PERFECTLY PURCELL

 Chelsea Helm and Mary ElizabethWilliams

A most welcome visit from Washington, D.C.- based Opera Lafayette provided the usual banquet of aural and visual delights for which they are known. Departing from their customary emphasis on opera of the 18th century, we took a step into the distant past to the Baroque era work Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell. At least our ears were transported thereto. Our eyes however confronted a rather contemporary setting looking very much like a library or common room in an educational institution. Identically costumed young women confirmed our speculation.

Having missed the pre-performance lecture, we were left to our own devices to figure out the disjunction. It only took a few minutes to realize that the taller women were either teachers or proctors and that they would be rehearsing Purcell's masterpiece, which (a fact dredged from our memory) was written for a girls' school in England in the last quarter of the 17th century. 

This concept by Stage Director Corinne Hayes was brought to realization by Set Designer Lisa Schlenker and Costume Designer Lynly Saunders. Having two tall women as the "teachers" and a clutch of shorter youthful women/girls as students (playing the choral roles) facilitated the illusion. Our vision is not the best but the acting convinced us that they were unruly schoolgirls, not the obedient schoolgirls of the 17th century but perhaps more like Dalton girls, sporting uniforms with plaid skirts, well directed to tease each other and assume children's postures and gestures.

Purcell's instrumental prelude tuned our ears, however, to a different time and place and it took several minutes to integrate what we were hearing with what we were seeing. Once the singing began however, and we realized they were putting on a show, we were able to settle in and enjoy the music. Furniture was repurposed as props and makeshift costumes for the two "teachers" were devised. Purcell's gorgeous duet for Dido (Mary Elizabeth Williams) and Belinda (Chelsea Helm) reminded us how skillfully Purcell set the English language (and what a rare and forgotten skill that is!), tailoring his elaborate vocal line to emphasize the words of Nahum Tate who wrote the libretto. Most music lovers are familiar with "Dido's Lament" which closes the opera, but not many would recognize the gorgeous duet in which two sopranos, with voices of different weight, wove their vocal lines into a tapestry with the glorious music.

For those of you who don't know the story, it is a simple one of two lovers parted by fate, leading to a suicide. It's an old story but just think how times have changed. Fate, in the 17th century, meant angry gods or witches and thus we had bass-baritone Hans Tashhjian who's made quite a name for himself in the dozen years since the first time we reviewed his performance as Wurm in Luisa Miller. Why this sorceress has it in for Aeneas we never learn but he employs deceit to lure Aeneas to Rome and to thus abandon Dido, Queen of Carthage.

In succeeding centuries, lovers were separated by political rivalries, vengeful paramours, and unequal social standing. Today, it is more likely personal whim or ghosting. Suicide over romantic disappointment is rare. By 21st century psychology, Dido seems petulant and histrionic. Our thoughts ran along the lines of  "So, dear girl, your lover gets called out of town. Move on. Find yourself a new one." Presenting the story as Virgil intended gives us perspective into the changing meaning of love and the relationship between men and women.

Musical values were excellent all around with Patrick Quigley serving as Music Director and the superb Opera Lafayette Orchestra comprising mainly strings with a couple of winds. Oftentimes the theorbo  seems indistinguishable to our ears but at this performance Dušan Balarin took  the part and made himself heard. Perhaps it's the way Purcell scored it but we heard it distinctly and we loved it.

We have yet to mention the third soprano. We hardly know what to make of a male soprano and how that fach differs from a counter-tenor, but the role of Aeneas was played by Elijah McCormack. Perhaps it was just a height issue but Ms. Williams, with her strong dramatic soprano and imposing height, seemed to overshadow him.  Another soprano  Kayleigh Sprouse made an impression with her convincing acting. The deep contralto of Cecilia McKinley made her a believable  witch.

It was a fine evening with the tragic tale leavened by some rowdy sailors' chorus, Purcell's gorgeous music, Tate's concise libretto, and all around excellent musical values.

© meche kroop