MANNES DOES VANESSA

ACT III of Vanessa (photo by Eugenia Ames)

The Mannes Opera has given Samuel Barber's 1958 opera Vanessa as fine a production as one would want. Conducted by Artistic Director Joseph Colaneri (sans baton), the Mannes Orchestra played with impressive spirit. Situating the winds in the pit of the Gerald W. Lynch Theater (at John Jay College of Criminal Justice), with the strings above at floor level, made for a fine blending of sound.

Jay Lesenger's direction was highly effective.  Roger Hanna's sets were unfussy but served the action well.  Trunks of birch trees and snow falling outside the windows gave a great indication of locale (unspecified "Northern country" was turned into "northern Hudson River Valley, N.Y."--although we couldn't keep from thinking of Sweden and Ingmar Bergman). The furnishings suggested old money.  Nancy L. Leary's appropriate costuming was clearly early 20th c. at the beginning of the opera but changed to flapper costumes for obvious reasons which we hope to make clear.

For anyone unfamiliar with Gian Carlo Menotti's libretto (based loosely on the atmosphere of Isak Dinesen's stories), the tale concerns three generations of women of privilege virtually entombed in their secluded country home, seeing no outsiders save their old country doctor and their pastor. They are cosseted by servants.

Vanessa has been waiting for twenty years for her lover Anatol to return. She has covered the portraits and mirrors in the home, hoping to stall the passing of time. She has a fond relationship with her niece Erika but her mother does not speak to her. When Anatol finally shows up, it is actually Anatol's son who has come to meet the woman who so enchanted his late father and so enraged his mother.

Vanessa rejects him (the "false Dmitri") but Erika remains to dine with him and be seduced by him. Anatol is a fortune hunter and woos both women. Vanessa blossoms under his attention and Erika wilts under her wish to be loved more deeply than Anatol is capable of.

The Grandmother urges her to marry but Erika refuses to compromise her ideals to preserve her honor. The night of the ball at which Vanessa and Anatol announce their engagement, Erika goes to drown herself in the lake, having learned she is pregnant. She falls into a ditch, gets rescued, and recovers. She tells her Grandmother she is "no longer with child". Now the old lady withdraws her affection and conversation from Erika!

The happily wed couple leave for Paris, ostensibly on Vanessa's money. Vanessa has secretly left the house to Erika who must stay and look after Grandmother. Erika covers the mirrors once more and goes into seclusion.  Things will be different for her because she will live without hope whilst Vanessa lived with hope.

The central question is one of accepting a flawed reality or living imprisoned with false hopes and ideals.  Anatol, while an unlikeable character, represents a more modern view of romantic reality.  In his own words, "I belong to another age". The plot is provocative and leaves us pondering at the end why the old lady rejects her daughter, then her niece.  We will spare readers our theory and leave them to ponder on their own.

So...clearly, this is a fascinating and absorbing tale which held our interest as theater.  But it claims to be an opera so we must address the music. Erika's ACT I aria "Must the winter come so soon" is lovely and mezzo-soprano Rachel Weishoff gave it a lovely lyrical performance. The final quintet "To leave, to break" involved some stunning harmonies. We enjoyed the waltzes, especially when the drunken doctor dances at the party and sings about women. Beyond those events, this "opera" comprises sung dialogue, with the choppiness of English speech dictating the not very lyrical vocal line. Our 19th c. ears were not pleased, although we did enjoy some of the instrumental interludes, especially when we heard the soothing sounds of the harp, played by Yeon Hwa Chung.

Major roles were sung by different casts on the two nights. We were perfectly happy with the valid performances of the principles. Soprano Isabelle Freeman made a fine Vanessa and conveyed beautifully the emotional expansion of a woman in love who allows herself to feel loved.  As the unfortunate Erika, Ms. Weishoff was moving and convincing in her portrayal of ambivalence toward a man she both loved and hated. Carolyn Aguirre was a chilling presence as the silent Grandmother.

Tenor John Kun was adept at showing both the engaging side of Anatol, and also the smirking slimy side. Baritone Mario Diaz-Moresco as The Old Doctor gave a performance that delighted us, a well rounded character that had only good intentions. The scene at the engagement party in which he breaks one of the two champagne glasses he is carrying brought a note of lightness to the grim story. It was funny that he couldn't remember whom the second glass was for.  This made him very human.

Mitchell Kasprzyk portrayed Nicholas, the Major-Domo, and Mathew Cossack played the role of A Footman. The scene at the party of fondling the fur coat was another note of lightness.

English diction, coached by Kathryn LaBouff, was so exemplary that Lily Arbisser's fine titles were rarely necessary.

So, we enjoyed the evening very much as theater, not so much as "opera". But this is just our particular taste. Those who are more appreciative of non-lyrical 20th c. music seemed to have loved the work.

(c) meche kroop

MORE MOZART

Kidon Choi, Maria Lacey, Sunyeop Hwang, Maestro Joseph Colaneri, Laura Alley, Heather Jones, Pavel Suliandziga, and Danielle Beckvermit

The second entry in our weekend of Mozart was a winning production of Mozart's 1790 masterpiece Cosi fan tutte, presented by The Mannes Opera at the Gerald Lynch Theater--of perfect size, grand acoustics and excellent sightlines. Our guest for the matinée was an opera newbie who enjoyed the entire affair just as much as we did--which was a very great deal.

We have no idea why it was set in the mid 1960's--an epoch as remote from us as the late 18th century. But, no matter, the direction was delightful, the singing superb, and the acting accomplished.  Director Laura Alley made sure that every action was motivated and the interactions between the characters made clear.

Maestro Colaneri's conducting elicited the fine musicianship of The Mannes Orchestra. Like all other Mozart operas, this one is filled with sparkling tunes that one can't resist humming as they linger in the brain.

The story of Lorenzo da Ponte's libretto is that of two young men challenged by an older wiser one over their belief in the fidelity of the two sisters with whom they are in love.  There is a wager and a plan to follow.  The plan is to tell the young women that they have gone off on a military excursion and then to reappear in disguise to court the women. 

Don Alfonso's plan is aided and abetted by Despina, the servant of the two sisters. The silliness seems a lot more acceptable in 18th c. style than in the 1960's. Instead of appearing as exotic "Albanians", they appear as rock 'n rollers with leather motorcycle jackets and t-shirts proclaiming Rolling Stones and The Who.  Why not? It's the swinging sixties, after all!

As Don Alfonso, baritone Kidon Choi nearly stole the show from a very talented cast. His acting was larger than life and his sturdy voice impressive.  It is no wonder that he is garnering prizes for his prodigious talent.

Spunky Despina was portrayed by Canadian soprano Maria Lacey who negotiated Mozart's music with aplomb and demonstrated comedic chops as the crazy doctor with his Mesmer machine and later as the faux notary. "In uomini, in soldati", showed her at her wiliest.

The sisters and their lovers were all excellent. Soprano Danielle Beckvermit was a knockout as Fiordiligi. Mozart's challenging aria "Come scoglio" was perfectly sung and indeed reflected upon her steadfast character--at least more steadfast than her sister!

Mezzo-soprano Heather Jones made a delightful Dorabella, at first histrionically devastated by Ferrando's departure in "Smanie implacabile" and later, coy as she succumbs to the advances of Guglielmo.

The two men were terrific. Tenor Pavel Suliandziga (whom we previously enjoyed so much as Nemorino in L'Elisir d'amore) was an ardent Ferrando, singing with beautiful unforced tone in "Un aura amorosa", ending it with a delicate decrescendo. When he learns that his beloved Dorabella has betrayed him with his buddy, his face revealed many shades of dismay.

As Guglielmo, originally more successful at seduction, baritone Sunyeop Hwang was equally fine with his smooth caressing baritone and fine phrasing. We especially enjoyed his humorous aria  "Non siate ritrosi" in which he describes his manly attributes.

    

There were countless marvelous moments--the sisters' duet "Ah, guarda sorella", and particularly the trio "Soave sia il vento".

We have seen productions in which the girls return to their original lovers and versions in which they stay with the new lovers. But we have never seen one in which they walk away from the wedding at the end.  That was original and surprising!

Costuming by Helen E. Rodgers was certainly authentic to the period and colorful. Set designer Roger Hanna created a trompe l'oeil golf course for the first scene in which Don Alfonso is playing golf with Ferrando and Guglielmo. Later, it doubled as a suburban back yard. One might call this production a "hole in one". Mannes really sank the putt!

(c) meche kroop

WE DRANK IT AND FELL IN LOVE

Eunjin Jung, Kidon Choi, Pavel Sulyandziga, Sara Papini, Matthew Cossack

L'Elisir d'Amore is the perfect opera for a young cast. Gaetano Donizetti filled it to the brim with memorable melodies; librettist Felice Romani peopled it with characters that embody all the struggles of young love. Nemorino is a shy fellow in love with the vivacious and fickle Adina. She treats him dismissively as the young tend to do with those who put them on a pedestal.

To make him jealous she agrees to wed an arrogant army officer. In desperation, he buys a love potion from the traveling "doctor" Dulcamara. The potion is just Bordeaux and he gets very tipsy.  Meanwhile, the young ladies of the town learn that he has inherited a great deal of money and surround him with attention. He believes it's because of the love potion. Now it's Adina's turn to get jealous.

Of course, it all works out in the end and we leave the theater grinning from ear to ear.  The Mannes Opera gave Donizetti's 1832 comic masterpiece (which Donizetti tossed off in six weeks) a fine production at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. This just happens to be a fine comfortable theater with great sight lines but there is something strange about it's bi-level orchestra pit.

The strings are just a bit lower than the audience, with the winds behind and a level below that. Artistic Director and Conductor Maestro Joseph Colaneri conducted The Mannes Orchestra which turned in a well-balanced performance. The strings lay down a luscious carpet of sound with important contributions from the winds, particularly in Nemorino's big aria "Una furtiva lagrima", marked by some lovely arpeggios on the harp (Elena Caramihai).

The singers are all graduate level students at Mannes School of Music, which is part of The New School. Each and every one turned in a stellar performance and seems headed for a fine future in the opera world. The lead couple--soprano Sara Papini as Adina and tenor Pavel Sulyandziga as Nemorino--were perfectly cast and completely convincing in their acting. Adina is spunky and full of personality; Nemorino is shy and unassuming. Their body language told a great deal about their characters.

Similarly, the outrageous character of Dr. Dulcamara was well portrayed by bass-baritone Kidon Choi who manifested no difficulty with the wide range. As the self-important Belcore, baritone Matthew Cossack was admirable. Eunjin Jung was a pert Giannetta.

The direction of Laura Alley kept things moving forward nicely with plenty of appropriate stage business. Costume Designer Helen E. Rodgers duplicated the fashions of the 50's quite accurately, even dressing Adina in a poodle skirt. But, may we ask, how does setting this opera in the 1950's make it more relevant? We wondered how many people in the audience were alive 60 years ago!

Instead of a wealthy landowner, Adina is now the proprietor of a pasticceria in Little Italy. Roger Hanna's painted set, representing a street corner, was so accurate that we recognized the locale! We are convinced he copied Caffé Roma on Broome St. (If we are wrong we will atone by eating a dozen sfogliatelle!)

The chorus sings about sitting in the shade near a stream!  Other references in the libretto have been mistranslated to allow for Dr. Dulcamara to be driving a "snazzy car". We could justify the presence of military personnel because the time period coincided with the Korean war. But how do we account for Sergeant Belcore carrying around enlistment papers in his pocket and paying cash to Nemorino to enlist? We suppose most people would just overlook these anachronisms but they do bother us, purists as we are. But they didn't bother us enough to spoil the fun.

Mr. Sulyandziga's "Una furtiva lagrima" was delivered with his hands in his pockets, every nuance coming strictly from his voice. Never have we ever wanted so much to see a guy get the girl!

(c) meche kroop