Boston Lyric Opera brings power-hungry Macbeth to the stage

One of the theater’s greatest villains is about to take the stage here in Boston. The character has a legacy so powerful that many actors refuse to say his name in a theater for fear that bad luck will follow. In Boston Lyric Opera’s “Macbeth,” the classic tale of a Scottish king’s murderous madness illustrates some surprising parallels to our current moment.

For the uninitiated: the story follows military general Macbeth and his wife. After hearing a prophecy that Macbeth will ascend to power, ambitious Lady Macbeth encourages her husband to kill the current king and take his place. But after the murder they both become increasingly paranoid, and Macbeth’s reign as the new king descends into chaos and madness.

In this production, Shakespeare’s iconic tale is interpreted with a powerful score by Giuseppe Verdi and a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei. For Norman Garrett, who plays the titular role, that score is unbeatable.

“What drew me to the role of Macbeth is the music,” said Garrett. “It’s one of my favorite scores; it’s in my top three.”

Garrett also played this role with Opera Orlando in Orlando, Fla., last year. He says his Macbeth walks the line between being charming and uncomfortable. He aims to have the audience like Macbeth, until it can’t any longer.

The production is directed by Steve Maler, founding artistic director of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company; and conducted by BLO Music Director David Angus. Maler was inspired by German artist Anselm Kiefer, whose dark, frenetic landscape paintings depict the aftermath of war and tyranny.

“We’ve focused on the psychological landscape of war in the opera, both referencing it and abstracting it,” Maler said. “Characters wear the silhouettes from wars that the U.S. has been part of in the 20th century. …It’s our way to relate the world of the opera to the world of the audience. I’m hoping to land in a liminal space that feels historic but allows for powerful contemporary parallels of civil strife and unbridled ambition to resonate.”

“Macbeth” by the Boston Lyric Opera runs at the Emerson Colonial Theatre Oct. 10 and 12. Tickets start at $40.

Like much of Shakespeare’s work, the themes of “Macbeth” speak to the core of human nature. An overrun desire for power, and the psychological spillover from immorality and guilt, are as relevant now as they were when the bard wrote the play in 1623, or when Verdi composed it in 1847.

“The idea of grabbing power and stacking it up as much as you can, not thinking about the consequences, there’s an amazing parallel politically,” said Garrett. “These stories never die because there’s always a Macbeth out there.”

ON THE WEB

Learn more at blo.org/macbeth