Heartbeat Opera’s Lady M Virtual Soirée: We had a beautiful time

Heartbeat Opera’s Lady M is planned as a modern, adapted, shorter version of Verdi’s Macbeth told from Lady Macbeth’s point of view and was to have premiered this Spring; it’s the sort of thing Heartbeat Opera does, changing operas and creating new ones to better communicate with today’s audiences.  Then, the pandemic closed all theaters.  The company’s leadership could simply have postponed or folded their new production.  Instead, they marshaled their spirits and their creative energies to remain engaged with their artists and to offer something new to their audiences.  Voila, an online Lady M Soirée, or a fantasia as Director and Adaptor Ethan Heard calls it.  It is a virtual drawing room party devoted to introducing the concept behind Lady M and giving us a sampling, but also ncludes us as part of that process.  It’s something new and fresh, and we need that!

A Zoom room snapshot of the creative staff and performers for Lady M; photo courtesy of Heartbeat Opera.

The Lady M Soirée was born out of need, theirs and ours.  Let’s let Merle Haggard provide the context before I discuss details.  (I have finally started watching the Ken Burn’s series “Country Music” that I recorded on PBS some time ago; this somehow started me listening to Merle Haggard).  Mr. Haggard always seems to have the right song to articulate emotional longings; country music has been described as three chords and the truth. For the Lady M Soirée, I offer his song “I’ve Had a Beautiful Time” (with my annotations):

We met downtown in the barroom (substitute Zoom room)
Both of us needing a friend (true I think)
And you brought me home to your doorstep (all was recorded or live-cast in performers homes)
And it was there you invited me in (I got to see the Movement Director’s vacuum cleaner)

And more (no annotations needed) -

We talked about what we been needin'
Discussin' our ups and our downs

And I've had a beautiful time
Holding your heart next to mine

And finally (which will require a little discussion) -

And I can't say I found any answers
But you listened while I rattled on

The Soirée offered a mix of intros among the staff and attendees; a behind the scenes video discussion of artistic issues with the creation of Lady M and the technological issues in pulling together the virtual Soirée; a few aria performances (one live, one I’m not sure, and one recorded); finishing with the group splitting into chat rooms to mingle with the staff and artists for a Q&A. 

A sampling of current offices/performance venues for Heartbeat Opera; photos courtesy of Heartbeat Opera.

Highlights for me: I think it was real; it seemed real.  I was in a Zoom room with twenty to thirty other homo sapiens or that appeared to be homo sapiens, including artists, staff, and audience members. That was kinda cool.  Some of the presentations were recorded, and the mix was not always entirely clear to me.  I’m always harping on how much better live performances attended in person are; the Soirée inched somewhere in between recorded and in person (I might also note that my twenty-something son tells me that hearing performances in person isn’t nearly as preferred by him as me; worries for opera’s future?.

Soprano Felicia Moore as Lady M and mezzo-soprano Sishel Claverie as a Weird Sister; photos courtesy of Heartbeat Opera.

The whole affair maintained my interest, but it was the excellent singers that doled out the afternoon’s desserts.  Soprano Felicia Moore as Lady Macbeth has a captivating voice, powerful and rich with color.  Her early Lady M aria sung in her childhood bedroom, and the video of the sleepwalking scene (Maledetta) were excellent, giving her the chance to fully display the colors, texture, and emotionality of her voice. Wow.  It was interesting in the Q&A that Ms. Moore said that perhaps the most difficult part of her bedroom performance was singing with accompaniment that was recorded. Mezzo-soprano Sishel Claverie appeared live where she lip-synced part of the Witches chorus, transformed in Lady M to the three Weird Sisters, all solo sopranos.  The weird sisters look like they are going to bring the fun in the staged production.  Ms. Claverie brings infectious energy and excitement to the role.  The other singers appeared for a few seconds in the different video clips. In the short time allotted, there was a brief appearance of Beauty led by the singing. 

Screenshots showing some visual effects in the Sleepwalking video; photos courtesy of Heartbeat Opera.

The music arranged by Music Director and Co-Translator Jacob Ashworth with new arrangements by Daniel Schlosberg was played by a six-piece ensemble and had to be sewn together from audio/video files. The music in Maledetta added to the eerie mood and shifts in the scene and had me wanting to hear more of the new arrangements.

Performances, live and recorded, were done in interesting ways; visuals were usually engaging if sometimes baffling.  Movement Director Emma Jaster, who owns an excellent vacuum cleaner, along with Ethan Heard and Jacob Ashworth did a twenty-minute Zoom tour of each of the performer’s homes to help the singers deal with moving and performing in their individual circumstances.  The visuals in Maledetta were eerie and appropriately disturbing for Lady M’s nightmare, though for me, had more of a collage than flowing effect. 

My only disappointment with the virtual Soirée is that, at an hour, it was all to brief.

When I think about what distinguishes opera, it is Beauty.  Opera has the ability, more so for me than other art forms, to achieve Beauty and when it does, a wormhole in the universe opens up connecting the audience to each other and to the universe itself with the feeling that we are all part of a larger truth.  But opera companies are also in the entertainment business.  I have the feeling from this brief introduction to Lady M that it will be entertaining when staged.  I was certainly happy to drink from the Soirée’s cup.  The question in my mind is will it attain transcendence through Beauty.

Most opera companies are striving to remain connected to their audiences via offering concerts and operas via streaming, but Heartbeat Opera stands out for injecting creativity into an online performance, using the medium to not just sustain their audience, but to draw them closer with fresh, personally engaging experiences.  It turns out that Merle Haggard’s friend in the song was not his wife.  Were we sort of cheating on live and in person opera, In the spirit of if you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you are with?  One risk with cheating is that sometimes those relationships blossom; then what?  We don’t have answers, but for the future, one can envision a complementarity for virtual soirées and staged performances.  I think technology is moving into staged performances as well.  Pittsburgh Opera is now providing interactive experiences using smart phones during their staged performances which I like, but as a separate experience from traditional viewing.  Classical opera performances aren’t going away, but new, perhaps younger fans may well be gravitating towards technology-enhanced experiences.

Heartbeat Opera is planning to move ahead with staged performances of Lady M next Spring.  After the introduction to her in the Soirée, I want to see Lady M, and I wonder how these virtual experiences might lead Heartbeat Opera to adjust what is finally presented.

The Fan Experience: There are 12 remaining online Soirée performances scheduled, May 28-June 6, sometimes two evening performances or a matinee and an evening performance; the run was extended due to its popularity.  As an interactive opera experience, each Soirée will likely be slightly different. You need to have a computer and a good internet connection sufficient for streaming audio and video, and you must download the Zoom app if you haven’t already. Heartbeat Opera sends you all the instruction you need.  If you are uncomfortable being part of a group, you can participate with your video feed and/or microphone turned off.  It will cost you $30 for a one-time entrance to the Soirée, but the whole family can watch.  Not bad for possibly a glimpse of opera’s future.  There were a couple of technology clunkers, but no harm done.  At the end, there was an appeal for much needed support for Heartbeat Opera’s Tomorrow Fund. 

National Philharmonic at Strathmore’s Inspirational Tribute

Composer Aaron Copland, 1962; photo in Public Domain, wikipedia.

National Philharmonic at Strathmore has released a virtual performance of composer Aaron Copland’s classic “Fanfare for the Common Man” that is both heartfelt and a gem among music videos.  I found it to be a touching, emotional tribute to hospital workers and common Americans on the frontlines dealing with the coronavirus pandemic crisis.  Copland gave his work its name because he was inspired by a speech given in 1942, the year his work was to premiere, by Vice-President Henry Wallace.  The speech came to be known as the “Century of the Common Man”.  It was given shortly after America’s entrance into WWII.  Wallace gave tribute to the common men and women of America, everyday people, who would carry the burden of that great war and be essential to our victory and who he felt should reap the benefits of victory.  Earlier, President Roosevelt had presented the nation with his Four Freedoms; one was the Freedom from Fear.  We are again in a battle for freedom from fear.  Kyle Schick, Director of Artistic Operations, had the idea for a virtual performance of the Fanfare and then realized the relationship to the medical care workers in today’s struggle against the coronavirus pandemic.  He pitched his idea for a video to leadership at the National Philharmonic at Strathmore, an orchestra that has served its community for over three decades, and now, like all orchestras today, has lost access to the performance stage.

Henry A. Wallace’s 1942 speech proclaimed the “Century of the Common Man”; photo in Public Domain, source - wikipedia.

Arts performance groups very much want to stay in touch with their audiences and make contributions in these constraining times, yet they are unable to give public performances.  Director Schick correctly noted that we all are feeling scared, all experiencing fear and needing uplifting messages, messages of hope and connection, looking to see the good in our society.  We can all agree that those on the frontlines dealing directly with individuals who have or might have contracted the disease are putting themselves at risk on our behalf and thereby, exemplify Americans at our best, sacrificing for others.  This is also a unique and strange time for musicians who can’t be on stage together.  They continue to develop music and art, but any recording done presently must be made at home, by individuals.  The NP leadership felt that a virtual performance on video by the National Philharmonic honoring our frontline workers would be welcomed by music fans as an effort to overcome adversity, and that the tribute to common American heroes would be embraced by music fans and appreciated by the frontline workers. 

NP video, YouTube: The performers in the video are Peter Gajewski (conducting), Michael Hall (french horn), Chris Gekker (trumpet), David Sciannella (trombone), Willie Clark (tuba), and Tom Maloy (percussion, timpani).

There are many artistic and technological challenges in making a virtual performance.  One can find many examples of virtual orchestral performances on YouTube.  Most of these use multiple frames highlighting different performers at the same time who are playing in isolation and recording their parts in isolation and later have their audio tracks merged.  Getting all the performers together on the same tempo and pitch is an immediate challenge.  Director Schick has a background in audio editing and knew he could use a click track (audio files with a metronomic pace added) to enable the performers to play their parts with the correct tempo before mixing.  There are also some advantages to this process; Schick knew he could use this technology to be able to present Copland’s fanfare with just five performers with the same performers playing more than one part, simplifying the task.  As the tempo for the piece changes, slowing down, using the click track file becomes problematic.  To assist the performers in overcoming this challenge, NP Founder and Conductor Piotr Gajewski filmed himself conducting the piece.  Schick combined the trumpet/percussion pieces with Gajewski’s video and gave it to the other performers to address both tempo and pitch issues.  Each performer recorded their parts in their homes using iPhones.  Final mixing was overseen by Schick and Patron Services Manager, Quinton Braswell.

To make NP’s tribute more effective artistically, they decided to employ photographs of hospital workers who are on the frontlines.  The photos are outstanding! They were taken by professional photographer Sinna Nasseri, whose work is known for revealing human emotion in his photographs (you can see more examples of his photos in this NYTimes article, which includes some of the photos used by NP), and also friends and donors to NP who shared their work.  Director Schick and the NP team have blended these into a highly effective presentation, beautifully coupled to the music, and this unique element greatly enhances the emotional appeal of the performance.

A fanfare is a short, lively, loud piece of music by brass and percussion instruments used to introduce something to come, a musical work or even a person, such as a king.  It can also be included as part of a larger work.  Copland later used the Common Man Fanfare in the final movement of his Symphony No. 3.  However, it was written for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at the request of conductor Eugene Goossens.  Along with Copland’s Billy the Kid ballet and the Grand Canyon Suite, the Fanfare is among his most popular works.  Aaron Copland is one of America’s greatest and most influential composers.  The National Philharmonic at Strathmore has put together a fine virtual performance that honors both Mr. Copland and the common Americans serving us during the coronavirus pandemic.  It also serves as a reminder that Copland wrote the Fanfare to honor the common men and women serving us in WWII. Finally, It is an enjoyable short, piece of music. 

If there were a classical music TV network, like MTV for rock, I think the NP video would be on their hits list.  Personally, I’d like to see more virtual performances of classical music and opera where the opportunities for creative visual expression are explored; this is certainly being done with lighting and video effects in live stage performances.

The Fan Experience: The video is about four minutes in length. There is a short opening statement of purpose on the screen followed by a quick start to the music. The sound is bold and crystal clear; I recommend doing a sound level check on your device before listening.  The orchestra plays at the Music Center at Strathmore, but has not announced their 2020-2021 season as yet. One item of interest I found on their website is that young people ages 7-17 may attend any of their concerts at Strathmore for free, a very good deal for families. 

Maryland Lyric Opera: A Regional Hometown Opera Company Gives Back

Let me start with a list of organizations who have recently received donations of surgical face masks from Maryland Lyric Opera (list provided by Marianna Gray, Director of Marketing and Communications):

Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore

St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore

Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring

Holy Cross Germantown Hospital

Shady Grove Adventist Hospital

Adventist Healthcare Germantown Emergency Center

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Rockville, MD

The ARC of Montgomery County

The ARC of Prince Georges County

AFSCME Maryland

INOVA Fairfax Hospital

George Washington University Hospital

BayWoods of Annapolis Retirement Community

The Kensington in Falls Church, VA

Interfaith Works Women’s Shelter in Rockville, MD

Cobbdale Assisted Living in VA

Medstar Montgomery Hospital National Center for Children and Families Men’s Homeless Shelter on Taft Court, Rockville, MD

Bronx Lebanon Hospital

NYC Nassau University Medical Center, NY

The list is not exhaustive at this point.  My communication from Ms. Gray stated that over 300,000 masks had been provided and another 200,000 were on hand for distribution.

Members of the Maryland Lyric Opera team delivering their donations of surgical masks; courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

All of the arts, including opera, are going through a potentially disastrous period.  The second half of the opera season had to be cancelled to meet social distancing guidelines, and frankly, we still don’t know when performances can begin anew.  Singers and musicians are greatly limited in even their ability to practice and hone their crafts.  Careers are paused and the future is uncertain.  Companies, performers, and staffs do not have income coming in from performances; they must survive on the generosity of donors.  You might think opera professionals would be closing up shop entirely or simply hunkering down in their basements.  In reality, most companies are working hard to offer online streaming of concerts and opera performances, both recorded and live in the limited ways they can, and trying to maintain contact with their devotees through social media.  Check out Maryland Lyric Opera on Facebook to get timely postings of upcoming opera performances across the globe that can be accessed online.  Such efforts are much needed and greatly appreciated by their fans. 

Maryland Lyric Opera also deserves a shout out for a special effort they are making.  We’ve all read about the shortages of PPE’s (personal protective equipment) since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and other medical personnel have been having to perform their jobs without adequate supplies of PPE’s.  During the early days of pandemic, the US Coronavirus Task Force downplayed the importance of masks for the general public, instead emphasizing that the in demand, start-of-the-art N95 masks should be reserved exclusively for medical personnel and other at risk workers.  On April 3, the CDC announced a new policy recommending that cloth face masks be worn by the general public.  The supplies of secondary-defense surgical masks made of cloth had already begun to dry up. 

Brad Clark, Founder and Artistic Director of Maryland Lyric Opera; photo courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

Maryland Lyric Opera decided to do something about this, extending their reach as far into Maryland and the DC area as possible.  At the beginning of last season, Founder and Artistic Director Brad Clark made a generous donation to MDLO’s Student Initiative “Hello Opera” which allowed Maryland Lyric Opera to offer students tickets to its performances at nominal cost.  When the remainder of the MDLO performance season had to be cancelled due to this pandemic, Director Clark and the MDLO team decided to re-purpose those funds to provide surgical three-ply cloth masks to medical facilities and facilities with at risk populations in the area; they were able to use their world-wide opera connections to acquire masks.

For this important work, they have been acknowledged in articles in Bethesda Magazine and in the Baltimore Sun newspaper.  In the Bethesda Magazine article, I am impressed by a statement from Susie Sinclair-Smith, CEO for the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, who said that they were struggling to find PPEs for a men’s homeless shelter in Rockville. She reports that the situation turned around on April 9 with support coming in from surrounding communities; the first donation they received that day was 4000 surgical masks from Maryland Lyric Opera.   INOVA Health Systems gave MDLO this praise: “We are incredibly grateful for their support in providing face masks for our #InovaHeroes!” Their efforts have also been written about in Operawire.

Maryland Lyric Opera describes itself as a regional opera company. I think of it as a hometown opera company.  Here are the opening lines from OperaGene’s blog report on MDLO’s performance last September of Il Tabarro and Cavalleria Rusticana: “Suburban Maryland now has a hometown opera company (I’m talking to you Bethesda, College Park, Kensington, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Wheaton).  And folks, the hometown opera company can bring it!”.  I noticed in their list above that their masks donations even made it to Northern Virginia and DC facilities. Okay, it’s a regional opera company that feels like a hometown company in bringing high quality opera to local communities.  They see themselves as serving a regional community. Lucky community.

The Fan Experience: Looking back, I see over ten entries during the last two years in OperaGene on Maryland Lyric Opera, a still-young opera company.  A main activity of the company is providing world-class training and enhancing the professional develop of young artists.  I am always impressed with the quality of their young artists and their superb orchestra led by Conductor and Music Director Louis Salemno. Some of their performances have been season highlights for me.  Their 2020-2021 season is scheduled to start on September 23, but has not yet been posted on their website, so I suggest you get on their email list to receive notices of their concerts and opera performances. 

Connecting to Opera’s Beauty, Connecting to Each Other

I enjoy most genres of music, but for the last seven or eight years, opera has been my go-to genre.  Why do I connect so much more strongly to opera now, what is different about opera?  The answer I keep returning to is opera’s beauty.  When I was a young boy, watching the 1933 movie “King Kong” on television made quite an impression on me.  I have never forgotten the closing lines.  The airplanes had just killed King Kong, shooting the creature down from the top of the Empire State Building where he was trying escape having captured the object of fascination, the beautiful actress Ann Darrow.  I felt such sadness for the beast; I felt like taking a swat at the airplanes myself.  Having observed the action, a police lieutenant says to the movie producer Carl Denham, who was responsible for bringing the captured beast to NYC for display, “Well, Denham, the airplanes got him.”  Denham answers back, “Oh no, it wasn’t the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast.” 

Beauty may not be an irresistible force, but it is a powerful one.  I also think that opera has a unique type of beauty, a beauty that stops you in your tracks, lifts you up, connects us to each other as humans to something larger than ourselves.  Perhaps you know the scene in “The Shawshank Redemption” where a rogue inmate plays an opera duet over the loudspeaker in a prison.  The inmates stop in their tracks and listen, momentarily transfixed by the beauty of the sound.  Had a pop song been played instead, the inmates would have grinned, maybe swayed or danced to the music, and enjoyed, even shared in the experience.  But Mozart’s aria provided the inmates with a transcendent experience.  I think that perhaps without knowing it that this is opera’s goal, to use the human voice and music enhanced by a story and staging to share with its audience a transcendent experience that connects us to each other and to something greater than ourselves.

During my journey with opera, I find there are a few recordings of arias and duets that I go to for comfort that consistently draw me into opera’s spell and the beauty washes over me like warm, soothing water.  I’d like to share two of these, both duets, one by the ladies and one by the gentlemen.  I find the blending of voices in duets can be especially beautiful.

The first is the Flower Duet from Léo Delibes’ opera Lakmé.  I ran across this duet searching opera arias on YouTube early in my love affair with opera.  I have not seen Lakmé and am only vaguely aware of its plot.  I have listened to the duet being performed by several different sets of performers, but I have never felt the desire to look up the libretto or to find out what the song is about.  The music and the voices speak to me very clearly what the aria is about, though I can’t put the meaning into words, reminiscent of Morgan Freeman’s voice over during the opera scene in “The Shawshank Redemption” when he says that he doesn’t know what the ladies were singing about, but liked to think it was about something too beautiful to be put into words.  Here is a performance of the Flower Duet sung by coloratura soprano Sabine Devieilhe and mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa that I especially enjoy:

The second is a duet from Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers for tenor and baritone, performed in this case by the world famous singers, tenor Jonas Kaufman and baritone Dmitri Hvorovstosky.  I heard this duet first while watching a video of the opera, and in fact, felt there was a disconnect between the music and the words.  I think it’s best heard like the Flower Duet, without knowing what it is about.  Let these extraordinary voices and Bizet’s extraordinary music tell you what it means to you.  This is an overt example of how opera brings us together – a German tenor and a Russian baritone sing a duet written in French – as the audience add your own nationality. 

Met Opera’s Les Contes d’Hoffman on video: Fun, Almost Bacon

Analogy: Watching opera on screens is to viewing live opera as eating veggie bacon is to eating real bacon.  As someone limited to veggie bacon for health reasons and currently limited to opera on screens for health reasons, I know whereof I speak.  That said, I am nonetheless grateful for the alternatives, and the best videos are the ones that make me so wish that I had seen it in person.  Met Opera’s 2009 Les Contes d’Hoffman (The Tales of Hoffman) by Jacques Offenbach is in that category and will be available for feasting for free on Wednesday, April 22, starting at 7:30 pm and running on demand from the Met Opera website for the following 23 hours.   

From Met Opera video of Les Contes d’Hoffman: Joseph Calleja as Hoffman and Anna Netrebko as Stella. Photo by Ken Howard; courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

The libretto written by Jules Barbier is based on stories by German author E.T.A. Hoffman, which may have been somewhat autobiographical.  In the opera, a poet named Hoffman recounts his three love affairs to friends in a tavern next to the opera house.  He is advised by his muse, the goddess of poetry, and thwarted by a different demon in each scene.  His paramours are a robot named Olympia, a sick opera singer Antonia, and the Venetian courtesan Giulietta.  The muse is trying to direct him away from his current infatuation, the opera singer Stella, staring next door, so that the muse can keep the poet focused on his writing. The opera brings in a prologue, three acts, and an epilogue at slightly under three hours.  Offenbach died while the opera was in rehearsal; the music and orchestration had been completed, but some details for acts III and the epilogue needed finishing.  This situation has led to constant controversy over Hoffman’s intentions, leading to different versions over the years.  The Met’s music director and conductor James Levine chose the 2009 assemblage, giving the muse a greater part and a soft landing at the end.  Offenbach’s largest body of work was light-hearted, often satirical operettas and operas.  However, Les Contes d’Hoffman though fun, is a serious work of art exploring important themes in both a dramatic and entertaining manner.  It begins with the opening lines: “I am wine. I am beer.  We are man’s best friends,” and closes with a sad, but wiser refrain, very well done, I think.

There are three productions of Les Contes d’Hoffman in the “Met Opera On Demand” catalog, productions from 1988, 2009, and 2015.  So, the question comes to mind why the Met is choosing to stream the 2009 video? The casts in all these productions are excellent, but 2009 has perhaps the world’s reigning diva, soprano Anna Netrebko who plays Stella and Antonia.  She was originally going to sing the roles of Olympia and Giuletta as well, which would have been highly interesting, but instead we are treated to coloratura soprano Kathleen Kim as Olympia and mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as Giuletta.  I might have claimed that each of these ladies stole the show; Kim nails the role and the singing; Netrebko demonstrates the beauty of her voice in sultry style; and Gubanova gives us a dazzling, though heartless courtesan.  However, the stealing-the-show honor goes to the fabulous mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey who’s acting and singing are spectacular as both the muse and Hoffman’s friend Nicklausse!  Originally Rolando Villazón was to have played the role of Hoffman, but had to withdraw for medical reaons, allowing tenor Joseph Calleja to step into his first performance at the Met, and he does very well in a demanding role.  Base-baritone Alan Held completes this stellar cast in fine style, playing all four demon roles.  These singers are certainly one of the major reasons to watch.

The 2009 production is also famed Director Bartlett Sher’s premiere staging of Hoffman; the 2015 production with a largely different cast, led by Vittorio Grigolo while retaining Ms. Lindsey, uses Sher’s staging as well.  Offenbach’s opera is dreamlike in nature, a fairytale for adults; so, directors can be as fanciful as they wish.  The opera is French, so there is also much dancing throughout.  Mr. Sher’s staging is highly creative; colorful, varied costumes, and lighting as well as numerous professional theatrical touches rarely give the eye a chance to get bored.  Several minor performers have moments to shine as well .  Mr. Shear’s staging is another reason to watch.

The last reason to watch is Offenbach’s music.  You will recognize the melodies from some of the arias even if you haven’t seen Les Contes d’Hoffman before.  Offenbach was a serious classical composer but was also a showman.  The music supports the story and on-stage action marvelously.  The Met Orchestra under Conductor James Levine plays beautifully, and the Met Chorus is terrific as always.

With any work or production, one can nitpick, but I enjoyed this performance of Les Contes d’Hoffman too much to go there.  Treat yourself to this one.  It’s not quite bacon, but still manages to be moving and to a substantial degree satisfying. And if you have the chance to see it live, even better!

The Fan Experience: Met Opera is offering a nightly free viewing of selected opera videos during the coronavirus pandemic (Nightly Met Opera Streams).  The web page for week 6, April 20-26, has links to pages for the origincal Playbills for each of the operas as well as articles about them. All of these operas are available on “Met Opera On Demand” and can be accessed by subscription; a seven-day free trial is offered.  The operas can be played on computers and mobile devices and on smart TVs using Apple TV, Roku, and other such devices.  The speakers I have attached to my TV are good ones, but I prefer linking my AirPods to Apple TV and listening that way.

Viewing on your screens does have advantages: you can pause the action anytime you want; you can even back up or play scenes over if you think you missed something. Another advantage of screen viewing are the closeups that video directors provide, closer than if you were sitting in the front row. In Les Contes d’Hoffman, you will see a tear roll down Anna Netrebko’s cheek.

La Rondine Video Preview: For Love…or Money?

This week, the coronavirus-inspired “Nightly Met Opera Streams” will be showing Giacomo Puccini’s La Rondine (The Swallow) for free on Met Opera’s website.  This two-hour opera will be available on demand starting at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, April 15, until 6:30 pm the following day. 

Scene from Met Video of La Rondine with Roberto Alagna as Ruggero and Angela Gheorghiu as Magda. Photo by Ken Howard; courtesy of Metropolitan Opera.

In a normal year, I might recommend this broadcast to help you forget the pain of just having filed your income taxes; of course, in a normal year, it would not be free.  This year I recommend it primarily for two reasons: first, it is a Puccini you have probably not seen (I had not), and the maestro’s music makes it worthwhile; and it features a delightful early performance by soprano Lisette Oropesa in a supporting role. 

Puccini’s music for La Rondine is very pleasant, melodious throughout.  It has a standout aria, “Che un bel sogno di Doretta”, that will be familiar; it was featured in the movie, Room with a View.  Also popular is an ensemble number “Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso” in act II.  As I went back through some selections from the opera after watching it once, I found the music very enjoyable to return to, to the point that my opinion of the opera moved up quite a lot.  While it is Puccini, and you will note strains that remind you of some of his other operas, it never has the drama of his other operas, nor should it for this lighter venture.  La Rondine is also a different Puccini, allowing Puccini to dabble in a sophisticated Broadway style.  Conductor Marco Armiliato and the Met Opera Orchestra does a fine job.

I might also add that the opera’s stars, spouses at the time, soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Roberto Alagna, give polished performances as the lovers Magda and Ruggero.  They had performed this opera several times previously in different venues, and their EMI recording won Gramophone’s Record of the Year in 1997.  I was quite taken with the secondary stars.  Ms. Oropesa as the cheeky maid, Lisette, is quite fun.  More mature now, she won last year’s Richard Tucker Award.  I have seen her in live performances recently in Pittsburgh Opera’s Don Pasquale and Washington Concert Opera’s Hamlet, and she has played lead roles at the Met this year.  The role of her paramour, Prunier, is played by tenor Marius Brenciu who has a lovely voice and sings beautifully, one of the opera’s treats.  Famous American bass Samuel Ramey, then late in his career, sings the role of Rambaldo; his singing seems labored, but his stature fills the role well.

Here is the story in a nutshell: the scene is Paris of the 1830s, similar to La Boheme, but in a salon for the wealthy, not a tenement for starving artists.  Our focus is Magda who is maintained in a lavish house by her, shall we say benefactor, Rambaldo (this gets my vote for the best name ever for someone in this type of role).  A kept woman, she sneaks out in a rudimentary disguise to have a free night at a local café/dance hall.  There she meets and is smitten by Ruggero, a young man who has arrived from a small town in the south of France wanting to experience the big city; he is the son of a friend of Rambaldo, and he does not recognize Magda from an earlier encounter at the salon; she gives her name now as Paulette.  He is also smitten.  Their love blossoms in the festive scene at the cafe, and they run off to Nice to live for love while their debts pile up (Magda has flown south for love like a swallow, a la the title).  Ruggero wants to marry her and move to his hometown, even getting approval in a letter from his mother, but Magda fears her past as Rambaldo’s mistress, which she has not revealed to Ruggero, will ruin him and their chances for happiness (no, she does not have consumption and yes, Verdi got there first).  Warning: the remainder of my report contains spoilers about the ending.

In truth though, the story of La Rondine is pleasant enough but is not all that engaging and founders at the finish line.  This opera was past its time before its very first performance.  It might have worked for the belle epoque (1871-1914), but it premiered in 1917 amid WWI and was perhaps too debonair for such perilous times, offering neither belly laughs for escape nor deep felt cathartic weeping.  Still, in the search for something new while live performances are today halted, its relative obscurity makes it worthy of viewing now. 

The opera may have been doomed from the beginning because it was supposed to have been an operetta.  What!  Puccini wrote an operetta?  Not exactly, though that was the original offer by the Karltheater in Vienna.  Puccini perhaps tried to have his cake and eat it too.  He accepted the commission from the theater which wanted him to write a frivolous operetta in the style popular in Vienna at the time.  He accepted, but instead, proposed to write a comic opera along the lines of Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier, and in Italian, not German, and without spoken dialog.  The theater supplied a libretto by Alfred Maria Willner and Heinz Reichert.  Puccini had it translated into Italian and adapted by his librettist Giuseppe Adami.  The war threats in Vienna prevented staging there.  Puccini eventually obtained the rights, with the Karltheater still getting half the purse, and had the work premiere in neutral Monte Carlo.  Puccini later revised it a couple of times trying to improve the ending and its success, but the work has received only sporadic play.  The last Met Opera production of La Rondine before this 2009 production was in 1936.

I think the ambiguity of La Rondine’s ending spoils whatever chance the opera had of being successful; if only Magda had committed suicide or if only the plot led to a comedy where it turns out mom had also been kept by Mr. Rambaldo, but that didn’t happen.  The enjoyable side story of her friend the poet, Prunier, and her maid, Lisette, winds up more detracting from the story than adding to it; in fact, that romance might have been the better story for a comic opera.  I still feel there is deeper potential to this story, as I have thought more about it.  Prunier makes a foreshadowing comment in act I expressing his fear that the desire for money may be gaining hold on Magda.  How much was her choice at the end an honorable one to protect Ruggero and how much did wanting the finer things in life that Rambaldo provided play into it?  A more profound exploration of that theme might have been interesting.  As it is, the dramedy doesn’t work for me because the ending isn’t resolved in a way I can feel deeply about either Magda or Ruggero.  Frankly, I’d rather have seen more of Lisette and Prunier. Finally, it’s a Puccini opera. You gonna pass that up?

The Fan Experience: Met Opera is offering a nightly free viewing of selected opera videos during the coronavirus pandemic (Nightly Met Opera Streams).  All of these operas are available on Met Opera On Demand and can be accessed by subscription; a seven-day free trial is offered.  The operas can be played on computers and mobile devices and on smart TVs using Apple TV, Roku, and other such devices.  it’s not likely that videos of operas, many companies now streaming them across the globe, will replace your yearn for live opera, but they do have interest and can help pass the time until the lights go on again, none to soon!

Oh, The Things Met Opera Videos Can Do: Parsifal 1 and Parsifal 2

First, you should know that Wagnerian operas are opera’s answer to baseball.  Don’t get me wrong, I love baseball, and I love Wagnerian opera, but let’s be honest.  There are worthwhile rewards, but both are really slow-moving; the pace can be awfully deliberate between the crests of tension and excitement.  Now for baseball, you have hot dogs, peanuts, beer, the team mascot, and the seventh inning stretch to fill in the troughs.  With Richard Wagner’s operas, all you got is the music.  Fortunately, the music is what makes it worth it.  Wagner’s music paints the stage; it can hang in the air like a cloud or turn the color of emotion in high resolution; it can be the play-by-play announcer telling you what is happening or the runner on second base signaling you which pitch is coming next.  And, if Wagnerian opera is like baseball, Parsifal goes deep into extra innings, five hours’ worth. 

I had wanted to see Parsifal for some time, but no company in the mid-Atlantic has performed it in the last several years, if ever, and for god’s sake, it’s a five hour long video.  However, we are now on coronavirus time, and with all the opera houses closed, I’m sheltering in place with time on my hands.  Now, it happens that Met Opera on Demand has two video recordings of the opera available for streaming, one from 2013 and one from way back in 1992, which I will call Parsifal 1 and Parsifal 2.  I only intended to watch one, but which one?  Parsifal 1 is a modern telling of the story with excellent sound quality, and with performers that I know, while Parsifal 2 is a traditional, costumed production but with not such great sound quality.  So, I chose Parsifal 1, but then…...I kept wondering if I’d like the more traditional version better; so, I watched Parsifal 2 as well: ten hours of Parsifal.  It helped that I really liked the opera.

Parsifal is a name that means “pure fool”.  The opera was Wagner’s last, even though its planning began 25 years before its premiere in 1882.  Wagner wrote the libretto for his three-act opera based on Wolfram von Eschenbach’s poem “Parzifal”, a tale of an Arthurian knight and the Holy Grail.  The composer intended Parsifal to be a “festival play for the consecration of the stage”, the stage being his own opera house, Bayreuth in Germany; there was a mercenary element to the decision as the family held the rights to it and the proceeds for thirty years.  Not all countries were signatories to such rights, and the first Metropolitan Opera performance was in 1903, but mostly even the famous and mighty had to visit Bayreuth in order to see Parsifal for 30 years.

A quick plot intro: On one side of Monsalvat in Spain is the great hall of the knights who are keepers of the Holy Grail and on the other is the magic castle of Klingsor, a man who wanted to be a knight, but he was denied because of his impure thoughts and turned to the dark arts.  Klingsor has conjured up a platoon of beautiful maidens to lure knights entering his area away from their vows of chastity.  The knights are led by their beleaguered king, Amfortas, who was seduced by Klingsor’s agent, Kundry, provding Klingsor with the chance to wound Amfortas with his own Holy Spear.  Klingsor also captured the spear and escaped, hoping to eventually capture the Grail itself.  Amfortas, having defiled himself, suffers a wound that will not heal, leaving him in shame and misery and his troup without leadership.  However, he was told by angels to await a redeemer, a pure fool made wise by compassion, who would heal his wound and provide redemption.  The opera opens with the lead knight, Gurnemanz telling the story as Parsifal arrives on the scene, unknowingly the chosen one, a young man who does not even know his own name.  The rest of the tale is about his quest and ascension to become the redeemer, offering salvation to all.

A scene from Parsifal 1: Parsifal (Jonas Kaufmann) dips the Holy Spear into the Holy Grail held by Kundry (Katerina Dalayman) while Gurnemanz (Rene Papé) looks on while standing. Photo by Ken Howard; courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

Parsifal 2 is a classical production with mountain scenery and knights in costume.  Parsifal 1 is a modern production with spare costumes, a bleak landscape, and intriguing symbolism.  Both productions have a stream that runs through the middle of the stage carrying water and then blood.  The Metropolitan Orchestra and Chorus provides music of shimmering beauty under both conductors.  Both productions have extraordinary casts. 

Credits below for Parsifal 1 (2013) and Parsifal 2 (1992):

Parsifal –         Jonas Kaufmann…………..Siegfried Jerusalem

Gurnemanz – Rene Papé…………………….Kurt Moll

Kundry –         Katerina Dalayman……….Waltraud Meier

Amfortas –     Peter Mattei…………………Bernd Weikl

Klingsor –       Evgeny Nikitin……………….Franz Mazura

Director –       Barbara Willis Sweete…..Phebe Berkowitz

Production –  François Girard……………..Otto Schenk

Set Design –   Michael Levine………………Günther Schneider-Siemssen

Conductor –   Daniele Gatti…………………James Levine

Lets return to the baseball analogy for a moment and compare the teams position by position for the main players. 

Parsifal (tenor) – I give the nod to Kaufmann, while he is not that convincing as a fool, when he turns on the power as his character matures, his gravitas is impressive. Jerusalem is very good, but never seems to have suffered that much or rise to the level of redeemer. Advantage: Parsifal 1.

Gurnemanz (bass) – Gurnemanz, the senior knight, is effectively the narrator and the reasoned, caring anchor for the story.  Moll is good, but Papé is outstanding, able to command the stage a little more, and I never get tired of hearing that voice.  Advantage: Parsifal 1.

Kundry (soprano) – Kundry is a wild woman who laughed at Christ on the cross and was cursed never to die; she has been trapped by both Klingsor’s curse and service to the knights, a complex role. Dalayman gives a solid performance, which emphasizes the mother aspect and most effectively portrays a tortured soul.  Meier’s acting turned me off a bit in act I; she sometimes appeared more displeased than tortured. However, she has an especially beautiful voice and her performance in act II as the seductress wins out with me, and she is also strong in act III.  After seeing her in act II, I want to find a dvd of her playing Isolde.  Advantage: Parsifal 2.

Amfortas (baritone) – Weikel is good with a lovely voice, but Mattei stepped it up in this one.  His powerful characterization of the defeated, longing for death king is much stronger. Advantage: Parsifal 1.

Klingsor (bass) – Nitikin does the relatively short role of the evil one much better than Mazura. Advantage: Parsifal 1.

The minor players on both teams all did credible jobs.  Clearly, my preferences for the cast is weighted strongly towards Parsifal 1.  However, for this comparison the staging also plays a strong role in the overall impact.

For me, the traditional staging of Parsifal 2 was fine, but it didn’t really offer much more than an appropriate backdrop.  Well, Klingsor throwing the spear at Parsifal and Parsifal catching it in the air was a neat trick.  Some scenes I liked better in 1 and some in 2.  I liked the maiden seduction scene in act II better in Parsifal 1, but Waltraud Meier in that scene is not to be missed in Parsifal 2.  At first, I was inclined not to like Parsifal 1 because of its bleak modern staging but it won me over.  In fact for this allegory where “time becomes space”, the medieval setting is not so important; it is all about the message. The symbolism with the apocalyptic landscape,  the arrangement of men and women, and visuals in the background of clouds and planets and closeups of human skin were intriguing.  In the opening scene, the performers are seated on stage in opera-going attire, then, men come forward taking off their coats and ties and watches and all turn around and slowly go to work presenting the story.  They are we, and it is our story.  And it is Wagner’s glorious music in both videos.

The Fan Experience: Parsifal 1 will be available for free streaming on the Met Opera website (metopera.org) on Thursday night, April 9, and for 24 hours.  Met Opera is offering nightly free viewings of selected opera videos during the coronavirus pandemic (Nightly Met Opera Streams).  Videos and sound recordings in Met Opera on Demand are available for unlimited viewing through a monthly or yearly subscription; they also offer a seven-day free trial.  The operas can be played on mobile devices and on smart TVs using Apple TV, Roku, and other such devices.  And of course, when watching a video at home you can even add your own popcorn and beer, and not only get up to stretch, but hit the pause button to have an intermission any time you want.

Opera in the Mid-Atlantic: Safety First Cancellations/Postponements

Cancelling large meetings is the rule of the day now for our best effort in “flattening the curve”, limiting the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) so that our health care system does not get overwhelmed.  Opera companies in the mid-Atlantic are necessary participants in this effort, as is the case for symphonies and chamber music companies as well.  I think seeing the list below covering just the mid-Atlantic region reveals the enormity of  the sacrifices being made.

CDC chart showing why we need to use “social distancing”: making it take longer for COVID-19 to work its way through our population will keep our hospitals and critical care facilities from being overwhelmed and thereby lower the number of deaths among those who contract the infection.

As of March 14, 2020, the following opera companies in the mid-Atlantic have made changes to their near-term schedules:

Annapolis Opera - Susannah postponed until June 20, 21

Update on 3-27-20: Academy of Vocal Arts - Un ballo in maschera and the Graduation Recital have been cancelled.

Baltimore Concert Opera – Performances of L’Incoronazione di Poppea cancelled.

Opera Delaware – Spring Festival 2020, including performances of The Coronation of Poppea and The Tales of Hoffman, cancelled until further notice

Maryland Lyric Opera – Performances of Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi are postponed indefinitely

Metropolitan Opera – All performances, including HD in Cinemas performances, cancelled through March 31. Update on 3-20-20: Remainder of the Met’s 2019-2020 is cancelled.

Update 3-27-20: Opera Lafayette has postponed performances of Le Maréchal terrant (The Blacksmith) until the 2020-2021 season.

Opera on the James – Performances of The Barber of Seville are cancelled

Opera Philadelphia – Opera (Madama Butterfly) returns on April 24. Update on 3/24/20: Madama Butterfly is postponed until Spring 2022.

Pittsburgh Opera – Performances (including Carmen) canceled through April 5. Update 3/24/20: All public events, including performances of Norma, cancelled though May 3.

Update 3-19-20: Washington Concert Opera has post-poned Simon Boccanegra from April 5 to September 13.

Washington National Opera – All performances, including Don Giovanni, Samson and Delilah, and Blue, cancelled through March 31. Update on 3/17/20: All Kennedy Center performances cancelled through May 10.

Updated 4/8/20: Victory Hall Opera - The June performances of No Daughter of Mine are postponed to 2021.

Virginia Opera – Performances of Aida are postponed indefinitely. Update on 3/20/20: Norfolk presentation of Scalia/Ginsburg on April 4 cancelled, to be rescheduled for the Fall.

Updated 4/22/20 - Wolf Trap Opera - All 2020 performances cancelled. A concert of arias with the National Symphony Orchestra is planned for August 7.

This is not only a disappointment to opera fans in the region, but a huge disappointment and financial blow to opera companies and performers as well.  It is also not clear that these limited cancellations and postponements won’t need to be extended.  My heart goes out to all involved, and my heartfelt thanks goes out to these companies that are so important to our cultural life for putting the health of their fans first.

Washington National Opera’s Samson and Delilah: A Bible Story Grand Opera Style

Take a Bible story many of us learned in Sunday school, a couple of star performers, and a talented, creative staff in charge of the set, staging, and modern twenty-first century lighting and projection technology and you might get a Hollywood blockbuster of a movie, or if you use Camille Saint-Saéns’ grand opera, Samson and Delilah, you’d come pretty close to the same thing on stage, and while I’m thinking along those lines, Washington National Opera’s headliners, Bridges and Aronica, would make a pretty good Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature.*  So, the bottom line is that WNO’s production is a darn good show that’s as fun as popcorn and candy and a little more filling, but not a lot.  And while I’m digressing, it is too bad that WNO doesn’t broadcast some of its operas into theaters like the Met does; this one would really be good with popcorn and candy.

The Old Hebrew (Peter Volpe) warns Samson (Roberto Aronica) to avoid Delilah (J’Nai Bridges), who is listening in the background. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

The story is taken from the tale of Samson in the Old Testament’s Book of Judges but focuses on Chapter 16, his seduction and destruction by Dalilah.  The opera does not provide much background on Samson, except that he is the champion and inspirational leader of the Israelites, who are being ruled and oppressed by the Philistines in ancient Canaan.  We know little about Delilah, except that she follows the god Dagon and sides with the Philistines.  She feigns love for Samson, whom in reality she despises, and uses his love/lust for her to learn the secret of the extraordinary strength that God has given him in return for his vows of service – the secret is his uncut hair.  She clips his hair, and the Philistine soldiers are able to subdue and blind him.  In the end, Samson repents; God restores his strength, and, in this telling, God brings the Temple roof down killing all the Philistines inside.  Like with most Bible stories, we are to look at the central messages of the story and not look too closely at the details.  Questions that modern audiences might want to know more about, such as what turned Dalilah into the woman she was or is it really okay to kill all the Philistines in the Temple, are not explored.  Eat your popcorn and enjoy the movie; this is artistic entertainment with a message, not a class in ethics.

Roberto Aronica as Samson and J’Nai Bridges as Delilah. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Composer Camille Saint-Saëns was a musical prodigy along the lines of Mozart and though the body of his work that is played today is considerably less, his works are highly regarded.  Of his dozen operas, only Samson and Delilah (1877) is performed today.  But I suppose that is like saying that as a baseball pitcher you only pitched one no-hitter in the major leagues; it is still impressive.  It is generally regarded that he was outstanding at music but not great at picking and handling subject matter.  He hooked up with librettist Ferdinand Lemaire to write an oratorio on the Samson story, and Lemaire convinced Saint-Saëns to make it an opera; it nevertheless retains aspects of oratorios such as the substantial use of a substantial choir.  The Paris Opera was not accepting operas based on biblical subjects at the time, but his friend Franz Liszt, who wanted to support and encourage Saint-Saëns, premiered the opera in Weimar, Germany.  It was 1892 before the Paris Opera was willing to produce it, and in the 1890s, the opera became a substantial success in other cities.  I think the music is terrific; it is sung without dialog or recitative and has several very strong arias.  It is a grand opera in the Paris tradition – grand themes of freedom and patriotism important to the French people, lots of people on stage, dancing, a colorful spectacle.

Samson (Roberto Aronica) resists telling Delilah (J’Nai Bridges) the secret of his power. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Samson and Delilah also serves as a star vehicle for a tenor and a mezzo-soprano, and WNO provided two who fit the roles beautifully.  Rising young star, J’Nai Bridges, made a stunning and entirely believable Delilah.  Her voice has a beautiful tone, especially in her low range, and she sang with impressive control in her important arias, such as “Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix” in Act II, which becomes a duet with Aronica near the end.  I expected as much, but what surprised me about her performance was the impressive way she moved on stage and the confidence she displayed; every move and expression on her face seemed perfectly choreographed to reflect the charm of a seductress, even occasionally moving with the professional dancers.  I was not familiar with tenor Roberto Aronica who played Samson, but he gave an outstanding performance both acting and singing.  I’ve always wondered why Saint-Saëns chose a tenor for this role, but Aronica’s power in his mid-range seemed to fit the role very well.  The supporting singers were also impressive, including baritone Noel Bouley as the High Priest of Dagon who colludes with Delilah to learn the secret of Samson’s power, and bass-baritone Tómas Tómasson as Abimélech, in a brief appearance as a Philistine leader.  Bass Peter Volpe played the role of the Old Hebrew who warns Samson not to give in to his temptation.  He also is playing the role of the Commendatore in WNO’s Don Giovanni, running concurrently; I thought his bass voice was good in that role, but as the Old Hebrew I realized that it is something special.

left photo: The High Priest of Dagon (Noel Bouley) appeals to Delilah (J’Nai Bridges) for help. right photo: Philistine Govenor Ambimélech (Tómas Tómasson). Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

The set, designed by Erhard Rom, was essentially the same as that used for Don Giovanni, however, this did not prove too much of a distraction given the way it was adorned.  The staging of the story by Director Peter Kazaras is very well done; I found the end of Act II that works itself into a frenzy and reaches a crescendo with the cutting of Samson’s hair to be thrilling.  I suppose the ending with the implosion of the Temple done using lighting and media effects is okay, but gosh darn, the little boy in me really wanted to see Samson push those pillars aside and the ceiling come crashing down; I need to go back and re-watch the movie. 

Samson (Roberto Aronica) appeals to God to return his strength. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Certainly, special kudos go Lighting Designer S. Katy Tucker and Projection Designer Ken Weiss.  The special effects were artistic, sometimes spectacular, and worked to help set scenes and create moods, especially using the back wall to project abstract swirls and images of the desert sun and moon that somehow benefit the telling of the tale.  And there were those eerie ghost like images on the scrim when Samson was being tortured.  Also, kudos to Costume Designers Michael Scott and Tim Burrow.  The costumes worked to convey the time period and especially the colorful nature of the Philistines, and give us at least a somewhat sexy frenetic bacchanal scene.  Speaking of which, there was a great deal of movement during most of the opera which helped to carry the story along, and the dancers and dancing were most enjoyable; kudos to Choreographer Erick Sean Fogel.  In short, the production was a feast for the eyes, a straightforward telling of the story, artistically well done. I had the feeling that this cast and crew knew what they were doing and were at the top of their game.

It was also a feast for the ears.  The Washington National Orchestra under the direction of Conductor John Fiore delivered Saint-Saéns score in fine fashion.  Occasionally, I couldn’t help focusing on the music alone and enjoying just that.  A large chorus led by Chorus Master Steven Gathman was also a pleasure to hear; if Saint-Saéns had made Samson and Delilah an oratorio, I would still be interested in attending. 

So, like I said, WNO’s Samson and Delilah is a good show with some great players and a lot of professinal polish and new stage technology.  If you are among the devout, you should be able to enjoy it as a religious experience, but for most people, I think it will simply be entertainment, a good Saturday afternoon popcorn movie.  I wish I could say it was coming soon to Netflix. 

*Note:  In case you are not a septuagenarian, I should add that Hedy Lamar and Victor Mature were the movie stars in Cecile B. DeMille’s movie version of “Samson and Delilah”.  Mr. DeMille was known for Hollywood blockbusters in his day.

The Fan Experience: Samson and Delilah plays again in the Kennedy Center Opera House on March 7, 13, 16, and 21. See the Samson and Delilah webpage for information on pre-opera talks and artist Q&As.  

Baltimore Concert Opera’s Anna Bolena: Bel Canto in the Afternoon

On Sunday afternoon, seven handsome-voiced young singers provided an excellent concert performance of composer Gaetano Donizetti’s tragedy Anna Bolena.  Enjoying a performance, however, is only part of the experience of attending a Baltimore Concert Opera production.  Part is the casual and friendly atmosphere created in the gorgeous ballroom of the Engineers Club.  Part is the coziness of the space placing you in close proximity to professional opera singers who are practically singing in your ear.  Part is also the judgement that goes into selecting the operas to be presented.  With that in mind, I asked BCO Artistic and General Director Julia Cooke – why Anna Bolena? 

Her response:

“I have been wanting to program Anna Bolena and Donizetti's other two queens (Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux) for many years and am so thrilled that we have officially begun the cycle!  We make great efforts in our artistic planning to present a varied selection of repertoire each season, giving our curious audiences a balance of classic (Madama Butterfly) and innovative (Anna Bolena, The Consul) programming. Our large subscriber base and consistent sellouts have given us confidence to keep that vibrant balance going -- our audience trusts BCO to give them a great experience every time. We have established a consistent record of great singing paired with our signature welcoming experience, and that trust between company and audience enables BCO to keep growing and thriving.”

left to right: Noragh Devlin as Smeton, Peter Tomaszewski as Lord Rochefort, Meghan Kasanders as Anna, Hans Tashijan as Enrico, Derrek Stark as Percy, and Hannah Ludwig as Giovanna. Photo by Britt Olsen-Ecker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

Director Cooke refers to Donizetti’s Tudor queen trilogy.  Anna Bolena was first of the three to be composed; though already the composer of over thirty operas, this was his first international success, one that established his reputation beyond Italy.  Musicologists consider this opera as representing the maturation point of his own bel canto style; he along with Rossini and Bellini are know as the bel canto masters.  In the next ten years, among many others, L’elisir d’amore, Maria Stuarda, Lucia di Lammermoor, Roberto Devereux, and La fille du regiment flowed from his pen, establishing him as one of the major figures in the development of Italian opera, and more were to come.  At the time of his death, he had composed sixty-five operas, and one in every four operas being performed in Italy was his.

Derrek Stark as Percy and Meghan Kasanders as Anna. Photo by Britt Olsen-Ecker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

He himself led somewhat of a tragic life.  None of his three children survived longer than a few days and his wife died of cholera at the age of 29.  Almost certainly these experiences contributed to his ability to express the depth of emotion conveyed in his operas, and to even bring such a sensational case as the beheading of Anne Boleyn down to a deeply human level.  History tells us that her husband Henry VIII was a larger than life figure who took being a king seriously.  In a reign of biblical proportions, he readily used and expanded his powers to get what he wanted; he even pushed the doctrine of the divine right of kings.  He initiated the English Reformation by separating the Church of England from the Catholic Church, apparently because the Papacy refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, his first wife; she had not given him the heir he wanted.  He had an attraction to Anne Boleyn, one of Catherine’s ladies in waiting, but reports are she resisted his advances and held out for marriage.  She became queen and his second wife, but she also failed to produce a son; so, soon Henry was taking up with one of her ladies in waiting, Jane Seymour, while still married to Boleyn.  Anne was found guilty of what were likely trumped up charges and beheaded.  King Henry acquired three more wives with their own stories, with one more being beheaded, but wives no. 2 and 3 serve as the basis of the story that Felice Romani used for the libretto of Anna Bolena.  While the sensational event of her demise is the focus of their fictional story, it is the personalities of the characters involved and their relationships as created by Donizetti and Romani that are both compelling and heart rendering.

Hannah Ludwig as Giovanna and Hans Tashijan as Enrico. Photo by Britt Olsen-Ecker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

(Switching to the Italian names in the opera) Anna Bolena is worried she has a rival in her marriage to Enrico VIII.  She has reason to be.  Enrico is pursuing Giovanna Seymour, wishing to marry her and make her his queen.  Giovanna has been seduced by his love and her desire for fame, though she is later overcome with guilt and begs forgiveness from Anna.  Enrico plots to bring Anna together with Percy with whom she was previously romantically involved, then accuse her of adultery to exit his marraige.  Her brother Lord Rochefort and Smeton, a court musician who has fallen in love with Anna, become unwitting accomplices in Enrico’s scheme which ultimately succeeds; they both later beg forgiveness from Anna.  Anna, innocent of wrongdoing, refuses to save her life by admitting her guilt.  She forgives all to allow her soul entrance into heaven.  Chop.

left photo: Noragh Devlin as Smeton. right photo: Derrek Stark as Percy, Hans Tashijan as Enrico, and Peter Tomaszewski as Lord Rochefort. Photos by Britt Olsen-Ecker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

BCO put together an exciting young cast to deliver what turned out to be a highly enjoyable afternoon of bel canto singing that got an enthusiastic standing ovation when it concluded.  The role of Anna was sung by soprano Meghan Kasanders, who has a voice with a lovely tone, and she delivers precise singing.  Ms. Kasanders was a 2019 Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and won both the First Prize and Audience Choice Winner in the 2019 Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition.  Mezzo-soprano Hannah Ludwig delivered a convincing, strong portrayal of the conflicted Giovanna.  She sang beautifully, her specialty being bel canto roles.  I had to smile when tenor Derrek Stark began singing the role of Percy; for a brief moment an image of Pavarotti came to mind.  Perhaps he doesn’t quite yet have the golden tones of the great one, but he has a beautiful tenor voice, and seemed a natural in an Italian bel canto role.  I’d love to hear him in a return engagement.  Bass-baritone Hans Tashijan, a BCO veteran, gave a solid, if a somewhat stoic, performance as Enrico; he sang well.  When mezzo-soprano Noragh Devlin, in a pants role as Smeton, started to sing, I sat up and took notice; this was a distinctive voice.  She sang well, and I wanted to hear more…brava!  In their supporting roles, tenor Orin Strunk as Sir Hervey and bass-baritone Peter Tomaszewski as Lord Rochefort did fine jobs.  BCO continued with their recent change in having performances partly staged, in this case, by simply having the singers move about the stage and react to each other in character, ending with Ms. Kasanders pushing her throat forward for the denouement.  And no, we didn’t get to witness the chop.

left photo: Conductor Rachelle Jonck. right photo: Pianist Joy Schreier. Photos by Britt Olsen-Ecker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

The excellent pianist, Joy Schreier, did a marvelous job in providing the accompaniment.  The chorus, described in BCO’s fun and informal way as local peasants and party-goers, added effectively to the performance under the direction of Conductor Rachelle Jonck.  BCO performances are partly serious concerts and partly partying.  It keeps me coming back.

The Fan Experience: The two performances of Anna Bolena are past, but coming up on April 17 and 19 will be Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea.  BCO is now typically playing to sold out crowds, so get your tickets soon! 

There is no longer valet parking on Sundays, but here is a link to parking options in the area.  I continue to be successful at finding one of the limited open spaces on the streets, though this trip I almost missed the small sign on the meter indicating it was reserved for handicapped parking on Sundays in the first free space I found; be sure to read all the signs where you park!

Washington National Opera’s Don Giovanni: We Are Listening Now

WNO’s Artistic Director Francesca Zambello always puts on a good show.  By good, I mean something different, interesting and entertaining in the way that an opera is presented, and WNO productions usually work for me.  Halfway through Saturday night’s performance of Don Giovanni (1787), I wasn’t sure.  The characters in marvelous period costumes moved about a stage of walls and beams in geometric designs with screens and lighting effects, only a few props or scene clues.  From the standpoint of artistic craftsmanship and eye appeal, the abstract set was impressive; if it had been a modern art show, I would have given set designer Erhard Rom very high marks.  It’s all quite worth seeing as an artistic light show.  The floating question in my mind was whether Director E. Loren Meeker was able to present an engaging story-line with this set as backdrop.

Don Giovanni (Ryan McKinny) with images of his past in the frames. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Frankly, I was also confused by the initial scene.  Don Giovanni is based on the Spanish Don Juan myth of the early 17th century.  Mozart’s Don uses his charm and the force of his wealth and power as a nobleman to make sexual conquests, over two thousand as the story begins, with the extent of his use of physical force left ambiguous in the opera.  The opening scene has Giovanni sexually assaulting Donna Anna; when he tries to escape after she calls for help, she tries to restrain him.  As presented, it was not clear in this opening scene that this was the action afoot.  Then, her aging father, the Commendatore, rushes out to defend his daughter and is killed by Giovanni in a sword fight.  Donna Anna extracts a vow of revenge from her fiancé Don Ottavio.  Over the next day or so, Giovanni, traveling with his enabling mercenary Leporello, comes upon a previous conquest, Donna Elvira, whom he abandoned and who is now pursuing him for revenge, but in truth wants him back (he later seduces her maid ); he then encounters a young country girl, Zerlina, who he tries to seduce on her wedding day and later physically assaults her fiancé, Masetto.  As his character degenerates, Giovanni comes face to face with a graveyard statue that talks (the Commendatore, miraculously constructed in less that 24 hours) and whom Giovanni invites to dinner.  The dinner goes badly, and the Don is escorted to Hell all the while refusing to repent.  The funny thing about Don Giovanni, the opera, is that it is also a comedy.  Librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte labeled it a “dramma giocoso” or “jocular play”; Mozart called it an opera buffa. It’s actually quite funny, except for when it isn’t.  In the end, it is God who takes revenge on Giovanni.

left: Vanessa Vasquez as Donna Anna; right: Keri Alkema as Donna Elvira. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

The orchestra under the direction of WNO Conductor Evan Rogister did a fine job of playing Mozart’s score, delivering some of Mozart’s greatest music, and seemed to me mostly in time with the singers.  Overall, the cast of singers was marvelous.  Even tenor Alek Shrader, who seemed to be holding back on his own, sang lovely harmony with soprano Vanessa Vasquez in duets.  Ms. Vasquez was brilliant, with a beautiful tone, the best Donna Anna I have heard (please come back).  Bass-baritone Ryan Mckinny was an excellent Giovanni, his actions and singing, smooth, refined, and polished.  In an excellent cast, bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen who sang the role of Leporello was a standout.  His voice commanded the stage and his comic touches punctuated the entire evening.  Soprano Keri Alkema’s acting and singing gave us a Donna Elvira who amused us and then softened our hearts; I remember her Tosca fondly from this past WNO season.  Soprano Vanessa Becerra delighted our ears as a youthful Zerlina and showed both feminine strength with Masetto and feminine vulnerability with Giovanni.  Baritone Norman Garrett was a convincing Masetto.  Bass Peter Volpe was an effective, ineffectual defender of his daughter’s honor, and a fierce and foreboding ghost.  Many of these singers were veterans of previous WNO productions.  One of the benefits of Mozart’s operas is the incomparable ensemble numbers for two to six singers that he composed. The contributions of the chorus were also effective and pleasing under the direction of Steven Gathman.

left: Norman Garrett as Masetto and Vanessa Becerra as Zerlina; right: Alek Shrader as Don Ottavio, Norman Garrett as Masetto, and Kyle Ketelsen as Leporello. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Getting back to the set and staging: at first, despite the visual appeal of the set, the placement of period costumes against the large, abstract set was simply confusing.  The huge set of abstract lines, angles, and projection-created designs dwarfed the singers, and the contrast with the period costumes kept my focus from the singing and music.  The set reminded me somewhat of a set used for Santa Fe Opera’s Cosi fan tutte this past summer; their set was composed of plain, even blank walls and flooring with exit doors, but the costumes were similarly non-suggestive.  The elements of the story were presented almost devoid of time and place which made the story concentrated and timeless.  I suggested it was a new form of opera that should be called “primal”.  Perhaps this version of Don Giovanni might work better with non-descript costumes. After all, the story-line hasn’t really changed in over two hundred years.

Party scene with Don Giovanni (Ryan McKinny) seated while Leporello (Kyle Ketelsen) dances with the ladies. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

My feelings about the staging started to change with the party scene where the stage was more elaborately filled with party goers and a table and settings, a chandelier, and implied stairs and balcony with a large artwork in the background.  This came close to the traditional staging with traditional costumes and anchored the story.  However, we were soon back to the bare abstract set with location little designated.  This, for me, was where Meeker’s presentation excelled over previous versions I’ve seen.  I have always felt the opera drags a bit at this point moving around almost aimlessly.  But by use of an abstract set here, the focus and emphasis is not on time and place, but on the music and singing; by that time I had accepted the costumes.  I very much enjoyed this section of the opera, significantly more than in other productions I’ve seen.  Ms. Meeker even showcased each of the major soloists with time on stage alone, with the abstract walls closed to place the singer in front of a partly textured wall of gray.  This was very effective in highlighting arias, and each soloist took full advantage to please our ears and touch our hearts.  Another highlight of the staging was director’s use of women, clothed in white gowns and period undergarments, intended as a tally of misdeeds that followed Giovanni as he moved through the opera, finally encircling him and closing in as he was consumed by Hell.  In the end, I had mixed feelings about the set and staging that I have expressed, but overall, it worked for me, especially the second half, and I enthusiastically recommend it. 

Don Ottavio (Alek Shrader), Donna Anna (Vanessa Vasquez), and Donna Elvira (Keri Alkema) disguised in their attempt to find and take revenge on Don Giovanni. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Don Giovanni is one of the repertoire’s greatest operas, perhaps the greatest.  But it is now old and worn.  The great music is worthy of continued play.  Making the opera fresh compels stage directors to experiment with different ways to present the story to keep it entertaining.  WNO has done a good job.  Right now, though, the sex and power issues addressed in Giovanni are keeping it fresh.  WNO has keyed on this with the use of the white-clad women.  The message for today is clear, even without the opera’s final scene where the survivors sing that Giovanni’s was the end coming to those that do evil.  As was pointed out in the program booklet by Dramaturg Kelley Rourke and attributed to author Rebecca Solnit, “…#MeToo was not the beginning of women speaking up, but of people listening.”

The Fan Experience: Don Giovanni continues at the Kennedy Center on March 6, 8, 11, 14, 19, and 22. See the Don Giovanni webpage for information on pre-opera talks and artist Q&As.

WNO plans to capitalize on some upcoming productions to build on the awareness of issues raised through a Let’s Go There series of conversations.  WNO has scheduled a conversation including Director Meeker, Anne Midgette, Linda Holmes, and Carina Chicano on March 14 in the Skylight Pavillon to explore “how Don Giovanni is a springboard into a larger cultural dialogue about the glamorization of the villain in opera and pop culture.”

Opera Lafayette’s Leonore: Beethoven, Authentic and Imagined

The star of Wednesday night’s performance of Leonore (1805) for most of the audience was Opera Lafayette celebrating its 25th anniversary and its conclusion of the Leonore Project, but for me, the real star was Beethoven reminding us why after 250 years we still are celebrating his birthday.  Yes, the story of Leonore was told in an interesting way and the singing was great, but it was Beethoven’s music that I got lost in.  That itself is a tribute to Opera Lafayette.  And the performance got off to an auspicious beginning; workman had to repair the podium in the pit that creaked every time Maestro Ryan Brown, OL’s Founder and Artistic Director moved, and as he noted, he moves a lot while conducting.  Small matter, I found myself being moved once the conducting started.

Married love and courage has triumphed over injustice as Floristan (Jean-Michel Richer) and Leonore (Nathalie Paulin) are reunited. Photo by Louis Forget; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

If you know the story of Leonore, you probably know it from Beethoven’s Fidelio.  A woman Leonore in the post French Revolution period disguises herself as a man, Fidelio, to gain access as a prison worker to the facility where her husband, Floristan, has been unjustly imprisoned for his political activism.  Time grows short as the Governor who imprisoned Floristan plans his imminent death, while the situation grows complicated as the jailer’s daughter, Marzelline, has fallen in love with Fidelio, believing her to be a man.  Why did such a story appeal to Beethoven?

The love triangle: left, Marzelline (Pascal Beaudin) spurns her suitor, Jaquino (Keven Geddes), while right, she adores her new man (?), Fidelio (Nathalie Paulin). Photos by Louis Forget; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

These were turbulent years; the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror were still in the rearview mirror and Napoleon’s armies were marching across Europe while Beethoven worked on the score.  A number of successful “rescue operas” were created in this period where spouses attempt to free their mates who have been unjustly incarcerated.  This theme resonated with Beethoven when he saw the libretto written by Jean-Nicholas Bouilly for composer Pierre Gaveaux’s highly successful French opera, Léonore, ou l’amour conjugal (1798).  The Maestro decided to take a try at it himself, not realizing the journey he was beginning.  Examining the relationship between Beethoven’s and Gaveaux’s Leonores was an important element of the OL’s Leonore Project; refer also to the blog report on my discussion with Ryan Brown.

left: Rocco (Stephen Hegedus) advises Jaquino (Kevin Geddes); right: Matthew Scolin as the evil prison governor,Pizarro. Photos by Louis Forget; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

In about a year, Beethoven and his librettist, Joseph Sonnleithner, turned out Leonore, which premiered in Vienna in 1805.  It was a flop.  Napoleon’s army had just occupied Vienna and wealthy patrons had departed the city for their country retreats.  Many operas at the time were playing to half empty opera houses, and Leonore proved not to be an exception.  Furthermore, many opera-going patrons were unfamiliar with the German language and many felt the opera too long.  Beethoven was convinced to pair it down, make some changes, and the new version was presented in 1806, a modest success.  He revised it once more for an 1814 premiere that we now acclaim as his only opera, Fidelio.  So, ten years past, and the versions changed as the pressures on Beethoven changed and Beethoven as a composer changed.  There were some additions, deletions with the major changes being the number of acts trimmed from three to two, new overtures for each version, and a modified ending.  Interestingly, Beethoven wrote a fourth overture that was to be presented in an 1808 revival that never came off.  Fidelio is the version that has entrenched itself in today’s opera repertoire.  All three versions of the opera are known as Beethoven, Opus 72.

In the Leonore Project, OL did a great deal of research to understand Leonore in the context of its historical and musical landscape, a defining characteristic of Opera Lafayette in its mission to present modern premieres of works no longer presented today.  OL went so far as to present Gaveaux’s opera about Leonore back in 2017 and have turned that performance into a DVD available for purchase through Naxos.  OL also plays each of its performances using period instruments to present the music as authentically as possible.

Authentic, fine; where does the imagined part come in?  Often working from scores of operas from hundreds of years ago means working with a few surviving copies of handwritten scores; some interpreting is required.  In Leonore (1805)’s case, there was a missing section to Floristan’s Act III aria remembering his time with his wife.  Mr. Brown convinced his friend and colleague, musicologist and conductor Will Crutchfield to attempt a reconstruction of the missing piece, which he did using all available relevant materials.  I thought it worked.  It was beautiful and added emotional depth and continuity to the aria.

Rocco (Stephen Hegedus) and Leonore (Nathalie Paulin) find the secret prisoner, Floristan (Jean-Michel Richer) on the floor of the dungeon. Photo by Louis Forget; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

The Stage Director, Oriol Tomas, and several members of the cast from 2017’s performance of Gaveaux’s opera were in the same roles, including tenor Jean-Michel Richer as Floristan, soprano Pascal Beaudin as Marzelline, tenor Kevin Geddes as Jacquino, Marzelline’s jilted admirer, and bass Alexandre Sylvestre as Don Fernando, the king’s minister to the province - one big difference was that they were singing in German, not French this time.  The stage set was also from the previous opera, a minimalist construct of beams and ropes suggesting a separation of space; additionally, there were period costumes, and a few props. In fact, for Leonore/Fidelio, little is needed for staging, a jailer’s quarters, a prison courtyard, and a dungeon, all grayish and grim.

The singers all performed well in their roles.  In addition to the singers named above, soprano Nathalie Paulin was Leonore; bass-baritone Stephen Hegedus sang the role of the jailer Rocco; and, bass-baritone Matthew Scollin played Pizzaro, the evil governor of the prison.  Ms. Paulin played Leonore with restraint, a demeanor one might expect of a cautious impostor; her lovely soprano voice, also restrained, served the role well.  Pascal Beaudin displayed an enjoyable flirtatious charm as Marzelline and sang with a light lilting soprano voice as well.  Keven Geddes as Jacquino displayed a lovely tenor voice and lovable charm. I enjoyed Mr. Hegedus’ voice and singing, though his acting could have used a bit more gravitas.  Mr. Scollin is an excellent bass-baritone and made an excellent villain, but I had a problem with his appearance as Hitler-like, breaking with the time period of the 18th century.  Tenor Jean-Michel Richer was a good choice for Floristan in appearance and voice.  The sound of the chorus was beautiful, but in their main aria in the courtyard, my preference would have been to have more voices in the men’s chorus; it’s an impressive aria whose impact would have been greater with more volume.

The king’s minister Don Fernando has arrived, freeing the political prisoners and saving Floristan (Jean-Michel Richer) and Leonore (Nathalie Paulin). Photo by Louis Forget; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

In my view, the staging did not overcome two obstacles.  First, for me, Beethoven’s ending is too protracted; I also thought so of Fidelio’s; I was ready for it to be over before it was over.  Secondly, in the crucial scene where Leonore reveals her true identity to all in the dungeon, there were titters of laughter as each player registered their surprise.  I actually think both of these are the result of the difference between today’s and early nineteenth century audiences.  The wounds of the excesses of the French Revolution and Napoleon’s reign were fresh in audiences of the early nineteenth century, and Beethoven was providing the catharsis they needed.  Not so deeply felt today. It is interesting that the ending of Leonore exalts more the triumph of courage and love, while the ten-year later Fidelio ending emphasizes more freedom and the triumph of God’s will. The processing of the wounds was still ongoing in the early nineteenth century.

I have saved the best for last, Mr. Ryan and his 44-piece orchestra gave me a musical experience I shall long remember.  My seat was in the front row; I felt like I was seated in the orchestra.  I can’t say that it always sounded perfect, but the sound was marvelous.  Mr. Beethoven’s score is rich and so attuned to the action of the stage.  In fact, Beethoven’s score is fascinating and filled with motion and beauty as the different instruments and pairings come in and out with engaging melodies and counterpoint.  And I knew I was getting an experience of Beethoven as authentic as possible in the 21st century.  Some listeners might prefer the 1814 version and some might prefer the 1805 version.  I prefer both; I don’t want to miss any of Beethoven’s only opera.  Thank you, Opera Lafayette!

Fan Experience: Leonore (1805) was a one-off performance by Opera Lafayette.  There will be two more performances in New York City on March 2 and 4. 

Opera Lafayette’s next production will be Le Maréchal ferrant (The Blacksmith) in DC on May 11 and in NYC on May 14.

DC audiences will have an opportunity to see Beethoven’s Fidelio performed by Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center on October 24, 30, November 1, 4, 7, and 9.

NYC audiences will have an opportunity to see Fidelio performed by the Metropolitan Opera from November 30 to December 23.

Mezzo-Soprano J’Nai Bridges: A Rising Star Discusses Her Path to Opera

In March 2016, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges sang the role of Lucretia in the Barns for Wolf Trap Opera.  In March 2020, she will sing the role of Delilah at the Kennedy Center for Washington National Opera.  In October 2020, she will sing the role of Carmen at Lincoln Center for the Metropolitan Opera.  She made her Met Opera debut this past November playing Queen Nefertiti in the highly acclaimed production of Ahknaten.  In between and before, there have been many other operas and concerts, but from a training position as a Filene Artist at Wolf Trap to a headliner at the Met in four years…well, in the opera world, that is a meteoric rise to stardom.  This, however, masks the years of dedicated training and performing that are part of a young opera singer’s development.

Promotional photo for J’Nai Bridges. Photo by Dario Acosta; courtesy of Unison Media.

I had a chance recently to talk with J’Nai by telephone about her path to opera, what she hopes to give back, and about her character in WNO’s Samson and Delilah.  J’Nai (pronounced J’Nay), now 33, was interested in music and playing the piano from an early age growing up in Lakewood, Washington which is near Tacoma.  She was also athletic with an avid interest in playing basketball, even envisioning a career path there.  A pivotal point in her development came as a senior in high school: her high school basketball coach insisted she choose between basketball and music.  The final score: Music fans 1, Basketball fan’s 0.  She still plays basketball in the gym with friends and follows the game.  She is scheduled to sing the National Anthem at the Washington Wizards game on March 8. 

She made the decision to pursue her interest in music and classical singing developed in high school, without a clear career path in mind.  Despite some misgivings, she received the full support of her parents and family.  She auditioned and was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music, fortunate also in the sense that she was somewhat infatuated with NYC; she had visited there often with a sister who was studying mechanical engineering in Baltimore.  Her parents were from Baltimore and she still has family ties in the Baltimore-DC area.  NYC also provided access to the Metropolitan Opera which she attended frequently.  There she heard bel canto tenor Lawrence Brownley sing, now a friend of hers and a fellow Wolf Trap alumnus, and she thought to herself that she would like to do what he was doing, be on a stage, singing to people.  After graduating, she applied to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, still not set on a definite career path.  She noted proudly that Curtis has the lowest acceptance rate of college seniors in the US.  Curtis also pushes career development by encouraging performing outside the school; so, she got experience performing in operas and concerts on the eastern seaboard as well as in Curtis productions and was exposed to the rich music environment in Philadelphia.  Opera singers also always have singing instructors; J’Nai’s was in NYC not that far away from Curtis.  She graduated with a master’s degree in music after three years, now seven years past her high school degree.

J’Nai taking a selfie with then head of Wolf Trap Opera, Kim Witman at the incoming reception for Filene Artists. Photo courtesy of Wolf Trap Opera.

Her next step was to audition and get accepted into the Ryan Opera Center, the artist development program at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, a three-year stint.  She knew that this was it.  It was something that she now had to do, a calling if you will.  She was committed to an opera career.  The Lyric program is performance based, and its trainees perform around the country and accept additional training in other programs.  J’Nai was interested in coming to Wolf Trap Opera, a highly competitive summer training experience.  She auditioned two years in a row but was not selected.  That tells you something about the quality of WTO performers, doesn’t it?  We tend to think of them as fresh off the bus new recruits, but J’Nai’s is the typical path for today’s aspiring opera singers.  They come to Wolf Trap in their late twenties and early thirties with graduate degrees and significant performance experience and are among the best singers in their generation.

J’Nai made it in her third attempt and in the summer of 2015, she sang the role of Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) at Wolf Trap.  One important lesson she has learned is that young performers have to learn how to handle rejection. It’s not personal, and failure is not such a bad thing. You may not be what an artistic director is looking for at that moment, but you can learn from the experience and grow from it.

Center: J'Nai Bridges as Lucretia, Christian Zaremba as Collatinus; upper left: Brenton Ryan as Male Chorus, and Kerriann Otano as Female Chorus; and right: Shea Owens as Junius, Sarah Larsen as Bianca, and Amy Owens as Lucia. Photo by Scott Suchman and courtesy of Wolf Trap Opera.

She reports that in spite of not getting into the WTO program on her first try that Kim Witman, the head of WTO at the time, and Lee Anne Myslewski, the current vice president, were very supportive in encouraging her to go forward and to reapply.  In 2014/2015, she blossomed onto the national and international stage by being selected as one of 20 finalists in the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.  Though she did not win that competition, she was written about in several publications around the US, and it proved to be a huge boon to her career in opera.  She returned in 2016 for a second summer at Wolf Trap, and that was when I first heard her, singing the role of Lucretia in WTO’s The Rape of Lucretia.  It was a powerful performance in a powerful production that I don’t think I will ever forget.  She says that it is still one of the highlights of her singing career and that she learned so much while at Wolf Trap.  Here is a comment from Wolf Trap’s Lee Anne Myslewski about J’Nai’s time there:

“It was J’Nai’s innate musicality, her strong technical foundation, and her endless openness that allowed us to even consider producing Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia in 2015. (We choose singers before we choose repertoire; Lucretia would not have been on the docket had J’Nai not auditioned for us that year.)

The role of Lucretia is a tricky one, especially in our modern climate; it depicts a woman who is deeply in love with her husband but is ruined in the sight of both society and potentially her marriage due to the actions of another man. She claims agency through the only avenue that remains to her: death. The role is technically demanding but is perhaps even more challenging in light of the interpersonal relationships and the time period of the piece. We simply could not have considered producing the piece without J'Nai’s involvement. Not only does she possess a gorgeous instrument and formidable technique, but she carries herself with the dignity and inner strength that is essential for this particular role. (It’s no surprise to me that she’s often cast as royalty!)”

Rehearsal photo of Roberto Aronica as Samson and J’Nai Bridges as Delilah. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Ms. Bridges expressed gratitude for the tremendous support she enjoyed in her time with WTO.  Her time at Wolf Trap was also rewarding on a personal level.  She was there at the same time as her good friend, baritone Will Liverman.  She met Mr. Liverman while performing at the 2010 Glimmerglass festival, where she also met its coordinator, WNO’s Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, who led the festival.  Mr. Liverman’s career is also booming; he too was in Met Opera’s Akhnaten and subsequently appeared as Pappageno in the Met’s Magic Flute.  WTO’s alumni have a way of returning and he recently gave a chamber music recital at the Barns.  J’Nai says that she is still friends with all the other Filene Artists that she overlapped with, a very rich experience for her.

I think it is early to ask anything back of Ms. Bridges, but she is already thinking in those terms.  This is likely due to her gratitude for all the support she has received and concern about the future of her chosen field.  She believes she has been given a gift that allows her to touch people with the beautiful sound she can make, and she hopes to play a role in encouraging interest in opera for both aspiring singers and potential fans.  She did not grow up listening to opera and wonders how it might have influenced her path, and if increasing early listening might bring more fans to opera.  As a young, African-American woman, she plans to use her success and stature to attract a younger, more inclusive audience to the opera house and to provide encouragement for young black performers.  She applauds Washington National Opera for their strong push to enhance inclusiveness.  I concur; take a look at the performers in the remainder of this year’s schedule and the recently announced 2020-2021 season.  Right now, Ms. Bridges is doing lots of interviews and guest appearances, certainly to enhance her career, but I think also for her success as a rising opera star to be seen by young black people and to encourage attendance and the participation in opera by more members of the black community.

J’Nai Bridges as Delilah in rehearsal photo from Samson and Delilah. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

I asked her about the upcoming Washington National Opera production of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Samson and Delilah.  What was it like to play such complicated female characters, especially ones who lived hundreds of years ago and make them speak to today’s audiences?  She said it was a challenge.  Delilah tricks Samson, seducing him to learn the secret of his power and causing his downfall.  She says part of Delilah she can relate to, but there are parts of Delilah that are not in herself and that she has to let go of J’Nai and create them within herself to effectively portray this woman – all the while singing beautifully, I might add.  She said that tenor Ronaldo Aronica who plays Samson is wonderful to work with and playing off him helps her to get to the places she needs to go – he is also an opera star with Met Opera credentials.  It was fun that her feminist side surfaced a bit as she pondered how Delilah is viewed as strictly evil while Samson gets away with killing all those in the temple.  She wonders what caused Delilah to be the way she was and mused philosophically that we have to see people as complete individuals and not demonize them. 

I told J’Nai that I was especially looking forward to her Act II aria, “Mon coeur souvre á ta voix” (“My heart opens to the sound of your voice”), which I think is one of the most beautiful in the repertoire.  She agreed and said that that aria and other vocals in Act II were a bit of a marathon (the aria itself is over six minutes long).  She says she really has to take care of herself physically to be able to manage it – I have made the case in the past that singing opera could be an Olympic event. She says that initially it requires focus and concentration, but now her muscles have learned the role and she can do it naturally.  Personally, I can’t wait.

As I hope you can see, though her success has come relatively fast, it was also hard earned with years of dedicated hard work and training.  I didn’t venture into her personal life, but she did comment that while she was happy with her life and her choices, she knew that she had paid a price – not going out clubbing with friends and vacations not taken.  I don’t think chances for those activities are going to increase now.  Her website lists 39 operas, competitions, and concerts since her time at Wolf Trap and seven more on her schedule after Samson and Delilah.  But, on the other hand, she has lots of support from family and friends, and seems to me very contented, while still striving to achieve even more and still playing some basketball.

Snapshot by author last night of poster at the entrance to Kennedy Center’s Opera House.

Talking with J’Nai Bridges made quiet an impression on me.  Her balanced life view, her relaxed candor and her willingness to dig deep into her memories to respond to my questions was impressive and much appreciated.  My respect for her as a person soared as we spoke.  I suspect Ms. Bridges is typically the most grown up person in the room. 

My wife still talks about seeing Bruce Springsteen in performance at her college before he became “the Boss”.  I’m sure for many years I will talk about seeing J’Nai Bridges at Wolf Trap and getting to talk with her about it. 

The Fan Experience: You can see J’Nai Bridges performing in Samson and Delilah in the Kennedy Center on March 1, 4, 7, 13, 16, and 21. 

If you have yet to discover Wolf Trap Opera, it is time you did; check out their Summer 2020 Season just announced here: https://www.wolftrap.org/opera.aspx 

Opera Critics in the Mid-Atlantic 2020: The New, the Absent, and the Extreme

Opera critics are professional journalists who cover opera performances, but who are also charged with being knowledgeable evaluators, telling us how well a performance worked and how well conductors, directors, and singers did their jobs.  With great respect for this profession, I have facetiously called them Knights of the Opera Table, Knights with a mission to champion the good opera productions and slay the poor ones.  I am having second thoughts about the second half of that charge as I will discuss further down.  We primarily read critics to learn more about an opera and compare our opinions with an expert.  As an opera fan, I always read the reviews of operas I’ve seen.  Mainly, I read critics working for major newspapers in the mid-Atlantic, the region of OperaGene’s coverage, but I often read ones in the less prominent media outlets as well; frequently, they provide the only reviews for regional and local opera performances.  Reviewers and reviews vary in quality and are subject to being influenced by personal preferences and prejudices, as is the case for any group of professionals. So, how did our Knights do in the year past?  This is my 2020 overview.

First, the year’s shocker:  Anne Midgette retired from the Washington Post in December to have more mommy time and to focus her professional efforts on writing books.  My favorite Knight gone. Sigh.  Even so, she had another stellar year as a journalist, classical music critic, and commentator on social issues in the music business – see her perspective on Russell Thomas and her review of the Jamie Barton/ Kathleen Kelly “Voices” program).  I especially enjoyed it when she paid attention to small companies; see her review of the “In Series”.  The silver lining to losing her almost daily reviews is that, according to Ms. Midgette, the Post has committed to filling in behind her with a new, full-time classical music critic, though one is yet to be announced.  Ms. Midgette still has a strong presence on social media; and, check out her new website at annemidgette.com. 

Two stalwarts of the Opera Table from DC, Charles Downey at Washington Classical Review and Susan Galbraith at the DC Theatre Scene, continued to serve their communities well.  Mr. Downey has now moved to the head chair as my favorite opera critic.  His scholarly reviews, always worth reading, are typically the first to appear online after a performance.  I also like the breadth of his coverage; see reviews this past year of performances by the Maryland Lyric Opera and the Candlelight Concert Society.  Mr. Downey did make a comment in a recent review of MDLO’s Thaïs that I’m still trying to come to terms with; he stated that the story of the opera “strikes most listeners today as absurd”.  Maybe my sensitivity here is heightened by being in the other group of listeners to the story, but still...  Moving on, I enjoy the way that Ms. Galbraith’s theater experience influences her reviews, such as her review of Venus and Adonis, and I valued her thoughtful criticisms of the three twenty-minute operas this season by the American Opera Initiative.

At the western edge of OperaGene’s territory is the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette where the still relatively new classical music critic is Jeremy Reynolds.  His handle on Twitter is Tyrannosaurus Critic, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I think.  He did write a piece defending honest criticism in reviews (“Here’s why the Post-Gazette still has a Classical Music critic”), but thus far, I’ve not seen a performance or performer too badly mauled by one of his reviews.  In fact, this past year he wrote thoughtful, insightful reviews, but my favorite articles by him are often the educational/informative ones such as his piece on where to sit in a music hall.  This past year, he has solidly entrenched himself as a worthy member of the Opera Table. 

David Patrick Stearns is a former Knight who left the territory for NYC, but perhaps needs reinstatement since he keeps coming back to do reviews for his old employer, the Philadelphia Inquirer.  I generally enjoy Mr. Stearns’ reviews and gain insight from them.  However, I’m going to throw the flag on Mr. Stearns for “Unnecessary Roughness” in his review of Keckler’s Let Me Die, an entry in Opera Philadelphia’s Festival O19.  His criticisms were fair until, in my opinion, he went too far by calling the production a waste of time and castigating Opera Philadelphia for allowing it to be part of the Festival.  I believe Mr. Stearn stated what he thought out of frustration, not malicious intent, but the possible impact of such an extreme view might have been more thoughtfully considered.  I fear the impact might be to deter Opera Philadelphia and other young performers from taking chances.  I hope not.  So, I guess I don’t really want to see poor performances slain by our knights, just called out whn they don’t work and/or for failing to meet the best standards; mortally wounded is okay, but treat with honor, not disdain.

Peter Dobrin, longtime classical music critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, reviewed relatively few operas this past year with Mr. Stearns handling the majority of opera reviews.  I did enjoy his coverage of The Love of Three Oranges in Festival O19.   Mr. Dobrin is an excellent reviewer and deserves his place on the Opera Table. 

I mentioned critics Cameron Kelsall and George Parous in last year’s report, and I feel it is time to give them seats at the table.  Mr. Kelsall, a theater critic for the Broad Street Review, frequently provides quality reviews of Opera Philadelphia productions.  Mr. Parous, a reviewer for Pittsburgh in the Round, consistently writes quality reviews of Pittsburgh Opera productions.  One critic who is frequently capturing my attention now with her reviews of opera productions in the DC area is Whitney Fishburn of the DC Metro Theater Arts; she has no trouble taking a stand and is worth watching for the future. 

I also wish to mention the Washington Post Arts and Architecture Critic Philip Kennicott.  The infrequency of his reviews and commentary on opera, that appear in the Post and other publications, caused me to place him on the Opera Table taxi squad last year.  All we got this past year was a review of the Pavarotti movie. However, it is worth noting that what first drew me to his work was his extraordinary prose and his sensitive insights into arts and culture.  He is simply a gifted writer who causes me to read far more about art and architecture than I ever would otherwise.  Thus, I’d like to mention a new book of his that just came out, titled “Counterpoint: a Memory of Bach and Mourning.” My pre-order should arrive from Amazon in a few days.

There is one opera critic I wish to mention outside the mid-Atlantic area, Anthony Tommasini.  Mr. Tommasini is the classical music critic for the NY Times and does most of the opera reviews for the Met Opera’s productions.  I have not been a huge fan of his since I became an opera fan.  I think his recent reviews too often have relatively light content and too often let the Met off easy.  However, I have begun reading Mr. Tommasini’s relatively recent book, “The Indispensable Composers”, and it is really good; the content is substantial, and his insights into how each of the composers he covers influenced music is illuminating for a reader not trained in music.  Over the last few years, I am developing a prejudice that I like his earlier articles much more than his recent ones.  His 2008 article on the history of surtitles in opera was remarkably comprehensive and engaging.  Much of the material in his book is taken from his earlier newspaper articles.  My observation, and developing hypothesis, is that when critics are new in their jobs, they put more effort into helping newbies understand opera, while later in their careers they tend to overlook this teaching aspect.  This all leads me to another theory.  Maybe Ms. Midgette’s departure from writing reviews will have another benefit beyond those she gave at the time - a period of refreshment for her professional life.  Just a theory, but do Knights do sabbaticals?  Maybe they should?

I am grateful to all of these writers for the fine and important work they do.

 The Fan Experience: As I read or just scan reviews, I add links to them in OperaGene’s running three-month performance listing on the blog page. I also archive them on the Seasonal Lists page for future reference.

Sitting Down with Opera Lafayette’s Ryan Brown: The Leonore Project and More

Logo courtesy of Opera Lafayette

On February 26 in the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater, Opera Lafayette will conclude its Leonore Project by presenting a staged version of Ludwig von Beethoven’s opera Leonore.  This performance will touch on many milestones – 2020 is the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birthday; it is also Opera Lafayette’s 25th anniversary, and the staging of Leonore, the first version (1805) of Beethoven’s Fidelio (1814), will be Opera Lafayette’s most ambitious production thus far (Fidelio is Leonore’s assumed name while disguised as a man).  In 2017, I attended Washington Concert Opera’s Leonore (1805) and it was a highlight of the opera season for me; later that spring I also attended Met Opera’s Fidelio and frankly, I liked WCO’s production more.  With this in mind, I sat down this past Saturday to have lunch with Ryan Brown, OL’s Founder, Artistic Director, and Conductor (and sometimes violinist) to discuss Leonore and Opera Lafayette’s remarkable twenty-five-year journey. 

Ryan Brown, Founder, Artistic Director, and Conductor of Opera Lafayette; photo courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

Director Brown says that each new production, new set of performers, and new venue has added value to Opera Lafayette and contributed to its success.  This journey officially began in 1995, when after finishing a performance in DC as a violinist in a chamber ensemble and with a child on the way, Mr. Brown decided to make his stand in DC.  Rather than accepting a six-week gig in Amsterdam and Vienna, he made a successful application to the Corcoran Gallery of Art to present early French works using period instruments in the Salon Doré, a small performance venue, but a gorgeous room of inspiring 18th century French design and decoration; the advantage: come to see the performance and see the room also.  His new company called the Violins of Lafayette was born. Vocal artists were included in the mix and an early chamber opera was performed. He soon recognized the overlap of dance with French music and vocal arts and added that aspect to their performances.  As the mission began to focus more on opera, he made the decision to step away from the violin in 2001-2002 and focus on the role of conductor. The name was changed to Opera Lafayette for the 2001-2002 season (and Ryan Brown, the violinist, has reappeared in their performances from time to time). 

The excellence and authenticity of their productions of French baroque opera even impressed the French, and in 2012, they were invited to perform in the Royal Opera House in Versailles.  Over the years the DC venue has migrated from the Salon Doré to the Clarice Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland to the Lisner Auditorim at George Washington University to the Terrace and Eisenhower theaters in the Kennedy Center, as performance needs and audience size required.  OL performed Gluck's Orphée et Euridice in 2002 for the opening of the Clarice Performing Arts Center; it was there that OL performed through the 2006-2007 season and began its series of audio recordings for Naxos. Mr. Brown, who studied at Juilliard and lived for a while in New York City, decided that OL’s focus could also add something to the NYC music scene that would not compete with other offerings there, and in 2007, OL began giving performances in NYC as well as DC, the current practice today. 

The Leonore Project is Opera Lafayette’s investigation into the musical and historical context of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio.  In February 2017, I attended my first Opera Lafayette performance, and as fate would have it, this was the opera that began the Leonore Project, Pierre Gaveaux’s Léonore, ou l’amour du conjugal (1798).  What is the connection of Gaveaux’s opera to Beethoven’s you might ask?  Well, the story did not originate with Beethoven.  He chose the libretto written by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly for Gaveaux; Beethoven’s librettist, Joseph von Sonnleithner, adapted Bouilly’s libretto for his opera.  And what an effort that began.  It took the great maestro ten years, including two additionally performed versions, known as 1805 and 1806, to arrive in 1814 with the premiere of Fidelio.  Historical note: Beethoven preferred the name Leonore, but presumably the impresarios and lawyers prevailed so as to not have it be confused with Gaveaux’s opera.

Gaveaux’s opera is French and Beethoven’s is German.  This period of history in Europe was turbulent.  The storming of the Bastille had taken place in 1789; Napoleon took control of France in 1799 and moved to engage other armies on the continent.  When Leonore premiered in Vienna, the city was occupied by Napoleon’s army.  Feelings of nationalism and social justice were running high.  Beethoven had strong feelings about these events.  This is the backdrop for Bouilly’s story of a woman who disguises herself as a man in an attempt to get her unjustly accused husband out of a political imprisonment.  I might add that when I saw these operas previously, I thought Gaveaux might have been more influenced by the romanticism of the story, the flavor of the outgoing century, and Beethoven more enamored of its issues of freedom and social justice entering the next century.  Opera Lafayette wanted to look deeper at both these operas and the music of their day, and how the music of each composer was used to express these feelings, and deeper into how Gaveaux’s opera might have influenced Beethoven. 

There is as yet no proof that Beethoven saw the musical score for Gaveaux’s opera.  Yet, Director Brown finds elements in both operas sufficient to justify further investigation into similarities in each composer’s responses to the libretto.  Another area of investigation that intrigued Mr. Brown and his team was a missing portion of a third-act aria for Floristan, Leonore’s imprisoned husband.  He says that several musicologists have spent significant portions of their lives trying to track down and “rescue” this third act aria, the only part of the 1805 opera which has not survived.  Working with Mr. Brown and his colleagues, noted conductor and musicologist Will Crutchfield has re-imagined the missing section of this aria using sketches and existing performance materials.  This rescued aria written in the spirit of Beethoven will be performed for the first time in OL’s Leonore.  That adds a few notes of interest, doesn’t it?

Having attended a performance of Leonore (1805) in concert, I greatly look forward to this rare opportunity to see Leonore staged.  Leonore is longer with three acts to Fidelio’s two, and they have different overtures.  To get another gauge on how different they might be, I asked Mr. Brown how much new music would a soprano familiar with the role of Fidelio have to learn.  He replied that there are two new recitatives and a second act duet with Marcelline, the jailer’s daughter, that would be new.  So, they are substantially the same, but what’s different is still Beethoven’s and worth hearing.  He also said that the voice requirements for the two versions are not quite the same.  And of course, OL performances will further be differentiated by OL’s using period instruments.  For Gaveaux, OL had 33 instruments in the pit and for Beethoven there will be 44.  Happy Birthday, Maestro!

If leaders are made, not born, surely the making begins at birth.  Mr. Brown’s mother played the piano and his father was both a pianist and a conductor who led the Santa Rosa Symphony in California for 38 years.  Mr. Brown says that he was not originally interested in conducting or opera, that the family joke he used for many years was that he would not conduct until his father stopped.  This family background not only paved a musical and conducting path for him, but also provided him with a critical element for his future success; he learned first-hand at a young age how to manage a musical group.  Opera seems to have infected him much later on its own.

Conductor Brown gave me a demonstration.  In our conversation he said that for singers he not only looks for talent and craftsmanship, he also wants singers that will add to the overall group.  For example, when he auditions potential singers, he is sensitive to whether they are open to suggestions for singing a piece.  After lunch, he invited me to sit in on the rehearsal he was conducting while Floristan’s new aria was being worked on; meant purely as a treat, it also became a lesson.  As I watched him work with tenor Jean-Michel Richer who will play Floristan, it was clear that each person came at the aria from a different perspective in getting the performance of the aria perfected.  There were discussions of notes and their grouping in the score of concern to Director Brown, and where the emotion was strongest in the aria, of concern to the singer; there was give and take in all of this.  The need for being able to work as part of a team effort was readily apparent.  Oh, and the parts of the aria I heard, made me want to hear more.

This management insight he gained growing up in a musical family was one of many reasons that Director Brown gave for Opera Lafayette’s success.  The first reason he gave was perseverance, perhaps more a reflection of the effort it required.  He followed that entry in his list by suggesting a strong focus on the mission, attracting good, dedicated people (staff and performers and a network of expert musician friends and musicologists), venues that had special appeal, and an audience in the DC area that would support performances.  He went on to include the availability of excellent voices, and not the least, patrons who supported the mission.  I also suggested that the quality and authenticity of Opera Lafayette’s productions were also factors and so was finding a niche.  There are always customers for quality; and what you get with Opera Lafayette, you don’t get elsewhere.  He also was quick to point out that OL’s effort merging the wills and talents of so many people always provided a sum greater than its parts.  That might make a good logo – Opera Lafayette, the sum greater than its parts.

What about the future?  Opera Lafayette is stretching its mission a bit going forward.  Venus and Adonis, which opened this season is an English opera, and Beethoven’s Leonore is a 19th century German opera.  As shown by this season’s offerings, we can expect the inclusion of operas beyond France and venturing into the 19th century, as well as the 17th and 18th.   The focus, however, will remain on modern premieres of rediscovered masterpieces using musical instruments from their period, and maybe, some additional opera rescues.  Makes me look forward to their performances even more, and I have attended almost all of them since my first one.

I have stated before that I no longer need to look ahead to see what Opera Lafayette is performing to make a decision on whether to attend.  I just go.  I probably won’t be familiar with the work anyway, yet I can depend on Opera Lafayette to make it interesting and to bring the quality and the enchantment, providing a delightful evening… like no other. 

The Fan Experience: Check this link for tickets to Leonore at 7 pm on Wednesday, February 26; last time I checked, tickets were available but were growing scarce.  The March 2 performance in NYC will be held at 7 pm on March 2 in the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College; note: a second performance for the NYC venue has recently been added for 7 pm on March 4..  A pre-performance talk will be given by Director Brown and musicologist Will Crutchfield at 6 pm prior to all three performances.  Being somewhat of an opera junky, I try never to miss the pre-opera talks, but these discussions, with Director Brown talking about the Leonore Project and musicologist Crutchfield talking about Floristan’s rescued opera, should be especially interesting.

There will be a preview performance of Leonore at the Bowie Center for Performing Arts on Sunday, February 23 at 3 pm. Opera Lafayette’s performance of Gaveaux’s Leonore, ou l’amour d conjugal was filmed and is available on DVD from Naxos, if you’d like to add to your Leonore collection.

Opera fans in the DC area will have a chance to compare Leonore and Fidelio.  Washington National Opera has just announced performances of Fidelio in Oct/Nov this year.

Maryland Lyric Opera’s Thaïs: A Serious Pleasure

Maryland Lyric Opera’s Thaïs was fun, a visual and musical delight that also tells an engaging story that confronts its audience head on with serious moral and spiritual issues centering on how to live a life.  We in the audience, like the characters in the opera, have to make choices and face challenges about what we believe and how we live our own lives.  We must also confront the ambiguity in the word “love”.  Are we living our lives like Thaïs?  Or Athanaël?  Or Nicias?  What love do we want?

Let’s meet those characters.  Thaïs is an alluring courtesan in Alexandria, Egypt during the time of Roman occupation.  She wields much power over the city’s pleasure seekers as the chief priestess of Venus, the god of love.  Athanaël is a Christian monk who has given up worldly pleasures to live with other monks in the simplicity and purity of desert life.  He knew Thaïs once in an earlier time but has come to blame her for the city’s moral degradation.  A dream convinces him that God has given him a mission to convert Thaïs to Christianity and convince her to live out her life in a monastery.  Nicias, who believes life is all there is and intends to enjoy the here and now as much as possible, is both a recent client of Thaïs and a long-time friend of Athanaël.  He brings the two together.  Thaïs has secretly been worrying about losing her beauty and confronting the emptiness of her love life and is convinced by Athanaël to turn from her sinful ways.  Her penance exhausts her body, and she dies believing she is entering the kingdom of Heaven.  In her final moments, Athanaël confesses he lied to her, that he desires her, and that he wants her to remain on earth.

Athanaël (Louis Otey) and Thaïs (Sarah Joy Miller) meet. Photo by Julian Thomas; courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

Jules Massenet, the composer of Thaïs (1894), is better known for his two popular opera’s, Manon (1885) and Werther (1892).  He was the most popular French composer of his day; Thaïs and many other of his operas were hits with audiences of the time but are now rarely performed.  I will explore reasons for Thaïs’ lack of popularity later on.  The French libretto is by Louis Gallet, based on the eponymous novel by Anatole France, which was itself based on the life of Saint Thaïs of Egypt, a legendary convert to Christianity in the 4th century.  The opera, though controversial, was tolerated, but the Catholic Church put France’s work on the Forbidden List.  In a break with tradition, the lyrics are in prose, not poetry – no rhyming, perhaps adding an element of starkness to the drama and making more demands on the singers and orchestra.

As I think back on the performance, I wonder how I could have considered such a drama “fun”.  It is best explained by commenting on the many highlights this production offered:

The set and staging: This was a new production: the set, the lighting, the costumes, and staging were all constructed afresh for MDLO’s production.   Well done, MDLO staff.  The set and the lighting were marvelous in supporting the time period and the mood of different settings of the story; kudos to Harry Feiner, Stage Set and Lighting Designer, and to MDLO staff and the carpenters/artists involved.  It all worked beautifully as did the new costumes designed by Sam Fleming, wigs by Anne Nesmith, and implemented by Costume Manager Dorothy Diggers.  The overall result was a highly artistic presentation, colorful, with tremendous eye appeal, a worldly pleasure.

The staging engineered by Director Claudia Zahn presented the story in a believable and compelling fashion. The placement of principal players and chorus and dancers worked beautifully to carry the story forward smoothly.  Telling a story with spiritual themes can easily misstep and lead to titters of laughter.  This staging of Thaïs was convincing from beginning to end.  As my son and I walked out, we overheard several college-age young women saying they didn’t expect to have tears in their eyes; that is a sincere compliment to the staging.  I personally was rather impressed with how touching the scene was where Athanaël leads Thaïs through the desert in a hard act of penance and then shows compassion for her; I had not felt that way in the Met Opera 2008 version.  Ms. Zahn got this Thais right.

The singers: Thaïs was a team effort and this team had quality players at every position.  Soprano Sarah Joy Miller was excellent in the role of Thaïs.  She has the voice and looks to carry this demanding role.  I thought she seemed to be pushing to get out some of the early beautiful high notes, but she settled into the flow and the beauty of her singing became rapturous.  She also gave a fine acting performance, first as the alluring, haughty courtesan and then as the reformed supplicant.  Baritone Louis Otey also has the voice and the looks to carry his role, that of Athanaël, also a demanding role.  He has a strong stage presence and is a fine actor; he even managed to elicit some sympathy from me for Athanaël at the end.  He impressed with his strong baritone in his more demanding arias, though I did feel some of the more extended recitatives seemed more challenging for him.  Tenor Joseph Michael Brent was very convincing as the epicurean Nicias.  Mr. Brent sang impressively in his role and seemed very natural on stage.  In smaller roles, also excellent were bass-baritone Hunter Enoch as Palémon, leader of the monks; mezzo-soprano Allegra De Vita as abbess Albine; soprano Sarah Joyce Cooper who sang with the dancers, including while being hoisted way up in the air; and soprano Hayan Kim as Crobyte and mezzo-soprano Caroline Hewitt as Myrtale portraying servants of Nicias.  The chorus was very strong under the direction of Steven Gathman. 

Nicias (Joseph Michael Brent), center) parties during the ballet scene. Photo by Julian Thomas; courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

The dancers: MDLO presented the oft-omitted ballet scene, one of the production’s most delightful worldly pleasures.  Sarah J. Ewing and her team of eight attractive dancers provided a thrilling interlude of joyous motion, color, and beauty backed by sumptuous music.  Ah heck, they were so good and provided so much pleasure, I will name them: Diana Amalfitano, Ryan Carlough, Grace Cho, Davione Gordon, Abby Leithart, Shanice Mason, Tariq Darrell O’Meally, and Robert Woofter.  As mentioned above, they worked Ms. Cooper into their routine beautifully (and safely).

The Music: Massenet’s music is melodious and beautiful throughout.  The famous Méditation violin solo at the end of Scene 1 in Act II is exceptionally lovely, and its theme is used again in Act 3; this piece is often played in concerts and was played beautifully by MDLO Concertmaster Jose Miquel Cueto.  The music supports the mood and setting for each scene and the music for the ballet was sheer fun.  Maestro Louis Salemno leading the MDLO Orchestra turned in another stellar performance.  If you have not heard them play, treat yourself to some of their upcoming concert performances.  This conductor and orchestra playing Massenet’s music is definitely a worldly pleasure.

I have now enjoyed seeing two productions of Thaïs; one on video and one live.  I think I now understand why Thaïs is not a popular opera.  The reason most often given is that Thaïs is a showpiece opera for the rare exceptional soprano who can do justice to the role.  I find this unconvincing; I believe many of today’s excellent sopranos can sing this role.  The view sometimes given that the music is light weight, to me, is reaching for criticism; the music is highly enjoyable and does its job of enhancing the story telling, if not of the stature of Tristan und Isolde, certainly a worthy entrant for the repertoire. 

Sarah Joy Miller as Thaïs meditates on the meaning of her life. Photo by Julian Thomas; courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

Operas can wax and wane in popularity depending on the zeitgeist of an epoch.  Society can be fickle or may lose interest in what an opera has to say.  Thaïs’s subject matter is a faceoff between the spirit and the flesh, but our leads convert each other; they switch places.  Final score: Eternal Salvation 1, Worldly Pleasures 1.  This battle winds up in a tie and ties please no one.  Also, it’s complicated. Athanaël’s motives are not pure; he is driven by ego and pride; even in the end we cannot be sure what his real feelings for Thaïs are. Furthermore, audiences have become more secular in makeup over time, and the secular community doesn’t embrace or at least doesn’t feel comfortable with issues of salvation and eternal life.  When I look back at reviews of previous productions, I note that the reviews tend to pass over the spiritual elements lightly and focus on the singers and music.  Regardless, after witnessing MDLO’s production, I have trouble seeing its lack of popularity as the opera’s fault.  Met Opera did it in 2017; Minnesota Opera did it in 2018, and Utah Opera is doing it later this year.  Maybe we are at the beginning of a revival; maybe our time is ready to face those issues again.

left photo: Palémon (Hunter Enoch), leader of the monks, listens to Athanaél (Louis Otey) express his distress. right photo: Abbess Albine (Allegra De Vita, left) leads the nuns. Photos by Julian Thomas; courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

My bottom line is that Maryland Lyric Opera’s Thaīs worked.  It succeeded on two critical levels, first as entertainment, providing an immersive sensual experience, the worldly pleasures, and at the same time, it attended to our souls if you are religious or our humanity if you are secular, albeit in a disturbing way, by involving us in an artistic experience that delved deeply into who we are at our most fundamental selves and the choices that we must make about what we believe.  I think MDLO made an inspired choice and gave us the Thaïs that Massenet and Gallet intended.

The Fan Experience: There were only two performances of Thaïs, one on January 30 and one on February 1.  Check this link to see MDLO’s schedule of performances for the remainder of their season; a staged version of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro will be coming up on June 10, 12, and 14, again in the Kay Theatre. 

OMG! Free parking Thursday night was a bear.  I know there was a basketball game scheduled to start an hour after the opera, but something else must have also been going on.  I arrived over an hour before the opera and the free 1B and Z lots were saturated.  Fortunately, people seemed to be getting into the stadium paid parking with little difficulty.

Refreshments are limited in the Clarice Center for the Performing Arts which houses the Kay Theatre. There is a small bar with chips, pretzels, candy, and drinks , but a ten minute campus walk away is the UMD Student Union which features an array of fast food stands.

Why Maryland Lyric Opera’s Thaïs: A Young Artist Perspective

Tenor Joseph Michael Brent singing in Il Tabarro in September of 2019 at The Music Center at Strathmore. Photo courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

Tenor Joseph Michael Brent obtained a doctoral degree from the University of Georgia in 2014 and in 2018 spent a period training in Maryland Lyric Opera’s Young Artist Institute.  He has appeared in several MDLO productions since then and after a concert appearance in 2019, I wrote “I thought Mr. Brent was good when first I heard him a year ago.  He is now even better, a career worth following.  Kudos to him and to the MDLO team.”  He will play the role of Nicias in the upcoming MDLO performances of Thaïs.  His answer to the question posed in my previous blog report came in too late, and perhaps in too much detail, to be included there.  However, it was much too interesting not to use.  Here is a young artist’s response to my question. 

Why did you decide to make Thaïs part of your life?

My decision to make Thaïs a part of my life was multivalent.  Until I was contacted by Maryland Lyric Opera, Thaïs had never made a blip on my professional radar.  I had written transcriptions of the Thaïs meditation for double bass, and as a duet for double bass and violin, but never conceived that I would be singing Nicias, a role that I have come to adore.  Thaïs is not standard repertoire, and as there is no proper aria for the tenor (Nicias), there wasn't previously any powerful impulse to engage with the score. In an effort to streamline my answer, I would like to simply state that when the Maryland Lyric Opera calls I pick up; if MDLO inquires or offers a role, I consider it. I have ineffable appreciation, respect, and trust in the tight-knit team of artists who are at the helm of this company.  Mr. Brad Clark (President and Founder), Matthew Woorman (General Manager), and Maestro Salemno (Music Director and Conductor) are a powerhouse triumvirate forging an impressive opera company, one that I am grateful to work with and for.  They take care of their artists, and they prioritize great music making: what more could you want from an opera company?

Though I fear any display of hubris, I'll hazard to admit that I have come to personally identify with this character. I also have found that Massenet's setting of Gallet's text feels well suited to my voice, individual subjectivity notwithstanding. Nicias is an armchair philosopher, iconoclast, fatalist, epicurean, and dare I say hedonist; he takes people at their word and celebrates aestheticism over asceticism. I also find the underlying contention of the opera - the drama that percolates between Thaïs and Athanaël, and the provocative questioning of faith, paganism, and lust - fascinating, and engaging. Much of the music is quite beautiful, and Massenet's use of associative musical gesture at times is nearly “leitmotivic”. The [013] trichord (three note grouping), for example, is heard melodically and harmonically throughout the opera during scenes that feature Athanaël. You will hear this unmistakable cell used “motivically” by the orchestra in his first entrance. The two-bar phrase is actually a statement of the [013] trichord in one bar, followed by an inversion of the same trichord in the second bar, together creating a haunting affect. Other statements of this motive cell are rather recondite."

In summary, I chose to make Thaïs a part of my life because accepting this contract meant that I would be working with a great company (run by inspired artists), singing a role suited to me, exploring a relatively obscure opera, being surrounded by fantastic artists (on stage, off stage, and in the pit), offering something special to the audience, and - not least of which - earning some money to eat, pay my rent and student loans. I have to emphasize that working with Claudia Zahn (Thais Director) is an absolute treat, she is fantastic. I would be remiss if I did not include both Sam Fleming (Thaïs Costume Design) and Anne Nesmith (Thaïs Wig Design), who have contributed to making a beautiful show. Their amiable and brilliant personalities are perfect complements to their professional skill, a true joy to know these three artists. The high quality of person and artist that this company employs, from management to the pit, create an atmosphere that is an exhilarating delight both artistically and professionally. Tenor Joseph Michael Brent, who plays Nicias.

The Fan Experience: Mr. Brent makes a cogent point in his last paragraph not mentioned by others.  A singer must also be able to put food on the table.  If we want to continue watch and hear young artists entering opera careers, we have to support them by attending performances.  MDLO is making that possible.

Maryland Lyric Opera’s Thaïs: Why Make Thaïs Part of Your Life

Rehearsal photo from Thaïs. Photo courtesy of Maryland Lyric Opera.

Maryland Lyric Opera will perform composer Jules Massenet’s Thaïs on January 30 and February 1.  Thaïs is not in the top ten operas performed every year, nor even in the top fifty.  The last U.S. productions were by Metropolitan Opera in 2017 and Minneapolis Opera in 2018.  When a young, small opera company places a fully-staged production of Thaïs in their new season, one wonders why they are willing to take a chance on an opera that so few fans will be familiar with.  I am impressed with the quality of MDLO productions I have attended; last season’s concert performance of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West was one of the highlights of the opera season for me.  After recently viewing a Met Opera video of Thaïs as an experiment in supertitle-free viewing, I felt that this story of obsession/transformation of a Christian ascetic and an alluring courtesan in Alexandria, Egypt under the rule of the Roman Empire is an under-appreciated opera for both the story and the music, but I wanted to look more deeply into the reasons behind MDLO’s choice and what the performers found compelling.

Performers and staff involved in an opera put their hearts and souls into its production.  More often than not, it is more than just a job.  Choices are made about whether to audition and whether to appear in a particular production.  Sought after performers choose their roles carefully to fit their abilities and their desires to play specific roles.  These thoughts led me to wonder why the performers and staff in Maryland Lyric Opera’s production of Thaïs chose to commit their time and artistry to this particular opera.  So, I asked, and with the assistance of General Manager Matthew Woorman, I collected these responses to the following question:

Why did you decide to make Thaïs part of your life?

“When we were discussing which opera to produce in January 2020 we came up with a number of ideas. Thaïs became the clear consensus.  Given that this opera is so rarely performed, I am more than thrilled to have given the green light to this one for a number of reasons. The music is a hidden gem, both in the vocal and orchestral writing. Not only is it one of Massenet’s greatest works, it sits atop many in the French opera literature. It is one of the operas that has the two main roles for soprano and baritone and therefore some very moving duets which showcase the dramatic baritone role in contrast to the both seductive and vulnerable soprano. Its timely subject matter which deals with a person pledging his life to celibacy and his inherent struggle with his basic human needs in front of a very human Thaïs who struggles to find her way to the truth of her spiritual life. The inclusion of the full ballet that Massanet wrote (but rarely performed) that adds tremendously to this already gorgeous musical score. As a pianist, I have performed the well known "Meditation" from Thaïs countless times in various arrangements. I am grateful that we are able to bring this piece to the public in full context.  - Brad Clark, Founder and President, Maryland Lyric Opera.

“I love singing Thaïs! It’s a beautiful story of transformation for both of the main characters, as well as some of the most beautiful music I’ve had the pleasure to sing. It’s truly one of my favorite roles.” - Soprano Sarah Joy Miller who will play Thaïs.

“When Lou Salemno called me last summer and asked whether I'd be interested in doing 'Thaïs', it only took a moment to decide that, "Yes, I'd like another shot at this extraordinary role."  I sang it first in Rome 15 years ago and then covered it at the Met a few years after. And the fact that it would be Maestro Salemno in the pit was also a motivating factor along with the young lady who is singing the title role, Sarah Joy Miller. After 40+ years in this profession, I have chosen to do only projects that interest me with the right people. The role of 'Athanael' is a complex role, both dramatically and musically. I am attracted to characters who go through changes in their story, and Athanael certainly goes on a journey in the course of the opera. And, as a man of faith myself, I can relate to Athanael's crisis of faith. We all need to be tested in what we believe and he certainly is-- he leaves his comfortable life in Alexandria because he feels the emptiness of the pleasures of the flesh-- but his reaction of going in completely the opposite direction also turns up rather empty in the end. Thaïs makes the good choice though she dies because of the harshness of her penance. It's a misunderstanding of the grace that God provides for us. So, though it came rather 'out of the blue', I was happy to make Thaïs a part of my life at this point in time because it's a great role, a great character with a story to tell and the right people involved to make it truly worthwhile.”  - Baritone Louis Otey who will play Athanael.

“I chose to make this opera a part of my life in terms of becoming familiar with it in my Masters degree. After I heard a recording of George London singing “Voilà donc la terrible cité”, I decided to look over the score and listen to a few recordings. I thought the work was so beautiful musically, and a very interesting story. I was very happy to be offered the opportunity to be a part of it.” – Baritone Hunter Enoch who plays Palémon.

“This is an interesting way to think about my involvement with Thaïs.  I’ve always worked in both opera and straight theatre and look for pieces that are challenging for me and worth the effort, because they are rich both musically and/or dramatically. I love Massenet; he is a fabulous melodist, has great dramatic instincts - and tells great stories. So, I was intrigued to do one of his operas that I’d never done and is rarely done.  What initially drew me to be a part of this production were the roles of Athanaël and Thaïs. What could be a simplistic story gains richness through Massenet’s ability to bring color, nuance and unexpected choices to these characters. I really was moved by their emotional journeys. Added to that, the opportunity to build this exotic, semi-historical world was exciting for the designers and me.  And I was looking forward to the chance to work with Louis Salemno again. I have always greatly admired his innate musicality and understanding of the musical drama that is opera.  He brings more passion to the work than most conductors I’ve worked with!" - Claudia Zahn, Stage Director

“Like anything in the arts, there are several parts to this answer that are interlocking. I enjoy working with the director, Claudia Zahn, and we have worked together many times. We share a similar appreciation for all that opera is and can be. Then there is the piece, Thais. Massenet writes such beautifully atmospheric music, full of color and emotion, that it is a designer's dream: it cries out to be visually realized and has been personally rewarding to work on. The contrast between the simple severity of early Christian hermetic life and the growing decadence of Rome sets up a visual dynamic that is exciting. Finally, having seen an MDLO concert presentation last spring, I was impressed by the quality of the performances, singers and instrumentalists, as well as the musical accomplishment the maestro brought to the concert. The opportunity to work on a project that promises to be satisfying is a great draw." - Harry Feiner, Scenery and Lighting Designer for Thaïs

Why does this blogger want to make seeing Thaïs part of his life?  I want to hear the music again, especially played live by Maestro Salemno and the excellent MDLO orchestra.  MDLO will include the ballet scene in their version.  Also, Thaïs is a showpiece opera for a gifted soprano.  I can’t wait to hear Sarah Joy Miller in the role.  When she appeared in Romeo et Juliette in Baltimore in 2016, the Baltimore Sun’s critic Tim Smith said that she was a special talent who made every phrase sound beautiful, and he hoped she would be back in town soon.  Well Baltimore, College Park is not that far away.  I want to see what MDLO has done in terms of set and costumes in this new production.  There is a challenge to telling this story.  One reference I read claimed that the definitive Thaïs is yet to be produced.  Might MDLO’s be the one?

Addendum 1/29/2020: For a young artist response, tenor Joseph Michael Brent, who plays Nicias, see my next blog post.

The Fan Experience: The MDLO performances of Thaïs will take place in the Kay Theatre in the Smith Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park at 7:30 pm on Thursday, January 30 and at 2:30 pm on Saturday, February 1; tickets range from $25 to $50.  (Helpful Hint purchasing tickets online - When you click on the “Buy Tickets” link, first choose the month, January for the January 30 performance or February for the February 1 performance.)  Thanks to a donation-funded student initiative “Hello, Opera!”, student tickets are available in all sections for just $10. 

There is free parking near the theater after 4 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends in lots 1B and Z; there is a University of Maryland Basketball game at 8:30 pm on January 30, so getting there early for the 7:30 performance of the opera that day is recommended.  The small size and excellent acoustics in the Kay Theatre make it an excellent venue for attending opera.

Springtime for Opera in DC: AOI’s Exciting New Operas

Each January in Washington DC new opera blooms.  The American Opera Initiative presents a round of newly commissioned works to begin each new year.  Typically, one one-hour and three 20-minute operas are premiered.  The program was founded in 2012 and has sponsored the premieres of over 50 contemporary American operas.  This year, the one-hour entry has effectively been replaced with Washington National Opera’s  DC premiere of Blue which will take place in March.  Friday night in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, the AOI presented three new 20-minute works: Woman of Letters, Admissions, and Night Trip.

I consider these AOI productions to be one of the highlights of each opera season, presenting fresh new works that speak directly to current American culture.  For those of us who love new opera, it is an oasis.  Each entry in Friday night’s program presented a vignette from American life, and in each, a central character or two experiences a moment of truth, a truth transmitted to the audience through words and music.  While the focus is on American stories, the conflicts, emotions, and aspirations are representative of people everywhere.  One must keep in mind that classic operas typically run for 3-4 hours.  Composers and librettists for these short operas must present the characters and scene, build the tension, and reach a resolution in just 20 minutes.  And singing a story takes longer than simply acting a story, so the music must also be telling the story.  All singers come from the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program for these performances, and the orchestra is a chamber ensemble taken from the WNO orchestra. 

A key feature of the American Opera Initiative is to provide mentoring and exposure to other opera professionals to the new composers and librettists during the development of the operas.  This year’s mentors are composer Laura Kaminsky, librettist Kelley Rourke, and conductor Ann Manson.  Each has established careers in opera: Ms. Kaminsky is the composer of the highly successful opera, As One; Ms. Rourke is a successful librettist and is also the dramaturg for Washington National Opera; and Ms. Manson has conducted at music houses around the globe and is currently the music director for the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.  Additionally, teamwork among creative staff and performers is encouraged in bringing these productions to fruition.  The operas are semi-staged, presented in concert, and all were directed by Amanda Consol.

Woman of Letters photos: first photo - Marlen Nahhas as Sonya and Samuel J. Weiser as Sam; second photo - Marlen Nahhas as Sonya and Alexandra Nowakowski as Dara. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Woman of Letters by composer Liliya Ugay and libretto by Sokunthary Svay presents an inflection point in the evolving relationship between an immigrant daughter and father living alone together.  The father Sam has inspired the daughter Sonya’s imagination (and inhibited her wandering outside the home) by bringing her books from his job as a janitor at a local university.  This status quo must change when she receives a scholarship to attend college in Britain, and though, at first, he refuses to let her go, they reach a new, still fulfilling understanding of their relationship.  Soprano Marlen Nahhas as Sonya and bass Samuel J. Weiser as Sam gave convincing performances conveying the emotions with their voices.  Soprano Alexandra Nowakoswski appearing as Dara, a flighty friend lapsing into opera trills, added levity and perspective.  The story might benefit from a more elaborate playing out of the transition the father undergoes but that would require more time.  The small ensemble of thirteen instruments including a piano, was led in all three operas by Ms. Manson and played each new score effectively.  In my brief, first time, hearing of the music for Woman of Letters, the image that came to mind was a collage of instruments, an impressionistic collage that worked to provide color to the scenes.

Admissions photo: l to r, William Meinart as Father, Amanda Lynn Bottoms as Mother, and Marlen Nahhas as Daughter. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Admissions by composer Michael Lanci and librettist Kim Davies shows a movie star mother, a business tycoon father and their two kids as the mother is accused of giving bribes to gain a college acceptance for her daughter; hmmm, where did they get that idea?  It’s an opera dramedy.  The ways that life-styles and thereby life can warp us are exposed in comedic fashion but ends with a sincere (or not?) motivation of a mother to give to her children what she did not have.  A strong cast included soprano Marlen Nahhas as the daughter, tenor Matthew Pearce as the son, mezzo-soprano Amanda Lynn Bottoms as the mother, and bass William Meinert as the father.  Ms. Nahhas, Mr. Pearce, and Mr. Meinert sang well and gave convincing portrayals of their roles, particularly the comedic elements.  I especially enjoyed the tenderness of Ms. Bottoms singing and approach to her role.  The music here seemed to have more specific definition in supporting the characters with fine playing by the orchestra.

Night Trip photos: first photo - Rehanna Thewell as Conchetta; second photo, l to r - Samuel McCrady as Officer, Joshua Blue as Uncle Mack, and Joshua Conyers as Uncle Wesley. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

While Woman of Letters tugs at our heart strings and Admissions allows us to laugh at ourselves, Night Trip by composer Carlos Simon and librettist Sandra Seaton is a punch to the gut.  Two black WWII veterans begin a car ride from Chicago to Tennessee to transport their young niece to see her family.  Their encounter with a white gas station attendant and a white cop is scary; they save themselves by giving up their money.  This stark confrontation with racist cruelty lifted a veil from their niece’s eyes, changing her forever.  The players in this drama gave very strong performances, Joshua Conyers as Uncle Wesley, tenor Joshua Blue as Uncle Mack, tenor Matthew Pearce as the gas station attendant, and baritone Samson McCrady as the Police Officer.  I saved the best for last; mezzo-soprano Rehanna Thelwell was riveting as Conchetta.  She first appears commanding the stage, full of life, singing beautifully, and by the end, commanding the stage, singing knowingly.  The music utilized idioms from other genres, such as jazz and swing, and seemed the most assured of the three operas in presenting the characters.

These were three exciting entries in AOI’s annual event.  I can also report that no kings, queens, knights, duels, or double suicides by lovers were involved.  No, these were stories we could all readily identify with.  Therein lies a challenge for new opera, I think.  We live in a period when the mainstream is more focused on psychological than external change.  Ms. Kaminsky spoke of the need for the music, the voices, and the words to work together to communicate the truth of the stories.  Opera has feasted on truths revealed by grand passions and highly dramatic music.  Telling important truths where important changes are taking place internally requires a new type of music.  AOI’s new operas are exploring these new directions.  AOI has a great concept – give creative people resources and let them create.  Sadly, Spring only comes once a year.

The Fan Experience: These AOI performances were presented in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater only on Saturday night, at 7 pm and again at 9 pm.  The Terrace Theater only holds 450 patrons, so get your tickets early for next January.

An American in Lyon Attending Offenbach’s Le Roi Carotte

My wife schedules our vacations.  The deal we had was to spend Christmas in Paris to attend the opera for me (see my previous blog report) and to spend New Year’s Eve in Lyon to visit France’s gastronomic capital for my wife.  My wife noticed Opéra de Lyon was performing on New Year’s Day and gave me another treat, opera in Lyon.  We were concerned that the ongoing strike in France might imperil our Lyon plans as it did our plans in Paris, but to our delight, we arrived on time and the show went on.

King Carrot (Christophe Mortagne) and his rooted entourage appear at the royal court. 2019 Photo by Blandine Soulage; courtesy of Opéra Lyon.

(Disclaimer: Parents, if your children already have trouble eating their vegetables, do not take them to this opera.)

The opera being performed on New Year’s Day was the last performance of Le Roi Carotte (1872, The Carrot King) by French composer Jacques Offenbach.  The opera was sung in French and the supertitles were only available in French; supertitles were not projected during the spoken dialog.  I had read a synopsis and background on the opera before attending, but do not speak French.  Despite my limitation, I thoroughly enjoyed the opera, as did my wife and son, and it is ironic that I had just reported on watching opera the old-fashioned way, without the benefit of supertitles in English.

To be honest, not only had I not seen this opera before, but I had not even heard of it before my wife made me aware of the Lyon production; not a lot has been written about this opera of Offenbach’s, at least in English.  Like so many worthwhile operas buried in the past, it receives little attention while La Traviata and Le Marriage de Figaro get performed daily.  I understand an opera company has got to make a living, but I will point out the performance I attended was a sellout.  I welcome more rediscovered works, as apparently do others.

Cunégonde (Catherine Trottman) and Fridolin (Yann Beuron) meet and like each other. 2019 Photo by Blandine Soulage; courtesy of Opéra Lyon.

The opera has an interesting history, beginning with its composer.  Offenbach has one opera in the modern repertoire that gets performed regularly, The Tales of Hoffman, his only serious opera.  He wrote over a hundred operas and operettas, best known in his day for his gay, light-hearted, often satirical operettas.  I suppose Le Roi Carotte could be considered an operetta except that it runs close to three hours long. He is credited with being one of the originators of the operetta, a form he used to reflect the gaiety of life in Paris during the second half of the nineteenth century, a period known as La Belle Epoque, a golden age in Europe.  He wrote the popular musical number known as the Can Can, which appears in another comic opera of his, Orpheus in the Underworld.  The sell-out for the performance may have been because it was on a holiday, or perhaps.….the audience was responding to a need to be reminded that life can be gay, to remove ourselves for a couple of hours from our own troubled times.

Le Roi Carotte was a hit in its initial run in 1872, but fell out of favor, presumably due to the huge cast and costume and set changes required, making its performance an expensive proposition, and perhaps due to the bite of its satire directed at the political factions of its day.  The libretto was written by Victorien Sardu, after a tale by E. T. A. Hoffman; you might remember Sardu as the librettist for Puccini’s Tosca.  The Lyon production was a repeat of its December 2015 revival of the opera that featured a new staging and costumes by Director Laurent Pelly and an adaptation and dialog changes by Agathe Mélinand.  The 2015 production was a huge success and was named “Best Rediscovered Work” at the 2016 International Opera Awards; Le Roi Carotte had not previously been performed since the composer’s lifetime.

Under Coloquinte’s spell, the court ladies are charmed by King Carrot (Christophe Mortagne). 2019 Photo by Blandine Soulage; courtesy of Opéra Lyon.

This is a plot of many characters, thirteen named players plus a wide variety of townspeople, vegetables, and insects.  I’m guessing between fifty to one hundred performers were on stage at some point during the performance.  Except for the veiled satirical digs at various political groups, the plot is nonsensical.  I will only offer comments on the plot since a straightforward description is beyond my abilities.  Young King Fridolin is attempting to save his country’s finances after almost bankrupting it with his youthful spending ways.  To restore some funds to the state’s coffers, he plans both to sell the castle’s armor to genie Robin-Luron and to marry Princess Cunégonde for her wealth.  Fridolin and Cunégonde meet, each traveling incognito, and they like each other; the wedding is assured.  However, spirits appearing as vegetables are growing until they sprout arms and legs and faces.  They are led by the evil sorcerer, King Carrot.  Witch Coloquinte, to get revenge, puts the townspeople under a spell making them follow King Carrot.  Cunégonde is quite taken with the new King.  Fridolin, Robin-Luron, and Rosee du savoir (who loves Fridolin and has escaped imprisonment by Coloquinte) seek out help from a magician, who directs them to travel to Pompeii to obtain a magic ring, which they manage to do.  However, on return, Coloquinte causes Fridolin to lose the ring and be attacked by hordes of insects.  Fridolin escapes, and the people rise up against the Carrot King who is managing the economy badly and restore Fridolin to the throne.  Fridolin and Rosee du savior live happily ever after, we presume.  If I went into detail, it wouldn’t make any more sense.  Go with the flow.

Because the plot is nonsensical, staging is the real king for this opera.  Director Pelly moves the action at a fast clip and adds a myriad of marvelous costumes to engage the eye and numerous sight gags, the best of which are anachronistic, such as the princess being accompanied by secret service agents dressed in black suits and sunglasses.  The visit to Pompeii was totally a hoot. Unfortunately, I could not appreciate the humor in Ms. Mélinand’s new dialogs since I do not speak French; hopefully, Le Roi Carotte will make it to the U.S., and I can make use of supertitles in English.  But suffice it is to say that there was a delightful surprise at every turn.  With its large-scale variety and most of the performers clearly playing to the audience, there is a circus-like comedic feel to this production.  The staging was superb, and it is a critical element of this particular opera.

The citizens of Pompei protect the magic ring. 2019 Photo by Blandine Soulage; courtesy of Opéra Lyon.

Offenbach’s music has one significant flaw: it is likeable.  Critics and musicologists in the twentieth century decided that likeable music was frivolous and placed Offenbach’s comedies on a lower shelf.  Somehow I seem to enjoy both Beethoven and Offenbach.  I greatly enjoyed the music and its many pleasing melodies.  Conductor Adrien Perruchon and the orchestra entertained us with Offenbach’s often bouncy music.  Le Roi Carotte is worthy of its reemergence just to enjoy its music.  Combine that with a circus-like production and it was great holiday fun.

The cast was excellent overall.  Fridolin was played by tenor Yann Beuron, a pleasant, consistent tenor who provided the focal point for the opera.  Excellent mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne, in a pants role, gave us a compelling Robin-Luron.  Catherine Trottman who has a pretty soprano voice was also charming and funny as Cungégonde.  My personal favorite in this cast was soprano Chloé Briot as Rosée du soir; her voice possesses an emotional quality in its timbre that is very engaging; her opening aria won me over completely.  Tenor Christophe Mortagne played the self-absorbed King Carrot so convincingly that he drew a few boos at the end, for his character, not him.  Actress Lydie Pruvot gave us a vengeful Coloquinte.  And there were quite a few of other singers who had their moments that contributed to the success of the production, too many to go on about.  I will mention one more which is a group; the outstanding chorus was a major player in Offenbach’s music and the performance; kudos to chorus master Roberto Balistreri.  Many of the singers also sang in the 2015 production, including Beuron, Boulianne, Briot, and Mortagne.

The citizens once rise up against King Carrot and throw their support to Fridolin (Yann Beuron). 2015 Photo by Bertrand Slofleth; courtesy of Opéra Lyon.

Satire can be found in Le Roi Carotte (The Carot King), Jacques Offenbach’s opera buffa involving vegetables (maybe even more so if you speak French), but I think that for most of the audience it is simply great music supporting a riotous fairy tale story presented with inventive and consistently surprising staging.  The entertainment value of the Opéra Lyon production was very high, and though one can find parallels in today’s world politics if one wishes to look, I don’t advise looking too deeply.  Let it be enough that there are good guys and bad guys, and in the end, the good guys and the audience wins, a treat very appropriate for the holiday period, and perhaps even needed in today’s times. 

(Addendum to Disclaimer: My disclaimer above is totally in jest.  There were many children in the audience and there have been no reports of children with increased vegetable avoidance.)

The Fan Experience: Opéra de Lyon’s next production will be Tosca which begins January 20. There were eight performances of Le Roi Carotte ending on New Year’s Day.  One special treat of the holiday performance was an encore song by the entire troupe and a burst of silver and red streamers and confetti at the close.  There were no free programs for the performance, but there was available for purchase a souvenir program in French that included relevant essays about the opera and its period of history.  

One feature that was different with the French audience was that the applause at the end was rhythmic.  Although only a few individuals along the sides stood at the end, the rhythmic clapping was thunderous and lasted for several minutes.  Le Roi Carotte was again a hit.

The Lyon National Opera venue is among stately buildings in Place de la Comedie between the Rhône and Saône rivers with an adjacent subway stop.  The opera house is moderate in size with a seating capacity of 1,100, an ideal size for opera in my opinion. The building has an impressive façade and is topped by a large cylindrical glass roof that is lit up red on performance nights.  The interior of the auditorium is dressed in black and has five U-shaped balconies stacked atop one another.  The bar area has magnificent paintings on the sides and ceiling.  The seats are wooden, and I noticed cushions are available for rental.  There are lots of staffers available to help you find your way around. Photos by author: