THE QUEEN OF BROOKLYN

Gennadiy Vysotskiy, David Freides, Gary Giardina, Handong Fu, and Samuel Roth

La Bohême might be the favorite opera among opera lovers; if not it is surely within the top five. Zefferelli's famed production at The Metropolitan Opera brings people back again and again and is always a sell out, beloved for its lavish sets and excellent casting choices. However, there is an intimacy to the production by The Regina Opera Company that made our trip to the farthest reaches of Brooklyn worthwhile.

Thank goodness, there was no directorial arrogance imposing weird concepts onto this masterpiece. Stage Director Sabrina Palladino truly knows how to honor the storytelling and how to work with Puccini's apt orchestrations. Maestro Scott Jackson Wiley led his professional orchestra in a fine reading of the score. 

In spite of the distance of over a century, contemporary audiences have no trouble relating to the story of a group of young people coming of age--just as Puccini was looking backward almost a century to a prior period. The episodic stories by Henri Murger were adapted by librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. We might say that growing up is hard to do and that the foibles of youth are generally painful. And we might realize that it was always so.

Puccini wisely chose to focus on two parallel romances, one supportive, the other exploitive. The intimacy of the production permitted us to learn more about the characters than we had realized in previous viewings. Musetta, for example, is a narcissist in Act II and must discover a vein of unselfishness in Act IV when she sells her earrings to provide some relief for the dying Mimi. Soprano Jennifer Moore made this quite clear whilst delivering a vocally excellent performance, revealing different aspects of her character in Acts II, III, and IV.

Poor Marcello is her victim and, as a sensitive and caring young man, lacks the resources to resist. Just watching baritone Handong Fu in Act II, trying with all his might to resist Musetta's exhibitionist wiles, tells us all we need to know about their destructive relationship which we witness in full force in Act III. Mr. Fu's vocalism and phrasing matched his superb acting.

Equally effective was tenor David Freides in the role of Rodolfo, expressing ardor by means of warm vocal coloration in Act I, subtly changing the color from that which he exhibited when horsing around with his flatmates. We noticed more subtle changes of coloration in Act III when his defensive blaming of Mimi yields to the terror of losing her. Another change could be observed as Mimi dies (sorry about the spoiler, LOL) and he is in denial. Reality is tough to face and these callow youths are all forced to mature, one of the few benefits to suffering.

Poor Mimi does not get the chance to grow up, nipped in the bud like the flowers she embroiders. Soprano Audrey DuBois Harris exhibited an enviable vocal talent with lustrous tone and apt phrasing. We tried an experiment and closed our eyes; we realized she was  "acting with her voice"! We hope the following will be taken as encouragement, not criticism. Some acting lessons would put an "A" performances into "A+" territory. It wouldn't matter on a recording but in a live performance we want to see a more convincing use of gesture, posture, and facial expression.

The character of Mimi offers so many opportunities for interpretation. Is she really just a sweet and innocent young woman or is she a bit of a hustler, inviting herself along on Christmas Eve to get a free dinner? Getting th gift of a free bonnet was not enough, she wanted more. What do you think Dear Reader?

Smaller roles were well handled. Bass Gennadiy Vysotskiy in the role of Colline gave a moving delivery of "Vecchia zimarra"; he is bidding farewell to his old overcoat to get money to ease Mimi's death. Perhaps he knows what the audience knows--he is bidding farewell to his carefree youth. Baritone Samuel Roth portrayed Schaunard, the only member of the four flatmates who has an income-- by teaching music. There is comic relief in his tale of poisoning the parrot with parsley but it is even funnier that his starving flatmates are only interested in the food he brought. As in Shakespeare's plays, comic relief sets off the tragedy.

Veteran character singer Gary Giardina brought humor to the roles of landlord Benoit and Alcindoro, Musetta's fopish "sponsor" who gets stuck with the bill for everyone's food and drink at Café Momus.

We would like to once gain commend the direction of Ms. Palladino. Even the guards at the city gates seemed believable. And kudos to Francine Garber-Cohen for producing operas as they are meant to be appreciated--acted, costumed, well sung, and with full orchestra. We need such a company in Manhattan. Speaking of costuming, here's a shout for Marcia C. Kresge whose costuming was period accurate and another shout for the excellent titles by Linda Cantoni.

The opera can be seen on four more occasions--November 15, 16, 22, and 23. There will be four different casts and we recognize some names we know from other performances. You won't be disappointed.

© meche kroop

AN ELISIR TO LOVE

Sarah Moulton Faux and Aaron Blankfield

Amore Opera has found an excellent new home at the Sheen Center on Bleeker St. The small theater has a pit allowing the singers to project over the orchestra and is just the right size to permit a feeling of intimacy.  We are gratified that they have chosen Gaetano Donizetti to honor this season with one staple of the repertory and one rarely produced opera. Last night we had the pleasure of experiencing L’Elisir d’Amore up close and personal; next week we are looking forward to Poliuto, a drama about the 3rd century martyr. 

Donizetti is a melodist par excellence and he lavished his 1832 masterpiece L’Elisir d’Amore with a profusion of tunes that gladden the heart and touch the soul. Happily, his librettist Felice Romano adapted Augustin Eugène Scribe’s Le Philtre, a charming story with lovable characters. The setting is a small Italian village and the time has been updated to the early 20th c., which neither added new insights nor detracted from the story. (We have been terribly distressed by productions updated to the 20th c. because they just didn’t make sense.)

The production has been triple-cast and we very much enjoyed the cast we heard. We were quite impressed by Aaron Blankfield's performance as the timid lovesick Nemorino.  Not only did he exhibit a fine sweet tenor but he appeared to be drawing from someplace deep inside to create a most believable character whose ultimate success at love we wished to happen.  His “Una furtiva lagrima”, introduced by the most legato bassoon solo we have ever heard, was the epitome of soulfulness.

As Adina, the wealthy and educated landowner (here the owner of a bookshop), soprano Sarah Moulton Faux graced the stage with her beauty of form and voice. There was a bit of difficulty at the start getting the middle register to sail over the orchestra but that passed quickly and her brilliance with the coloratura passages was pure delight.

Baritone Gustavo Morales made an appropriately arrogant Sergeant Belcore, a rather ridiculous figure but ultimately a good-hearted chap and a gracious loser in the battle for Adina’s love.

As the traveling con man Dr. Dulcamara, we enjoyed the veteran performer Gary Giardina who really knows how to create a character. He arrived in high style and was accompanied by two lovely female assistants, Adrienne Chu and Angela Joy, whose antics were choreographed by Cara Chapman.

Merrin Lazyan sang the role of Giannetta while Marlene Williams filled several small roles. The chorus added greatly to the proceedings, especially the bumbling soldiers that did nothing to destroy the reputation carried by the Italian military. The children’s chorus fulfilled the adorable quotient.

Fine things happen when production personnel have experience in opera.  In this case, Stage Director (also Artistic Director) Nathan Hull and Conductor Daniele Tirilli both have backgrounds as opera singers and this clearly informed their performance of their tasks.

Maestro Tirilli’s conducting created plenty of room for the singers and Mr. Hull’s direction introduced lots of clever and original stage business that did not make the singers uncomfortable. (The Metropolitan Opera would do well to follow his example.) One touch we really liked was in the first scene when Nemorino is expressing his feelings for Adina; the action on stage froze as he enacted his fantasy of dancing with Adina.  This little twist was most touching. Another moment we cherished was the fumbling when Belcore is obliged to present Adina with flowers. 

Richard Cerullo's Scenic Design was simple but effective with a painted backdrop and two opposing shops between which was the village square, crowded with villagers. Simple costumes by Ghislaine Sabiti seemed appropriate to the early 20th c. 

But the most important thing for us was the singing and the lovely connection between Nemorino and Adina.  We were delighted that he overcame his faint heart and won the fair lady.

(c) meche kroop