ScheckOnCulture

It’s easy to imagine that the Metropolitan Opera has by now adopted a “damned if we do, damned if we don’t” mentality. If they attempt to give operatic masterpieces a fresh, updated spin—ala Luc Bondy’s controversial production of Tosca a couple of seasons back--they run the risk of having the results loudly booed and denigrated. On the other hand, if they present a warhorse in a staid, traditional production, they’re criticized for not taking artistic chances.

Such is the case with the recently opened revival of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. The project certainly seemed promising on paper: per Peter Gelb’s recent leanings, a notable theater director—in this case Michael Grandage, the former artistic director of London’s Donmar Warehouse—was given his Met debut. And the much lauded Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecien was slated for the title role.

Alas, the stars were not in alignment. Grandage--who in recent years has brought such exciting theatrical productions as Frost/Nixon, Hamlet and Red to New York--seems to have fallen asleep at the switch, delivering a visually drab staging largely devoid of excitement. And Kwiecien seriously injured his back during a dress rehearsal, resulting in a heroic, last-minute substitution by Peter Mattei.

Considering that he had barely two days to prepare, Mattei acquits himself nicely (Kwiecien is scheduled to return to the role on Oct. 25). The hulking Swedish singer certainly looks the part, providing an imposing physical presence to go along with his powerful vocalizing.

He’s well supported by several of the other singers, particularly Luca Pisaroni, as dramatically convincing as he is vocally supple in the role of the put-upon servant Leporello; Ramon Vargas, who earned sustained applause for both of his gorgeous arias; and Barbara Frittoli, deeply moving as the tragic Donna Elvira.

Grandage doesn’t seem to have given any particular thought to the staging, which mainly has the singers declaiming directly to the audience in near concert fashion. There is the occasional imaginative theatrical touch, such as the flames that shoot out as Giovanni descends into hell, but it’s too little, too late. Not helping matters are the monochromatic sets and costumes designed by Christopher Oram, with the former consisting largely of massive walls lined with balconies and doors.

Musically, the evening hews to the Met’s traditional high standards, with conductor Fabio Luisi drawing a superb performance from the orchestra. He also manages the pretty neat trick of accompanying the recitatives himself, on the harpsichord.

Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center. 212-362-6000. www.metopera.org.

After his record-breaking run in the title role of The Phantom of the Opera, it’s a pleasure to once again encounter Howard McGillin without a mask. The 57-year-old, eternally youthful musical leading man--who has been performing on New York stages since 1984--is delivering a winning show at the Oak Room that shows off his lovely tenor voice, affable charm and sensitive way with a lyric.

Appropriately enough for this performer whose credits include She Loves Me, Anything Goes and The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the show—dubbed Isn’t It Romantic?—features a plethora of love songs. Clearly tired of his Phantom duties, he refrains from reprising that show’s signature number “The Music of the Night.”

Following a loosely autobiographical structure, McGillin begins the evening with an exuberant rendition of Arlen and Harbug’s “I Love to Singa,” made famous by Cab Calloway. His song selections loosely parallel his career credits: Jerry Herman’s “The Big Time,” prefaced with a story about his ill-fated Hollywood career as a contract player at Universal; a Puccini aria, recalling his New York stage debut in an English language version of La Boheme opposite Linda Ronstadt; a pair of Sondheim numbers, accompanied by an amusing anecdote about his run-in with the notoriously cantankerous composer after he turned down a role in one of his shows; “A Foggy Day in London Town” and “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” reflecting his joyous experience performing in the London production of Anything Goes, etc.

He wanders into more contemporary territory with such songs as Michael Buble’s pop hit “Haven’t Met You Yet”; “Time,” a new ballad written by his pianist Joseph Thalken; and, for an encore, James Taylor’s “Secret O’Life.” He also displays a comic bent with a raucous take on “How ‘Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm?”

Although is voice is more pleasant than particularly distinctive, McGillin is such a warm, engaging presence that his show is a consistent delight. Spending an hour in his company while bathed in the warm glow of the Oak Room is an experience definitely to be recommended.

Oak Room, Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St. 212-419-9331. www.algonquinhotel.com.

‘60s era nostalgic bliss can currently be attained at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, where Peter Asher is holding court for the rest of the week. This surviving member of the chart-topping British Invasion duo Peter & Gordon is delivering a wildly entertaining evening of music and stories aptly entitled A Musical Memoir of the 60s and Beyond.

Along with his late partner Gordon Waller, Asher enjoyed a string of hits between 1963 and 1967 that included “World Without Love,” “I Go to Pieces,” “True Love Ways,” “Woman,” “I Don’t Want to See You Again” and “Nobody I Know.”

All of these, as well as a few other classics from the era, are performed here. And while Asher was clearly not the chief vocal talent of the duo—Waller’s voice was far more rich and resonant—the 67-year-old delivers wonderfully fun renditions with the support of a four-piece band.

But more than the music, it’s the storytelling that makes the evening so memorable. Asher, who went on to become a hugely successful music producer and manager, seems to have been everywhere during the heady days of the ‘60s and ‘70s. He regales the audience with anecdotes involving the Beatles—Paul McCartney dated his sister Jane, and provided the group with several Lennon/McCartney compositions that became some of their biggest hits—as well as the Rolling Stones, James Taylor and many others.

The show ingeniously weaves video clips and photos into the presentation, including a riotously funny introduction by Eric Idle and a couple of beautifully synchronized virtual duets between Asher and his former partner, the latter filmed during a 2005 reunion concert.

Among the highlights are clips from the variety show Hullabaloo featuring Peter & Gordon singing “Eight Days a Week” with the Supremes and Frankie Avalon and an unintentionally hilarious appearance on The Red Skelton Show.

Asher, whose credits also include a stint as head of A&R for Apple, the Beatles’ record company, was there when John met Yoko and when Mick Jagger met Marianne Faithful. He also describes Lennon and McCartney sitting in his attic and performing a song they had just written—a little ditty called “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.”

 Although the evening features perhaps a little too much self-promotion--including footage of his winning a Grammy for Producer of the Year and endless plugs about current and upcoming projects—Asher’s winningly self-deprecating sense of humor more than compensates. And when he dons his original Buddy Holly-style glasses and leads the audience on a sing-along of “A World Without Love,” complete with lyrics projected on video screens, the baby boomer audience’s joy was palpable.

Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, 540 Park Ave. 212-339-4095. www.feinsteinsatloewsregency.com.

It’s the moment everyone’s been waiting for. The ride of the Valkyries, featuring that immortal Wagner music that got seared into moviegoers’ memories thanks to Apocalypse Now. And in the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Die Walküre, the scene doesn’t disappoint.

Director Robert Lepage has the eight warrior sisters of Brunnhilde strapped to the movable planks of his massive set as if they were riding horses and galloping toward the audience. It’s a visually exhilarating sequence that spectacularly complements the stirring music.

Not everything works quite as well in this second installment of the Met’s ambitious new Ring cycle. Despite the ever malleable set and the series of projections that convey everything from a bleak forest to a ring of fire, the evening often suffers from a static visual quality. But the brilliance of the music and performances more than compensates.

James Levine conducts the five hour-plus evening in thrilling fashion, skillfully handling the score’s intense demands in a manner that is all the more impressive considering his recent health problems. And a truly stellar cast has been assembled, all of them in top form.

Bryn Terfel, thankfully shorn of the silly haircut he sported in Das Rheingold, is a physically and vocally commanding Wotan, easily convincing us of his godliness, while Stephanie Blythe’s formidable Fricka is more than his match. As the rebellious warrior daughter Brunnhilde, Deborah Voigt delivers an outstanding performance, nailing her character’s classic high-C battle cries of “Hojotoho!” with stunning ease and dexterity. German tenor Jonas Kaufman and Eva-Marie Westbrook are deeply moving as the lovestruck siblings Siegmund and Sieglinde, with the former providing matinee idol handsomeness to go along with his powerhouse singing.

The astute casting of these and several other minor roles demonstrates the Met’s ability to deliver singers who not only well fulfill the physical demands of their characters but are also atypically persuasive in terms of their acting. The stellar ensemble also provides estimable marquee value, not that it was needed for this immediately sold-out run.

Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center. 212-362-6000. www.metopera.org.

Opportunities to see Dave Frishberg are a rarity these days, so don’t delay in making your reservations for Do You Miss New York?, the terrific new show featuring the great jazz vocalist/composer and Broadway actress/singer Jessica Molaskey. The Oak Room provides the perfect setting for the duo, since their repertoire includes songs from The New Yorkers, a work-in-progress musical about the legendary members of the Algonquin Round Table.

The evening consists almost entirely of material from Frishberg’s extensive oeuvre, and it’s a pleasure to hear so many of them interpreted by the songwriter himself. His droll, understated delivery perfectly serves the sly, satirical humor of such songs as “Slappin’ the Cakes,” “I’m Hip” and “My New Celebrity,” the latter updated with amusing up-to-the-moment references to figures ranging from Charlie Sheen to Molaskey’s husband, guitarist/singer John Pizzarelli.

Most of his more sincerely emotive songs, such as the beautiful “Heart’s Desire,” are handled by Molaskey, whose smoky, jazz-inflected vocal stylings perfectly complement her co-star.

But she reveals some wicked humor of her own with such numbers as “I Won’t Scat,” a funny variation on the standard “I Won’t Dance,” and especially on his classic “My Attorney Bernie,” which the songwriter admitted was his most popular.

Frishberg demonstrated his accomplished pianism with his expertly intricate, fast-paced playing. Although he flubbed a few times and had to restart several songs, it’s quite excusable considering the complexity of the material and the fact that he’s in his late seventies.

Now based in Portland, Oregon, Frishberg’s visits to the Big Apple are few and far between. Don’t miss this opportunity to see this legendary jazz figure at this wonderfully intimate venue.

The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St. 212-419-9331. www.algonquinhotel.com