow. The Met’s adult and children’s choruses were top notch as always. When the curtain fell, the crowed roared its approval of the musical forces took their bows.” New York Classical Review, Rick Perdian2

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/arts/music/carmen-bizet-met-opera-review.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KU0.hDjT.VPIFNR2DnWca&hpgrp=ar-abar&smid=em-share The Met’s New ‘Carmen’ Trades Castanets for Cutoffs "The conductor Daniele Rustioni kept to moderate, well-judged tempos, and the train always stayed firmly on the tracks, including precise work by the chorus ... In the preludes to the third and fourth acts were glimpses of a wilder, more expansive and more beautiful vision of Bizet’s score." New York Times, Zachary Woolfe

https://newcriterion.com/blogs/dispatch/carmen-adjacent

“Carmen” - adjacent “In the Met’s pit was Daniele Rustioni, the fine young Italian conductor… Carmen showed up at last (musically). Rustioni and his forces did far greater justice to the opera. The prelude to Act iii was lovely. And the maestro did something I had never seen before. As the audience was applauding the prelude, he tried to acknowledge the flutist. This is easier to do in a concert, with an orchestra on a stage. Acknowledging players in a pit is tricky… the graciousness—the generous spirit—of Daniele Rustioni… to acknowledge the flute player. When the maestro took his final bows, he insisted on doing so alongside Donald Palumbo, the chorus master. What a gent, Signor Rustioni.” New Criterion, Jay Nordlinger

https://observer.com/2024/01/review-carmen-aigul-akhmetshina-met-opera/

A New Star Shines in Yet Another Uninspired ‘Carmen’ “Akhmetshina’s superb vocal achievement was greatly helped by Daniele Rustioni’s robust yet nuanced conducting of the Met orchestra in top form and both the adult and children’s choruses performing splendidly. Bizet’s magnificent score can sound ordinary in routine hands, but Rustioni lavished care on every detail without becoming fussy… at least until January 27, Akhmetshina and Rustioni are making it 2024’s first unmissable opera.” Observer, Christopher Corwin

https://parterre.com/2024/01/03/star-vehicles/

Star vehicles “Daniele Rustioni’s vivacious and clarifying conducting showed Bizet’s score off to best advantage, and everything moved at pleasant clip, zippy but not rushed.” ParterreBox, Gabrielle Ferrari

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/magazine/2790674/dont-be-a-diva-go-to-the-opera/

Don’t be a diva, go to the opera “Akhmetshina was complemented superbly by conductor Daniele Rustioni and the Met orchestra, who justly received the kind of warm applause for the Entr’acte, the sweet-melancholy piece for flute and orchestra that precedes Act 3, that the Met audience usually reserves for a touching aria from a singer.” Washington Examiner, Nicholas Gallagher

https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/Review-When-Akhmetshinas-On-Stage-Dont-Fence-The-Mets-New-CARMEN-In-20240106 Review: When Akhmetshina's On Stage, Don't Fence The Met's New CARMEN In “It was also a fine night for conductor Daniele Rustioni and the Met orchestra, who made the score sound as good as it is, as did the Met chorus.” Broadway World, Richard Sasanow

https://lavocedinewyork.com/en/arts/2024/01/16/carmen-hits-the-road-in-the-mets-new-production-of-bizets-classic/ Carmen Hits the Road in the Met’s New Production of Bizet’s Classic “Italian conductor Daniele Rustioni’s refined and upbeat direction did justice to Bizet’s music, as did the sensitively engaged musicians of the Met Orchestra who followed the singers with aplomb. A haunting oboe line in Act IV showcased how the orchestra underscores romance’s mysterious and lusty effects. Many people in the audience enjoyed the iconic music, from the boisterous opening prelude to Carmen’s “Habanera,” and the Toreador song.” La voce di New York, Jonathan Salamon

https://www.olyrix.com/articles/production/7350/carmen-bizet-metropolitan-opera-house-new-york-cinema-direct-article-critique-compte-rendu-27-janvier-2024-rustioni-cracknell-levine-scutt-hoare-horvath-yee-taylor-blue-beczala-wu-akhmetshina-mancasola-hunter-ketelsen-adams-ballentine “Dans les plans de coupe et quand les sous-titres sont absents, l'écran de cinéma permet d'apercevoir la direction animée de Daniele Rustioni (directeur musical de l’Opera National de Lyon). Sa battue vivante et incarnée transporte cette musique méditerranéenne et très mouvante. L’Orchestre du Metropolitan Opera confirme sa réputation, mettant en lumière la richesse de cette œuvre à travers l'interprétation nuancée des différents thèmes. Son expressivité dans les nuances (en particulier dans les passages mélancoliques et tragiques) contribue à capturer l’essence du drame et de la passion qui caractérise Carmen. Le Chœur maison préparé par Donald Palumbo offre une précision rythmique synchronisée avec l’orchestre, la cohésion harmonique enrichissant l’ensemble musical. Les sections du chœur s'entremêlent subtilement ce qui permet aux voix de se fondre harmonieusement et de se démarquer avec éloquence lorsque nécessaire. La Maîtrise joue et chante avec sérieux mais aussi une légèreté comme en dérision face à ce monde d'adultes. Le public dans la salle new yorkaise se montre ravi de cette représentation” Olyrix

https://onlinemerker.com/new-york-wien-die-met-im-kino-carmen-4/ “Dirigent Daniele Rustioni, der in der Pause ein geradezu bezauberndes, hymnisches Bekenntnis zu Bizet ablegte, hatte sowohl die präzise, scharfe Artikulation der Musik fest im Griff wie später sowohl die Lyrik (Vorspiel zum dritten Akt) wie die düstere Dramatik. Da konnten sich alle Sänger auf einen Orchesterpart mit hohem Niveau stützen. Das New Yorker Publikum hatte sich von den schlechten unter den Kritiken nicht beirren lassen und applaudierte dem nicht alltäglichen Abend so heftig, wie er es verdiente.” Onlinemerker, Renate Wagner

https://www.operaworld.es/critica-aigul-akhmetshina-es-la-nueva-carmen-de-la-metropolitan-opera/ “El inicio del año operístico en Nueva York cuenta como principal atractivo con la nueva producción escénica de Carrie Cracknell de la ópera de Georges Bizet, «Carmen». La obra se presenta además con un lucido reparto en el que destacan Aigul Akhmetshina, Angel Blue y Piotr Beczala, con Daniele Rustioni en el foso. …El director de orquesta Daniele Rustioni ha demostrado en muchas ocasiones su buen entendimiento con la orquesta de la Metropolitan Opera. Y en esta nueva «Carmen» el italiano no ha decepcionado. Rustioni mantiene a los músicos a un gran nivel a lo largo de toda la ópera, consiguiendo una línea orquestal clara y distinguida. …Acaso la elegancia musical propuesta con Rustioni no encajara del todo en el agro americano. Con todo, Rustioni demostró su habilidad para subrayar el canto y organizar a la siempre impredecible orquesta del Met. El director del Coro de la Metropolitan Opera, Donald Palumbo, está teniendo una despedida soñada, en una última temporada que esta dejando el listón altísimo a su sucesor, que aún está por anunciar.” Opera World, Carlos J. López Rayward

https://seenandheard-international.com/2024/02/the-mets-cast-fires-on-all-cylinders-in-carrie-cracknells-first-rate-truck-stop-carmen/ The Met’s cast fires on all cylinders in Carrie Cracknell’s first-rate truck stop Carmen “Daniele Rustioni ensured cast, chorus and orchestra remained on track. In the overture I was struck by the freshness and vitality of the rhythms and Rustioni’s eye for detail. The pacing of the material was well judged, and careful thought had clearly been given to Bizet’s shifting textures and sonorities. Rustioni managed to coax some very beautiful playing from the strings and woodwind during the entr’actes to the opera. He also ensured there was a good balance of sound between the soloists and orchestra and ensured the orchestral accompaniment was flexible when required. Overall, this was a first-rate production of Carmen from a cast firing on all cylinders.” Seen and Heard International, Robert Beattie