(NOT SO) SILENT NIGHT

Brittany Renée and Daniel Okulitch

We approached Paula Prestini's production of Silent Light as we generally do, avoiding the reading of Director's Notes. We like to see if a work of art speaks for itself, without explanation.  As we recall from 15 years ago, The Carlos Reygadas film with the same title, although not our favorite, spoke for itself. By means of the absence of music, relying strictly on sound effects, visual metaphor, and spare speech by the principles, Reygadas drew a portrait of an unusual subculture, that of Mennonites living in Mexico, near Chihuahua.

Whilst watching the film, never once did we wish for a musical soundtrack. The visuals had a melody and rhythm of their own. We fail to understand why the esteemed composer thought it a good idea to compose music to decorate this work which never asked for it. We will not comment on the quality of the music, only point out that we found some pleasure in the rare quieter passages and some pain in the more raucous ones. 

During the love-making scene the music was particularly discordant; we couldn't help thinking of the music Richard Strauss composed for the opening scene of Der Rosenkavalier which was luscious and sensual, and referenced the climax with a series of "whoops" that let us know we were in for a light-hearted comedic ride.

Speaking of the sex scene (and we generally have no negative reactions to them) we found this one particularly gratuitous, in that it told us nothing about the relationship between the two lovers. (What we recall from the film is that the man left his children sitting outside in his truck whilst having it on with his paramour. And that told us something!)  By comparison, the stoic appearance of the characters in other scenes told us a lot about this laconic community.

For those of you who do not know the story, it is about a supposedly pious married man who is devoted to his wife and many children--but not sufficiently devoted to avoid an entanglement with a single woman member of the same community. He confides in his friend and in his father and to all appearances, seems tortured by this conflict. He claims to be "in love" with this woman but what we witness is lust, not love. It is an old story with an interesting twist. He has told his wife about the affair and watches her suffer. The two women know each other.

Onto this framework, Ms. Prestini has composed music that did nothing to add to our understanding. Esteemed and awarded as she may be, this is just not our kind of music. The vocal lines offered nothing to hold one's ear. Royce Vavrek's libretto was often impossible to hear over the brass-heavy music.

It is difficult to evaluate a vocal performance under such circumstances although a most illustrious cast was assembled. Under the direction of Thaddeus Strassberger, the performances were admirable. Daniel Okulitch was persuasive as the tortured husband Johan and Brittany Renee was completely convincing as the miserable wife Esther.  Julia Mintzer portrayed Marianne, Johan's paramour, and we are sure she was directed to be non-seductive; there was no way to understand the attraction the husband had for her. This must be intentionally left mysterious and undisclosed.

Our favorite performance was that of Anthony Dean Griffey as Johan's friend Zacarias because, of all the singers, he handled the English diction the best. When there are no subtitles, we must rely completely on the singer. Margaret Lattimore did an excellent job as Esther's mother, and her expressive face told us how she felt about her son-in-law.

As Johan's father we heard James Demler and Margaret Carpenter Haigh took the role of his mother. The pair appeared to be dairy farmers and the cows were portrayed by female members of the chorus (The Choir of Trinity Wall Street) wearing cow masks on their heads. We were not alone in feeling uncomfortable watching them being "milked". We wondered if the director wanted to say something about the role of women in this community.

Perhaps it was just part of the intention to make the experience an immersive one. As the work opened and the projected stars faded in the sky, Johann pours himself a cup of coffee. Then Esther comes in and prepares breakfast for the group. Yes, she actually cooks in real time and we were reminded of our very first theatrical experience in which a solo artist baked "Sweet Nut Bread to Make Your Mouth Water" while delivering her monologue, and then served it to the audience. No, Esther did not share the pancakes with us but then we expect to remember the former work long after Silent Light will be forgotten.

Mr. Strassberger's set design was apt, the furniture appearing no more than spare and functional. A complete kitchen occupied  one side of the stage and a workshop on the other side which was also utilized as a farm. A raised platform served as the cab of a truck. Bruce Steinberg's lighting was most effective as were the projections by Greg Emetaz.  Whilst Johann and Esther are driving in the rain, the illusion of being in a truck or auto was created with the projection of the shadow of a windshield wiper. Other special effects lent a sense of reality. When Esther runs out into the rain with an umbrella, water fell from above in torrents--in the same spot that was previously used to create the illusion of a pond where the children frolicked.

The performing area was wide, as were the two rows of seating. Therefore, one's point of view varied with one's location. The fortunate few sitting in the center of two long rows got an excellent view, but the rest of us, sitting to the sides, had our view blocked by the members of the chorus who were sitting directly in front. Such are the discomforts of an awkward playing space, as is the problem of the placement of the musicians. In this case, the conductor Maestro Christopher Rountree was only a couple feet away and the musicians--heavy on the brass with trumpet and trombone, as well as a cello and violin and a percussionist, playing behind what appeared to be a plastic screen.

The Foley effects (by Nathan Repasz) like chirping crickets and a loudly ticking clock were intense. Amanda Gladu was responsible for the costuming--overalls for the men and shapeless drab dresses for the women.

We always try to bring someone new to the opera, hoping to make converts. Alas, the visual artist who accompanied us may never be willing to set foot in an opera house. What a gap there is between traditional opera and what is currently being called opera!

© meche kroop

ENDING WITH A WHIMPER, NOT A BANG

The Santa Fe Opera Chorus in Doctor Atomic (photo by Ken Howard for Santa Fe Opera)

It would have been wonderful if the onstage nuclear scientists waiting for detonation of the atom bomb at Los Alamos had been accompanied by a real live storm but there was only a brief shower. We reflected upon the night at the Santa Fe Opera when the final scene of Verdi's Rigoletto was accompanied by real thunder and lightning, making for one exciting operatic experience.

Well, Doctor Atomic is no Rigoletto and John Adams is no Verdi; we doubt that audiences will be clamoring for this work in the 22nd c. However, if we accept the message of the evening, there may be no 22nd c. The part of the evening we enjoyed the most was the pre-opera lecture by Director Peter Sellars in which he made some very good points about the nuclear age and why he chose to present it as contemporary, with Gabriel Berry's costumes belonging to our present day. Although we strongly disagree we enjoyed hearing his rationale. 

We enjoyed even more the talks we heard from three of the Downwinders--an elderly woman, her daughter, and her niece--all suffering from crippling anxiety related to the decimation of their family by cancer, a consequence of the 1945 detonation of the world's first atomic bomb. Apparently, the government's fund to compensate the victims of fallout and radiation has not been extended to New Mexicans, a condition the Downwinders have been fighting for several years. The stories they shared were terribly tragic. The government did not evacuate them for fear the press would find out that "something was going on".

The production of Doctor Atomic, taking place just a stone's throw from Los Alamos, seemed to be a risk for the Santa Fe Opera but they put all their resources behind it and succeeded in selling out the entire run. Not only did we get to hear the voices of the afflicted but we got to watch members of nearby pueblos performing a corn dance onstage, a form of prayer for healing and for water to nourish their corn crop. The stage was filled with Downwinders who probably had as many tragic tales to tell as the three we heard in the lecture.

Our desire to learn about this tragedy created by the military/science complex was not matched by an appreciation for the opera itself, in spite of some stellar performances by artists we know and love. This lack of affection for the work is not due to the fact that it is political.  Verdi himself wrote several operas with political themes, both overt and covert.  But he did so with glorious music and singable melodies.

Although there were a few moments when Adams' orchestral colors pleased our ears, for the most part the music is harsh and dissonant. Peter Sellars' libretto is nothing if not "wordy". The text was derived from government documents, wire-tapped conversations, surveillance reports, first-person accounts, scientific data, and poetry loved by the Oppenheimers; none of it is singable, nor is the vocal line melodic in any way, shape, or form.

The fact that the voices were amplified, as Adams stipulated, did nothing to enhance the listening experience. NATO would describe the opera--No Action Talk Only.  There is only the conversation about the Manhattan Project, the waiting, and the concern with the weather. Emily Johnson's choreography involved some highly generic modern dance to give the illusion of movement--eye candy that was more sour than sweet. David Gropman's set was bare, save for a huge suspended reflecting ball.

Now that we got the negatives off our chest, let us relate the positives, which involve some pretty swell performances. Bass-baritone Ryan McKinny establishsed the complex character of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer whilst the exceptional soprano Julia Bullock excelled at limning the character of his neglected wife Kitty. Most of her singing involved texts of poet Muriel Rukeyser which was abstract to the point of incoherence. We have written that Ms. Bullock could sing the phone book.  This came close.

In the sympathetic role of the physicist Robert Wilson, tenor Ben Bliss' youthful timbre was just right for the part. His "aria" whilst climbing to the top of the tower was probably the most musical part of the opera.

Contralto Meredith Arwady lent her distinctive sound to the role of Pasqualita, Kitty's Tewa housekeeper. Her singing of a Tewa native song was rather more listener-friendly. 

General Leslie Groves was the U.S. Army Commander of the Manhattan Project, a demanding, aggressive, and overweight man; bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch got the first two qualities just right but the banter about his weight and his diet didn't make sense since Mr. Okulitch is admirably fit. 

Bass Andrew Harris portrayed the physicist Edward Teller and baritone Tim Mix took the part of the chief meteorologist for the Trinity test site. General Groves was casting shade on him for not producing better weather!  

Apprentice Mackenzie Gotcher lent his tenor to the voice of Capt. James Nolan who, as chief of the post hospital at Los Alamos, expressed concern for the well-being of the scientists working on the Manhattan Project. Most enjoyable for us was the chorus composed of Apprentice Singers. They blended onstage with the Downwinders and provided some visual as well as aural interest. 

The evening ended with a standing ovation, dear readers, so our comments are not meant as a value judgment, rather as the opinion of one opera lover who wants to be entertained. Mr. Sellars' libretto might have made good reading but those words we heard never begged to be set to music. Nor was any provided.

(c) meche kroop

ALL HAIL THE DON AT SANTA FE OPERA

Leah Crocetto as Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni (photo by Ken Howard)

Nothing matches the thrill of opera when everything comes together.  Apt casting, effective conducting, great singing, respect for time and place, colorful costuming and sets that "stay out of the way".  Last night at the Santa Fe Opera, we saw and heard a Don Giovanni that will remain in our memory, thanks to all the above conditions being met.

Mozart's music is sublime from the portentous opening chords in D minor, leading to a stunningly melodic overture replete with upward and downward scale passages; this lets us know we are in for quite a ride.  Mozart even inserts a private joke toward the finale; the Don enjoys listening to the Count Almaviva's aria "Non piu andrai" from Mozart's own previously written opera Nozze di Figaro. And just listen to the party scene when we hear a sedate minuet for the aristocrats and a lively peasant dance simultaneously!

The opera premiered in Prague in 1787 toward the end of The Enlightenment. The social order was shifting and aristocrats were fair game.  Lorenzo Da Ponte's radical libretto included attempted rape, murder, licentious sexuality and freedom of expression. It also reflects upon an interesting aspect of Mozart's character; Mozart was quite a rebellious rascal himself and refused to repent his behavior, although a controlling father would have had him do so. 

The eponymous Don was portrayed by bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch who not only sang with gorgeous tone and phrasing, but who commanded the stage with great power and presence.  This Don seems to have some self-awareness and has a sense of humor, even when abusing his servant Leporello. We particularly enjoyed his "Champagne Aria" and his serenade "Deh vieni alla finestra"--in which he employed very different coloration.

Leporello was portrayed by bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen. Mr. Ketelsen, making his debut with the Santa Fe Opera, was just as effective at drawing laughs from the audience as he was at singing. Does anyone not love the "Catalogue Aria"? He portrayed the character as easily bought and ultimately eager to find a less troubling master.

The role of Massetto was given an interesting twist by second-year apprentice Jarrett Ott. This young baritone has star quality written all over him. He not only has a steadfast tone but the ability to create a believable character.  Massetto is usually portrayed as a clumsy simpleton but Mr. Ott's peasant exhibited strength and will, leading to all kinds of interesting variations on the theme of his relationship with Zerlina. He could be a worthy rival to Don Giovanni and was only held back by the power of the aristocracy.

Lithuanian tenor Edgaras Montvidas is new to us and to the SFO as well. His tone has more texture to it than that we usually hear in the role of Don Ottavio, which made his duets with Donna Anna that much more interesting. He performed both of his arias with feeling--"Dalla sua pace" and "Il mio tesoro". The lavish applause was probably 90% for his lovely singing and 10% bonus for being completely unflappable when the heavens delivered a torrential downpour that swept through the partially open house.  Too bad the storm didn't wait for the scene when Don Giovanni gets dragged into hell!

As the Commendatore, Soloman Howard, also making his SFO debut, used his booming bass and stage presence to create a terrifying figure.

Lest you think that the men carried the show, let us reassure you that the three female parts were brilliantly sung and played. As Donna Anna, soprano Leah Crocetto, first heard at SFO in Maometto II six years ago, was a revelation. Her tone is substantial in size but creamy in texture. Her "Non mi dir" in Act II was deeply affecting.

Keri Alkema's Donna Elvira was equally compelling; her soprano was variously colored as she went from loving feelings to angry ones. We especially enjoyed her aria "Mi tradi quell'alma ingrato".

The role of Zerlina is a great one and Welsh soprano Rhian Lois was absolutely adorable. This role is her American debut and it was an auspicious one. She has one of those sweet light instruments that falls pleasantly on the ear.  She excelled in both arias--"Batti, batti, o bel Massetto" and "Vedrai carino". Her duet with Mr. Okulitch, the famous "La ci darem la mano" was pure delight.

If you surmised that the ensembles came across marvelously well, you would be as right as the rain that doused the house.

Mozart's magnificent score was well played by the orchestra, under the baton of John Nelson. Apprentices graced the stage as liveried servants and (strangely) nuns.

Thankfully, director Ron Daniels did not try to impose any weird concepts on this work, which is firmly rooted in the late 18th c. It is indeed a dramma giocoso and the direction milked every ounce of humor from the libretto. This served to make the final horror even more powerful as the Commendatore dragged the Don to a fiery hell, in which the stagecraft worked quite well.

This is not to fault Mr. Daniels but no director has ever made clear why a woman would pursue a man who tried to rape her. In this production, the Don is not wearing a mask so it became confusing when it took so long for her to recognize him as her father's killer.

The costume design by Emily Rebholz added much to the visual impact. Costumes seemed to be modern interpretations of 19th c. styles and were uniformly flattering.

Scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez was spare--just a few sconces on the wall and a huge sculpture of a head which occupied a substantial amount of onstage real estate. It was supposed to suggest a death mask but we didn't perceive it as adding anything to the otherwise perfect production.

However, Marcus Doshi's lighting design compensated for the lack of sets. In the party scene, the lighting was warm, as if the room had been lit by thousands of candles.

(c) meche kroop

SANTA FE OPERA GETS FIGARO MARRIED OFF IN HIGH STYLE

Lisette Oropesa, Zachary Nelson, Susanna Phillips, Daniel Okulitch

--photo by Ken Howard

When the Santa Fe Opera gets it right the delight factor is a 9.9 on the Richter Scale.  Perfect casting and a fine production are responsible for the enormous success of Nozze di Figaro.  High art embellished with great entertainment values?  That's what opera should be but often isn't.  One can always tell when this magic occurs.  Members of the audience walk around with big grins during intermissions and on the way home.

In a fortuitous confluence of casting wisdom, the entire cast operated as an ensemble.  We felt as if we were visiting an aristocratic household in which the inhabitants had known each other for years and were familiar with each other's quirks.

One could not have asked for a better Figaro than fast-rising baritone Zachary Nelson who was an apprentice at SFO just last year!  His fine expressive voice is matched only by his spot-on acting choices.  "Se vuol ballare" never sounded so good; this is a lovable Figaro!  His Susana was an equally wonderful Lisette Oropesa whom we have enjoyed long before she graced the stage at The Metropolitan Opera.  Her silver soprano and the spunky character she created were a great match with her Figaro.  Her love for her husband showed through in her "Deh vieni non tardar".

Just as perfect was the pairing of lovely soprano Susanna Phillips as the neglected Countess whose "Porgi Amor" brought tears to our eyes, as did her "Dove sono".  Her Count was portrayed by the handsome Daniel Okulitch, his elegant and aristocratic appearance joining with his resonant bass-baritone to create an entitled aristocrat whom young women would not work too hard to fight off.  He excelled at demonstrating the Count's cluelessness.

Mezzo Emily Fons did a splendid job in the trouser role of Cherubino--looking amazingly like a hormonal youth and throwing herself into her "Non so piu" and "Voi che sapete" with excellent breathless phrasing that somehow managed not to lose its legato line.  Bass-baritone Dale Travis was effective as the pompous Dr. Bartolo who must go through even more changes than the Count during the course of the bridal day.  Mezzo Susanne Mentzer delighted as the snarky housekeeper Marcellina who also must make an attitudinal about-face.  Tenor Keith Jameson, who always turns in a fine performance, was true to form as the slimy Don Basilio.

Apprentice Rachel Hall was just as adorable as Barbarina should be and has a promising voice.  We hope to hear more of her.  As her bibulous father Antonio we heard apprentice Adam Lau who was so effectively made up that we didn't recognize him.  Apprentice Jonathan Winell sang the role of Don Curzio and apprentices Lindsay Russell and Samantha Korbey appeared as bridesmaids.  We just love seeing apprentices onstage!

John Nelson conducted Mozart's endlessly melodic music with appropriate elan.  Bruce Donnell directed with a sure hand.  Susanne Sheston ensured that the chorus sang beautifully.  Sets and Costumes by Paul Brown hit the mark consistently.  But whoever was responsible for Ms. Phillips' wig in Act III should be forced to wear it in public!  EWWW!

And one final quibble in a 99% wonderful production by Jonathan Kent--all that flower picking and replacing has GOT to GO.  All that stage business during the overture gives the impression that someone didn't trust the audience to enjoy Mozart's masterpiece without some eye candy.

© meche kroop

MS. GENAUX KNOWS IT AND SHOWS IT

Vivica Genaux

Too long missing from the New York vocal scene while establishing herself as a major presence in Europe, glamorous mezzo Vivica Genaux graced the stage of the Morgan Library Sunday in the first of the season's George London Foundation recitals.  Long a fan of Ms. Genaux, we were delighted by the unique quality of her voice, her connection with the songs she selected, her stage poise and her manner of involvement with the audience.  She knows how to do it flawlessly and shows her stuff without any diva attitude.

Ms. Genaux has a liquid sound and a rich vibrato.  The flexibility and precision she demonstrated with the fioritura was like a lesson to those of us who sing.  Accompanied by the esteemed Craig Rutenberg, she delighted us with three Spanish songs by Rossini that are not often heard but which allowed her to demonstrate her subtle command of dynamics.

Three more songs by Pauline Viardot continued in the Spanish mood but included one in French, "Berceuse cosaque" in which Ms. Genaux demonstrated equal facility with the French style and  Mr. Rutenberg's pianism hauntingly evinced a Russian flavor.  These songs were almost unbearably sad.  It seemed just about right that her final Spanish selection, the lively "Zapateado" by Geronimo Gimenez from La Tempranica was a rapid patter song about being bitten by a tarantula and thus forced to dance.

Daniel Okulitch

Joining Ms. Genaux for the recital was bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch whose voice lent itself very well to his selections in Russian.  Georgy Vasilyevich Sviridov's "The Virgin in the City" was lovely although at times Mr. Rutenberg's piano overwhelmed his voice.  The lulling rhythms and tender ending were quite moving.    Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Cavatina of Aleko" was particularly well done and infused with Russian anguish which gave way to a tender messa di voce and back again to passion.

Mr. Okulitch seems to have a large investment in 20th c. songs in English, a taste which we do not share.  A W.B. Yeats poem "Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven" expresses a lovely sentiment; it rhymes but does not scan and none of the three composers who set it provided any kind of vocal line to please our ear.  Richard B. Evans' setting provided some lovely music for the piano; Thomas F. Dunhill's setting from an earlier period was more sentimental; Glen Roven's setting was filled with anxiety and dissonance.  Just not our taste.

Lowell Liebermann's "Good night" showed some fine legato singing but it was written with insufficient variety in the vocal line.  We are just not enchanted with our native tongue, especially with the semi-British pronunciation of the soft "a".  Ivor Gurney's "Sleep" permitted Mr. Okulitch to demonstrate his fine control of dynamics.

But it was in the closing number that we truly enjoyed Mr. O. when he and Ms. G. sang the well-known and well-loved duet from Mozart's Don Giovanni "La ci darem la mano".  The two singers were so relaxed and so connected with one another and having such a good time that the audience collectively grinned from ear to ear.  Mr. O. was properly lascivious and Ms. G. was adorably ambivalent.  The two voices in harmony provided all the delight to the ear for which one would wish.

The two artists chose a real winner for their encore--Irving Berlin's "I hear singing".  A little scene was invented in which Ms. G. enacted a psychiatric patient and Mr. O. portrayed her psychiatrist.  This is the type of music in which English is used to good advantage and left the audience humming on the way out.

(c) meche kroop