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Regional Reviews: Florida - Southern The Consul Also see Jeffrey's review of Dames at Sea
Written in 1950, produced on Broadway at the Barrymore, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the piece proved a quandary for many: is it a musical drama or is it an opera? It most certainly is an opera, and those who fear "contemporary opera" can relax. This is not Glass or Adams, but with hints of Puccini, a lyrical, beautifully paced piece that not only sounds gorgeous but affects every emotion and fear one can feel. Originally starring Patricia Neway, pre-wimple Sound of Music days, the dramatic soprano Kara Shay Thomson portrays Magda Sorel with an intensity that tears your heart out. A seasoned Tosca, Thomson is also a fine actress and, combined with Victoria Livengood as The Mother, proves the dramatic core of the opera. Livengood, a Carmen of not that long ago, has an enormous mezzo that fills the Arsht easily and lets us know that this grandmother still has the compassion and love for her grandchild that the empty Magda has all but given up hope for. When Magda asks "Is my baby dead?" she is an empty, emotionless shell, beaten by "the system." Ms. Livengood, maternal, resigned to the hideous life they have been dealt, could not be bettered. Her vocal instrument controlled by her superb dramatic readings resulted in a roar at her curtain call which was well-deserved. There is not a weakness in the entire three hours. The singers are all excellent actors. Thanks to their director Julie Maykowski, making her FGO debut, no dramatic detail is overlooked and the audience can feel exactly what the characters were experiencing. Re: Ms. Maykowski: The director is responsible for the entire production's "look," and the work of her creative team, especially David P. Gordon's set design—a drab apartment, and the Consul's office—interchanges beautifully. Proper lighting is imperative and Kevin G. Mynatt, also an FGO debutante, created the depressing mood of their world. Musically, Menotti was not an "easy composer" and conductor Andrew Bisantz brings out the beauty of the score's heavy-string melodic lines, especially during the scene changes. One does not think of this composer as writing Puccini-esque vocal lines, but the power of his talent combined with the brilliance of the singers and musicians transcended me to an emotional place that only Wagner's Ring Cycle has in the past. This is a production that must be seen. The Consul, for Florida Grand Opera, through May 16, 2015, at The Arsht Center, Miami. For ticket and other information, call 1-800-741-1010 or visit www.fgo.org.
-- Jeffrey Bruce |
