Last Night at the Opera: Who would have thought that opera mashups might be an artform? Thank goodness for creative, bold and innovative director who paired Mozarts The Impresario and Stravinskys Le Rosignol or we might not have discovered just how cleverly two short works could be melded into an entire evening of bliss. The Impresario a one-act trifle Mozart wrote for the King to curry favor away from Solieri, was updated to around 1814. Using the original score and comedic pacing, the libretto was rewritten in English. The Impressario heads a ballet/opera company on the verge of financial collapse saved by a lovestruck boyfriend willing to underwrite a season IF his aging girlfriend is given a lead role. As word spreads that there might be work, the studio is flooded with divas vying for the title part. And here is where the awesome part happens...as this opera ends...it smoothly flows into Stravinskys luscious interpretation of Hans Christian Andersons story of the Chinese Emperor and the nightingale. All of the characters from the Impresario have become cast members in the second work...and the competing divas play roles of the cook, the Universal spirits, and the nightingale! At the end we return to the Impresarios studio after an all-night rehearsal. Now THIS is why I sign up for a season at the Opera! The Sopranos were divine-- their voices soaring and ranging to the clouds. And here was Santa Fe Operas set designs at their topnotch most thoughtful and magical. The set conjured for Le Rossignol utilized light and electronics and movement and magic...like a fairy tale should. AND they aptly kept true to the fact that this performance was being staged by the nearly broke company from Act 1...so the grand piano became the fishermans boat...and the office desk the Emperors viewing platform. The orchestra did a fabulous job keeping up with the musical conversation of the first piece, and glided like silk in the breeze into the lush Stravinsky work. Mozarts work written in the opera cornique style with spoken lines reminded one of its common origins and its grandchild, the American Musical. Stravinskys The Nightingale included ballet dancers which harkened to the 1814 period and the immense popularity of the Ballet Russe. Many companies then used dancers on Opera stages to tell the story, relegating the singers to the sidelines or orchestra pit...not so here but the dancers DID add an element of grace and sensuousness. Innovation like this pairing is needed to keep the Art fresh and invigorated. I am not into readily giving standing ovations or shouting bravos (in fact the seeming need for both at EVERY performance is a pet peeve) BUT last night both were WELL deserved. Bravo! Santa Fe Opera, Cast, Director, and Orchestra it was a performance of unusual and extraordinary beauty!
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 22:43:45 +0000
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