REALISMO...FOR REAL

 Cav&Pag by New Camerata Opera

(Photo by Michelle Rofrano)

We confess we had our trepidations about traveling to the depths of Brooklyn to see a mashup of Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. These two operas are most often presented in a double bill, an evening which we have always found satisfying. Both operas take place in small Italian villages and give us a glimpse of what life was like in the late 19th c. Both deal with similar themes of adultery and its consequences in the lives of ordinary people--a period in opera known as realismo.

If that epoch manifested a certain code of honor that is unknown today in civilized countries, our epoch is no stranger to toxic masculinity, abused women, adultery, and revenge. The idea of combining these two operas is not really that farfetched since the music of both composers is written in the same style and the characters are subject to the same passions.  But how to combine them is the question.

We imagine it took a great deal of effort on the part of Director John de los Santos, Music Director Samuel McCoy, and Dramaturg Cori Ellison to weave the two stories into a seamless whole.  The effort paid off and we were rewarded with a gripping evening of entertainment without any "spoon-feeding" to force us into seeing parallels with current social mores; we are left to do our own thinking about the consequences of our behavior.

The director set the story in a small Sicilian village called Poggioreale following the devastating earthquake of 1968. The stage is littered with debris and the citizens are cleaning up the mess. Of course, this cannot fail to remind us of the upheaval in our own lives caused by Covid. It is tempting to think that chaos contributes to peoples' bad behavior. We leave this to you, dear reader, to decide for yourselves.

The singing was excellent with Megan Nielson's lustrous soprano bringing to life the misery of Santuzza, seduced and abandoned by Turridu, played by tenor Steven Wallace as a feckless fellow who flits from woman to woman. In the opera he has fallen for the married Lola (well sung by Eva Parr) and ditched Santuzza. Mamma Lucia was well played by mezzo-soprano Leslie Middlebrook who managed the transition from hostility to sympathy for her son's discarded mistress.

The acting was believable with Ms. Nielson growing in dramatic stature as the story evolved and Mr. Wallace playing a narcissist to the hilt. But the most convincing acting was that of baritone Costas Tsourakis who not only has a superb voice but also impressive acting chops. He had us literally trembling in fear when his Alfio accosts Turiddu. This is opera up close and personal if ever we experienced it.

The role of Canio was played by tenor Erik Bagger who evoked both sympathy (as a victim of his partner's infidelity) and horror equally, as he does what you all know he does. To watch him decompensate as he watches his faithless wife onstage enacting the equivalently faithless Columbine was wrenching. 

Soprano Samina Aslam made a fine Nedda and we particularly enjoyed her slapstick performance as Columbine. An unexpected brilliant performance by a singer formerly unknown to us is a special treat and the size of the role, as you know, means nothing. Rashard Deleston has a sweet plangent tenor which he employed beautifully when Arlecchino serenades Columbine.

The role of Nedda's lover Silvio was persuasively performed by Angky Budiardjono who employed his beautiful baritone instrument to create a most importuning lover, one that would be difficult to resist.

The vengeful Tonio was effectively played by Stan Lacy as a character for whom one feels no sympathy. It is he who sets the tragedy in motion. No one likes a tattletale. Similarly Santuzza is not rewarded by Alfio when she blows the whistle on his errant wife.  The two stories echo each other in a manner that provokes thought.

The townspeople operated as the chorus of onlookers at the traveling show and were effective as a unit and also as individuals reacting to the events.

Director John de los Santos kept the action moving at a lively clip. A bit of comic relief is always welcome in a tragedy and the rubber chicken that Columbine was about to cook found its way into Tonio's pants in a "cock"adoodledoo maneuver that we have never seen before. He utilized the aisles as well as the stage giving the audience a surround sound experience.

Music Director Samuel McCoy was in full command of his reduced orchestra comprising a string quartet augmented by a particularly eloquent string bass, a flute, an oboe, and keyboard. All of the themes were elucidated and one had the impression of a much larger ensemble. We loved the flute's birdsong which inspires Nedda's aria "Stridono Lassu".

Dramaturg Cori Ellison wove the two stories together successfully, inventing some recitativi and dialogue that seemed integral.

Asa Benally's costumes amounted to mid 20th c. streetwear with the shamed Santuzza in black and the flirtatious Lola in a bright dress. Notable were the commedia dell'arte costumes for Columbina and Arlecchino which were adorably silly.

Emily Clarkson's lighting was effective in calling attention to the dramatic moments.

We had a wonderful time and you will too. There will be three more performances and a second cast which promises to be just as good as this one. The venue is a short walk from a stop on the L train and is actually a circus school--a spacious establishment that lent itself well to the performance.

© meche kroop

NEW CAMERATA OPERA'S DOUBLE HEADER

Cupid and His Playmates

New Camerata Opera put another feather in their cap with an interesting double bill at the Flea Theater downtown, a comfortable venue just right for the adventuresome program attended by an equally adventuresome audience.

There was an interesting resonance between the two operas--John Blow's 1683 Venus and Adonis and Gustav Holst's 1916 Savitri--that of a woman grieving for the death of her beloved. Strangely enough, the joyful Venus and Adonis ends in tragedy and the somber Savitri has a happy ending.

Blow's opera is considered the earliest English opera and was commissioned for the court of Charles II. The libretto was definitely written by a woman and current thought is that it was the work of Anne Kingsmill Finch.

The joyful aspect was largely created by Director Jennifer Williams' favoring of frolic and fun; Costume Designer Asa Benally's punk/Baroque costumes were filled with whimsy and sparkle. We had a wide smile throughout the entire one-act opera and were hit by a wave of sadness at the tragic ending.

Cupid has accidentally wounded his mother Venus with one of his darts; she promptly falls in love with the handsome youth Adonis. He declines to hunt because he has "already caught the noblest prey". Unlike the myth, in the opera Venus urges him to go on the hunt and he gets gored by a wild boar and dies in her arms.

This simple story has been decked out with very amusing scenes, the best of which involves Cupid giving lessons on love to his students in a classroom setting. We don't always enjoy the current trend for gilding Baroque operas with such fancies but in this case it worked extraordinarily well and we now consider ourself a fan of Ms. Williams and Ms. Benally.

All of this delightful folderol was accompanied by superb musical values.  Conducting from the harpsichord was Music Director Stephan Fillare; the chamber orchestra comprised a string quartet augmented by a pair of flutes who added a great deal to the hunt scene.

Baritone Scott Lindroth made a heroic Adonis with just the right texture to his voice and elegant phrasing; he was particularly effective in his death scene. Lovely soprano Barbara Porto made a perfect Venus, expressing her love through Blow's turns and trills. As Cupid, Julia Cavallaro excelled by means of humor and superb diction. As a Shepherdess, Emily Hughes contributed a sparkly onstage presence and some lovely singing. Biraj Barkakaty  performed the role of the Huntsman.

The superb chorus comprised Brian Alvarado, Angky Budiardjono, Ryan Chavis, Heather Jones, and Mithuna Sivaraman. We loved the way they became a wild boar with a few simple props.

Our quibbles are few. The titles could not be seen due to the lighting and the projections were just distracting and added nothing.  The simple staging utilized three ascending and staggered platforms. School desks were brought on for the lesson scene. All the props were clever and colorful.

Although the audience applauded wildly for Savitri, we found it of less interest.  Holst's instrumental music was evocative and beautifully played by the chamber orchestra with some excellent lines given to the English Horn.

But his awkward libretto amounted to Hindu theological rhetoric (derived from an episode in The Mahabharata) and failed to produce a vocal line of any interest. The awkwardness came from trying to shoehorn the text into the vocal line. This seemed strange since Holst himself wrote the libretto.

Nonetheless, Samina Aslam as the loving wife sang with deep feeling and commitment as she argued with Death (an excellent Angky Budiardjono) for the life of her husband Satyavān (Daniel Ambe).

The vocal lines were declamatory but an evocative atmosphere was created by the orchestra and chorus of death spirits, clad in black (Julia Cavallaro, Emily Hughes, Heather Jones, and Mithuna Sivaraman) creating interesting and lovely harmonies. 

Again, the only quibbles were the illegible titles and the distracting projections.

There are repeat performances Saturday night at 7:30 and Sunday at 2:00. We highly recommend this opportunity to hear two rarely produced works.

(c) meche kroop

SUPERSIZE ME

The sterling cast of Salieri's La Cifra, presented by Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble
(photo by Brian E. Long)

Leave it to Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble to uncover an opera heretofore unknown and to give it a sparkling and delightful American premiere performance. Its success rests upon many shoulders. Rising star director Brittany Goodwin has put a commedia dell'arte spin on Salieri's La Cifra which might have otherwise flopped. Actually, we can't imagine it presented in any other way, having enjoyed this zaniness so thoroughly. Ms. Goodwin is relentlessly clever.

And there are many other shoulders to credit. The Dell'Arte Festival Orchestra, led by Maestro Catherine O'Shaughnessy (and isn't it great to see a woman conducting!) played Salieri's tuneful music in a manner that led to total appreciation of this underrated composer.  As a matter of fact, having heard his Falstaff and this opera, we are sure that he would have been far more popular today had he not been eclipsed by the young Mozart. 

The fine cast of young artists appear to have profited handsomely from their summer session and avidly picked up Ms. Goodwin's direction, capturing the ancient commedia dell'arte style. Gestures and facial expressions were super-sized and outlandish. Yes, these are stock characters but they also managed to have individual personalities that went beyond what was expected.

In the starring role of Rusticone (rustic, get it?) bass-baritone (we think) Angky Budiardjono handled the vocal demands and the comedy equally well. His character, based on Pantalone, is a conniving old goat who has hidden the aristocratic identity of his foster daughter Eurilla, along with her inheritance, in the hopes of marrying her. In this role, soprano Rachel Barker-Asto revealed her bel canto chops and created a sympathetic portrait of a modest and good-hearted young woman. We loved the way her killing of a dangerous wild boar (with a paper rifle!) changed her personality to one of swaggering confidence.

She has grown up as Rusticone's daughter, unaware of her aristocratic birth. Her step-sister Lisotta, given an outsized portrayal by the excellent mezzo-soprano Allison Gish, is out to snag Milord (the aristocratic tenor Timothy Stoddard) who rode into town on a hobby-horse and promptly fell for Eurilla. Lisotta's character is vain, insolent, and self-important with aristocratic pretensions. There are funny scenes of the sisters fighting and reconciling.  Of course, Eurilla, with Cinderella-like magnanimity, forgives everyone in the end.

Sandrino is the Pierrot-like character, in love with Lisotta. The role was beautifully rendered by baritone Jay Chacon. This was a very anxious suitor, breathing from a paper bag, ostensibly to deal with panic attacks. We wondered whether 18th c. folk were aware of that remedy!

Milord's side-kick Leandro was performed by tenor Stephen Steffens; the excellent chorus comprised Makayla McDonald, Andrea Howland, Sam Strickland, Nicholle Bittlingmeyer, Ian Joyal, Charles Calotta and James Healy .

The inventive staging was as impressive as the singing. During the overture, members of the ensemble ran around setting up the stage with curious props. Sheets were suspended between ladders and later the ladders held a suspended clothesline. A head of cabbage made several appearances for characters to swear upon. Little light bulbs ran across the front of the playing area. Trunks were brought in and some basic furniture. Rain was created by tossing handfuls of packing popcorn. At one point, Milord wore glasses with bulging eyes popping out on springs. Every item added to the fun. Matthew Iacozza is credited with Scenic Design.

As far as Claire Townsend's zany costumes, they fulfilled Ms. Goodwin's concept to a "T", as one can see from the above photo.

Ms. Barker-Asto had her chance to shine in several arias; in her second act lament, a two-part aria seemed a preface to the bel canto aria with its lively "cabaletta". As a matter of fact, a number of features presaged the bel canto period, especially the wild and crazy sextet which ends Act I.

We enjoyed her love duet with Mr. Stoddard, replete with tenderness and exquisite 18th c. harmonies.  If serious drama requires comic relief, can we say that comedy requires some romantic relief?

Mr. Stoddard also did some fine work in his arias and in the male trio in Act I.  Mr. Chacon got his big aria in Act II but also had a fine duet with Ms. Gish.

There was a charming group dance when the townsfolk gathered, which reminded us of English country dancing. We understand that Owen Horsley, himself an award-winning Scottish dancer, is responsible for the choreography.

And once more we enjoyed Artistic Director Chris Fecteau playing the hell out of the harpsichord for the recitativi.

The ins and outs of this topsy turvy plot were created with panache by Lorenzo Da Ponte, whose libretti served Mozart so well. We recommend that you grab a chance to see this work. Who knows when you will get another chance. Try to get tickets for Friday night or Sunday matinée. You might get lucky!

(c) meche kroop

GOING FOR BAROQUE

Emily Hughes and Adria Caffaro (photo by Brian Long)

Joyce Yin (photo by Brian Long)

Last night we attended the final performance of Francesco Cavalli's l651 opera La Calisto, presented by Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble and directed most imaginatively by Brittany Goodwin, one of New York's most gifted young directors. We were amazed by the endurance of so many aspects of love that have remained unchanged in nearly four centuries.


The playing area was filled with nymphs and satyrs, gods and goddesses--strange figures to be sure; and yet their concerns are our concerns today.  The social media generation did not invent unfulfilled romantic longing, sexual dalliances overcoming chaste intentions, rejection, cross-dressing, lesbian love, romantic deception, nor vengeful wives. There was something particularly thrilling about seeing ourselves onstage in a work dating back nearly four centuries.  Not just thrilling but moving as well. Love and sex will always be with us until the robots take over!

It is difficult to believe that this marvelous work lay dormant until 1970.  How fortunate we are that it was discovered and revived.  It lets us in on what the mid 17th c. Venetians expected from a rather new popular art form. Cavalli was there at the birth of opera.

Impresario/librettist Giovanni Faustini had created many operas with Cavalli; this one was their penultimate production. The story was derived from Ovid's Metamorphosis and recounts the story of Jove pretending to be the goddess Diana in order to seduce the beautiful chaste Calisto. The tale is padded out with the love story between the real Diana and the shepherd Endimione. In every case, chastity falls under the weight of sexual desire. 

The wily Mercurio (fine tenor Brady DelVecchio) convinces Giove (authoritative baritone Mason Jarboe) that persuasion is no match for deception when trying to seduce a woman. Their duet was musically gorgeous and also quite humorous. 

In the title role, lovely soprano Emily Hughes  sang about wanting to lead a chaste life, devoted to the goddess Diana.  Giove transforms himself into Diana (beautifully sung by mezzo-soprano Adria Caffaro) and successfully seduces her. The two women had a tender duet before entering a cave to exchange chaste kisses (which led to much more).

When the real Diana appears her voice and gestures are very different and there is no doubt that she is the real thing. When Calisto refers to their makeout session, Diana is outraged by the inference and tosses Calisto out of the virginal sisterhood. 

Ms. Caffaro successfully used vocal coloration and altered her gestures and body movements so successfully that, although Calisto was fooled, we in the audience were not.

Diana, on her part, is secretly in love with the shepherd Endimione (counter-tenor Padraic Costello) who expresses his longing for her in the most exquisite aria.

The superb soprano Joyce Yin (Co-Founder of Cantanti Projects) provided comic relief in her portrayal of Linfea, one of Diana's followers, who longs for romance. In spite of her desperation, there is no way Linfea is going to settle for the importuning of Satirino (the fine mezzo-soprano Shawn Palmer, sporting a blue wig, goat horns and hooves), even though he tells her that he is young but his tail is still growing!  He is a member of the clutch of satyrs, of which the leader is the god Pane, portrayed by counter-tenor Raymond Storms. As Silvano, one of the satyrs, bass-baritone Angky Budiardjono turned in a fine and physical performance with secure vocalism.

Act II brought on new delights as Giunone, the jealous wife of Giove, appears to expose her husband's infidelity.  Mezzo-soprano Sophie Delphis gave her all to the revenge aria in which she instructs women not to put up with philandering husbands but rather to take revenge.  Her particular revenge is to transform Calisto into a bear. Giove cannot undo this curse but finds his beloved Calisto a place in the firmament as the constellation Ursa Major, a condition foretold in the Prologue.

Mezzo-soprano Allison Gish portrayed La Natura in the Prologue, with soprano Elyse Kakacek taking the role of L'Eternita and mezzo-soprano Jingye Xu appearing as Il Destino who convinces the other two that Calisto deserves her place in the heavens. The women also appeared as The Furies.

Cavalli's music is very singable and  a small chamber orchestra, such as was heard in its own time, did full justice to Cavalli's writing, led by the renowned Early Music specialist Charles Weaver who played theorbo, lute and Baroque guitar. The chamber orchestra also included two violins, a cello, harpsichord and a second theorbo.

Costume Designer Claire Townsend did much with little, relying on creativity rather than a huge budget. The costumes were fanciful and fun.  A fur coat with ears on the hood served as a bear costume. Most magnificent of all was Giunone's black and white costume with elaborate red tulle headdress which reminded us of the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland.

Satyrs had fur on their boots along with horns and tails. The Furies had big hoop skirts draped with black chiffon. Giove wore a suit and tie with fabric design of white clouds on blue background. Mercurio wore a pink suit with little golden wings on the heels of his shoes. Calisto's final costume was embellished with stars.

Diana wore a simple white gown whilst her followers wore funky garments with white knee-high stockings.

The set design by You-Shin Chen was simple, utilizing the same ramp seen in The Cunning Little Vixen. White columns were created with fabric hanging from the ceiling which could also be gathered and hoisted.

This was another fine entry in Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble's Summer Festival. There was a lot of wisdom in their choices of material--lesser known works that flowered under fine direction and casting. The emerging artists selected for this intense program of mentorship are to be applauded for their commitment to the art. 

(c) meche kroop