Tag: opera

REVIEW: Orpheus in the Underworld

musicalsoup Leave a comment

Orpheus in the Underworld (translated title) marks the premiere opera this season for the School of Music, Theater, and Dance’s vocal department at the Power Center for the Performing Arts. This runs for one weekend only, so get your tickets soon! Of the many versions of Orpheus and Eurydice’s tragic tale, this reigns as the goofiest production thus far. This whimsical satire is accompanied by fanciful costumes, a wholly creative set, and an ingenious allegory about the nature of capitalism. Director Mo Zhou brilliantly stated: “[Orpheus] is a mirror that reflects not only the capricious antics of the deities but also our contemporary world. It teases out the subtleties and complexities within the upper echelons of society, a world painted in various shades of grey.” (I don’t think I could give a more brilliant explanation if I tried!) I thoroughly enjoyed this opera and thought it was a refreshing choice after last season’s close with Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart. If opera-singing and can-can-dancing Greek gods are an interest of yours— this opera is for you!

Orphée aux enfers is a French-language opera composed by Jacques Offenbach with a libretto by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy (English translation by Jeremy Sams). You may be familiar with the famously known and cheekiest song from the opera, the “can-can”, which is often used in pop culture. In the score, it is called the “Galop infernal,” roughly translating to “the hellish gallop”, as they famously kickline in Hades’ Underworld. This opera is conventionally all performed in French, but for this version, all the dialogue was performed in English with arias performed in French. I came into the performance skeptical of this method for continuity’s sake but left the theater agreeing with the decision for a predominantly English-speaking audience. Since many of the performers were native English speakers, it was much easier to make conscious acting choices since they were not dealing with French diction. For an academic setting, this was a great choice! The arias were beautifully performed in the original French, with phenomenal, stand-out performances by Tyrese Byrd (Arsteus/Pluto), Jack Morrin (Jupiter), Sohyun Cho (Eurydice), and Veronica Koz (Cupid). The chorus was equally thrilling and brought a beautiful liveliness to the atmosphere of the show.

The design for this show was spectacular. Scenic design was created by Kevin Judge, costumes by Sarah M Oliver, lighting by Marie Yokoyama, and hair/make-up by Brittney Crinson. Truly, there was always something to look at, or a small detail to become enamored with. Each tableau filled the entire space on the Power Center stage. Within the first moments after the curtain, the set had transported me somewhere. The world that was about to be created was immediately understood by the audience. The colors, dimensions, and vintage image backgrounds were all so charming. The 1950s setting was a very lovely stylistic choice, and I found it well executed throughout. The style was consistent between direction and design choices and these ideas flourished well throughout the show’s tableaus and costuming changes. SMTD has an undoubtedly polished and impressive design team, consistently dazzling audiences with their work on University Productions.

Orpheus in the Underworld was directed by the infamous Mo Zhou, who is fairly new to the School of Music, Theater, and Dance, having joined as an opera director and assistant professor in 2021. Ms. Zhou is greatly appreciated by the opera community for her innovative and fresh ideas in beloved classical works. She has a decorated resume and has worked with renowned classical music programs such as Glimmerglass and Music Academy of the West. She has worked domestically with the Virginia Opera, Minnesota Opera, Boston Baroque, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, and Dallas Opera. Additionally, Professor Zhou has extended her skills to international levels, working with the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, and Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. Ms. Zhou’s direction is playful, methodical, and keen. Orpheus was a testament to her brilliance—she created beautiful tableaus and effortlessly hilarious yet dramatic moments between characters. I admire her attention to detail in world-building and the thoughtful intentions behind each character. 

Orpheus in the Underworld proved to be a hit this Friday at the Power Center. There will be performances on Saturday, November 4th at 8 pm and a Sunday matinee on November 5th at 2 pm. Up next for the voice department will be Gianni Schicchi, the hysterically scandalous Puccini opera. This will be performed in McIntosh Performance Hall in the Moore Building on North Campus, on November 30th and December 1st. 

Images thanks to The University of Michigan and the School of Music Theater and Dance Facebook.

REVIEW: Don Giovanni

Ella Larsen Leave a comment

8:00pm • Saturday, March 25, 2023 • Lydia Mendelssohn Theater

I was skeptical of all the articles I read before attending Don Giovanni that said it encapsulated “the full spectrum of human emotion.” I feel that when I attend live performances, I am easily impressed by talent in singing and dancing, but I’m rarely moved. However, this production of Don Giovanni was genuinely moving. The artists onstage deftly wove between moments of comedy and tragedy, creating an emotional journey that was surprisingly engaging.

Some of my favorite examples include Donna Anna’s reaction after the murder of her father and her duet, “Ah, vendicar, se il puoi, giura quel sangue ognor!” with Don Ottavio, which realistically captured her shock and grief and his devotion.  There were also laugh-out-loud moments, such as the opera’s first interaction between Don Giovanni, Leporello, and Donna Elvira and particularly “Madamina, il catalogo è questo” (although I must qualify that I was more entertained by the delivery of that aria than its contents). Throughout the performance, though her character was often used comedically, I was captivated by Donna Elvira’s complicated combination of longing, betrayal, rage and vengefulness, as well as her piety.

Because I love giving shout-outs to my favorite artists, for this production of Don Giovanni, I want to highlight Sitong Liu (Donna Anna) and Joshua Thomas (Il Commendatore), who had, in my opinion, the most beautiful voices of the evening. Liu’s regality and her icy grief were a stark contrast to some of the more comedic elements of the play, and her voice was breathtakingly clear. I regret that the character of the Commendatore has so few arias, because I would have enjoyed hearing quite a bit more of Thomas’s voice. Finally, my favorite all-around performance was probably from the aptly-named Aria Minasian (Donna Elvira) for her ability to embody both the humor and the darker, more painful emotions of the story. She really had the best facial expressions.

There’s so much to talk about with this opera, but I wanted also to note some dramaturgical choices which were made with this production. The program describes how the production crew wanted to be critical and careful of the themes of abuse and violence towards women, a mindset which I feel they executed well. I could see how they emphasized the relationships and support among community members which make accountability possible in the play, as well as realistically and sensitively portraying the impact of the traumas the female characters experience.

In conclusion, this production of Don Giovanni helped me appreciate opera on a new level. Even though the performance was over two and a half hours long, it remained engaging, and as I continue to reflect on the performance I can dive deeper and deeper into my admiration of the story and the art form.

PREVIEW: Don Giovanni

Ella Larsen Leave a comment

What: Mozart’s legendary opera, considered one of the greatest of all time, produced by the SMTD’s Department of Voice and featuring the University Symphony Orchestra

When: 

  • March 24, 2023 8:00PM
  • March 25, 2023 8:00PM
  • March 26, 2023 2:00PM

Where: Lydia Mendelssohn Theater

Don Giovanni tells the story of “an incorrigible young playboy who blazes a path to his own destruction in a single day” (Opera Atelier). It is based on the story of Don Juan, a fictional Spanish libertine and seducer. The opera is regarded as one of the greatest of all time for its ambiguity between comedy and tragedy, and, of course, its music. This production of Don Giovanni is directed by Mo Zhou, who arrived as an assistant professor of music at the University last fall, and whose directing debut with the Boston Baroque was recently awarded a 2023 Opera Grant for Women Stage Directors and Conductors. The last opera I saw here was Cendrillon in 2021, and that performance gave me goosebumps, so I can’t wait to see how the Department of Voice interprets this famous story.

REVIEW: Parable of the Sower

allychoi Leave a comment

Parable of the Sower… Where do I start?

I believe this was the first opera I’ve ever seen. And I was not disappointed. I laughed, cried, and even had the privilege to sing along. After the show, my friend Anna described Parable of the Sower as the best play she’d ever seen in her life. “I was tearing up basically the entire time… the music was consuming. It was so so fantastic,” she remarked. 

The opera is based on the post-apocalyptic novel written by Octavia E. Butler, written by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon. Despite being published in 1993, the story is set in 2024, eerily close to this year. Already, Butler starts to draw parallels. The play deals with a Christian-esque group in a world that faces environmental degradation on a grand, terrifying scale. The church members essentially live in Noah’s ark – their walled city is safe, while the outside world is gonna end. The Reverend – the main character’s father – is the only one who is allowed to leave the walls and see the city.

Up on the balcony, people chat as the clock ticks down to 4pm. There is a person onstage, already in character; the audience is left unsure of whether the show has already started or not. The lights don’t go down, the cast strolls in, unannounced, and the start just sort of happens.

Opening the play, Toshi Reagon tells us that Butler “burned [Lauren] with hyper empathy.” An element that I missed – until my fantasy worldbuilding class’ post-opera discussion – were Lauren’s magical powers. She feels others’ pain, and there are subtle cues – like a flash of purple when her brother stabs his hand with a pencil to get her attention, or her falling down as other people get shot – that several of my classmates pointed out.  “If I can feel your pain, do I know you better, if I can fly in your joy?” Lauren asks.

The first scene is all auditory: two news channels chirp out overwhelming news, lapping over each other, in a volume-too-loud, ear-assaulting amalgam. This launches into a song, where the talents crooned at different directions of the audience, “What you gon’ do?” Even though I sat all the way up on the balcony, it felt like they were staring, arch-eyebrowed, right at us, and I felt a pang in my stomach. “The world’s on fire, you can’t hide.” The line between fiction and reality blurred once more.

In their situation: a “dystopian America wracked by the violence brought on by unrelenting greed and systemic injustice” (UMS blog), it all boils down to us versus them. There exists a religious dispute between Lauren and her father, the reverend, exploring the scale of beliefs ranging from God is good, God is change, to God have mercy. Lauren devises her own truth while others present the fixed truth that most of her family is invested in. She believes in the need to embrace change and do something different, because it’s only a matter of time before their safety crumbles down. “There’s a new world coming, everything gon’ be turning over,” Lauren sings. While others sing back, “do you really think the world gon’ end?”

I enjoyed how the cast encouraged audience interaction. I didn’t feel shy about bobbing my head, or tapping a foot. When a person in the audience clapped at the words being exchanged onstage, Toshi stopped mid-speech to say, “Hey, I won’t stop you.” Many times, a few people would let out whoops that soon launched the whole audience into applause. The actors had such a commanding presence; they were able to start the theater into a clap, with ease. They also played with breaking the fourth wall. “Octavia Butler is not playing with us,” Toshi remarked, after the first act. She directly asked the audience to naturally join into the chorus of the song – “Don’t let your baby go, don’t let your baby go to Olivar – ” and it was really beautiful to hear the audience participating. Everyone in that large room – those onstage and those spectating – felt more connected. I could feel them sowing the seeds of community with these little moments. 

Every person onstage flaunted their flawless vocals, and the opera doesn’t feature one person too heavily; it feels like each character gets their own moment in the spotlight. I especially loved the electric guitar riffs, or when the guitarist would back a singer’s vocals, perfectly in sync with their inflections.

In the song with the chorus, “Are we supposed to live like this?”, the strings are beautiful and psychedelic; warpy, wonky. I appreciated how this broke my expectation of what an opera had to be: very classical, prim, and proper, with a soprano hitting notes that could break glass. 

The songs that struck me the most were Lauren’s “Has anybody seen my father?” a heartbreaking, repeated chorus where her voice gradually breaks with each repetition, and the more mellow, emotional solo by Lauren’s mom. Both had such intimate lyrics that the theater flooded with it. It felt too heavy to move, or in any way disrupt this moment. I’ll admit that tears bubbled from my eyes, and I stiffly let them run, not even lifting a hand to break the mood.

True to an opera, the second act made me fall asleep. This isn’t to say that the show fell off, or that I was the only one slightly sleep-deprived. While the first half of the show had lights that never dimmed, the lighting was all of a sudden pitch-black dark, spotlights lightly glazing the characters as they entered the hellscape outside, complete with dangerous people and violent criminal elements. Because of the lighting, I couldn’t help feeling that maybe my ensuing drowsiness was purposeful, intentional. When I woke up, I realized we’d all been asleep while the characters were still fighting for their lives – belting through, by far, the most grueling song – through this continuous struggle outside of the wall. But for me, it all kind of turned to background noise, in the dark. As I took care not to wake up on my neighbor’s shoulder, UMS was playing with genre. At the end of the story, the troupe stands clustered together, in a haunting formation. Smoke floats over their heads, like angels, as they stand in ruin. After resting for a long while, the electric started back up, with gusto, and served as a wake-up alarm as multiple neighbors startled awake.

What I saw when I woke up

To finish, every seat in the house was in standing ovation. I was in awe of the amount of talent in the room, trying to digest it all. On the walk back, Toshi’s closing words circled through my head: “We have to fall away from the limitations billionaires have put on us. It will only happen if you give up the lives they have assigned us.” My friend Isabelle pointed out the liminality of how parables are passed – to my point about sleeping, there is a presence through absence. “Their words are gonna fall on people, stick with some, take hold, grow, and spread.” That is the power of the parable.

Read more about the performance here: https://ums.org/performance/parable-of-the-sower/

REVIEW: Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower

Joann Leave a comment

Concisely told a non-cliche, non-overdramatic tale of the apocalypse with a real and rich cultural background.

Parable of the Sower was a visually and sonically satisfying opera. Based on the Science fiction novel written by Octavia Butler, Toshi Reagon had created an apocalypse opera that tells the story concisely with limitedly-selected stage designs. The story follows a young teenager, Lauren, who questions the belief of her father, who is a professor and a figure in Baptist, while she lives in a protected community in her neighborhood and later set out on an uncertain journey to find a new home after an attack that destroys her community. Even though the story has quite a drama in it, it is not reflected in the stage design. Instead of visualizing the dramatic events in the plot on stage, the stage focused on three designs: a bench and a structure covered in white cloth to symbolize the peaceful, secure, closed area where Lauren and her community are staying, blackout with the spotlight only on Lauren’s face, drawing all attention on her and her tragic expression, when she sings that her father had not returned after going to work, and later on, an empty stage where people wondered all around it to emphasize the people’s wandering after they lost their community with an abstract painting that changed the shades according to the beat of the scene.

My main interest in viewing this production was 1) how the traditional genre of opera had connected with the new modern theme of Apocalypse and 2) how the musical heritage of African-Americans was integrated into the performance. For the first question, the production team has proven that operas do not have to be combined with traditional themes and with dresses with ruffles. Moreover, the emphasis on the songs was made clear with the limited stage designs. If the production team had tried to bring too much of what was going on stage to stage design, that would have diffused the audience’s attention, not to mention that those explosions and violence would have been hard to create satisfactorily. Instead, the production team went beyond by pointing out the resemblance between the Apocalyptic world and the current society – during the part where Toshi broke the fourth wall and invited the audience to sing along, the mention of some real and very familiar companies’ names made the connection clear. For the second part, some music definitely made clear the reference to Gospel and Rap. However, they went beyond to integrate different formats of music – rock, folk, and R&B, making this performance a culturally interesting work.

In all, this performance tosses an interesting food of thoughts and was visually and sonically satisfying in itself. I hope more performances like these will fill our stages.

PREVIEW: Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower

Joann Leave a comment

Parable of the Sower hits the Power center from March 25th to 27th.

This performance is an opera consisting of 30 original anthems which originate from 200 years history of African-American music. The storyline is from the novels Parable of the Sower’ and ‘Parable of the Talents’ by the late Afro-futurist and science fiction author Octavia E. Butler. These novels are Post-Apocalyptic novels-the story will follow young Lauren Olamina’s spiritual awakening in a dystopian America destroyed by greed and systemic injustice. I’m excited to check out how Opera could be set in a Post-Apocalyptic setting and can be combined with activism, ethnic and humane messages as the background of the numbers suggests. March 25th performance will also feature a brief Q&A with artists hosted by Dr. Toni Pressley-Sanon, the Eastern Michigan University’s Associate Professor of Africology and African American Studies. Tickets could be purchased at UMS website.