Verdi’s Macbeth is not frequently performed at Turin’s Teatro Regio. While the current production follows the last one by 15 years, the opera only enjoyed two revivals in the second half of the 20th century, after having disappeared for over 80 years. The enthusiastic reaction that the Turinese audience showed for Emma Dante’s production, lets one hope for more frequent appearance of this opera on the stage of the Teatro Regio.

The production, a joint enterprise with Palermo’s Teatro Massimo and Macerata’s Sferisterio, focused exclusively on the protagonists, with very limited sets, especially characterized by dark lightning or deep red shining backgrounds. When Macbeth comes on stage he is riding the skeleton of a horse. The witches in grayish clothes surround him and Banco interrupting their frenzied dance.

In Macbeth’s palace, a set of giant golden crowns imprisons the Lady. Macbeth comes in unexpectedly (especially for the audience), and recites the content of what is intended to be a letter talking directly to the Lady, who answers his speech with her aria. The two kiss passionately, so the fact that shortly thereafter a herald comes in announcing that the same Macbeth is arriving and accompanying the king sounds a bit puzzling.

In the night’s darkness, Macbeth and the Lady sit on their hospital-like twin beds, and decide to kill the king. When everybody is astonished to hear of the king’s murder, the dead body is brought inside, cleaned, and turned into a crucified Christ.

Black, red and gold again dominate during the party scene, with Banco’s ghost climbing a high throne from its back side, and taunting the appalled Macbeth. Macbeth joins the witches again interrupting their sabbath. The stage now remains empty, except for a number of moving beds surrounding the Lady in her sleepwalking. The forest of Birnam consists in light green cactus trees with bright pink flowers. Macbeth dies under Macduff’s saber, while all other warriors surround him pointing their swords against him.

The production, which closed the current season, was meant to be conducted by the company’s music director Gianadrea Noseda, who unfortunately could be there only for the first three performances, but had to cancel the next six due to health problems. He passed the baton to the company’s accompanist Giulio Laguzzi, who did his best to conclude the series of performances.

Baritone Dalibor Jenis as Macbeth forced his voice at certain moments, and sounded tired at the end. Bass Marko Mimica was an unimpressive Banquo. More compelling was tenor Piero Pretti as Macduff. The best on stage was certainly soprano Anna Pirozzi, a temperamental Lady with a ringing top range. The chorus also gave a very compelling contribution, especially the women’s section with their double role of courtesans and witches.

The audience was generous in applause for all singers and for the last minute conductor, with a real ovation for Pirozzi.