VERDI'S MACBETH / Lirica Arts / Review

 

VERDI’S MACBETH

Lirica Arts

Victoria Theatre

Friday (27 March 2026)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 30 March 2026 with the title "Bold staging of Verdi's Macbeth by rising opera company Lirica Arts".

Lirica Arts, a local opera company formed just four years ago, has produced its second fully-staged opera since its very encouraging debut with Gioachino Rossini’s L’Inganno Felice in 2022. Giuseppe Verdi’s first Shakespearean opera Macbeth, which premiered in 1847 and revised in 1865, was a very brave and ambitious choice, but one the opera scene here really needs having had multiple La Traviatas, La Bohemes and Carmens.

The two Martins:
Martin Ng's Macbeth with
and Martin Ohu's Banco

Verdi’s Macbeth has exactly the same plot as Shakespeare’s play, with the same sequence of events but the added dimensions of music and being sung in Italian. It was first presented by Singapore Lyric Opera in 2001 conducted by Lim Yau, and 25 years later, this production with The Philharmonic Orchestra was led by his son Lin Juan.

Zhang Jie's Lady Macbeth
commands King Duncan be killed.

With familiar characters and a story easy to follow, it was left for stage director Tang Xinxin to pique the imagination of the audience. Her task was considerably aided by baritone Martin Ng (artistic director of Lirica Arts) in the titular role, and soprano Zhang Jie as his infamous spouse. Ng’s transformation from humble Thane of Glamis to blood-thirsty King of Scotland was the stuff of tragedies, where self-doubt gradually turned into fatal ambition with all nuances in between.

Good as Ng was in his chest-beating stentorian arias, it was Zhang’s Lady Macbeth who delivered the tour de force. Her blood curdling La Luce Langue (The Light Fades) and sleep-walking aria Una Macchia E Qui Tuttora (Out, Damned Spot!) were solo high points, with deserved accolades from the audience.

Their respective deaths were strangely low key. She in her blood red gown just walked into the shadows, while he was unceremoniously dispatched by excellent tenor Jonathan Charles Tay’s MacDuff. Supporting them were South Korean bass Martin Ohu as the short-lived Banco (Banquo) and tenor Jonathan MacPherson as Malcolm, the new king.

Banco's ghost returns to haunt Macbeth.

The 18-strong Lirica Arts Festival Chorus (Chorus master Terrence Toh) was very effective in the crowd scenes, singing the famous chorus of exiles Patria Oppressa! (Oppressed Homeland!) and scenes involving the Witches (which had nine members rather than just three). Significant in community outreach was the inclusion of three students from Art:DIS (Arts & Disability Singapore) among the refugees.

The Birnam Wood marches forward
to confront Macbeth.
Photo: Pianomaniac

Set and lighting design by Dorothy Png was particularly evocative with the dark hues employed in scenes involving supernatural elements. The Lion Rampant to represent Scottish monarchy was historically accurate and smart use of AI-generated backdrops helped cost-savings without looking cheap. Costume design by Hayden Ng, subdued for the oppressed and bolder shades for main characters, contributed to generating the right atmosphere.

The two Jonathans:
Jonathan Charles Tay's Macduff
declares Jonathan MacPherson's Malcolm king.

The 2001 production of Macbeth may have been more opulent owing to a bigger budget, but Lirica Arts must be credited for even attempting this at the time when arts funding for classical opera is comparatively conservative. Lirica Arts is now ready to join the esteemed ranks of the more established Singapore Lyric Opera and New Opera Singapore.

There are two further shows on Saturday evening at 7.30 pm and Sunday afternoon at 4 pm.

Photo: Pianomaniac

Photo: Pianomaniac

All professional photography 

by Chris P.Lim