Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Review of Opera Theatre of St. Louis's "Carmen"

Kendall Gladen as Carmen
Copyright Ken Howard, 2012
Carmen as film noir? With a femme fatale heroine, a doomed anti-hero, and a netherworld in which cops (well, OK, the fascist Guardia Civil) and crooks meet, the concept behind Opera Theatre’s production has genuine merit. It’s not without its missteps, but strong performances by (among others) Aleksey Bogdanov as Escamillo, Corinne Winters as Micaëla, and—first and foremost—hometown gal Kendall Gladen as a magnetic Carmen make it work much more often than not.

In his program notes, director Stephen Barlow makes a strong case for turning Bizet’s 1878 opera into a 1940s black and white crime movie, complete with opening and closing titles. “The ominous world view of film noir,” he writes, “sits remarkably well with both Mérimée’s and Bizet’s Carmen, especially given that they all share the exact same theme: the impossibility of escape from a cold implacable fate.” Don José’s self-destructive obsession with Carmen also works in both worlds, as does the drama’s setting in the fringes of society.

In order for José’s fall from grace to work, though, there has to be some grace there in the first place. In the context of the original libretto the army is, at worst, morally neutral, and José’s sense of duty is actually admirable. When the army in question is the fascist Guardia Civil of World War II Spain, however, the equation changes drastically. In this context, that sense of duty and Micaëla’s determination to bring him back to it are, at best, naïve if not actually delusional. I’m also not convinced it makes sense to turn José into a murderer two acts early by having him shoot Zuniga at the end of Act II.

Changing the smugglers’ contraband from unspecified goods to undocumented immigrants (possibly refugees; it’s not that clear from the staging) also complicates the moral landscape. It’s one thing to be a tax dodger; it’s quite another to make a profit off the desperation of your fellow humans.

Still, the general idea is a good one and when this Carmen is firing on all cylinders the results are entertaining as hell. An excellent example is the crowd scene and pre-bullfight procession that open Act IV. There’s a pair of adorable tykes dolled up as a toreador and his lady, a statue of the Virgin, flamenco dancers, and finally an entrance in a vintage touring car and a shower of monochrome confetti by Carmen and Escamillo who sing their love duet to the microphones as part of a photo opportunity. It’s a neat demonstration of gaudy pageantry and mindless hero-worship that contrasts starkly with the upcoming deranged declaration of love from Don José.

All this is buoyed considerably by a mostly fine cast, a superb chorus with elocution so clear the projected English text was often irrelevant, and a first-rate orchestra of St. Louis Symphony musicians under the baton of the much-praised young Venezuelan conductor Carlos Izcaray.

The sine qua non for Carmen is, of course, a convincing performance in the title role—someone who can persuade the audience that she’s so utterly irresistible that she can bend every man she encounters to her will. In St. Louis native Kendall Gladen, we have all that and then some. Despite the handicap of a sinus infection on opening night, Ms. Gladen gave us a smoky-voiced and fiercely seductive Carmen whose dealings with the men around her bring to mind lyrics from the 1924 classic “Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)”: “To tease ‘em and thrill ‘em / To torture and kill ‘em / Is her delight, they say.” It’s not difficult to envision this Carmen “throwing water on a drowning man.”

Ukrainian baritone Aleksey Bogdanov is an ideal Escamillo—a preening, self-satisfied showoff who, unlike poor Don José, understands exactly what he’s getting into with Carmen. His Act II “Toreador” song has all the swagger and vocal flash you could wish for.

Former Gerdine Young Artist Corinne Winters makes the most of the “good girl” role of Micaëla, especially in her heartfelt Act III aria. As written, the character is painfully stereotypical—the virgin vs. Carmen’s whore—but Ms. Winters gives her a genuine soul.

Speaking of the Gerdine Young Artist program, current members of that program Shirin Eskandani and Jennifer Caraluzzi make a strong impression as Carmen’s friends Mercédès and Fasquita. So does Bradley Smoak (another former program member) as the arrogant Zuniga.

Vocally you couldn’t ask for a better Don José than Adam Diegel. His ringing tenor voice and clear articulation add much to the role. Dramatically, though, I found him less than convincing. His character seemed more petulant than tragic and his spoken dialogue came across as a bit stilted. Some of that’s in the libretto, of course, but even so, there’s more emotional range in Don José than we saw on opening night.

Set and costume designer Paul Edwards has carried out the black and white movie motif perfectly, with discrete touches of color (Carmen’s Act I flower and the neon sign for Pastia’s bar, for example) for dramatic impact. Christopher Akerlind’s shadowy lighting falls right into line, mimicking the shadowy look of those classic films.

The bottom line, then, is that while Opera Theatre’s Carmen is far from perfect, it succeeds often enough to be well worth seeing, especially if you’re a fan of the piece to begin with or just want to welcome a hometown gal back in triumph. The director’s concept may not always work, but it’s an intelligent attempt to put a novel spin on classic in a way that respects the world of the original, and for that I think it deserves our support.

Carmen continues through June 23rd in rotating repertory with three other operas on the main stage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Note: Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic at 88.1 KDHX, where this review originally appeared.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Spotlight on Opera Shines on "Alice in Wonderland" at Ethical Society on Monday, May 21


Opera Theatre of Saint Louis' Spotlight on Opera concludes on Monday, May 21, 7:30 p.m. at the Ethical Society in Clayton with a discussion of the American debut of Alice in Wonderland: "Envisioning a New Wonderland."

Individual tickets are available for $10.

Lewis Carroll’s Alice novels have inspired the imagination of children and adults for over 100 years. Why does his brand of wonder continue to find new shape again and again in literature and popular culture? And how did two of opera’s greatest modern visionaries rediscover his words to create their new opera? Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Henry Hwang is joined by Opera Theatre’s Artistic Director James Robinson and conductor Michael Christie.

Spotlight on Opera brings together Opera Theatre artists, community leaders, and scholars for unique perspectives and unforgettable insights into the operas in the 2012 Festival Season. The operas discussed this season are Carmen, Sweeney Todd, Cosi fan tutte, and Alice in Wonderland.

Guest panelists this season include a Tony Award-winning singer and actress, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a leading clinical psychiatrist, an enterprising small business owner, St. Louis’s top percussionist, and an award-winning Spanish professor. These panelists join the conductor and director of each opera, as well as singers from Opera Theatre’s Gerdine Young Artist apprentice program, who perform musical highlights from each opera. The programs are moderated by Opera Theatre General Director Timothy O’Leary.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Spotlight on Opera Shines on "Cosi fan tutte" at Ethical Society on Monday, May 14

Jean-Marie Zeitouni (Photo by Patrick Sanfaçon/La Presse


Spotlight on Opera continues on Monday, May 14, 7:30 p.m. at the Ethical Society in Clayton with a discussion of Mozart's Così fan tutte: "The Art and Science of Attraction."

Individual tickets are available for $10.

In the romantic comedy Così fan tutte, two men put on costumes to become dashing foreigners. Can that really make them more attractive to women who already know them? What can Mozart teach us about desire, fidelity, honesty, and love? Washington University’s Eric J. Nuetzel, leading clinical psychiatrist and a training and supervising psychoanalyst at the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute, is joined by conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni and director Michael Shell.

Spotlight on Opera brings together Opera Theatre artists, community leaders, and scholars for unique perspectives and unforgettable insights into the operas in the 2012 Festival Season. The operas discussed this season are Carmen, Sweeney Todd, Cosi fan tutte, and Alice in Wonderland.

Guest panelists this season include a Tony Award-winning singer and actress, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a leading clinical psychiatrist, an enterprising small business owner, St. Louis’s top percussionist, and an award-winning Spanish professor. These panelists join the conductor and director of each opera, as well as singers from Opera Theatre’s Gerdine Young Artist apprentice program, who perform musical highlights from each opera. The programs are moderated by Opera Theatre General Director Timothy O’Leary.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Spotlight on Opera Shines on "Sweeney Todd " at Ethical Society on Monday, May 7

Linda Smith, owner of St. Louis’s oldest continuously operating bakery, packages loaves of freshly-baked bread. Photo by Rick Graefe/Suburban Journals.

Spotlight on Opera continues on Monday, May 7, 7:30 p.m. at the Ethical Society in Clayton with a discussion of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd.

Individual tickets are available for $10.

When times get tough, Sondheim’s iconic Mrs. Lovett gets going with adventures in novel recipes. Explore the social and economic pressures that define Sweeney Todd’s Victorian England and consider their bearing on today’s business climate.

The owner of St. Louis’s oldest continuously operating bakery, Linda Smith of Carondelet Bakery, and Karen Ziemba, Tony Award-winning singer and actress, who portrays Mrs. Lovett in Opera Theatre’s production, are joined by Opera Theatre Music Director Stephen Lord and director Ron Daniels.

Spotlight on Opera brings together Opera Theatre artists, community leaders, and scholars for unique perspectives and unforgettable insights into the operas in the 2012 Festival Season. The operas discussed this season are Carmen, Sweeney Todd, Cosi fan tutte, and Alice in Wonderland.

Guest panelists this season include a Tony Award-winning singer and actress, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a leading clinical psychiatrist, an enterprising small business owner, St. Louis’s top percussionist, and an award-winning Spanish professor. These panelists join the conductor and director of each opera, as well as singers from Opera Theatre’s Gerdine Young Artist apprentice program, who perform musical highlights from each opera. The programs are moderated by Opera Theatre General Director Timothy O’Leary.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Karita Mattila Stars in Janácek’s "The Makropulos Case" on the Season's Final Met Saturday Matinee Broadcast


St. Louis Public Radio will conclude the 2011-2012 season of Met Opera broadcasts with Janácek’s The Makropulos Case on their HD channel, KWMU-3 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Please note earlier than usual starting time. Approximate running time 2 hours, 40 minutes, with intermissions at approximately 12:10 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The Met says:
Count on a tour-de-force performance from Karita Mattila in Janácek’s absorbing drama of a diva’s supernatural fight against her destiny. Czech expert Jirí Behlolávek conducts.

In a review published in the April 29, 2012, New York Times, Anthony Tommasini says:
At first I thought that Ms. Mattila was going for too much vampish glamour in the role. But slowly and subtly she brought out the diva’s emptiness and bitterness as Marty laughs at the foolish people around her who take attachments seriously. Ms. Mattila now adds this role to her other memorable portrayals of Janácek heroines over the last decade at the Met: the title roles of “Jenufa” and “Katya Kabanova.” The original Capek play is full of chatty conversation and legalistic bickering. But this seemingly unoperatic quality was exactly what drew Janácek to it. In the last period of his life Janácek (who died in 1928 at 74), fashioned his own way to write path-breaking operas. Though his harmonic language has pungently modern elements, the true modernism comes from the way the vocal lines closely imitate the rhythms and contours of the Czech words. And for whole stretches of the score the vocal lines hover in their own dramatic realm above the orchestral music, a hotbed of shifting harmonies and fractured phrases.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Review of Union Avenue Opera's "Acis and Galatea"

The production of Handel’s 1739 pastoral opera Acis and Galatea that graced Union Avenue Opera’s stage this past weekend was pretty much a perfect fit for the company and its space. With a small orchestra (ten pieces including harpsichord continuo), a cast of seven, and a modest set, it was pretty much what you’d expect from a company of UAOT’s size and technical capabilities.

Which was, of course, the most surprising thing about it.

Because if Union Avenue is about anything, in my experience, it’s about pushing their operatic envelope to the breaking point, be it with local premieres (Dead Man Walking), unusual collaborations (Porgy and Bess with the Black Rep), or just shows that you’d think would be too darn big for that space (last season’s Turandot and this season’s upcoming Das Rheingold). From that perspective, Acis and Galatea looks like an unusually safe choice.

From the perspective of what local audiences are likely to turn out for, though, it was right up there with the company’s usual gutsy decisions. Baroque opera is not, in general, a big seller. The musical conventions and presentational acting style that go with it are so far from contemporary ideas of musical theatre that they might as well be from another planet. Besides, there are only so many arias da capo most of us can listen to before our eyes start to glaze over.

It was not surprising, then, that when I attended on Sunday afternoon the house was small and apparently somewhat baffled by the entire business.

That’s a pity, because Union Avenue’s production was really quite fine. The orchestra played beautifully and the cast sang and acted in a style completely appropriate to the material. Even the set (a riot of live plants) was exactly right for a piece that began life as a one-act masque to be performed in a formal English garden. Baroque opera has limited appeal for me, but even I was able to appreciate what a completely admirable presentation this was.

The singers of Acis and Galatea were notable not only for the ease with which they negotiated those florid early 18th-centry vocal lines, but also for the way in which their voices matched each other and blended. Nobody was noticeably more or less powerful than anyone else. The solo quartet passage for the nymphs and shepherds at the end of “Mourn all ye muses” was especially impressive in that regard.

Those nymphs and shepherds were Elise LaBarge, Nathan Ruggles, Elizabeth Schleicher, and Philip Touchette. The principles were Juliet Petrus (Galatea), Marc Schapman (Acis), and David Dillard (the “monstrous giant” Polyphemus, made even more so by costumer Teresa Dogget’s creepy mask and wardrobe dresser Amy Ruprecht’s body makeup). Congratulations to all of them and to conductor and company artistic director Scott Schoonover and stage director Allyson Ditchey as well.

Acis and Galatea was performed Friday through Sunday, April 27-29, 2012.  Union Avenue’s 2012 season continues June 29 through July 7 with Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (something I don’t think has been done locally in my lifetime) and Wagner’s Das Rheingold in a version “adapted and reduced” by British composer Jonathan Dove (whose remarkable opera Flight had its St. Louis premiere at Opera Theatre back in 2003). That last one will, I think, be something to see, if only to find out how they plan to get the Rhine, Nibelheim, and Valhalla on that stage.

Operas are always performed in their original languages with projected English text clearly visible from everywhere in the theatre. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, you may visit unionavenueopera.org.

Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic at 88.1 KDHX, where this review first appeared.