In a period of fervent artistic production he later dubbed his “galley years,” Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi took up the challenge of adapting Shakespeare’s masterpiece Macbeth into an opera of illustrious magnetism. With a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei, Verdi’s take on the tragedy foregrounds the uncertain fate not only of its eponymous antihero but of the Kingdom of Alba at stake in Macbeth’s deadly stratagems. In a new production directed by the visionary Brenna Corner and helmed by the Washington National Opera’s formidable directorial duo General Director Timothy O’Leary and Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, Verdi’s imposing compositions gleefully set this pyre ablaze. Summoned to the woods by the skirl of “The Skye Boat Song,” so our spell begins. Under a gathering storm, Macbeth (Étienne Depuis) and Banquo (Soloman Howard) happen upon a coven celebrating their devilish dealings. Greeting Macbeth as the future King of Scotland, they plant an ugly seed in the heart of our hero, which, over the course of two hours, will metastasize from hand to heart and mouth to mind, splaying out Macbeth’s most imperious desires and frailest vulnerabilities. Baritone Étienne Depuis embodies this fragile bravado with equal attention to Macbeth’s ambition and cowardice. As Macbeth’s sanity buckles under his ambition, Depuis expertly wields his arias to mine the emerging gulf between Macbeth’s rationalism and his megalomania. From the rationality of his early duets with Banquo (“Due vaticini compiuti or sono”), to his increasingly insular musings on the ethics of his ambitions (“Mi si affaccia un pugnal?”), Macbeth’s interiority is ironically laid bare. Though gilt with all the stately vocal athleticism deserving of Verdi’s original, Depuis’ mastery has a humble and actorly quality that humanizes the man beneath, even as he devolves into abhorrence. Étienne Dupuis as Macbeth and Ewa Płonka as Lady Macbeth in ‘Macbeth.’ Photo by Scott Suchman. Soprano Ewa Płonka imbues her Lady Macbeth with a complementary attention to the humanity beneath unbridled ambition. Płonka masterfully embodies the vanity and morosity fueling Lady Macbeth’s schemes in her arias. Both the mastermind behind and the handmaiden to her husband’s deadly ambitions, the role of Lady Macbeth is a delicate one. To her husband she is austere and authoritative, to everyone else she must appear placid and placatory. Płonka strikes this balance with impressive fluidity, tracing her character’s complex provocations from the frivolity of “Si colmi il calice” to the duplicitous scheming of “La luce langue” to her final, tragic recitative “Una macchia e qui tuttora.” Płonka even weaves a surprising comedic thread through each aria, achieving the campy affects that a character of such depth needs to ground them. TOP LEFT: Kang Wang as Macduff; TOP RIGHT: Soloman Howard as Banquo; ABOVE: Étienne Dupuis as Macbeth and Ensemble, in ‘Macbeth.’ Photos by Scott Suchman. Kang Wang likewise delivers a standout performance in the role of Macduff. Wang’s dulcet tenor is as commanding as it is fierce, with the power to rally together not just Macbeth’s enemies but the audience as well. “Ah! la paterna mano,” Macduff’s mournful aria asking his murdered children to forgive him, deserves a performance of its own. This emotional resonance is only matched by Soloman Howard’s Banquo. A bass of rich and round vocal quality, Howard’s voice projects a depth and fullness that resounds in even the densest forests. His haunting yet understated arias “Studia il passo” and “Come dal ciel precipita” are particularly woeful and atmospheric warnings of Macbeth’s ambitions. The Washington National Opera Chorus, Corps Dancers, and Orchestra bring Macbeth to life. In a spectacle of epic proportions and even more impressive musical prowess, the WNO is an ensemble of all abilities. From a perilous coven of witches to an anguished group of refugees, the chorus textures Macbeth with all the vibrant and bustling energy of a small city. Mirroring Verdi’s musical inquiry into the interior topographies of obsession, power, and unbridled ambition, the Washington National Opera’s creative team plumbs the unsavory depths of the human psyche by its own means. Conductor Evan Rogister leads the production with an entrancing force, with equal attention to every distinct element of its aural landscape. Scenic Designer Erhard Rom pours this landscape into a mold as imposing yet mutable as Verdi’s score itself. In collaboration with Lighting Designer A.J. Guban and Projection Designer S. Katy Tucker, Macbeth is a beartrap of the mind. It beguiles, envelops, then pinches shut just before you know you’re trapped. As entrancing as it is impressive, the Washington National Opera’s production of Macbeth levies all its creative forces in service of Verdi’s monumental interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, and to sensational effect. Running Time: Two hours and 45 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission. Macbeth plays through November 23, 2024, presented by the Washington National Opera performing in the Opera House at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets $45–$269) be purchased at the box office, online, or by calling (202) 467-4600 or toll-free at (800) 444-1324. Box office hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 am-9 pm, and Sunday 12 pm-9 pm. In Italian with projected English titles. The program for Macbeth is online here. COVID Safety: Masks are optional in all Kennedy Center spaces for visitors and staff. If you prefer to wear a mask, you are welcome to do so. See Kennedy Center’s complete COVID Safety Plan here. Macbeth Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei after William Shakespeare’s play