|
Concerts and Recitals
Opera News
By Mark Thomas Ketterson
On August 23, Ravinia continued its exploration of the Stephen Sondheim
canon with a semistaged Passion, Sondheim's moody adaptation of Ettore
Scola's primally disturbing film Passione d'Amore. Few compositions
divide opinion so irascibly -- some abhor the piece while others are
obsessively caught in its spell, much as the anti-heroine Fosca is with
her Giorgio. Though it plays quite operatically, Passion -- unlike Sweeney
Todd -- has not realized a similar place of affection in the hearts
of opera-lovers, and indeed the piece has a more select appeal. The
work's unbroken musical structure and darkly labile sound-world do not
appeal to all tastes, and James Lapine's libretto, with its frequent
discourses on the nature of human emotion, sometimes threatens pontification.
There is a great beauty in this score, however, and a permeating complexity
of affect, as even in its optimistic moments one is aware of an ever-present,
quiescent sadness. Fosca's transformation by love is beautifully captured
in the minor to major progression of her music, just as Clara's increasing
disallusionment is reflected by an opposite development of her own.
One may not find the protragonists fully sympathetic (while watching,
yiou may wonder why you should even like these people), but there is
an inevitable recognition of self in each of them, and anyone who has
ever loved someone desparately cannot help but respond to some facet
of this evocative, controversial work.
Audra MacDonald contributed the evening's most memorable performance
as the beautiful Clara, her dramatic conception fully realized, her
ravishing soprano with its gleaming top providing a superb aural representation
of the woman's allure. Patti LuPone is an artist worth traveling miles
across frozen tundra to experience. Fosca's vocal writing fit LuPone
to a T and provided ample opportunity for her legendary skill at vocal
coloring. If there is the slightest niggle with LuPone's achievement
in this excruciatingly difficult role, it lies with the task of transforming
an unappealing, obsessive stalker into a sympathetic character. A specific
sort of vunerability is required that has never been a great part of
LuPone's considerable technical arsenal. That said, her embodiment of
Fosca's more extroverted dynamics was second to none, a thoroughly convincing
assumption. Michael Cerveris repeated his deeply felt, solidly vocalized
Giorgio so highly praised in the recent Kennedy Center revival. His
performance would have been more effective had he avoided a tendency
to layer on the schmaltz in the climaxes, when a more straightforward
delivery might be more heartrending. David Darlow's sympathetic doctor,
David Girolmo's Colonel Ricci and a fine ensemble of vocalists contributed
to an evening of consistant dramatic conviction and satisfying musicality.
Lonny Price again proved his mastery of the tricky art of adapting a
theater piece for concert presentation, making ingenious use of the
score's military rhythms to effect the various shifting of chairs and
small set pieces by the ensemble. The musical performance benefited
from the utilization of a fully symphony orchestra; Sondheim's preferred
conductor, Paul Gemignani, in his Ravinia debut, drew beautiful playing
from the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, propelling the work along as the
one long aria it is intended to be.
Sondheim, who was present, received a standing ovation during the curtain
calls; it was both an emotional outpouring of respect for America's
foremost theatrical composer and a display of appreciation for Ravinia
Festival's continuing investigation of his works.
back
to Main
|
