Supporting cast dominates Verdi's 'Macbeth' at Met

Lay on Macduff _ and Banquo, too.

It was these two supporting characters who stood out Friday night as the Metropolitan Opera assembled an entirely new cast for the season's last three performances of Verdi's 'Macbeth.'

As Banquo, Macbeth's comrade in arms who falls early victim to his murderous rampage, the German bass Rene Pape dominated the early scenes. His beautiful tone, seamless throughout his range but especially impressive in its upper reaches, always commands attention, as does his deep commitment to character. From his first entrance, he makes Banquo's wariness of the witches' prophesies _ and of Macbeth _ apparent, and his one aria, 'Come dal ciel precipita,' grimly foreshadows his murder at the hand of Macbeth's hired thugs. Read more