ALBERT HERRING PART II

Cory Gross seated and surrounded by Marie Masters Webb, Caroline Tye, Jonathan Harris, Glenn Friedman,
Rebecca Richardson, Sarah Marvel Bleasdale, Stephanie Feigenbaum, and Luc MacMillan

What a fine time we had last night at Utopia Opera's production of Britten's Albert Herring! Although we generally don't care much for 20th c. operas, which always seem to us to be plays with music, we were tickled pink by the exceptional performances; they came together in a delightful whole, greater than the sum of its parts, thanks to astute stage direction by Gary Slavin and the fine musical performance under the baton of William Remmers.

For information on the background of this opera and the plot, please consult yesterday's review of a different production by Manhattan School of Music Senior Opera Theater. Several people have asked us which production we liked better. The answer is that they were both equally likable; can one compare raspberries and blackberries?

MSM's production was set in the intended period at the turn of the 20th c. in which the characters behaved in a restrained manner, appropriate to that epoch. We smirked at their high-minded morality and stuffy manners. Mr. Slavin set the work in 1959, a time period in which rebellion against society's dictates was just flowering. There is the butcher's assistant Sid (Luke MacMillan) coming on like a louche James Dean and his girlfriend Nancy (Stephanie Feigenbaum) a real "bobbysoxer" with an appealing sympathetic side.

Both productions poked fun at the older generation's stuffiness and "morality" but the acting in this production was over the top and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Marie Masters Webb as Lady Billows had one of the most withering glances we have ever seen. The other characters reactions to her overbearing and disdainful mien were just as laugh-worthy.

Similarly, the stern housekeeper Florence Pike, enacted by Caroline Tye, brought fear with her wherever she went--a true master of intimidation. Vicar Gedge had a touch of hypocrisy--judgmental toward others but, in a clever directorial touch (just one among many), a bit importunate toward the lovely but resistant schoolteacher Miss Wordsworth whose avoidant facial expressions were priceless. We couldn't help thinking of how times have changed in a half century. Today she could tell him off with impunity!

Sarah Marvel Beasdale did her customary fine work as Albert's strict mother, severe in her approach to motherhood and a firm taskmaster. Ethan Fran made a fine Mayor Upfold and Jonathan Harris did well as Superintendent Budd of the Loxford Police. We enjoyed their hysterical reactions when our hero went missing overnight.

Children are children and have always been given to mocking their elders behind their back. The charming Emmie was played by Hannah Madeleine Goodman; Zoe Marie Hart was seen as Cis and Jen Wu as the rascal Harry. All three were convincing and added immeasurably to the fun.

And what about our hero, the eponymous Albert? Cory Gross effectively employed facial and gestural expression to convey his varying moods. He began by appearing beaten down, gazing with envy at Sid and Nancy's fondling. (We noted that much more was made last night of the double entendres in the libretto.) His face and posture suggested wistfulness and a longing for escape.

The glances he made when notified that he was elected King of the May let us know how shy he was, how overruled he was in his objections, and how uncomfortable he was in being in the spotlight. With a little rum in his tum, thanks to the machinations of Sid, his entire expression changed and one couldn't help but egg him on to an exploratory adventure. The triumphant expression he evinced upon his return home the next morning left us feeling as happy as he looked.

The set comprised a couple tables and chairs which served all purposes. When we see opera on a shoestring, we use our imagination to fill in the blanks. In this case, we recalled the elegant settings from last night at MSM. Similarly, the costumes were also improvised by Eric Lamp and Angel Betancourt, but we cared not a whit. It was the dramatic and musical values that carried the evening.

We don't have much to say about the music that we didn't say last night. Still, there was an advantage in having the chamber orchestra front and center (well, actually, front and stage left, as it usually is) because we had an extra measure of pleasure glancing at the musicians when we heard that divine alto flute/bassoon duet, as well as the heraldic horn calls.

We noticed several examples of fugal writing which Maestro Remmers brought to the forefront and the excellent threnody when the townspeople believe Albert to have died. Such tragic writing in the midst of a comedy had an extra impact.

The music is not our favorite due to the fact that we are unable to truly appreciate a singer's vocal skills without a nice 19th c. melody. That being said, we did like the way Britten's instrumental writing emphasized the personality of each character. Would the work have succeeded as a play without music? Probably. With such excellent direction and acting we would have enjoyed the comedy. But we love music and have no complaints.

We do have one observation and that is about the staging. The small but comfortable Lang Recital Hall at Hunter College has excellent sightlines and good placement for the projection of titles. That was the sole edge the production had over the one at MSM. No matter how well the words are enunciated, we always miss some words at the higher end of the register and are grateful for the opportunity to fill in the gaps.

If you were lucky enough to have enjoyed what we consider Utopia Opera's finest production to date, we welcome your comments. If you missed it, we are very very sorry. There will be one more production June 7-9 of Laura Kaminsky's Some Light Emerges, a New York premiere. Mark your calendars.

Before closing we would like to report our delight that Utopia Opera is moving forward into territory more professional. We always have believed that artists should be paid and paid they will be. This company has grown significantly in its eight years and has, miraculously, covered its expenses by ticket sales. The new growth will require new funding.  Just sayin'!

(c) meche kroop

HYDROGEN JUKEBOX

William Remmers and Cast of Utopia Opera's production of Hydrogen Jukebox

There are a few people on Planet Opera whose artistic judgment is so superior that we will follow them anywhere-- and that sometimes leads to terra incognita, which was the case last night at the fine intimate Lang Recital Hall of Hunter College when Maestro William Remmers conducted Hydrogen Jukebox from the keyboard.

What was this musical "entertainment" that wandered so very far outside of our conception of opera? This collaboration between "beat poet" Allen Ginsberg and minimalist composer Philip Glass could be considered an oratorio, or a song cycle; but does it matter? It held out attention for two hours and roused the sizable audience to an enthusiastic standing ovation.

Credit for the success must be shared with Stage Director Gary Slavin who turned abstract poetry into theater. Along with Maestro Remmers, supertitles were designed artistically, appearing and dropping off the screen, sometimes in phrases and at other times word by word.

Ginsberg and Glass met by chance in 1988 and collaborated so successfully that they undertook this work, which premiered at the Spoleto Festival (the one in Charleston, South Carolina) two years later. The work has been produced a number of times, most recently at Tri-Cities Opera and at Chatauqua.

The text included poems from Ginsberg's oeuvre written over several decades from the 50's through the 80's. Much of it is socio-political, dealing with anti-war sentiment, environmental despair, and the sexual revolution.  Some of it is of a more personal nature, exploring the poet's drug use and interest in Buddhist philosophy.  Most of it paints a verbal portrait of a dystopian world, one in which our leaders seem not to care and our media bury important news beneath superficial stories of so-called celebrities.  Hmmmm.  Does this sound resonant? prescient?

The able cast comprised sopranos K.C. Peck and La Toya Lewis, mezzo-soprano Kristin Behrmann, tenor Matt Hughes, and baritones Nathaniel Sullivan and Jeff Goble. Everyone sang finely with commitment and acted with ensemble spirit but we were glad to have the surtitles since English (in our opinion) does not "sing well". We wished that the spoken text had also been awarded titles.

We found ourselves more fascinated by Glass' music than by Ginsberg's text. The repetition of the interval of a minor third is haunting and the instrumentation is novel to our ears. We do recall liking Glass' music long ago as the soundtrack to the Qatsi Trilogy, films that shared Ginsberg's dystopian view of the world.

The scoring involved two keyboards, played by Maestro Remmers and Brian Victor. There were two players of wind instruments and we spotted saxophones of all registers and a flute; there was a stunning solo on the baritone saxophone.

Most remarkable was the percussion which provided infinite textures for which Tyler Mashek and Shelby McKay-Blezinger were responsible. We particularly enjoyed their work in "Numbers in Red Notebook; To Aunt Rose" which dazzled us rhythmically.

There were two other musical moments that stood out for us. One was when Ms. Lewis performed an "aria" based on the poem "Cabin in the Rockies" and the other was when Maestro Remmers left the keyboard and moved to the onstage piano for the bluesy hymn-like "Wichita Vortex Sutra".

If we have succeeded in intriguing you, there will be two performances today, both matinee and evening.

It has been said that artists hold a mirror up to show us who we are; it seems we are not a pretty sight! But we are left wondering why so much of 19th c. music is so pleasing to the ear! We are sure there were wars and industrial revolutions and disease and upheavals.  If anyone can answer this in the comment section below, we will be grateful for your insights.

We think of Utopia Opera as The Little Engine that Could. There is nothing one can throw at Maestro Remmers that he can't catch and run with. His audience votes for what they want him to produce for the following season.

This is Utopia Opera's 7th season and we are particularly looking forward to Flotow's Martha and Sondheim's Passion.  Fans have voted for Thea Musgrave's Harriet, the Woman Called Moses, which will require a larger theater with an orchestra pit.  Go for it William!

(c) meche kroop

GENDER-BENDING LAUGH RIOT

John Callison, Katherine Cecelia Peck, Chad Kranak, Heather Jones, Victor Khodadad, Claire Kuttler, Tom Mulder, and Chelsea Bonagura in Jacques Offenbach's The Island of Tulipatan

If you are reading this in the morning you just might have time to get to Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place in time for today's matinee; if you have missed this delightful production you can still hear it because Light Opera of New York will be recording it, as they have done for several prior productions.

In either case, you are in for a treat. This tuneful and topical one-act operetta premiered in 1868 at Bouffes-Parisienne at the apex of Jacques Offenbach's popularity.  Bouffes-Parisienne had been delighting Parisian audiences since this prolific composer established it in 1855 for the Paris Exposition. The Island of Tulipatan is a protean work and has been heard all over the world. It's good-natured satire makes it easily adaptable.

Light Opera of New York's adaptation was particularly successful with a libretto by Gregg Opelka and dialogue by Jack Helbig. The fact that we enjoyed the English translation so heartily should tell our readers a great deal! The cleverness of the wordplay and rhyme schemes contributed enormously to our delight. We couldn't help thinking about W.S. Gilbert's way with words.

The story involves a Grand Marshal who is dissatisfied with his tomboy daughter and the Duke of Tulipatan who despairs over his effeminate son. It would be spoiling the fun to tell you how this all works out but there is a lot of Gallic wink-wink. And if you've never seen tall handsome tenor Tom Mulder in a dress you haven't truly lived.

We hold that opera is entertainment (in spite of some not-so-entertaining contemporary misfires). Whether serious or comic, the value lies in taking us out of the daily struggle and showing us a different world.  When we leave a performance, there is ample time to consider whether the tale is relevant to our present day. Surely, parental disappointment is very relevant as is gender dysphoria!

Gary Slavin's direction was superb, just as it was for last week's Ballad of Baby Doe at Utopia Opera.

Offenbach's music comprises an outpouring of tunes to delight those of us who cherish melody. Music Director Tyson Deaton at the keyboard ensured that we did not miss an orchestra.

Mr. Mulder's tenor was as splendid as his acting, which involved his galumphing around the stage as the tomboy Hermosa, to his father's annoyance-- and his trying to teach Alexis, the wimpy son of the Duke, how to propose to a woman.  As Alexis, soprano Claire Kuttler was funny but also moving as she sang about the loss of her pet hummingbird with a bright clear tone tinged with sadness. Good comedy must be performed seriously!

Papa Romboidal, the Grand Marshal, was finely portrayed by tenor Chad Kranak and mezzo-soprano Heather Jones did a swell job as his wife Theodorine. They were convincingly French, arguing the way couples do in French film.  Of course, it is her fault that their daughter Hermosa is so unladylike!  Why isn't Maman teaching her social graces!  Haha.  If Papa only knew!

The Duke of Tulipatan was just as dense as everyone else and delightful in his clueless state. Tenor Victor Khodadad inhabited the role perfectly and sang equally well. We grant a huge round of applause to all the singers who managed to sing English very clearly whilst maintaining a Gallic style. Nothing was lost in translation!

As if this weren't enough entertainment for one evening, we were also gifted with a curtain raiser comprising a number of selections from Offenbach's oeuvre, sung in French. One can never go wrong with duets from Les Contes d'Hoffman and "Kleinzach" was performed by Mr. Mulder and baritone John Callison. Soprano Chelsea Bonagura and Ms. Jones harmonized beautifully in the "Barcarolle", and Ms. Kuttler gave us a fine "Elle a fui".

Unfortunately, all of the above were "on the book" which truly impairs the connection with the audience. It felt awkward particularly when Ms. Bonagura, Ms. Jones, and lovely soprano Katherine Cecelia Peck sang "Ah! Quel diner!" from La Perichole. It was an interesting idea to perform it as a trio but every time someone interrupted the acting by looking down or turning a page, the magic was gone. 

So special credit goes to Mr. Khodadad who committed to memory "Au Mont Ida" from La Belle Helene. and for this reason we would call that our favorite selection from that part of the evening. He was able to relate unimpaired to his three goddesses and to connect thereby with the audience.

Aside from the use of scores for most of the songs, the entire evening was very much worth our while and left a smile. We are so fortunate in New York to have such a plethora of small companies, each staking out a special territory and giving us opera lovers such an amazing variety of experiences. Bravo LOONY!

(c) meche kroop

UTOPIA DOES BABY DOE

Eizabeth Bouk, Angela Dinkelman, Maestro William Remmers, Jack Anderson White, and Julia Snowden

We rarely enjoy an operatic performance without taking notes but (note this!) we were so absorbed in the story and the performances last night that we did not. Douglas Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe is 60 years old but its resonance is quite contemporary.  Beverly Sills sang the lead with New York City Opera and later the role was taken by Faith Esham and Elizabeth Futral. We understand that it has been often performed around the United States but we had never seen it until last night when Utopia Opera gave it an admirable production.

John Latouche's libretto limns a story that strikes several chords with us Americans. The history of the West, for one thing, with its saloons and dance hall girls, is a favorite theme; even Puccini grabbed onto that with his Fanciulla del West. The rise and fall of tycoons is another favorite theme, as is the defiance of societal norms.  All these are present in the tale of Horace Tabor who, with the help of his wife (the boss' daughter), clawed and schemed his way to the top of the social heap in late 19th c. Colorado.

Augusta had been a fine helpmeet but when Mr. Tabor heard "Baby" Doe sing "The Willow Song", he was smitten (as were we) and left his loyal wife. The scandal led to social ostracism but their love endured until his death. Because of the United States switching from the silver standard to the gold standard, he died impoverished, a broken man.

It is a tribute to some mighty fine performances that we were left caring about all the characters. Angela Dinkelman's soaring soprano took her from a woman of questionable repute in Act I, through to the devoted wife who cradled her dying husband at the conclusion. In the interim, she is pampered with riches--but she unquestioningly relinquishes them when her husband's poor judgment bankrupts him.  We could tell from her vocal coloration that she was a good person and not a hussy.

As the improvident Horace Tabor, Jack Anderson White's manly baritone clarified how he could attract two such exceptional women. His chemistry with Baby Doe was powerful and their duets contained harmonies redolent of their attraction and ultimately of their mutual love.  As Baby Doe tells her mother (the excellent and believable Julia Snowden), her first husband was never the love of her life.  Tabor was.

Elizabeth Bouk's rich mezzo was a fine counterpart to Ms. Dinkelman's high-flying soprano. Her Augusta grew from the sharp bitterness of a rejected wife to the softer compassion she felt for Tabor when fate turned against him. She had tried but failed during their marriage to get him to be more circumspect and conservative, but her primness was not to his liking.

In this day and age, two people falling for each other and divorcing their spouses to be together would scarcely raise eyebrows, but in the late 19th c., where this story took place (and yes, it is based on real historical figures) there was scandal aplenty, and plenty of encouragement toward vengeance from Augusta's female friends. But this impressive figure took the high road and we felt great sympathy for her when she became old and sick.

There is also the interesting feature of primly dressed women assuming a high-brow stance at the "Opry House" in Leadville which was built by Tabor himself. Notably, the husbands preferred to hang out in the saloon with the dancing girls!

In grand opera tradition, there would be a huge cast and elaborate scenes of the wedding, the ball, the political rally, etc. But the modest resources of Utopia Opera served them well, allowing the intimate drama to unfold and touch our hearts.  Indeed, most of the arias are private contemplations and reminiscences. We are privy to the characters' innermost feelings and this allows us to empathize in a way we cannot in a large theater with scene-stealing sets.

Another feature of a small company is that each member gets to perform in several roles. Limitations of space prevent us from crediting the dozens of superb performers who collaborated to make this opera the success that it was.

Gary Slavin's astute direction kept the story moving along successfully.

Under the baton of Maestro William Remmers, the orchestra gave Douglas Moore's music a lot of pizazz. A half dozen strings were bowed on the floor level, whilst 13 winds squeezed onto one side of the stage. We had no problem with the balance and enjoyed the accessible (and happily non-academic) music. Tyler Mashek handled the percussion and Levi Vutipadorn manned the keyboard. No complaints on that account!

Readers may wonder why we have not complained about the English in which it was written. We were surprised at how well John Latouche's writing reflected American speech patterns and the pleasing vocal lines that resulted. It is unfortunate that this was the sole collaboration of Moore and Latouche. If only more contemporary operas could learn from this one.

It is also due to the fine English diction that we were absolved from reading the titles, which were helpful mainly when Ms. Dinkelmann's voice reached the stratosphere.

The stage was bare, except for a few chairs that were multi-purposed. Costuming was sourced from the performers own closets and assembled with imagination. We did not feel at all disturbed by the lack of authenticity to the period. When push comes to shove, we are mostly interested in musical and dramatic validity.

We understand that Utopia's June production will be Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin....in Russian.  Is there nothing Maestro Remmers will not tackle?  We doubt it.  Perhaps The Ring Cycle?

Stay tuned to learn which operas won the Audience Choice competition for next year.  We have been sworn to secrecy and we NEVER EVER leak.  Well, hardly ever!

(c) meche kroop

WE GOT A KICK FROM CHAMPAGNE

Gary Slavin, Matt Hughes, Alexis Cregger, David Macaluso, Leslie Middlebrook, and Claire Kuttler

The bubbles in the champagne matched well with the effervescent performances onstage last night at The Players, when Light Opera of New York (known as LOONY) presented an evening of operetta and cabaret songs called "Drink! Drink! Drink".  We sipped some bubbly but we gulped down the deliriously delicious entertainment.

Good music doesn't have to be "serious" and we enjoyed the humorous songs as much as the torch songs.  All the voices were top notch and there was no amplification to assault our tender ears.

Most of the songs were about drinking or sung by characters who were "in their cups". The wisely chosen hostess was Leslie Middlebrook appearing as Count Orlofsky from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus, singing "Chacun à son goût" in a clever English translation.  It was a fine concept and well executed by this excellent performer.

The most operatic number on the program was "Libiamo" from Verdi's La Traviata, perfectly performed by Alexis Cregger and Matt Hughes.

The most philosophical number was a very heartfelt "If Love Were All" by Noel Coward, performed with depth by Claire Kuttler who also sang Strayhorn's "Lush Life", a tale of profound disappointment. The songs fit her voice and stage presence to a T.

The liveliest number was Strauss' "Czardas" performed with Hungarian style by Ms. Cregger. The most bibulous was her performance of "Ah, quel diner je vais de faire" from Jacques Offenbach's "La Périchole". She was hilarious and we understood every word of her intoxicated French.

The most humorous songs landed on Gary Slavin's broad shoulders. We loved the sardonic "Mrs. Lowsborough-Goodby" by Cole Porter and also his performance of Buffett's "Margaritaville" which had the audience singing along, although not a shaker of salt was to be found on any table.  Mr. Slavin also staged the show, although the concept originated with Producer Carol Davis.

We recently saw (on HD video) the Metropolitan Opera's production of Lehar's "The Merry Widow". David Macaluso's performance of Danilo's aria "I'm going to Maxim's" far exceeded the one on video; he put so much personality into the song!

Matt Hughes managed a difficult task, performing a gender bending version of the ironic "You Can Always Count on Me" by Cy Coleman; it was funny just because he played it straight without fuss. The audience loved it and so did we!

Music Director Seth Weinstein accompanied all on the piano and did a swell job of it.

We always enjoy LOONY and eagerly await news of their upcoming season; it's their Tenth Anniversary!  YAY!!!!  More champagne please!

(c) meche kroop

FEEL THE KERN

Jerry Steichen at the piano with singers Adam Cannedy, Alex Corson, Claire Kuttler, Richard Holmes, Emma Grimsley, Bryan Elsesser, Natalie Ballenger, and Rachael Braunstein

Perhaps you have enjoyed listening to the Jerome Kern song "Look For the Silver Lining". Perhaps you even knew that it came from his 1920 show Sally. We did not know this yesterday, but now we do, thanks to a charming production of the show by Light Opera of New York. known as LOONY.

We don't wish to put too fine a point on the differences between American musical comedy, operetta, and opera. They are all art forms using singing to tell a story. This story, with book by Guy Bolton, is a sweet one, analogous to the Cinderella tale. 

A spunky girl from a settlement house is put to work as a dishwasher in a restaurant. Of course, she wants to be a star. Of course, the Russian star doesn't show up and she must impersonate her.  Of course, she is madly successful.  Of course, a wealthy young man falls for her.  Of course, there is a misunderstanding.  Of course, there is a reconciliation and a happy ending. Of course, the audience leaves smiling and happy.

The main thing is the music.  From the jaunty overture to the finale, we are swept along by a virtual tide of tunes, sung by a talented cast that is gloriously unamplified. In the lead role of Sally herself, we heard the winsome Emma Grimsley with her scintillating soprano and the dramatic chops to convince us--both as the spunky girl she really is and the Russian star she is impersonating. Her solo "Wild Rose", contrasting her personality with that of the  PRIMrose, was darling.

Tenor Alex Corson has a pleasing voice that sings out "Irish tenor". If he isn't Irish we will eat our words! He was utterly convincing as the rich fella who falls in love with the dishwasher AND the Russian star. Their duet "Whip-poor-Will" was lovely and sweet.

Otis, the agent who gets her the contract, was played by the fine Adam Cannedy whose newfound wealth from the contract will allow him to marry his heavily Brooklyn-accented sweetheart Rosie, humorously portrayed by Claire Kuttler. Their duet, "The Church 'Round the Corner" was pure delight.

The restaurant where Sally washes dishes is owned by Pops, played by the veteran Richard Holmes, and the waiter Connie by a very funny Bryan Elsesser. Of course, he is really a deposed Duke from some Mitteleuropean country called Czechokovinia! His star turn in "The Schnitza-Kommiski" kept us in stitches.

Also on hand was the snotty (of course!) aristocratic Mrs. Ten Bruck, played by Rachael Braunstein with a marvelous sneer, and her daughter Marsha, played by Natalie Ballenger.  Where would theater be without clichés???

The lyrics by Clifford Grey (with the exception of "Look for the Silver Lining",the lyrics of which were written by B..G. DeSylva) were short and punchy with lots of obvious rhymes like "title and vital", "shady and lady", "altar and halter", "lucky and plucky", and "seraphic and traffic".  Where would American music be without obvious rhymes???

This is not meant to disparage the writing.  It is just the kind of rhyming that the English language is meant for and is enormously satisfying to the ear, just like a 4-5-1 cadence. The reduction of the libretto was accomplished by John Ostendorf.

We were most gratified that the diction was perfect.  We missed not a single word. That skill with diction on top of the superb voices had us falling madly in love with the cast.

The excellent Music Director Jerry Steichen not only shone in his playing of the reduced score, but also narrated the omitted parts of the story from the piano. He is an engaging presence. One interesting tidbit is that Mr. Kern was not trusted to write the music for the big "Butterfly Ballet" number; that task was given to Victor Herbert!

Stage Direction was by Gary Slavin and it worked well without any set to speak of. No one is credited for the costumes and hairstyles but there was a definite 1920 look to the piece. The venue was 80 St. Marks Place Theater which appears to be of the same vintage and boasts excellent sightlines and good acoustics.

There is one more performance tonight and it would be a fine Saturday night to spend with a great group of singers/actors.  Feel the Kern!

(c) meche kroop

RAPE!

Ben Cohen, Devony Smith, Hanne Dollase, Eldric Bashful, Gary Slavin, William Remmers, Mary-Hollis Hundley, Elizabeth Bouk, Stan Lacy

Maestro William Remmers is game to tackle any opera for which his audience votes. That is one of the unique qualities of Utopia Opera. We have certainly thrown some curve balls at him but he always hits them.  With Benjamin Britten's Rape of Lucretia, he hit it out of the park.

This is not an easy opera to love. The story is both brutal and tragic. The victim Lucretia, suffering from a combination of shame and guilt, pays the dramatic price by stabbing herself. We live in a world containing places where women are killed because of such loss of honor.  But Britten's librettist Ronald Duncan examines the story from the perspective of mid-20th c. Christianity.  In 21st c. New York City it carries an unsettling confrontational load, making us aware of that which we would avoid.

The work itself is largely declamatory with no beautiful arias to comfort us. The music is dissonant and perturbing, although powerful in its effect. However, there are moments of great beauty elicited by Mr. Remmers astute conducting of his 13-piece chamber orchestra. Tomina Parvanova's harp shimmers as Lucretia enters. There are some stunning harmonies in a duet of bass clarinet (Jeffrey Hodes) and horn (Brad Shaw).

Serving as narrators and guides for the audience are tenor Eldric Bashful, whose readings were as dramatic as his singing was lovely, and soprano Mary-Hollis Hundley, whose richly timbred instrument delighted us at the George London Competition.

As the eponymous Lucretia, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Bouk made a noble but vulnerable heroine. We have been seeing a lot of this rising star lately--not only as a Utopia Opera regular, but also at Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble. Her voice and acting are equally impressive.

As her two servants, the old nurse Bianca (mezzo-soprano Hanne Dollase) and the maid Lucia (soprano Devony Smith) made significant contributions to the evening's success. Their trio with Ms. Bouk in Act I and their "flower" duet in Act II provided some of the lovelier vocal sounds.

As the despised libertine Etruscan Prince Tarquinius, baritone Stan Lacy created a loathsome character who despises the whores he can have so easily and is stimulated by the thought of taking the only faithful wife in Rome. The rape scene was superbly staged by Director Gary Slavin, as was the rest of the opera.

The Prince kisses the sleeping Lucretia who is dreaming of her husband Collatinus and therefore responds. Is she complicit? In 21st c. America, men have to ask permission to take liberties. In 500 B.C. one supposes that men took all the liberties they wanted since women were property.

Bass Steven Fredericks sang the role of Collatinus, a Roman general of a peaceful and forgiving nature. His fellow general Junius (baritone Ben Cohen) has a slimy nature. He is envious of Collatinus' military glory and jealous of Collatinus' successful marriage.  Spurred on by the humiliation of being cuckolded by his own wife, he manipulates Tarquinius into a midnight gallop to Rome to ravish Lucretia. Although not equal to "The Ride of the Valkyries", Britten came up with some powerful music for this episode.

The libretto is interesting for its magnificent metaphors, i.e. "Thirsty evening has drunk the wine of light". However there were times when the metaphors made no sense and seemed excessive. Great contrast was made between the creativity of women and the destructiveness of men.

Last season we enjoyed a production of this opera at Juilliard. It was powerful then and it was again last night. Part opera, part play with music, and part oratorio, the work stands up to repeat performances.

We will have to wait until December to see and hear more from Mr. Remmers when he is tackling a genre with which he is very familiar--Gilbert and Sullivan's Princess Ida. Watch for it!

(c) meche kroop

DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!

Seth Weinstein, Gary Slavin, Alexis Cregger, Caitlin Burke, David Macaluso, and Matt Hughes

On a summer evening in the Big Apple, you might be sitting on a pier, crowded in with the sweaty masses having your ears assaulted by amplified noise--or you might be joining fellow lovers of the vocal arts at Opera America listening to gorgeous songs, sung unamplified by a bunch of talented artists, in an acoustically perfect air-conditioned hall. Readers can guess which we chose and we chose well!

In a departure from their customary presentation of full-length operettas, Light Opera of New York presented an alll-too-brief evening of songs from opera, operetta, and the popular genre of American songs. The songs were curated by Carol Davis and staged by Gary Slavin. At the piano was the fine accompanist Seth Weinstein.

Ms. Davis introduced the cabaret style evening by welcoming guests to "Bar Carol". But none of the songs were barcarolles. All the songs stayed with the theme of drinking. The singers wanted alcohol, drank it, enjoyed it or were drawn by it into sad memories.

The opening number, Sigmund Romberg's "Drink, Drink, Drink!", performed by the ensemble, set the tone for the evening, followed by "Libiamo" from Verdi's La Traviata, sung with verve by soprano Alexis Cregger and tenor Matt Hughes.

On of our favorite songs for the evening was Lehar's "I'm Going to Maxim's", sung by baritone David Macaluso with no end of rakish charm. Notable was the humor of the English translation and Mr. Macaluso's superb diction. Not a single clever rhyme was lost.

Sung in the original French and in high comedic style was Jacques Offenbach's "Ah! Quel dîner, je viens de faire", which had us grinning from ear to ear.  Ms. Cregger has a soaring soprano that was best appreciated in Johann Strauss' "Czardas".

The other soprano of the evening was Caitlin Burke whose sizable voice and darker dramatic timbre lent itself readily to torch songs. In Strayhorn's "Lush Life" she spun out the final note to a ppp in an impressive decrescendo. She also has a fine comic sense as heard in Arthur Sullivan's "Come bumpers".

Matt Hughes did a fine job with a Kingston Trio number called "Scotch and Soda", giving it a romantic inflection.  Gary Slavin filled the stage with Buffett's "Margaritaville", accompanying himself on the guitar. Later, he kept us laughing with Cole Porter's "Mrs. Lowsborough-Goodby", describing a nightmare weekend invitation.

The ensemble delighted us with another Porter tune "Well Did You Evah" a recitation of hilarious calamities and scandals. We enjoyed the evening thoroughly, especially since the point was made that a good song is a good song, no matter what the language or period. This idea was introduced to us at New York Festival of Song and we have cherished it ever since.

If you've never had a LOONY evening, keep them in mind for next season.

(c) meche kroop

A SWEETHEART OF A SHOW

We confess to having been ignorant of the glories of operetta until recently; now we cannot get enough.  Victor Herbert's Sweethearts, while never one of his more famous ones, is chock full of delights to the eye and ear.  Light Opera of New York gave this charming work a fine production, using a revised libretto by Alyce Mott and the late Dino Anagnost.

The silly but enormously entertaining story concerns a royal infant put into the arms (well, into the tulip patch) of the worthy Dame Paula (Vira Slywotsky) who runs a laundry in Bruges under the name of Mother Goose with her daughters whom she calls "goslings".  The child's birth country has survived a revolution and is now calling for the return of the monarchy.  Will the child, now a beautiful young woman, be discovered and returned to the throne or will the handsome prince (Peter Kendall Clark) be crowned instead?  Well it all works out in the end in spite of the machinations of the spiteful Liane (Stefanie Izzo) , the scheming playboy Lieutenant Karl (Eapen Leubner), the rascal Mikelovsky (Victor Khodadad) and other assorted fortune hunters.

The action is narrated by Dame Paula and Ms. Slywotsky was as effective dramatically as she was vocally.  The two romantic female leads were equally fine although we thought Ms. Xanthopoulu might have played her part with a bit more innocence to contrast with the worldly wise nastiness of Ms. Izzo.  Mr. Kendall Clark made a fine princely male lead with a fine resonant voice and Mr. Leubner was appropriately cast as a military man.  There was not a vocal weak link.

The role of Von Tromp was played by Jonathan Fox Powers and David Seatter was a very funny Slingsby--both excellent.  The four "goslings" made some marvelous music together--Samantha Britt, Katherine Corle, Eva Giorgi, and Gillian Hassert.  The four soldiers were played by Brian Long, Christopher Nelson, Adam Strube and Miguel Angel Vasquez.

Director Gary Slavin did a commendable job making sense of this screwy story and moving people around a small stage with no scenery to speak of.  Wisely, the work was presented "straight" and with consummate respect; there was not a whiff of condescension.  Costumes by Stefanie Genda were colorful and well suited to the time (beginning of the 20th c.) and place.

Mr. Herbert's frothy music, under the direction of Conductor Michael Thomas was glorious.  The tunes are delightfully melodic, many of them in waltz-time.  We heard echoes of Gilbert and Sullivan and even a song that foreshadowed Sondheim.The small orchestra comprised Jeremiah Oliver at the piano with violin, cello, bass and flute making valuable contributions to the texture; notable was the variety of percussion effects played on a variety of instruments. 

LOONY is a perfect example of a small company that does much with limited resources.  There was nothing about the production to suggest economy; we don't know how they did it but they did it.  We will be sure to augment next year's opera-going with some operetta-going!

© meche kroop