Saturday 10th September 2016, after my excursion to the dizzy heights of the New Theatre, Cardiff. I’m back at the Millenium Centre for my first performance of ‘Macbeth’ from the Welsh National Opera company.  I cannot wait to hear this seasons foray into the world of opera. Having not seen any of these before, it’s another new experience for me, with three more operas to add to the growing list I have seen already.  I would like to see as many different operas as I possibly can over the next decade or so, hopefully seeing them with one of the best companies in the world today. That, of course, would have to be the Welsh National Opera, in my opinion. 

From the start of the opera the music and the singing from the witches and the chorus was just sublime, followed by Macbeth, played by Luis Cansino and Banquo, by Miklos Sebestyen, who were equally amazing. Then, for me, the star voice of the whole opera, Mary Elizabeth Williams as Lady Macbeth. If Carrie Hope Fletcher was the best voice I’d ever heard In a musical, then Mary Elizabeth Williams has to be the best voice I’ve heard in an opera by far. Her control and sheer power of her voice is just magnificent, it made me cry (as usual) just listening to her. At one stage her voice could be heard above that of the chorus and the orchestra, pretty amazing and sheer bliss to hear. 

The opera itself shocked me, as I was not expecting it to be as good as it actually was. I was mesmerised throughout, with amazing performances from all the cast. Not to mention the wonderful WNO Orchestra who again were just superb, under the baton of Andriy Yerkevych. 

Of course Macbeth was written by William Shakespeare, with the music by Guiseppe Verdi, and very pleasing to the ear to go with it. From start to finish this opera commanded my utmost attention, I couldn’t keep my eyes and ears off the stage, even for a split second. It was brilliant. With a fitting ovation at the end for Mary Elizabeth Williams, as the audience appreciated such a wonderful performance with the biggest and loudest cheers of all, and may I say totally deserving. I am definitely watching this show again before it leaves Cardiff for the customery tour. I will probably mention a little bit more about this fantastic opera at the next showing I see. Can’t put everything in this time, won’t have anything new to mention in my next blog.