'Great Scots'

The Metropolitan Opera
by Philipp Brieler
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This month’s revival of La Donna del Lago reunites Joyce DiDonato—who won raves for her portrayal of the title role last season—with Lawrence Brownlee, her original co-star when Paul Curran’s staging was first
 seen in Santa Fe in 2013. The two talk about delivering the high-flying vocal fireworks in Rossini’s Scotland-set drama.

You both sang in this production in Santa Fe two seasons ago, but this is your first time together at the Met since The Barber of Seville in 2007. What excites you most about this reunion?

Lawrence Brownlee: Joyce and I first met about 20 years ago at a competition, and over the years we’ve become very close friends. We share many passions, a great love for travel, a great love for food. To
 be onstage with someone who inspires you, who’s just really knocking your socks off, and who you care about so much as a person—that’s one of the things I’m looking forward to. I want to bring my A-game, because Joyce brings her A-plus-game every time, and then you feed off of each other and have those magic moments onstage that don’t happen every day.

Joyce DiDonato: Larry is one of the most soulful singers I have ever heard, not to mention that he possesses one of the most beautiful voices on the planet! To witness that up close and personal is a total pleasure—and ultimately makes me a better singer.

LB: The thing is, I take what she gives me, and I’m like, “You’re not going to leave me in the dust, Joyce!”

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