Léirmheasanna Táirgeadh san am atá caite
50Today’s Local to Know interview was sponsored by Pittsburgh Opera. Catch Marianne in “Il Trovatore” March 28, 31 and April 2 at the Benedum Center. Today’s Local to Know has sung the national anthem at Pittsburgh sports games and graces the stage as Azucena in Pittsburgh Opera’s production of “Il Trovatore.” Meet Marianne Cornetti, opera singer, volunteer and Pittsburgh sports superfan. Take it away, Marianne! Tell us how you got started in opera. I have a very long lineage on my mom’s side of singers and musicians. My great-great-grandmother and great-grandmothers sang, my grandmother could “rock” a piano and played in her church for 60 years, and my mom sang and played the piano and organ in church for years.
The Pittsburgh Opera is set to present Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” for the first time in 20 years. The production, which will be performed between March 25 and April 2 at the Benedum Center, will star Jonathan Burton as Manrico and Alexandra Loutsion as Leonora. Lester Lynch also stars as the Count and Marianne Cornetti sings the role of Azucena. Antony Walker conducts the production by Daniel Rigazzi. The cast is rounded out by Ashraf Sewailam, Emily Richter, and Daniel O’Hearn. “Il Trovatore” was last performed at the Pittsburgh Opera in 1999 and features the famed “Anvil Chorus” as well as some of Verdi’s most memorable melodies.
There aren’t many major operas that the 84-year-old Pittsburgh Opera has not performed, especially ones that have been around since 1901. But on Sept. 17, the Pittsburgh Opera will stage the company’s debut performance of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak’s “Rusalka” at the Benedum Center. The opera is the Czech version of the popular fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.” While there are similarities to the animated movie, there are aspects of the opera that are different. For starters, the lead character’s name is not Ariel, it’s Rusalka. Also, Rusalka is not a mermaid, but rather a water sprite, also called a water nymph. But like the Little Mermaid, Rusalka falls in love with a human Prince and arranges for a witch to turn her into a human. However, there are many obstacles for the couple to overcome, which makes for a suspenseful evening’s entertainment. The story is based on a Czech folktale and is similar to Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” – but not the same. “It’s not just a little kids’ show,” Pittsburgh Opera marketing director Chris Cox said. “It is something for people of all ages to enjoy.” It’s not only the first time that the Pittsburgh Opera will perform “Rusalka,” but also the first time the company will sing an opera entirely in Czech. English subtitles will be projected above the stage. So what took the Pittsburgh Opera so long to get around to performing “Rusalka?” “There’s a lot of great work out there and there are certain operas like ‘Carmen’ and ‘La Boheme’ that we do on a fairly regular basis and there are only so many slots for all the other ones,” Cox said. “’Rusalka’ just happened to be one that hadn’t gotten its turn until now.” Cox said the opera’s patrons are excited about the long overdue performances, “especially the hardcore enthusiasts who yearn for us to put out stuff we haven’t done before.” “It’s the total package – the music is great, the score is beautiful, the singing is fantastic, the set is very lush and gorgeous and magical and it will be a really fun evening for everybody,” Cox said. “’Rusalka’ is a great way to experience something that is both familiar and new. The story is familiar, but the way it’s performed is new.” “Rusalka”’s run will be from Sept. 17-25 at the Benedum Center.
Cornetti’s presence commanded the stage, which was illuminated in this production by clever projections that conjured a rippling sense of being underwater better than a purely physical set ever could. A Pittsburgh native who’s sung all over the world, Cornetti is developing a special sort of malevolence for the Benedum — her last role for Pittsburgh Opera was as the witch in the operatic version of Hansel and Gretel. As the witch Jezibaba in “Rusalka,” she’s miffed at being awakened before dawn and wants payment for her services.
GRAMMY-nominated composer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Christopher Cerrone's new opera In a Grove, featuring a libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann, will receive its world premiere performances by Pittsburgh Opera from February 19 - March 3, 2022. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera with additional support from Raulee Marcus and Stephen Block, Pittsburgh Opera, and Metropolis Ensemble, In a Grove is based on a short story of the same name by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and follows seven witness testimonies to a murder, each clashing in perspective, offering a searing investigation into the impossibility and elusiveness of truth. LA Opera will present the west coast premiere of In a Grove in a future season. Sited within a ghost forest in the Pacific Northwest in 1922, the opera unfolds within a barren, haunted landscape devastated by wildfire. Into a terrain of broken dreams, marred by violence and obfuscated by smoke, comes a young woman who upends conventional notions of gender and narratives of victimhood, claiming agency for herself. Transpiring within a frontier territory driven by class struggle and fear of the other, this retelling of Akutagawa's tale-famously adapted as the film Rashomon-manifests a world in which the environment is under siege, and wildly veering personal truths vie with absolute fact, shattering what one thinks they know. Four singers are double cast, each assuming the character of both witness to and participant in the crime. A medium communicates with the ghost of the victim, straddling the thin line between the living and the dead, with no more access to the truth than anyone else. Electronic vocal processing will be used as characters speak for others, altering the facts, whether via blurrings of memory or intention. The Pittsburgh Opera cast includes Yazid Gray as The Woodcutter and The Outlaw (Luther Harlow), Andrew Turner as Policeman and The Man (Ambrose Raines), Madeline Ehlinger as Leona Raines and Leona's Mother, and Chuanyuan Liu as the Priest and the Medium. Nine instrumentalists, accompanied by a bed of site-reactive electronics, also function as characters, or facets of them, each in concert with a different testimonial. Christopher Cerrone discovered Akutagawa's short story In a Grove in the fall of 2014 while beginning to research a follow-up to his 2013 opera, Invisible Cities, which was a 2014 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Music. He explains, "In Akutagawa's story, I found a complex and multifaceted tale where the whole notion of objective truth was impossible; we, the readers, are left to decide for ourselves what happened. I thought this story, with its unique structure, would make the perfect opera. The shifting perspectives and changing repetitions of a single event would allow me to use the language of music to create an opera where the events are told and retold in pristine emotional detail; where the shifting and faulty memory of characters can be reinforced by vocal distortion and reverb." ADVERTISING Cerrone continues, "Having been introduced to Stephanie Fleischmann's lyrical and impactful libretti, I enlisted her to join the project. She brought a new nuance and complexity to the story - coloring in the details of our characters' lives. Now set in the Pacific Northwest in the rubble of a wildfire, our adaptation - a feminist retelling - focuses on the tragedy of conflicting personal truths. Every main character confesses to the murder of a man named Ambrose (a nod to the American writer Ambrose Bierce, an inspiration to Akutagawa); it is their inability to communicate with one another that drives the engine of the opera's conflict. As the subsequent years have passed, our society feels at a precipice where basic facts can no longer be agreed upon. As a result, the tale of this opera feels increasingly urgent." The shifting viewpoints of Akutagawa's classic short story lend themselves eloquently to music's ability to conjure, via repetition and variation, the ways human perception is fallible, imprecise, and subject to interference. Characterized by a subtle handling of timbre and resonance, composer Christopher Cerrone's music balances lushness and austerity, immersive textures, and telling details. This dynamic new adaptation melds the dramatic impact and interiority of Cerrone's unique voice with librettist Stephanie Fleischmann's charged, poetic text to produce a powerful interrogation into how we see, hear, remember, and believe. Director Mary Birnbaum's concept for In a Grove takes inspiration from James Turrell and Fujiko Nakaya, artists whose work renders subtle changes in perception: Viewers will enter a space already activated, via sound, light and fog - a tool used to obscure, to manipulate, perspicacity. Designed to inhabit a relatively intimate black box, the environment will feel as if it is progressively closing in around the audience, drawing them into the metaphysical space of the grove, a place where the ground shifts beneath their feet. This is a space of ambiguity and clarity, of beauty and menace, fragility and strength - in which a visceral sense of immediacy is amplified by the shifting psychic terrain and vast emotional space of the music.
Pittsburgh Opera has announced that it will stage the world premiere of Christopher Cerrone and Stephanie Fleischmann’s opera “In a Grove.” “In a Grove” is based on a short story of the same name by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and follows seven witness testimonies to a murder, each clashing in perspective; the work is famously the inspiration for Akira Kurosawa’s legendary 1950 film “Rashomon.” The opera has been commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera with additional support from Raulee Marcus and Stephen Block, Pittsburgh Opera, and Metropolis Ensemble. The cast includes Yazid Gray as The Woodcutter and The Outlaw (Luther Harlow), Andrew Turner as Policeman and The Man (Ambrose Raines), Madeline Ehlinger as Leona Raines and Leona’s Mother, and Chuanyuan Liu as the Priest and the Medium. Antony Walker conducts a production by Mary Birnbaum. “In Akutagawa’s story, I found a complex and multifaceted tale where the whole notion of objective truth was impossible; we, the readers, are left to decide for ourselves what happened. I thought this story, with its unique structure, would make the perfect opera. The shifting perspectives and changing repetitions of a single event would allow me to use the language of music to create an opera where the events are told and retold in pristine emotional detail; where the shifting and faulty memory of characters can be reinforced by vocal distortion and reverb,” said composer Christopher Cerrone in an official press statement. “Having been introduced to Stephanie Fleischmann’s lyrical and impactful libretti, I enlisted her to join the project. She brought a new nuance and complexity to the story – coloring in the details of our characters’ lives. Now set in the Pacific Northwest in the rubble of a wildfire, our adaptation – a feminist retelling – focuses on the tragedy of conflicting personal truths. Every main character confesses to the murder of a man named Ambrose (a nod to the American writer Ambrose Bierce, an inspiration to Akutagawa); it is their inability to communicate with one another that drives the engine of the opera’s conflict. As the subsequent years have passed, our society feels at a precipice where basic facts can no longer be agreed upon. As a result, the tale of this opera feels increasingly urgent,” added Cerrone.
The cast fared with varying degrees of success. Jennifer Holloway as Donna Elvira was the most impressive of the women, singing with fine line, intensity and ample intelligence. Caitlin Lynch was also a strong presence as Donna Anna, though her vibrato sometimes got in the way. Simpson's Don Giovanni was certainly impressive at times, including the aria “Deh vieni alla finestra,” with its mandolin accompaniment well played onstage by Thomas Godfrey. I'd like to hear Simpson in the role in a different context. Wayne Tigges gave a particularly earthy slant in vocal timbre as well as deportment to Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant. His Catalogue Aria – cataloguing Don Giovanni's amorous conquests by country, ending with “but in Spain, 1,003” – concluded with coarse handling of Donna Elvira, to whom it is sung. Sean Panikkar offered impressive sotto voce singing as Don Ottavio. Sari Gruber was variable as Zerlina, at her best performing with Joseph Barron's solid Masetto.
The new staging of "Madama Butterfly" offered by Pittsburgh Opera for the first time on Saturday night employs some unusual musical and dramatic turns on the path to the excruciating pathos composer Giacomo Puccini created in this popular opera. The production features an effective cast led by soprano Maria Luigia Borsi, who gave a stunningly dramatic and well sung performance of the title role, Cio-Cio San. While the production originated with Boston Lyric Opera and the costumes were designed for Utah Symphony and Opera, Crystal Manich's new stage direction had great impact and was mostly convincing.Mika Shigematsu was superb as Cio-Cio San's servant Suzuki, a fine singer with personality who showed surprising spunkiness in her first interactions with Pinkerton and Sharpless, the U.S. Consul in Nagasaki, Japan, where the opera takes place in the late 19th century. Tenor Bryan Hymel as Pinkerton showed his vocal strength most impressively at the end of the opera in the brief passage after Cio-Cio San has committed suicide. Secondary roles were generally well handled, including Joseph Gaines' colorful marriage broker Goro and Dwayne Croft's agonized Sharpless. Manich was masterly in presenting the dramatic confrontation between Cio-Cio San and her community after she renounces Japanese culture to become an American wife. She was imaginative in using the minimalist set and achieved strong character definition and interactions throughout. Cindy Limauro's lighting design was exceptionally creative, adding many looks through geometrically highlighted areas of the stage and changes of lighting angle and tint.
“Aida” is set in ancient Eqypt and is most famous for the spectacle of the “Triumphal Scene,” in which the Egyptian army returns victorious — with prisoners and spoils of war — after having beaten the Ethiopian army. Latonia Moore commanded the stage as “Aida,” a role she's performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He voice is lustrous and smooth on top, and has an emotional tinge even at the ends of phrases that taper quietly. Her lowest register was dry at first, but velvety long before the exquisite tomb scene. The soprano's power was thrilling to experience, both in solos and in big scenes. She also acted extremely well. All in all, an unforgettable company debut. Tenor Carl Tanner, also making his debut, was an uncommonly strong Radames, the Egyptian general in love with Aida but desired by Amernis, daughter of Egypt's king. Elizabeth Bishop gave an excellent portrayal of Amneris, one that generated real sympathy for her situation. Her powerful mezzo had the steel for a daughter of the king, and she controlled it with mastery that was nuanced to her changing moods — stong-willed, conflicted, cunning and vulnerable. Oren Gradus sang very well as Ramfis, the high priest, offering strength and dignity. Phillip Gay as the King and Jasmine Muhammad as the High Priestess were both effective. Walker led a wonderfully dramatic performance — well-paced, colorful and beautiful together in ensemble. Delicate moments were all the more magical for being precisely defined. He also let the orchestra and chorus rip at the right moments, which contributed to the sweep of the performance. This made Moore's ability to ride the climaxes all the more impressive. The orchestra was outstanding, apart from one bad chord at the end of the prelude. The string section had remarkable tonal character and cohesion. Wind solos, including piccolo, were keenly drawn. The brass, and especially trumpets, have a big role in this opera, and played magnificently. Timpani and bass drum also stepped up to Walker's scale of sonority for this opera.
The opera that I attended on opening night was astonishing. The orchestra played relaxingly and mellifluously to the ear. The setting to Giuseppe Verdi’s version of “Aida” was located in Egypt. Aida played by Latonia Moore, was a gorgeous Ethiopian servant to Amneris from Egypt and also a princess. The tone of the opening act was quite calm.The costumes used in the Opera fit perfectly to the Egyptian times of warriors, kings, queens and slaves. I remember sitting there as the opera began and seeing 4 guards who at the time, I thought were statues but were not. So the make-up, lighting and poise of the cast were quintessential! Now I don’t know if I was so amazed by the opera singing because of the divine voices or because I never heard opera before, which gave it some perks but the voice of the main characters were astounding. Amonasro played by Lester Lynch, had a very compelling, vigorous tone. Aida played by Latonia Moore had a melodious sweet sound. The opera itself was very dramatic. Between the love triangle and having to imagine choosing between my father and the love of my life how Aida did in this melodrama made it very emotional. I actually found myself getting teary eyed towards the final ‘hours’ of Aida and Radames' life
The staging Pittsburgh Opera presented was originally created for Canadian Opera Company in Toronto by Diane Paulus. While it does generate plenty of laughs, it shows no sympathy for many of the opera's more serious aspects that motivated its creators. The staging's concept is ostensibly a play within a play. In practice, it's not much more than an initial frame soon dropped entirely. The stage action in this production begins during the overture, when the curtain is usually closed. We see the opera's characters preparing for a performance of “The Magic Flute” as part of a birthday party for a wealthy family's daughter, Pamina. The opera's first act is performed on a small stage, observed at first by Pamina, her father, others in the household and Pamina's mother, who is divorced from her father. Her father will be Sarastro in the opera, her mother, the Queen of the Night. The audience on stage is gone well before the end of the first act and dispensed with entirely in the second act, along with the tiny stage within a stage. most of the cast was excellent Nov. 9, and the entire performance was shaped superbly by conductor Antony Walker. Nearly all the cast was a past or current member of a resident artists program. Most were from Pittsburgh Opera's program, and Layla Claire, who played Pamina, completed the program at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Pamina and her prince, Tamino, are the principal romantic couple in the opera, and both roles were superbly sung. Soprano Claire has an exceptionally appealing voice in her middle and upper registers — clean and clear with just the right amount of warmth. She retains tonal luster up to the high B flats and has ample agility. Once the ditsiness of Pamina's personality during the overture is past, Claire's portrayal was a bit more assertive than one usually encounters in this part. While Oren Gradus was impressive in some passages, Sarastro's tessitura requires a singer with a much stronger lower register. The orchestra played extremely well throughout the opera, though more violinists would have been welcome. Woodwind solos were full of personality and admirable tone, while the brass and timpani were sonorously remarkable. The glockenspiel part was expertly performed on an electronic keyboard. Pittsburgh Opera Chorus was superb, consistently producing firm, well-centered singing. Some of the staging was unintentionally funny, such as bearded ladies playing the three spirits
The opera opens with the sisters entering one by one, singing of their lost children. It's a scene that builds to emotionally intense five-part counterpoint. The emotions are individual. When the sisters are emotionally together, the vocal parts are together, too. Muhly and librettist Stephen Karam treat the family's values with respect and sincerity, as well as its assertion of religious freedom. That's not to say they sugarcoat the views of the husband and father, the self-proclaimed Prophet. By normal standards, he's extremely manipulative and paternalistic. The crucial dramatic conflict within the family begins when one of the sisters, Eliza, asks why only he receives revelations. Jasmine Muhammd gives an intense but finely nuanced portrayal of Eliza, who will break free of the family at the end of the opera. The other sisters were all well cast. Meredith Lustig 'and Samantha Korbey, as Zina and Presendia, were favored wives who speculate about who will sleep with the Prophet that night, and aren't above a little catty dialoque ended by referring to the rule for the wives — “be sweet.” Nicole Rudin gave impressive dimension to Ruth, an older sister “out to pasture,” who mourns her dead sons and will commit suicide in the second act. Alexandra Loutsion emphasized the sweetnes and compassion of Almera. Joseph Barron was formidable as the Prophet, singing with impressive legato when presenting a vision. Although we see him hugging his wives, and speaking of family love, the Prophet is an opaque character. Barron also played King, a television personality complete with Larry King-style suspenders, in the first scene of Act II. Although the sisters start by maintaining unanimity in making the public case for the return of their children, Eliza breaks ranks and reveals she was married at 16 and wants better for her daughter, Lucinda. Rebecca Belczyk was emotionally direct as Lucinda, who chooses to stay with the family when her mother leaves at the end of the opera. Resident artist stage director George Cedarquist handled the characterizations and stage space with skill. Glenn Lewis and the excellent ensemble made Muhly's imaginative orchestration a vital part of the action.
The opera begins with Paul appealing his suspension from high school. Rebecca Belcyzk, Samantha Korbey and Nicole Rodin were the history, drawing and English teachers pushing for his suspension. They also sang well playing hotel maids in Act 2. The opening scene shows the stylistic stance of the words and music at their best. Spears writes in a minimalist style with some repetitions serving a baroque sense of ornamentation. The text is repetitive too, usually in the key fragments. This fits the opening scene because each of the characters is static. Spears' excellent ensemble writing welds it all into compelling music. Tenor Daniel Curran gave a superb performance of the title role, vocally secure across the nearly two-octave range and dramatically very well attuned to the somewhat mysterious ambiguities of Paul's character. Paul comes into his own in the split-stage second scene. He revels in his world at Carnegie Music Hall, while on the right side of the stage his father sits at a desk doing paperwork. Alex DeSocio offered well-supported singing in what is a one-dimensional role. Belczyk and Korbey shined in a duet Spears wrote, using lines by Stephen Crane, as an example of the art Paul enjoys. But that life is about to end. His father decides Paul must take a real job. The performance was effectively led by Glenn Lewis, who cued the singers attentively in the tricky score. The excellent nine-member ensemble was drawn from the opera orchestra, with assistant conductor James Lesniak playing piano. George Cedarquist's staging was direct and effective. Spears' opera is in two acts with an optional intermission, which Pittsburgh Opera declined. Performed straight through, the opera lasted a little more than an hour and a quarter. Although it felt long, the work is an impressive first opera from an obviously talented composer.
The Pittsburgh Opera performance was outstanding, both vocally and instrumentally. Soprano Jasmine Muhammad offered a compelling performance in the title role. She was both regal and human. Apart from a bit of edginess in a few of her highest notes, Muhammad sang with gorgeous tone and clean, precise lines. Mezzo-soprano Carrie Stallings was completely convincing as Bertarido. Her voice was vibrant and agile, while her characterization of the King was bold and heroic without a hint of exaggeration.Tenor Adam Bonanni offered a convincing picture of Grimoaldo, the usurper who talks (and sings) tougher than he is. Bonanni also sang extremely well, varying his tone and power to dramatic circumstance, and with well-arched phrasing.Philip Gay was impressive as the truly ruthless Garibaldo, who is the power behind Grimoaldo until he sees an opportunity for more power by trying to kill Grimoaldo. Gay has a one-dimensional character but sang with ample vocal heft.Bertarido's sister, Eduige, who rejects Grimoaldo's offer of marriage before he turns to her sister-in-law, was ably performed by mezzo-soprano Laurel Sernerdijian. Her voice has appealing weight, intensity and flexibility.Zachary Wood sang the countertenor part of Unulfo. He's actually a bass, but sang with confidence and appealing, consistent tone octaves above his home turf.Conductor Michael Beattie led a performance that was brilliantly unified in baroque style and dramatic thrust. The orchestra featured guest artists Chatham Baroque, along with Mark Trawka on harpsichord. The remainder of the ensemble was drawn from Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, played as though born to the baroque manner.The staging has to work within the constraints of the small size of the stage. The dramatic focus offered by stage director Crystal Manich is well conceived. However, her idea of the opera as taking place in a war zone was overdone in the set design. More distracting is the practice of have parts of the set, including the fauna to represent the royal garden, move in and out of place while characters are singing. “Rodelinda” lasts just under three hours as presented by Pittsburgh Opera. There were many cuts; a complete performance would last about four hours. This production also cuts the opera's total duration by breaking it into two parts, rather than Handel's three acts, saving a 20-minute intermission.
Mezzo-soprano Corrie Stallings made for a charming, comic Jo, with a delivery as natural as conversation. While her voice wasn’t large, the venue didn’t require it; more important, she used every bit of that bandwidth to achieve a wide dynamic range, steady execution and sensitive phrases. At the end of the opera, Jo’s sisters joined her for a gorgeous quartet. Toward the end of the opera, Beth, lying on her deathbed, offers one of the opera’s key moments of insight, telling Jo to accept her younger sister’s inevitable death. Playing Beth, soprano Adelaide Boedecker captured this shift with a warm bold vibrato that deepened the otherwise simple character. mezzo-soprano Laurel Semerdjian had a fine, coppery voice, but her musical lines lacked connective tissue. Soprano Claudia Rosenthal brought bright vocalism to the role of Amy. The Laurie of tenor Adam Bonanni had an appealing tone, but his character merited more operatic fullness. The production contrasted Susan Memmott Allred’s excellent period costumes with Shengxin Jin’s three-dimensional set, complete with floating furniture and large books twisted into staircases. This creative and striking production, directed by Crystal Manich, revealed much about the characters and story, although some scenes had gratuitous staging.
Pittsburgh Opera's new production of Adamo's work opened Jan. 23 at CAPA and proved a compelling vision of the piece thanks to an excellent cast and chamber ensemble, superb preparation and conducting by Glenn Lewis, and imaginative staging by Crystal Manich. Adamo's musical score is individual and eclectic, employing various musical languages to suit the nature of the situation he's bringing to life. The music expressing the characters' feelings is apt to be mainly tonal. Narrative music, in which most conflicts occur, is well served by the composer's chromaticism and 12-tone harmonies. Best of all, the colors of character and narrative music are wonderfully fluid. Mezzo-soprano Corrie Stallings offered a thoroughly convincing and sympathetic portrayal of Jo, which was especially impressive because of the character's complexity. Stallings' singing easily encompassed not only the wide range of her notes, but also her character's strong will as much as her emerging doubts and personal growth. Baritone Brian Vu gave a strong performance as Brooke, handling high tessitura with assurance and finding the strength to deal with Meg's challenging family. Soprano Adelaide Boedecker's big moment is Beth's death scene, in which she must help Jo accept the unpleasant reality. Her line was finely drawn, and her acting conveyed Meg's generosity and weariness. Kara Cornell and Daniel Teadt were winning as the parents, while Leah de Gruyl was intense as Aunt Cecilia. The staging was mainly quite effective in adapting to the small space of the stage. The costumes were realistic to the time of the novel. Glenn Lewis led a confident performance of a score that is more difficult than it might sound. He was as attentive to indicating cutoffs as entrances, and balanced the singers and instrumentalists very well. His pacing felt apt at every moment. Overall, Pittsburgh Opera has a winner in its cozy yet intense production of “Little Women.”
“The Rake's Progress” was presented in the celebrated David Hockney production, which was created in 1975. Pittsburgh Opera acquired the production for merely the cost of trucking it from San Francisco Opera. Stravinsky and librettists W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman were inspired to create the opera by a series of engravings by William Hogarth. Hockney seized on that visual style to create his set, costumes and wigs with cross-hatching line drawing. Although more than 40 years old, Hockney's production belies its age. It's physically in great shape, looking bright, crisp and clean. Tenor Alek Shrader brought much more than good looks to playing Tom Rakewell. He developed the role with knowing details of characterization as it moves from a naive and self-centered young man to one who's beaten down by his follies and is ultimately a person whose fate moves us deeply. He sang with authority and admirably clear definition, as well as small modification of tonal color depending on the dramatic context. Soprano Layla Claire was the thoroughly winning Anne Truelove, who is left behind by Tom when he goes to squander an inheritance in London. She shaped her lines with a gloriously open and fluid top register, and in addition to the sheer beauty of her singing, Claire found ways to give her character more human dimension than it often receives. The three smaller roles were well handled, too. Wei Wu brought the right degree of stuffiness to father Truelove, although he was sometimes underpowered. Keith Jameson offered a well defined and well sung Sellem, who runs the auction when the property of Rakewell and his wife is being sold to pay off his debt. Finally, Matthew Scollin combined the wonderful depth of his voice with unflappable dignity as the Keeper of the Madhouse to which Rakewell is confined at the end of the opera and his life. Walker prepared the Opera Orchestra extremely well. Stravinsky's writing is tricky in many ways, but the musicians played it with surprising assurance, especially for a first performance. However, Walker chose to employ a more legato style than Stravinsky preferred, which is a separate issue from articulation in fast passages that will presumably tighten over the run of performances.
“The Rake’s Progress” is a product of Stravinsky’s “neoclassical” period, in which the composer assimilated older styles and made them his own. He used an 18th-century orchestra, including harpsichord, with clear divisions between musical numbers and recitative. But he didn’t limit himself to the 18th century. The heroine’s big scene is a Bellinian cavatina ending with a showy fast caballetta, while her lullaby to the dying Tom is cast in the form of a medieval motet. And Stravinsky liked to fool the listener by taking his melodies in unexpected directions, and placing accents on the wrong syllables, creating a topsy-turvy musical world to match the plot. On opening night, conductor Antony Walker kept his vocal and instrumental forces together with admirable proficiency, while stage director Roy Rallo elicited dexterous movement from the eager, animated cast. In the title part, Alek Shrader combined boyish naivete with a callousness that made his eventual plight appropriately inevitable. His smallish tenor, pleasant and well produced, did not, however, project consistently through the theater – often at the expense of the words (and the supertitles were not always in sync). Layla Claire was a spunky and physically beautiful Anne, though her warm soprano tended to turn strident on her top notes, and she seemed uncomfortable with the craggy coloratura of her virtuoso solo turn. The best singing, and also the most vivid characterizations, came from the two veterans in the cast. David Pittsinger used his resonant bass-baritone sound and seasoned stage skills to his advantage as the slimy Shadow. Jill Grove played Baba the Turk – the bearded lady at a glimpse of whom brave warriors swooned – with relish and braggadocio. She manipulated her voluminous deep mezzo-soprano for comic effect, adjusting her vocal coloration to affect sympathy when giving advice to the disconsolate Anne. In the briefer but still juicy role of Mother Goose, younger mezzo Laurel Semerdjian, a resident artist, sang strongly and played the madam of the brothel with a spirit of fun. Keith Jameson, whose pungent tenor had more carrying power than Shrader’s, delivered the delightful auctioneer’s scene with gusto and comic flair. Basso Wei Wu showed promise and comfortable stage demeanor as Trulove, Anne’s hapless father.
Soprano Patricia Racette gave a thrilling portrayal of Princess Salome, embracing in her own way the most outrageous aspects of the role, and was supported by a strong cast. The most striking aspect of Antony Walker's conducting was his balances between voices and orchestra, which let every word be heard. Salome is a teen princess in Judea, ruled by her father-in-law Herod and his wife, Herodias. Strauss's music brilliantly captures the obsessive and lustful air of the Herod's court, as well as the goodness of Jochanaan, John the Baptist, who is being held captive by Herod. Racette created a brilliantly textured picture of Salome, both privileged by rank and oppressed by the world she lives in. Her curiosity with Jochanaan grows by steps to fascination and obsession. The soprano sang with ample power, and would no doubt have been able to ride over a louder orchestra. She encompassed the part's wide range, including the demanding lowest register, and also had the nuance to vocally color insinuation, charm and ecstasy. Her Dance of the Seven Veils, created with choreographer Michele de la Reza of Attack Theatre, went against type because it mostly wasn't directed at Herod, for whom it was supposedly being performed. Most of this Salome's Dance was about her feelings, and was accompanied by three male dancers. At the end Racette turned fully naked to Herod, and then turned her back on him to face the audience before covering up. Baritone Nmon Ford was outstanding as Jochanaan. His opening lines were surprisingly powerful, sung as they were from under the stage in the cistern. But he sang with resonant dignity throughout. He was also much less stiff physically than most Jochanaans. Robert Brubaker as Herod and Micaela Martens as Herodias both sang well and roused themselves to requisite nastiness at times, but neither created a particularly vivid presence. The production was mostly traditional except that the soldiers carried knives rather than swords and shields. In this production Salome is killed by knife stabbing although the music's final rhythms suggest an even more brutal death.
With the unfortunate absence of the Pittsburgh Symphony this season, the excellent playing by the Opera orchestra was a reminder of how good this city’s second orchestra can be when it’s at its best. From the opening clarinet solo to the gigantic outpouring of Salome’s final declaration of love to the severed head of Jochanaan (John the Baptist), music director Antony Walker elicited taut, mostly accurate playing that enveloped the ear with magnificent floods of sound. Andrew Sinclair’s staging, on a workable set by Boyd Ostroff, contained some miscalculations that were at odds with the words and the printed directions – notably at the end, Salome merely stabbed from behind, rather than crushed beneath the soldiers’ shields – but the total effect of the show was quite overpowering. It was an evening of excellent tenors. Jonathan Boyd’s bright-tones were just right for Narraboth, the handsome young soldier who kills himself when Salome ignores his amorous advances. Robert Brubaker’s drier but penetrating sound was ideal for the lecherous, demented Herod. In the important, intricate quintet of Jews arguing over details of law, Michael Papincak, James Flora, Adam Bonanni and Eric Ferring (joined by bass Andy Berry) negotiated the knotty musical texture with an admirable degree of accuracy. Mezzo-soprano Michaela Martens was insufficiently imposing in voice or bearing as the evil Herodias, but resident artist Leah de Gruyl’s solid low register was impressive in the brief part of the Page, futilely in love with Narraboth. Brian Vu’s pleasant baritone was another asset in the melodious solo lines of the Second Nazarene.
Soprano Claudia Rosenthal, portraying Isacio’s daughter, Pulcheria, achieved the greatest balance between musical and dramatic interest. Her character, insulted by her fiancé Oronte’s pursuit of Costanza, became more complex over the course of the opera. Ms. Rosenthal achieved this maturation through her delivery — both comic and sympathetic — and her willingness to have fun with ornamentation. Those efforts sometimes compromised her technical output, but she took risks with the role and gave it a memorable portrayal. As Costanza, soprano Shannon Jennings had a bell-like, liquid tone but maintained a rather one-dimensional, anguished affect throughout the performance. Bass Andy Berry, playing Isacio, owned his character’s creepiness with a gravelly, buzzy tone. Two women portrayed Riccardo and Oronte, roles originally written for castratos. In the title role, mezzo-soprano Leah de Gruyl exhibited agility and separation through complicated vocal lines and delivered a fine, trill-filled love duet with Ms. Jennings, but her depiction could have benefited from more king-like charisma. Mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven’s rich, deep timbre suited the role of Oronte, but she, too, could have given a more nuanced portrayal. Brian Vu impressed in the small role of Berardo. The singers’ stamina and technical grounding was on display in the final chorus.
The company’s new production is part of its ongoing Second Stage project, which gives Pittsburgh Opera resident artists the opportunity to perform a contemporary American chamber opera. The two voices serve to present different parts of Hannah’s experience and psyche: She sneaks on a blouse while delivering newspapers as a young boy; she is admonished in school for her “girly” handwriting; she expresses discomfort sitting with the boys in a sex ed class; she is nearly assaulted as she tries to get into her car. Ms. Kaminsky’s tart and rhythmic score, largely centered on the viola, comments on the libretto with varied string textures. For example, nauseating glissandos accompany Hannah’s discussions of the dizzying effects of hormone therapy. The libretto, aided by insight from Ms. Reed’s own experience as a transgender woman, captures the dueling aspects of Hannah’s identity with sweetness and humor. Mr. Vu and Ms. Raven showcased those interior struggles with compassion and confidence. Singing together, they gave not so much love duets as self-love duets, the knotty forces of a complicated identity merging in a messy or touching way. Mr. Vu, whom I’ve often praised, continues to impress, and his performance gave me chills. The baritone maintained a gleaming character throughout various volumes and different parts of his range, expressing each line with a clear sense of purpose. His style was direct and his consonants were crisp, yet his performance still illuminated all the complexities of the character. The effect was like a simply constructed, beautiful sentence. Ms. Raven, who sang this role with Seattle Opera last year, delivered her part with power, most notably with a pulsating, silvery vibrato in the upper register. Her performance of the final aria allowed Hannah’s personality — funny, a bit self-deprecating and ultimately hopeful — to shine through, and that long finale also exhibited Ms. Raven’s stamina. At times, however, she could have extracted more colors from the middle of her range, and some of the intricate runs were muddled. The production’s only major blemish was the uneven performance from the string quartet, which featured four Pittsburgh Opera orchestra principals and was conducted by James Lesniak. The ensemble sounded underprepared; the players whiffed on some notes, were often out of tune and sounded dragged down by sluggish tempos. And they seemed uncomfortable with the score’s occasional extended techniques, such as the inaudible moments when they were supposed to hum or sing. The production was directed by Frances Rabalais, who drew out a fine rapport between the two singers but missed a few opportunities to set the actions contained in the libretto.
Pittsburgh Opera expended its best efforts on this production, and audience reception at the premiere on April 29, with Gibson’s great-grandson in attendance, was far more positive and enthusiastic than is usual here for a new or unfamiliar work. The Summer King is a compelling theatrical experience and a serious, thought-provoking addition to the repertory. There are some weaknesses, mostly in the libretto. While the action moves swiftly in a cinematic succession of flashback scenes, some segments go on a little too long, and there is a confusing assortment of supporting characters, several taken by a single singer. The final scenes, following the protagonist’s death are anticlimactic, detracting from the impact of the situation. The score is quite strong. Sonenberg’s eclectic aural landscape incorporates jazz, ragtime, swing, even extending to mariachi in a scene where Gibson goes to Mexico to play for the Veracruz Azules. Sonenberg’s vocal writing is demanding—he favors extremes of the range—but almost always idiomatic and gratifying. Alfred Walker sang colorfully in the leading role of Josh Gibson, capturing the player’s contrasting sides while swinging a bat with ease and confidence. In an aria that describes his wife’s death in childbirth and his determination to concentrate only on “the game,” the versatile baritone expressed the gamut of feelings, later managing to convey the less likable aspects of his character. Veteran mezzo Denyce Graves, as Josh’s girlfriend Grace, stole the show every moment she was onstage. At fifty-three, her low range remains a grand phenomenon, although her high notes are not quite in the same realm of richness. But that’s irrelevant given the way Graves illuminates the stage and makes her audience feel that she is making direct one-on-one contact with each of them. Her solo turn, in which Grace laments the dreary life she must return to when she leaves Josh, brought the emotional level of the show to its highest point. The sheer beauty of Sean Panikkar’s tenor sound enhanced the role of Wendell Smith, the journalist from Pittsburgh’s black newspaper, The Courier, and this most appealing artist made the most of every word and phrase in a memorable solo about “lightning,” the quality that sets Josh apart from the others. That scene has a counterpart in Act II, when Josh’s friend Sam, movingly portrayed by dark-toned basso profundo Kenneth Kellogg, compares Josh to Moses, “the Summer King,” who led his people to the Promised Land but could not enter it. Jacqueline Echols sounded shrill but was touching as Helen, Josh’s ill-fated wife; Jasmine Muhammad was fetching in both sound and presence as the coquettish Hattie. Multiple smaller parts were handled with expertise by tenors Martin Bakari, Norman Shankle and Raymond Very, along with resonant bass-baritone Phillip Gay.
Pittsburgh Opera has given its all to this show: a multi-racial chorus and large cast in which each principal is individually excellent but fits into the dramatic scheme, superb musical realization under Antony Walker, scenic designs by Andrew Lieberman that allow flash changes, and direction by Sam Helfrich that moves the action fleetly to its inevitable ill-fated conclusion. In the title role of Gibson, baritone Alfred Walker swings a bat with the same ease and naturalness that allows him to manipulate his burly, resounding baritone voice. He can be tender in a love duet with his young wife Helen (bright and edgy coloratura Jacqueline Echols), heartbreaking in an aria describing her death during childbirth, and yet, in the second act, elicit the viewer’s admonition for the character’s dissolution and self-destructive behavior. Portraying Gibson’s girlfriend Grace, Denyce Graves at 53 retains the booming chest tones and riveting persona that made her Carmen and Dalila world-class enactments for more than two decades. When this woman is on the stage, everything around her disappears into her own luminosity. The third principal, honey-voiced tenor Sean Panikkar, plays Courier journalist Wendell Smith, who describes Gibson’s gift as “lightening” – a quality that each of these three singers possesses in abundance. Deep-voiced bass Kenneth Kellogg is an asset as Gibson’s sympathetic friend, Sam Bankhead, while Jasmine Muhammad’s luscious soprano enhances the lines afforded to the flirtatious Hattie. In multiple assignments of smaller parts, high tenors Norman Shankle and Martin Bakari, dramatic tenor Ray Very and bass Phillip Gay all do yeomen’s work, although the proliferation of humanity that surrounds the opera’s central figure is too often overwhelming.
Garnett Bruce, stage director of the production that opened Pittsburgh Opera’s season at Benedum Center Saturday evening, relates all this with clarity, adding cogent details that illuminate the protagonists’ feelings and motivations. After an opening night first act that was visually and aurally chaotic, conductor Antony Walker led the orchestra and characters on stage in a tightly knit, dramatically compelling performance that brought this operatic chestnut vividly to life. Ercole Sormani’s sets (owned by Seattle Opera) were traditional and adequate, though the ins and outs of the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle didn’t quite make sense. The title character of Puccini’s “little shocker” – yes, it can still shock today’s jaded audiences – is herself an opera singer: a spoiled diva in Napoleonic-era Rome, who finds herself embroiled in a fatal web of politics and romance. The role demands a soprano with a big dramatic sound capable of settling into passages of tender lyricism, and a persona that can captivate an audience from her first entrance to her final jump from the parapet of Castel Sant’Angelo. As Scarpia, Mark Delavan was the very incarnation of evil, with the added touch of visibly toadying to the Bishop for support. Mr. Delavan’s splendid huge baritone rode the orchestra superbly in his early scenes. Later on, his sound uncharacteristically diminished and he seemed vocally out of sorts, though he maintained his dramatic domination to the bitter end. The weak link in this performance was Brazilian tenor Thiago Arancam, as Tosca’s lover, the painter Mario Cavaradossi. Mr. Arancam, seen here earlier this year in “Turandot,” looked appropriately tall, dark and handsome but lacked the vocal chops for the role. He started shakily with a weak rendition of his first aria. Melodic lines were dryly delivered, and his high notes throughout ranged from somewhat forced to painfully pinched and out of tune. In supporting roles, Eric Ferring’s bright, penetrating tenor was a standout as Scarpia’s henchman Spoletta. Matthew Scollin’s solid bass worked well for the sacristan’s music, though he lacked the buffo skills for this semi-comic part. Remaining roles were passably filled by resident artists Andy Berry (doubling as Angelotti and the Jailor), Ben Taylor (Sciarrone) and Ashley Fabian (the offstage Shepherd Boy).
The curtain opened to reveal a church interior with a small altar on stage left, and half dozen stairs on stage right leading to the platform with painter Cavaradossi’s portrait of the Attavanti, the bannisters covered with charcoal cartoons of her face that will fuel Tosca’s fire. Argentinian tenor Thiago Arancam strode in looking every inch the romantic artist Cavaradossi, with thick, curly hair that required a quick swipe of the hand in even his direst moments. I tend to give tenors a pass on “Recondita armonia,” his Act one aria. It’s my least favorite of the big Puccini tenor arias, as even top tier tenors, if not properly warmed up, can sound pinched and strained and strangled by the tessitura. I usually just hope they redeem themselves in the third act with “E lucevan le stelle,” one of my favorites. The third act was the most technically demanding. An enormous statue of a sword-bearing winged angel dominated the ramparts of the Castel Sant’Angelo; the dome of St. Peter’s a bare outline against the pre-dawn sky. The stars twinkled in the background as Arancam reminisced (although vertical tears in the black curtain at the back of the stage gave more of a “Matrix” effect than was probably intended). Imperceptibly, dawn broke, and by the finale all of Rome lay at Tosca’s feet. The “mock” execution of Cavaradossi was particularly well handled; when Mr. Arancam fell, it was on his side with his back to the audience, revealing the bloody, fatal exit wounds to us, making Tosca’s joy anticipating their escape that much more tragic. Once she realized the horrible truth, having lost everything, Crocetto climbed to the edge of the tower, unleashed her final, powerful vow, and fearlessly hurled herself off, throwing in a half-twist for good measure. There was nothing tentative or fearful about her demise, just as there had been nothing tentative or fearful about Crocetto’s performance. I was really only reminded that tonight was her role debut by the genuine emotion she showed at the curtain call, in which Delevan very generously insisted she continue taking additional much-deserved individual bows before joining hands with the company to bask in the thunderous ovation from an appreciative audience.
It’s a smartly written tale about how the humble servant Figaro and his friends try to outsmart the handsome and powerful Count Almaviva in such a way that all can live happily ever after. You might be put off a bit because it’s in Italian. But somehow with the text above the stage, the mode of the music, and the artistic lighting, I’m sure you’ll understand every word and feeling. It’s been over 200 years since this work had its premier, and yet it almost feels like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is standing in the wings. Almost as amazing as the opera is the talent brought together to make this production a reality. As I watched, I felt like everyone on stage had been singing and performing together for years. However, after reading their biographies, you realize that these extremely talented individuals have traveled many different paths to find themselves in Pittsburgh for our enjoyment. The audience was made up of opera lovers of all ages from teens to retirees. There is no dress code for going to an opera. A small percentage of those in attendance wore jeans and another small group were in formal attire. The Benedum is a gorgeous and an extremely comfortable venue for enjoying any kind of performance. Every time an opera singer takes a part in a production as famous and popular as The Marriage of Figaro, they are compared to the many talented performers who have sang that same part in days gone by. Let the experts compare. All I want to do is to say thanks to all the talented folks that gave me an evening I won’t soon forget. A special thanks to Tyler Simpson, who played Figaro, Joelle Harvey, who sang the part of Susanna, and Christian Bowers who brought to life Count Almaviva. All three were making their Pittsburgh Opera Debut. And a special thanks goes to Pittsburgher Danielle Pastin, who sang the roll of Countess Almaviva. I have always enjoyed opera music, but I sort of kept it to myself. I started to believe being an opera fan must be a cool thing when I learned that the great race car driver, Mario Andretti was an opera fan. Now, I don’t need someone else to validate my appreciation of the art form; I simply enjoy it. And I’m sure you would too.
“The Long Walk” refers to a soldier’s walk towards a live explosion, as well as his psychological journey home after the war. The two-act opera is based on Iraq war veteran Brian Castner’s written account of his time in the military’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and his tortured reintegration into civilian and family life. Mr. Beck’s score is taut and energetic, cuing the audience between Iraq flashbacks and suburban life in Buffalo, N.Y., with simple but effective instrumental gestures. Electric guitars conjure a gritty desert feel, while slide whistles often accompany the Castner’s three rambunctious boy children’s mischief, etc. Balance between the small orchestra and onstage action was mostly good, but at times the orchestra was a bit loud and obscured the singers. This was most noticeable in Mr. Taylor’s opening minutes and whenever the trio of his three sons sang. Sets and stage direction also proved stellar, with set designer Katy Fetrow’s minimalist nods to the opera’s 15 different locales set starkly against a sandy backdrop with a monolithic, spiraling concrete structure that suggested a “bunker” or perhaps “nose cone.” Resident artist Frances Rabalais’ stage direction kept the mayhem crystal clear, propelling the piece with a sense of narrative momentum and intermittent moments of pathos despite the jumbled, fractured nature of Mr. Castner’s writings and the libretto adaptation. The most poignant scene featured Mr. Taylor helping his son with hockey pads while his EOD brothers dress one of their own in 80 pounds of Kevlar for the long walk, taken only “for your brother, for your brother’s children, for your brother’s children’s children.” Other vocal highlights included resident artist Shannon Jennings as Mr. Castner’s psychologist, singing of blast-induced neurotrauma with an effortless, natural authority and granting the opera a rare moment of catharsis. Adrianna Cleveland’s lament was raw, infused with passion, and the strident confidence of the male EOD quartet in the first act was pure swagger distilled into aria form. Pittsburgh Opera’s production, the third-ever staging of the show, makes for an entirely uncomfortable but equally moving experience.
Austin’s vocal unsteadiness seemed to unnerve the Cio-Cio San, Dina Kuznetsova, who was making her Pittsburgh Opera debut in this production; she had a rough first act with high notes that went wildly askew. However, her total control of the rich middle of her voice never faltered, and her exquisite pianissimos were stunning, carrying effortlessly through the theater. It is hard to imagine a lovelier sound than hers in the brief passage where Butterfly entrusts her son to Pinkerton’s American wife. The carefully conceived, detailed characterization of the young Japanese girl’s plight culminated in a devastating performance of her final aria, ‘Tu? Tu? Piccolo iddio!’ The roles of Suzuki and Sharpless took on greater importance than is the norm, and Laurel Semerdjian and Michael Mayes turned in top-notch performances. Semerdjian’s Suzuki was sensitively acted and very well sung, her lovely mezzo-soprano blending perfectly with Kuznetsova’s voice in the Flower Duet. Mayes made a powerful impact as the US consul who is increasingly dismayed over his fellow American’s callous, self-indulgent indifference to the plight of his fifteen-year-old bride. With Sharpless’ vocal lines exposed, Mayes showed off his tightly focused baritone to its full advantage. The supporting roles were also strongly cast, and the singers went about their business as if nothing was amiss. Julius Ahn’s Goro was all obsequious, self-serving efficiency, vividly acted and sung. Brian Kontes’ bass boomed as he raged at his niece’s abandonment of her traditional gods and conversion to Christianity in her attempt to become a true wife to Pinkerton. Two fine baritones, Ben Taylor and Tyler Zimmerman, both Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists, sang the roles of Prince Yamadori and the Imperial Commissioner. Another of the company’s young artists, Antonia Botti-Lodovico, accomplished the impossible, turning Kate Pinkerton into an almost sympathetic character by the end of her short time on stage. There were a few ragged entrances from the chorus and coordination problems with the orchestra in the first act. Like the rest of us, conductor Anthony Walker must have been wondering what would come next from Austin’s Pinkerton. Once settled, Walker turned in a carefully sculpted performance, with the Humming Chorus and the orchestral interlude that followed one of the musical highlights of the evening.
Linda Brovsky directed this straightforward but affecting production, with smaller details selling the show. Falling flower petals at key moments and Pinkerton’s son saluting him after the Butterfly’s death were particularly evocative. Conductor Antony Walker kept singers and instrumentalists exactly together while allowing Puccini’s more indulgent lines to breathe. Making her Pittsburgh Opera debut as Cio-Cio-San (the Butterfly) was Russian-American soprano Dina Kuznetsova, who delivered her arias with inspired legato, tapering the ends of each phrase with finely polished lyricism. She plucked each pitch out of thin air, seemingly effortlessly, with a penetrating but soft tone that caressed the ear and carried through to the back of the Benedum. Her counterpart, Cody Austin, brought a bright but undersized tenor to the role of Lt. Pinkerton, his performance strengthening after the first act. Mr. Austin played Pinkerton as a straight but unwitting villain — contrasting coldly with Michael Mayes’ Sharpless (the America consul in Japan), who recognizes the amorality of Pinkerton’s actions but does nothing. Mr. Mayes brought depth but no agency to this incarnation of Sharpless, his rich baritone ringing a touch hollow in the face of Pinkerton’s betrayal. Laurel Semerdjian as Suzuki — Cio-Cio-San’s maid — immediately stood out as one of the strongest voices, a forceful, plush mezzo bringing emotional heft to the production. John Gunter’s set, an open house on the coast of Nagasaki, tilted jauntily to keep each character in view regardless of placement, felt static. The house occupied nearly the full stage, so characters and chorus members seemed crammed to the side. The pacing mostly clipped along but dipped at the end of the second act as Cio-Cio-San prepares and waits for Pinkerton to return. Overall, a strong production of “Butterfly.” This opera is a window into another more troubling time, yet it remains one of the most popular operas in the repertoire. It sells tickets to be sure — the Benedum looked quite full — but the portrayals of Japanese culture are dated. Still, in today’s charged climate, discussing the differences between the time of “Butterfly” and now can make ripe fodder for post-show conversation, whether you’ve seen it once or a hundred times.
The orchestral part is of primary importance, evidenced from the first notes in a splendid rendition of the Prelude, which juxtaposes themes of the children’s prayer and the witch’s music. Act 2 (here played without a break from the opening scene) further showcased the orchestra, with the Witch’s Ride, forest music reminiscent of “Forest Murmurs” from Wagner’s Siegfried, and the great balletic pantomime that closes the act. The singers, all past and present members of Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artist program, were delightfully into their parts, individually and as a theatrical ensemble. Corrie Stallings, a lovely mezzo-soprano whose voice type puts her in line for lots of “trouser roles” (operatic teenaged boys) was totally convincing in gesture and demeanor as an awkward adolescent asserting his masculinity while desperately trying to conceal his fears. Ashley Fabian pranced around appealingly as his more sensible but nonetheless unpredictable sister, while Leah Heater (formerly Leah De Gruyl) and Craig Verm lent an element of pathos to the parents who cannot provide for their offspring. Marianne Cornetti, a Pittsburgh favorite who sings the big Wagner and Verdi parts all over the world, stole the show as the Witch, even though her character doesn’t sing until late in the opera. She has a formidable stage persona with voice to match. She was funny, forbidding and altogether riveting in conveying the evil glee of anticipating baking the youngsters into her dinner. The younger artists, however, struggled to be heard above the orchestra, even as somewhat reduced here, and kept in tight rein by the sensitive conductor. Ms. Fabian sang with clarity and accuracy, but her voice is not large enough for a theater of this size, and many of Gretel’s loveliest lines were lost in the fray. Ms. Stallings came through intermittently better, but the irresistible tunes of the opening scene dance duet, for one example, just didn’t have their intended effect. Ms. Heater and Mr. Verm both have solid, mature voices, but the Mother’s Act 1 solo turn demands more heft than this admirable mezzo could muster, although she conveyed convincingly the conflicting emotions. Mr. Verm brought verve and fervor to the feckless Father, but struggled with the highest notes that the role calls for. With her forceful, pungent soprano, Caitlin Gotimer had no problems being heard in the dual roles of the Sandman and the Dew Fairy – turning the Dew Fairy’s brief solo into an unexpected highlight.
The opening set piece is a film montage that sets up the premise of a shipwreck and rescue set to Mozart’s overture. The cinematography is handsomely stylized, but having the vocalists appear onstage to interact with the projection was distracting and unnecessary. The orchestra, conducted by Glenn Lewis, delivered the overture with an almost perfunctory air. Throughout the work, there were consistent intonation problems, balance issues in chords and an uncharacteristic lack of precision and grace. After the overture, the canvas screen lifted and resettled on stage in the shape of a canvas tent surrounded by orange life preservers, presumably to evoke a refugee camp. Soprano Ashley Fabian (Ilia, last surviving member of her Trojan family) opened with a voice that sounded small at first but warmed and became more expressive over the course of the evening. Tenor Terrence Chin-Loy (Idomeneo) was a convincingly distraught and displaced king of Crete. Mezzo-soprano Antonia Botti-Lodovico (Idamente, in a pants role) looked and sounded every bit the spurned prince, and soprano Caitlin Gotimer (Elletra) shone in her finale as she suffers a jealous breakdown. This transformed production uses lyrics from the original libretto, stitched together to create a new tale. It’s an awkward fit, with character motivations simplified to the point of parody and plot developments that feel like they’re appearing out of left field. Still, the vocals were strong. All four cast members belong to Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artist program, one of the premiere training programs for developing opera singers. Mr. Chin-Loy and Ms. Gotimer were especially powerful, their solo and ensemble work alike fizzing with tension and nuance. Ms. Botti-Lodovico was superb, increasingly desperate and wild, as her character is repeatedly rebuffed and pushed away by his father. Traditional opera is notorious for its length — some of the staples can easily run three or four hours — and shortening works as evening-length entertainment is a worthy experiment. But this production doesn’t just cut, it adapts. The refugee aspects feel largely tacked on, perhaps as a way to make the opera more “relevant,” and this seems contrived, however well-intentioned.
Mr. Taylor as the older Thompson was superb, showcasing developing acting chops and excellent vocal range. His colleagues were in fine form as well. Soprano Caitlin Gotimer was similarly striking as Older Alyce, angry and unsympathetic yet also soft and despairing at times. Hers was the most conflicting character role by far — believing her husband dead, Alyce took up with another man, constantly proclaiming she’d done nothing wrong and yet clearly tormented. Much food for thought. Terrence Chin-Loy as the Younger Thompson was convincingly anguished during montages of his time as a prisoner, with Ashley Fabian lending a sense of innocence to the work. All four singers are participants in the opera’s two-year young artist program. James Lesniak lead the small opera orchestra in a generally tight performance. With so much genuine drama in Mr. Thompson’s life story (Alyce went into labor on the news that her husband was missing, for example), the operatic retelling felt strangely staid, sticking on details and repeating phrases for effect rather than narrative flow. This was disconcerting in a good way, although it didn’t allow for the full impact of the story to be felt. Still, strong musicianship carried the evening. Mr. Cipullo’s music will never have the mass appeal of Mr. Webber’s. Opera no longer has the popular reach of musicals. Even though the base components are the same, one is more about spectacle and flash, and one is more specifically anchored by the craft of singing. Both are valuable. To each their own.
The sets for the Pittsburgh Opera production are quite magnificent. In Act II there’s a Paris street scene replete with tall buildings and even some snow falling, as Parpignol (tenor Terrence Chin-Loy) pushes his cart of toys through the street, captivating a group of children. In the Cafe Momus scene of Act II we are also introduced to a whirling dervish of a character, Musetta (soprano Sari Gruber) and her sugar daddy, Alcindoro (also played by Glavin). During the scene, a past love affair rekindles between Musetta and Marcello to humorous effect. The Cafe Momus set is quite striking, too, with decorative lighting, wooden booths, and tables. The entire cast of La bohème does a fantastic job of acting and singing their arias. There are many light touches of comedy throughout. One especially funny scene comes when Colline (Zimmerman) sings about having to sell his nice coat. The talented orchestra in the pit, led by Conductor Jean-Luc Tingaud, beautifully played Puccini’s score. Scenic design by Michael Yeargan and costume design by Zack Brown help to set the 1800s Paris mood. Lighting is by Andrew David Ostrowski and James Geier is wig and makeup designer. The production is stage managed by Cindy Knight and Mark Trawka is the chorus master.
The Pittsburgh Opera staging by Stephanie Havey, which opened Saturday evening at the Benedum Center, captures the spirit of that novel remarkably well. The lithe and supple cast, though not in fact particularly young, looks and acts like young people – students and aspiring artists – just barely keeping the wolf from their door. The ensemble scenes came off best: the antics of the four Bohemians at the start of the first and fourth acts, the Christmas Eve revelry at Café Momus (with excellent choral work prepared by Mark Trawka), the Act 3 quartet in which one couple separates while the other reunites. Among the solos, Mimi’s arias, deliciously vocalized by Ms. Cabell, took first honors. She is a beautiful singer who acts with her voice as well as her body. Her timbre was slender but nonetheless luscious, her shaping of every phrase that of a seasoned artist. Her Act 3 farewell to Rodolfo was the evening’s vocal highlight. Mr. Panikkar, too, is an admirable artist, who phrases exquisitely and makes every word count. But his lean voice is more suited to Mozart and the French repertory than to Italian “slancio,” which taxes him to his limits. He took the famous “Che gelida manina” down a half step, and even so had all he could do to get through the climactic phrase (here touching high B rather than a C). His best work was in the lyrical late-on duet with Marcello (baritone Craig Verm, dry-voiced but athletic and exuberant). The always delightful Sari Gruber pleased the audience with Musetta’s familiar Waltz aria. Her shriek when the character pretends to have a painful misfitting shoe is the best that I have ever heard on any stage. Another Pittsburgh favorite, Kevin Glavin, delivered his predictable comic wiles in the dual roles of the landlord Benoit and the ludicrous old sugar-daddy Alcindoro.
Pasquale’s home is as devoid of color as his films, with makeup, costuming and lighting emphasizing the monochromatic nature of the opening sets. Color bleeds into his world — first slowly, and then in bursts as his bride-to-be appears. It’s an engaging narrative gambit. Credit is due to Peter Nolle (scenery), Kathleen Trott (costumes), Thomas C. Hase (lighting) James D. Geier (wigs and makeup) and Doug Provost (projections). Mr. Glavin’s vocal work was deft and clean, although the orchestra overpowered his lower register at times. Tenor Javier Abreu faced a similar fate: his lyricism was superb — perhaps overwrought in some of the more melodramatic phrases — but his timbre didn’t always project clearly. Smaller standout roles included Ian Christiansen in a supernumerary role as Max the majordomo and baritone Tyler Zimmerman as a purported notary, each making hay with their physical comedy. American conductor Gary Thor Wedow maintained a sprightly pace throughout the evening, keeping a close connection between singers and the orchestra and coordinating the big ensemble numbers with precision. The orchestra sounded oddly treble-heavy, however. This unusual balance was most noticeable in big finale moments, which sounded thin compared to other productions. On the whole, however, this version of “Don Pasquale” is quality work, a genuinely funny bit of opera and fine way to close the Pittsburgh Opera season.
In Pittsburgh Opera’s production, currently at the Benedum Center, Downtown, the Amazon scenery is depicted in superb video projections by Aaron Rhyne. They’re so vivid they’ll give you vertigo as you steam down the river. Soprano Alexandra Loutsion as the great singer was convincingly larger-than-life, although her movement and voice seemed magnanimous and taut when more intimacy and warmth might have better served the role and ethereal nature of the production. As the plot spends a great deal of time building up her voice and talent, it’s difficult not to be let down once a flesh and blood singer arrives on set. But Ms. Loutsion’s final aria was rapturous, demonstrative of a mature, flexible voice and nuanced understanding of the role. Marcia Fuentes-Berain’s libretto is based loosely on Colombian novelist Garcia Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera” and “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” definitive examples of the magical realist style in which fantastical elements are unceremoniously plunked down into an otherwise realistic narrative. Baritone Craig Verm as the puckish Riolobo served as narrator and spiritual being, guiding the ship and the couples safely along their respective journeys with a winsome, mesmerizing sense of grandeur. The orchestra obscured his voice when he moved farther back on stage, especially as he beseeched the storm for mercy while suspended from cables. This is an opera about an opera singer, and it’s reflexive by nature. Stephanie Havey’s direction in this revival was simple and evocative, strongest in the characters’ smaller gestures and expressions and a bit underwhelming in some of the more dramatic moments. The bustling chorus handled their scenes at the opening and close with polish. Pittsburgh Opera’s Antony Walker led the orchestra, which masterfully wove its way through complex, shifting rhythmic patterns and dense textures, with only the occasional slip in intonation in the woodwinds. It’s not the high drama of Puccini’s “Tosca;” it’s more reflective and ethereal, more floating and fragile. More magical.
Sarah Delaney Boyle created a set that summoned the splendors associated with Baroque opera. Massive gold towers and a sweeping garland made from the armor and weapons of the knights who had fallen for Alcina’s charms dominated the stage, while an orb suspended from above was the source of her magical powers. Caitlin Gotimer as Alcina triumphed, capturing the myriad emotions of the sorceress in a performance that was as vivid dramatically as it was vocally. Apart from a few high notes that were off the mark, she sang Handel’s vocal lines with sensitive phrasing and tasteful ornamentation. Equally winning, and perhaps just a little more delicious in her pert, enchanting characterization of Morgana, was soprano Natasha Wilson. The sparkle in her voice and eyes made Morgana more vixen than temptress, and every moment she was on stage was a pleasure. Antony Walker, the company’s music director, led a brisk, exciting performance by an ensemble drawn from the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra augmented by Chatham Baroque, a trio made up of Andrew Fouts (violin), Patricia Halverson (viola da gamba) and Scott Pauley (theorbo). In addition to performing as a trio, Chatham Baroque regularly collaborates with guest instrumentalists and vocalists in historically informed concerts of early music. Fouts served as concert master, providing bite and flourish to the ensemble with his incisive bowing, while Halverson and Pauley, joined by Mark Trawka on the harpsichord, provided the continuo. The trio of continuo players provided color, texture and depth to the musical fabric, especially Trawka’s judicious use of the lute stop on the harpsichord. Chief among the musical delights were the dulcet tones of the recorders and the excellent horn playing in the second part.
Chatham Baroque, Pittsburgh’s early music ensemble, bolstered the Pittsburgh Opera orchestra to provide support and a more historically informed approach to the score. This collaborative ensemble of about 25 players, led by music director Antony Walker, sounded well-matched on Saturday, luxuriant in some of the slower arias and swooping and stirring in some of the more rousing tunes. A small note — the dry acoustics of the CAPA auditorium made some ends of phrases sound abrupt; more taper on resting notes might ease this issue. Antonia Botti-Lodovico was obnoxiously petulant in the pants role (a woman playing a man) of the enchanted Ruggerio. She convincingly portrayed his arc of redemption back to a more heroic bearing and was a highlight in the second act aria “Verdi prati.” Soprano Caitlin Gotimer as Alcina was enchanting as she moved from all-powerful witch to jilted lover, achieving a pitiable sense of wretchedness in her later arias with a fraught, excitable tone. The set by Sarah Delaney Boyle appeared a touch cramped at the outset but brought Alcina’s island to life with terrible grandeur. Costuming by Jason Bray was well-planned and played a visual role in the characters’ individual progressions, as did the richly varied lighting by Nate Wheatley. As for the singers and their ornamentation, Ms. Wilson and Mr. Romero seemed to take to this naturally, and the others succeeded to varying degrees. This isn’t baroque opera as it would have been heard in the 1700s, but for an evening on the town in Pittsburgh, it’s a charming window to another style of opera and a fine evening’s entertainment.
Pittsburgh Opera traditionally stages chamber operas in an intimate space at its Strip District headquarters. But due to the pandemic’s crippling effect on live events, the company had to invest in several safety measures to do a live show. Audiences are limited to 50 socially distanced, masked people. Those who leave the auditorium are not allowed to re-enter, and a lengthy COVID-19 questionnaire greets patrons upon arrival. The entire cast wears masks throughout the performance. It doesn’t mar the sound quality of the voices in the small space. The 17-member orchestra, led by music director Antony Walker, plays from an adjacent room with large openings into the makeshift auditorium. The on-stage talent keeps time with the maestro through screens streaming his musical direction. “The singers, apart from the annoyance of having to sing in a mask, are handling it extraordinarily well,” Mr. Hahn said. “Just happy to be making music, as is our orchestra. They were almost all in tears after our first rehearsal because they haven’t been playing anything.” He noted the four groups — staff, performers and stage crew, audience and orchestra — had to remain as separate as possible. Due to the difficulties, Pittsburgh Opera is the only opera company on the East Coast currently doing live indoor performances, Mr. Hahn said. “They are just so thrilled that there’s anything, and these singers are deeply loved by the opera community,” he said. “In a way, this is a special treat. It’s a whole different experience. We made a collective decision to try to show there was a way to stay connected to our audience in as many ways as possible.”
When someone mentions Charlie Parker, it’s jazz music, not opera, that springs to mind. Pittsburgh Opera gave his story new life in its in-person production of “Charlie Parker’s Yardbird” Saturday at the company’s Strip District headquarters. The opera, which is heavily influenced by jazz, delves into weighty issues of racial inequality, substance abuse and the legacy of bebop’s co-creator. Tru Verret-Fleming, is a smooth mover, sliding in and out of scenes wordlessly and always at times when “Bird” feels the urge to use heroin. Lighting designer Todd Nonn flashes the lights a sickly color as Parker, played by Martin Bakari, clutches his arm. The audience doesn’t need any further explanation. Bakari tackles the taxing marathon role of “Bird” without missing a beat. Through the character of Charlie’s mother, Addie (Jasmine Muhammed), and first wife Rebecca (Chrystal E. Williams), the opera explores the tough choices faced by Black mothers. One of the best parts of the whole night was an energetic counterpoint between Muhammed and Bakari as the characters argued over “Bird” staying in Kansas City or moving to New York. The ending is powerful. Maire Therese Carmack as the Baroness de Koenigswarter has a beautifully rich tone, lamenting that “Bird” is gone. The entire cast comes together to mourn his passing, and Bakari provides the right sense of poignant discovery for the opera’s final moments. Despite its relatively brisk 90-minute running time, “Charlie Parker’s Yardbird” is a difficult opera for so many reasons. Musically, the cast is put to the test in unusual, jazzy passages requiring top range. Thematically, it doesn’t shy away from the hot-button issues of Parker’s life that remain relevant today. In this production, the vocalists met the challenge through masks, and characters’ joy, heartache and acceptance feel earned. “Yardbird” has its moments, but in the end, it soars.
Martin Bakari captured the genius, lost soul and lover in Parker. His is a golden, lyric tenor that was shown to its best advantage in an epilogue that begins with the words ‘I know why a caged bird sings’, a line from Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem ‘Sympathy’. Jasmine Muhammad was a powerhouse as Addie, Parker’s mother. Her voice was solid from top to bottom, as was the pride and dignity with which she carried herself. Equally impressive was Chrystal E. Williams as Rebecca, Parker’s first wife, whom he married when he was fifteen and she three years older. At the end of the opera, Williams was heartbreaking when she sang bitterly that her husband abandoned her and their children for such a place as Birdland, the Manhattan jazz club where he was a headliner. With vibrant sound and presence, Madeline Ehlinger brought to life Doris Parker, a former hat-check girl who used her husband’s memory to fight drug addiction. Véronique Filloux’s Chan Parker, his common-law-wife at the time of his death, was all flounces and feathers, a perfect fit with her sparkling lyric soprano. As Baroness Nica, Maire Therese Carmack’s voice, a stand-up-and-take-notice, dark, commanding mezzo-soprano, made you do just that. Yazid Gray has a beautiful, velvety voice. His Dizzy Gillespie was good natured and easy going, the perfect foil for Bakari’s high-strung Parker. Tru Verret-Fleming moved silently throughout the action as Moose the Mooche, observing and commenting on the action without singing a word. The opera was staged in Pittsburgh Opera’s headquarters, as was its delightful production of Così fan tutte last fall. The set was minimal, and the direction tight and coherent. Challenging acoustics are the name of the game for the foreseeable future. Pittsburgh Opera is producing live opera with an audience, and you can’t find that in many places at moment. That alone made Charlie Parker’s Yardbird a must-see. Its fine cast was the icing on the cake.
