Rigoletto – Boheme Opera Company – April 22, 2007
On Sunday, April 22, 2007 Carolyn and I trotted down to the Trenton War Memorial for the Boheme Opera Company’s performance of Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi.
This performance was a bit unusual. The orchestra director (and co-founder of the company) Joseph Pucciatti also served as Artistic Director (as well as Stage Director and Set Concept). He decided that rather than setting the opera in the traditional mid-1800’s, that this production would be translated to 1938 Italy under the Fascist Mussolini. The Duke of Mantua was transformed into a high ranking official in Mussolini’s inner circle.
In my opinion, the transformation didn’t work. Aside from an additional scene after the overture which included newsreel footage of WWII, Mussolini and Hitler, and some shouted salutes to “Il Duce”, the main transformation was limited to military costumes and more modern scenery. By the third act, even the costumes and scenery seemed more appropriate to the original time period. Nice idea, but not worth the effort.
Aside from the strange transformation, the rest of the production was excellent as usual. The sets, while minimalist, were very good and most of the costumes were excellent. The orchestra as always was wonderful – these folks are always solid and deserving of their ovation before the 3rd act.
One thing that I like about this company is that they often bring in a director who has the performers act, rather than just “standing and singing”. Too many operas are produced like showpieces for the singing ability of their performers, with the actors simply standing in place and singing their lines. This company actually expects the players to move around while singing (and even sing from the prone position when appropriate). These opera feel less like concerts than they feel like plays with music. The players actually display emotion while performing. This production was very much in the “act” mode rather than the “stand and sing” mode. This is what keeps me coming back every year to their theater.
The title character hunchback was played by Constantinos Yiannoudes. We’ve seen him before as Figaro in The Barber of Seville and as the title character in Don Giovanni. He was excellent as usual and continues to prove that opera singers should also be able to act (and he can).
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The Duke of Mantua was played by tenor Mark Schowalter. Before the opening curtain, it was announced that he was under the weather but wanted to proceed with the performance. His voice was a bit weak in the first act, but by the end of the performance he was up to nearly full volume. He was EXCELLENT in the role of a powerful man who cares not for the consequences of his actions or their effects on others.
In my opinion, the overlooked star of the production was Cheryl Evans in the role of Gilda, the love interest of the Duke and daughter of Rigoletto. As far as I can tell (and I have enough musical training to be able to hear the difference), she sang the whole opera nearly note perfect. During one aria, she hit several notes without vibrato that were exactly on pitch with the orchestra – to the point where I couldn’t even hear a beat frequency difference. She threw high C’s like confetti. She also acted excellently. I was disappointed to be one of very few who stood during her bow at the end of the opera – I believe that her contribution was overlooked.
One up-and-comer who was also excellent was Khary Laurent in the baritone role of Monterone. He acted and sang his small part with energy and emotion. I hope to see more of him with this company in the future.
I only have one complaint about the whole opera-going experience. The people sitting around us this time were downright rude. A row of senior citizens (apparently part of a bus trip from Brooklyn) loudly complained about the people sitting in front of them. One woman said, “Can you see? I can’t see – the woman’s hair [in front of her] is too big.” loudly enough that three rows of people heard her. I realize that we aren’t going to get a crowd in Trenton that is similar to the audience at the Met in NYC, but some civility is expected. Carolyn and I have been whacked with carelessly placed canes, hit by people’s coats, and been the subject of complaining about being too tall like the complaint quoted above. Neither of us is particular tall (we’re both about 5′ 9″) but apparently that’s a problem for these folks. And people wonder why the seats are going empty.
Next fall, the Boheme Opera Company is doing Verdi’s La Traviata and then in the spring of 2008 they will be experimenting with Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story.
Il Barbiere di Seviglia
On Friday night, my wife and I went to see the Barber of Seville presented by the Boheme Opera company at the Trenton War Memorial in Trenton, NJ.
The performance was excellent. Most of the actors (and I call them that intentionally, rather than singers or soloists) were very good. And it was FUNNY!
The opera is a comedy by design. It’s clear to me that Warner Bros. didn’t have to work hard to have the Bugs Bunny version be hilarious. In fact, it was clear to me that some of the gags in this production were stolen from the cartoon (or maybe it’s vice versa).
I won’t go into the story here – this page has a synopsis. You may want to read it before finishing this review.
Constantinos Yiannoudes filled the baritone part of Figaro. He did VERY well in his Boheme Opera mainstage debut. Figaro is a relatively easy part to play comedically in this opera – it’s impossible to be too over the top. The role of the title barber is a tough one to sing – he has to do his most famous and hardest aria (“Largo al Factotum”) as he walks onto stage for the first time in the first act. The audience gave him a well-deserved and long round of applause until he was forced to gesture for a stop. He was also very funny in the little “extra” comedy that this production added to the script. When he encouraged Count Almaviva/Lindoro to sing to his Rosina, he had to find something to sing. He finally walked up to the box centerstage and asks for a piece of music. He sings “Some Enchanted Evening” and then complains rapidly in Italian that he wants a piece “en Italiana”.
Mika Shigematsu sang the soprano part of Rosina. She also did a good job of comedic acting. Unfortunately, her voice was rather weak in the first and second acts. She improved for the third act, and turned in a good performance.
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The show was stolen by John Easterlin singing the tenor part of Count Almaviva pretending to be Lindoro wooing Rosina. His singing was extremely good (possibly the best of the cast), but that was overshadowed by his comedic acting! He could easily get a role as a comedy actor – preferably in a sitcom with lots of slapstick. He received the loudest applause at the end – and it was totally deserved.
The singing was powerful. No amplification was used in a full-sized theatre. I was seated in the 6th row of the right hand side of the house. When the singers faced us directly, I could actually feel the pressure of their voices.
Those who have read my story of a previous trip to the opera (A Night at the Opera) are probably wondering if any unplanned hilarity occured. I have to disappoint you on that score – as far as I can tell the production was staged perfectly. There were only two problems that marred the whole experience. For some reason, the printer failed to deliver enough programs, and only those patrons who arrived for the pre-show lecture were given them. I have had to use an article printed on Friday in the Trenton Times to keep my details correct. The other problem was a begging speech made by a woman from the opera company for 10 minutes before the overture began – begging for money to support the company and make sure that it will be able to continue next year. This was inappropriate at a performance from a company that calls itself “professional” on its website. I did enjoy the opera and would have been willing to make a donation – unfortunately, I was unable to find out HOW to make a donation by reading the program!
I did hear two Bugs Bunny references. My wife and I arrived early enough to have to sit in the lobby before seating began. Two men entered, and I heard one of them clearly saying “welcome to my shop … let me fix your mop.” During the overture, a woman seated in the row ahead of us had trouble not laughing, since the Bugs Bunny Rabbit of Seville cartoon used the overture as the main body of music.
All in all, a god time was had by my wife and me. I will be checking out the Boheme Opera Company’s schedule next year, and might be willing to see TWO operas as a balance to all of the hockey games that I drag her to.
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