Narraboth, Jochanaan and Salome

HOT Executive Director Simon Crookall saw Ryan McKinny star in Salome yesterday at Santa Fe. McKinney dazzled audiences in Honolulu and continues to be triumphant. Read for more:

Although the Prophet Jochanaan undoubtedly loses his head in Strauss’s decadent opera Salome, baritone Ryan McKinny, who made such an impression in Hawaii last season as the Dutchman, kept his own head last night and gave an incredible performance as John the Baptist.  Ryan’s powerful and mellifluous baritone soared out of the pit in which Jochanaan is imprisoned, and filled the opera house.

This was a strong cast throughout, with Alex Penda giving an impressive performance as the voluptuous Salome, though the staging of her Dance of the Seven Veils was less than seductive.  Robert Brubaker as the sleazy King Herod and Michaela Martens as his “incestuous bride” Herodias also gave fine performances, as did The young tenor, Brian Jagde in the role of Narraboth.

But the biggest star of the evening was conductor, David Robertson, whose masterly control of the huge orchestra brought this dramatic and passionate score to life. Another fine production from Santa Fe Opera.