Holy Smoke: It's Carmen!

PORTopera opened its new production of Bizet's time-honored Carmen in a modest, but effective production, the emphasis appropriately placed where it should be; on music, and drama. I always cringe a a little when a company chooses the Guiraud version instead of Bizet's original, feeling it robs a good deal of the bite and spice the dialogue can add. That being said, most of the music making was strong. Maestro Stephen Lord started things off with a briskly paced overture setting the tone for all that followed. There were a few moments of loss of coordination between stage and pit, most notably the middle of the Smugglers quintet, which found its way back on track and finished with sizzle. Lord is a singers' conductor who strikes the right balance between singers and band, never overpowering, but letting the big orchestral moments pop. In this regard, he's also an audiences' conductor, and that's always a good thing.

Judy Gailen's unit set of a large, curved stucco wall served for all four acts with slight variances (dangerous steps, an enormous table for Carmen to dance and seduce Don Jose on at Lillas Pastia, etc.) for each.

Dona D. Vaughn led a generally excellent cast, starting with the leading lady, Israeli mezzo soprano, Maya Lahyani. With striking good looks, physique and a physical force Lahyani's a natural Carmen, comfortable with her body and unafraid to use it to seduce, or as a weapon. The voice is rich, with an old-fashioned lushness that projected throughout the house beautifully. Wonderful in her early arias and the first two acts' lighter moments, Lahyani truly came into her own in the card scene, reaching into the story's darker side and taking us along Carmen's grizzly ride to Doomsville.

Adam Diegel took a bit of warming up, but earned the first real ovation of the night with the Flower aria, the sweetness of his voice blooming beautifully for the finish. He was at his best in Jose's deadly showdown with his ex where things got good and ugly. He's an agile singer and moved like a dancer, though at other times stiff, which is not, I suppose, against character. One got a small sense of this character's dangerous, but not all (Carmen isn't his first kill). He and Lahyani were appropriately passionate, right up until, well, you know.

Conversely, I was not quite convinced by Edward Parks' turn as Escamillo, With a rich, beautiful mid range, upper notes widened a bit, while the lowest notes (particularly in the Toreador aria) nearly disappeared. His third act appearance reminded me more of Ross Martin's Artemus Gordon from The Wild, Wild West, than a dangerous bullfighter. In the final act he became the victim of an unfortunate costuming decision.

Amanda Woodbury took on, Micaëla, the only decent person in sordid story, and did so marvelously, nowhere more so than in her Act Three aria that, when beautifully sung (as it frequently is, since its Micaëla's only big moment) steals the show. It happened again last night.

Comprimario roles were, to a one, as good as it gets, and the choruses, both children and adult, were magnificent. Once again, When it comes to crowd scenes, Ms. Vaughn once again shows her had as one of the best in the business. Her endless, silhouetted parade of gypsies climbing the mountain pass, then down steep, dangerous steps was stage magic. Vaughn did away with the parade at the bull ring, while the choristers made me believe (vividly) they were seeing it, so much so that I occasionally looked across the balcony expecting to see an army of banderilleros, picadors and matadors. Nice touch.

Getting older, and a touch jaded, I sometimes resist attending operas I've seen countless times, but when I give in, I'm reminded why I fell in love with them in the first place, and so it was this evening. I wasn't alone, the audience, young and old, loved it, and a friend, attending his first opera, can't wait to start going to more. Carmen can do that.

(Photo Credit: John Ewing for mainetoday.com)

Fille-Nominal Fille du Regiment

Last night when the curtain came down on PORTopera’s new production of La Fille du Regiment it was with a roar more typically heard at a rock concert. The entire cast and charming production certainly deserved it, but it was clear whose fan club was in attendance as Maine native soprano made her big girl role debut with the company as Marie.

After a frothy account of Donizetti’s faux military orchestra (sans some horn issues) the curtain rose on an enormous barricade built of furniture – chairs and other household items. Flanking it, atop and on all sides, the Tyrolean villagers, ready for combat armed with rakes and other garden tools, and standing guard against the invading French army. Frequently first act stage pictures, (particularly the military camp), evoked the feel of a Bertrand Tavernier film (that is if he made comedies). Shannon Zura's moveable platforms adjusted quickly, instantly becoming whatever space the staging required. The second act set with its mile high drawing room (and gorgeous parquet flooring) was raked horizontally creating a physically off-kilter look which added to the onstage hijinks created by the awkwardness of plot situations. Jamie Grant's lighting design emphasized the natural brightness of the tale, and with restrained subtlety, added the perfect atmosphere in more gentle and introspective moments.

Fresh from a run of Fille in St. Louis, Ashley Emerson offered perfect comic chops, an instantly adorable stage personality and a face that expressed perfectly young Marie’s wide range of emotions. The voice, like its owner, is on the petite size, but as a critic once told me “some singers you really have to lean in to hear, but they are oh so worth leaning in for.” Emerson is clearly in that camp; the voice has a pure quality that positively gleams and as secure a technique as I’ve heard from a young singer. Her attacks were spot on - no adjustments, just there every time. She showed off a brilliant upper extension with no loss of vibrancy and zero strain and a renarkable evenness throughout the range. For such a clear, bright sound, Emerson is also able to summon up a remarkable warmth for moments such as "Il faut Partir" which was limpid and properly heartbreaking, bringing down the house. Throughout the evening I kept thinking “future Zerbinetta." I can also imagine a Semele, Cleopatra and a number of other Handel operas that would seem to be a natural fit.

PORTopera lucked out in nabbing tenor Andrew Bidlack as Tonio. A beautiful, italianate sound built for bel canto, Bidlack sailed through his assignment with aplomb, verve and boyish good looks - a perfect match for his Marie. Overall, while the voice is bright there is a slight tendency towards covering high notes - not all of them. Such was certainly not the case with those those famous nine high C's in "Ah mes amis" which he tossed off with an almost uncanny ease.

Jan Opalach has become a Portland favorite and last night his beautifully sung and hilarious Sulpice showed exactly why, nowhere more so then when joined by Emerson and Bidlack in the infectious trio "Tous les trois réunis" - (perhaps my favorite moment of this entire opera). The staging - and Donizetti's effervescent music - could not help but produce the broadest of smiles.

It's always a joy to see Judith Christin and as The Marquise of Birkenfeld, her speaking voice frequently dipped into the bass-baritone range adding an extra measure of fun. Her work in the Lesson Scene, was a masterclass in operatic comic acting. Teamed up with Jeffrey Tucker as Hortensius, they made quite the pair.

In a scene re-tooled for the Duchess of Krakenthorp, Ellen Chickering, in a matter of minutes, managed to practically steal the show with an interpolated (and ridiculous) aria about her character's bloated ego and the difficulties of being so beautiful and admired. A great and awful song done to perfection.

The PORTopera Orchestra and Chorus were ably led in grand bel canto style by Stephen Lord. At times balances (but never tempi) between stage and pit were a bit off, the orchestra covering the voices - though most of the time things sounded just right.

As ever, Dona D. Vaughn's direction was sharp, clear, uncluttered pointing every moment to its comic zenith without ever going over the top. It's clear to see why singers love working with her: the end result is a satisfied audience happily going along for the three hour tour. Honestly, I can't imagine a better way to spend a beautiful summer evening.