OPERATIC TEASE AT DUANE PARK

The Sexy Sopranos of The Operatic Tease at Duane Park

We cop to being a serial attendee at the monthly show called Operatic Tease at Duane Park. Our ears are tickled by the superb performances of our favorite arias. Our eyes are widened by the spectacular display of twirling tassels and daring gymnastics. Our taste buds are awakened by the delicious flavors of hand-crafted cocktails and the kind of food one doesn't expect in a nightclub. Duane Park on the Bowery, dear readers, is an amazing place--reeking in elegance with nary a whiff of tawdriness. Who'd a thunk it?  Opera and burlesque. 

That the singers happen to be talented ecdysiasts as well is just icing on the operatic cake. If one closed one's eyes, one would be experiencing a splendid sampling of arias at a recital; but if one did so one would be depriving oneself of some entrancing eye candy as these ladies are experts in both areas. Moreover, one of them, Marcy Richardson, aka Operagaga, is an amazing aerialist who performed some wild contortions within a large steel ring, of which we failed to get a good photo.

We love to see unusual productions in interesting venues because they serve a somewhat younger audience and also introduce people who are not regular opera goers to an art form to which we are addicted.  Let us hope that some of them get bitten by the bug.

To "set the stage" let us describe the venue and the menu, which are all part of the experience. Duane Park is situated on The Bowery, just north of Houston Street; the hidden entrance gives one the feeling of entering a speakeasy during Prohibition. Once inside, one is greeted by Jonathan, who is an excellent host, making every attempt to get parties comfortably seated. One looks around at the opulent decor and is reassured that there is nothing "cheap" about this venue. All preconceived notions of "strip-joints" evaporate in this refined air.

The menu offers choices for everyone and we were astonished at how fine the food was. We enjoyed some unusual handcrafted cocktails and some delicious shrimp and grits that made us feel as if we were in Charleston or N'awlins. Our companions raved about the merguez. Kudos to Executive Chef Richard Overholt. Our server Braz was attentive and didn't miss a beat.

And neither did accompanist Seth Weinstein who showed off les girls to good advantage. We would like to show off les girls as well and if you did not arrive at this website through a link on Facebook, we refer you to our FB page "Voce di Meche" because a picture is worth a thousand words.  A word of warning-- it's not for the kiddies because we photographed a lot of tits and ass!

But we write about singing and isn't that what y'all want to hear about?  Our Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening was the lovely actress Laura Murphy who assumed the character of Harlow Wigglesworth and introduced each artist with a wiggle and a wink and a chorus girl accent--a fine piece of acting. That her parents were in the audience reassured us that this would be "family entertainment". Well, maybe not exactly!

The program opened with Kasey Cardin, aka Dixie De Light, who gave a special sparkle to "Je veux vivre", Juliet's waltz from the Gounod opera. The French was fine as was the phrasing and, yes, the undressing was fine too. Later on, Ms. Cardin gave a special not-so-innocent interpretation of "O, mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with Italian as fine as the French.

Gounod made a further appearance in "Que fait-tu, blanche tourterelle", Stefano's aria in which he teases the Capulets, performed by mezzo-soprano Rachel O'Malley, aka Ladybird Finch, who did plenty of teasing herself. She showed her humorous side in "What a Movie" from Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, in honor of the Bernstein centennial.

Soprano Francesca Caviglia, aka Trixie La Feé, appeared in a Cleopatra costume, which she shed whilst performing "V'adoro pupille" from Händel's Giulio Cesare. Her baroque style was impeccable. She also did a fine job with "I'm a stranger here myself" from One Touch of Venus by Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash, shedding her white tie and tails in fine sophisticated style.

We were a little worried that Trixie would not perform with her feathered fans, an act we have seen before; we needn't have been concerned because she appeared later in the program with a dazzling display that took our breath away. Whilst Ms. O'Malley sang "L'invitation au voyage" by Henri Duparc, Ms. Caviglia gave a perfect illustration of the text "Luxe, calme, et volupté" that exceeded the Matisse painting and Baudelaire's poetry.

There is a male member of the troupe and his name is Brad Lassiter, aka Lance-a-lot. He gave a fine musically valid performance of "C'est moi" from Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, stripping down to some gilded skivvies, with some female assistance. His Belcore was even better, as he sang, "Come Paride vezzoso" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.

Marcy Richardson, aka Operagaga, gave a fine performance of the Jewel Song "Ah, je ris" from Gounod's Faust with a sparkling soprano and equally sparkling pasties. We found no fault in her fine French.

We know from witnessing countless master classes and our own voice lessons just how difficult it is to master an aria--the language, the breaths, the phrasing, the skips, the legato, the fioritura, etc.  Now, just imagine accomplishing all that while shedding your clothes in an artistic manner!  Now imagine doing that while performing difficult gymnastic maneuvers and you will get some idea of what we witnessed as Ms. Richardson sang "Lascia ch'io pianga" from Händel's Rinaldo!  What a feat!

We hope you all know the rousing "Champagne Aria" sung by Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II.  Now imagine it sung by the entire cast in their closing number, toasting the audience and vice versa.  Now you know just how much fun we had last night at Duane Park.

We understand there is another show on August 21st and are feeling very sorry that we will not be able to attend due to a prior commitment. But, dear reader, we urge YOU to attend and to tell us all about it. We fear that if we make an open call for a guest reviewer we will be swamped with offers!

(c) meche kroop

TAKING IT OFF

The Hot Box Girls (plus one)

We just can't stay away from Opera Burlesque performed by The Hot Box Girls! The part of their performances that amazes us is that they can produce such exemplary singing while artistically disrobing. Singing alone requires attention to so many details--breathing, phrasing, diction, communication, dynamic control, etc.  Throw a little ecdysiastic action into the pot and one wonders how these lovely ladies can be so successful.

We have enjoyed their shows, at the opulent and intimate Duane Park on The Bowery, a number of times but this is the first time we got to hear Founder and Artistic Director Rebecca Greenstein, freshly arrived from Vienna, where she is enjoying a great artistic success.  She tells us that the Viennese have edgier taste than we New Yorkers do.  Here in the Big Apple, the material is largely confined to arias that we know and love.  Nothing wrong with that!  We are willing to bet that some members of the audience came for the T&A and left with a taste for opera.

Presenting opera in new ways, in new places, and directed toward a new audience, is all the rage these days. So, we sit on wooden bleachers drinking beer and we sit in elegant nightclubs drinking champagne. All for the sake of art.

The cast of Opera Burlesque changes from month to month.  Who knew there were so many opera singers with ecdysiastic talent! One favorite of ours is Trixie La Fée (née Francesca Caviglia) whom we have requested to never ever drop her act with the two huge red feathered fans. Her artistic manipulation of these props have interesting resonances as wings of a bird or a butterfly.

Not only that but she has a scintillating soprano which she showed off well in "V'adoro pupille" from Handel's Giulio Cesare; she has a commendable coloratura as well as a way with feathers.

New to us this time around was Ladybird Finch (née Rachel O'Malley) who was lovely in "Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle?" from Gounod's Roméo et Juliette.

Dixie DeLight (née Kacey Cardin) is always a delight and we particularly enjoyed her "Ah! non credea mirarti" from Bellini's La Sonnambula. Regular readers will recall our affection for bel canto and Ms. Cardin did justice to this gorgeous aria.

Also on hand and well-remembered from prior performances was Sean D'Leer (née Melanie Long) who put a lot of pizazz into Rosina's aria "Una voce poco fa" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

Ms. Greenstein herself, appearing as Jessica DoRight, worked the audience well as Musetta in "Quando m'en vo" from Puccini's La Bohème, strolling through the audience and teasing the men, just as Musetta would have done.

It occurred to us how well the selections were chosen in that they mostly all provided an excuse to flirt, entice, and seduce.

Even the lone male in the show, Lance-a-lot (née Brad Lassiter) was seductive as Escamillo in the "Toreador Song" from Bizet's Carmen and as Sergeant Belcore in "Come Paride vezzoso" from Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore.

Seth Weinstein as Count von Bang-it-out produced the always reliable piano accompaniment.

Allyson Webb (as Ally Cat) had a non-singing role as a French maid who assisted the singers in unlacing their corsets and picking up discarded garments. She put a lot of personality into the role.

The closing number, sung in English, was the bubbly "Champagne Chorus" from the beloved operetta Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, Jr.  We raise our glasses as well to toast new forms, new venues, new audiences,and new converts to opera.  PROSIT!

(c) meche kroop