Review: QUEEN OF SPADES at Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera's revival of Tchaikovsky’s *The Queen of Spades*, which opened on Friday, May 23, 2025, offered a visually opulent and musically ambitious evening, though not without its challenges. Elijah Moshinsky’s elegant 1995 production, with its sumptuous sets and period costumes, provided a rich backdrop for the unfolding drama.

Soprano Sonya Yoncheva, making her role debut as Lisa, delivered a performance that was both vocally luminous and emotionally resonant. Her portrayal captured Lisa's vulnerability and inner turmoil, with a voice that soared effortlessly over the orchestra. Yoncheva's nuanced interpretation and expressive phrasing brought depth to the character, marking her the principle attraction in the production.

In contrast, tenor Arsen Soghomonyan, also debuting in the role of Hermann at the Met, faced a challenging evening. While his voice possessed a powerful and dramatic quality, his performance lacked the subtlety and nuance required for the complex character of Hermann. At times, his vocal delivery was strained, and his interactions with Yoncheva's Lisa lacked the necessary chemistry to fully convey the tragic love story at the opera's core.  The plot of the opera is hard enough to pull off even with the best of chemistry between the principles, but the lack thereof brought the flaws into greater focus, and the numerous extended scene changes did not help the overall cohesion of the piece. 

Conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson led the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra with vigor, extracting a rich and dynamic sound from the ensemble. However, there were several moments when the orchestra's volume completely overwhelmed the singers, particularly during critical arias, which disrupted the balance between the pit and the stage. This frustrating imbalance continually hindered the performance throughout the evening.

Among the supporting cast, mezzo-soprano Violeta Urmana delivered a compelling performance as the Countess, blending vocal authority with dramatic presence. Baritone Igor Golovatenko, portraying Prince Yeletsky, offered a solid, if understated, performance, while Alexey Markov's Count Tomsky provided a lively and engaging presence on stage.

Overall, while Yoncheva's performance was a highlight, the evening was marred by too may issues in vocal execution and orchestral balance, and the entire production never seemed to achieve cohesion.  Perhaps later in the run, the production may hit its stride, but opening night felt like the entire show would have benefitted greatly from a few more rehearsals.