ROMEO AND JULIET: THEN AND NOW
GOUNOD AND BERNSTEIN
OPERA NAPLES
ESTERO, FL
February 20, 21 2010
I take Keyboard in hand to report my latest Anthony weekend.
Three words come to mind – FAN-TAS-TIC – or maybe – FAB-U-LOUS.
Either way, it was well worth the 6 hours in the sky to get to Florida.
MaryJo covered the production quite adequately so I will just add
my random impressions of this and that.
The atrium of the Design Center was large with an elevator at one end
and the stairs going up 3 levels on the other end where the stage
was set up. The 30-piece orchestra conducted by Cal Stewart-Kellogg
from the San Francisco opera was on stage right in their own little
curtained ‘pit.’ The chorus was above the orchestra on the
second level. The stairs leading up behind the stage provided a
balcony/fire escape for the production. I was worried about the
sound, but it was good from the first row. The ladies who were in
the 5th row the first night moved up to the first row and said
it was much better up front.
The first night was good, but the Sunday afternoon performance
was exemplary. Everyone was ‘on.’ This was my first experience
with Anthony singing pure opera not just arias. I want more.
The things that come to mind: Of course we knew who was
behind the mask. We would know Anthony in the dark at 20
paces, lol. Who could hide those dimples?
The dumbstruck Romeo when he gets his first look at Juliet
and drops his mask to gaze upon her face as she lowers her mask.
The defiant mezzo, Stephano, brandishing his sword challenging
the vultures not to harm his turtledove. Romeo lingering beneath
Juliet’s balcony as she sings to the night her love for Romeo.
The tortured Romeo despairing after having killed Juliet’s kinsman,
throwing aside his sword and sinking to the ground in remorse.
Romeo and Juliet in her bedchamber on a woefully small chaise
sharing their last night together making love and singing a duet
of the coming dawn when Romeo must go into exile. Then, the
priest giving Juliet the sleeping potion with her reclining on the
chaise and the priest covering her with a white shroud. Romeo’s
anguish at finding his fair Juliet dead and then taking poison
himself as she is waking from her slumber. As Romeo sinks
to the floor dying, their sharing of a last kiss, then Juliet taking
his dagger and ending her life as she reaches for his hand,
“sigh” so sad, so tragic. “Why can’t we all get along?”
West Side Story, not my favorite musical: The Jets song “Once
you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way, from your first cigarette to
you’re last dyin’ day.” The Shark girls, with their beehive hairdos
and 50’s dresses, singing and dancing to America. Then comes
Anthony down the fire escape in jeans and a bomber jacket to
sing Maria. Maria on the stairs singing I Feel Pretty with the
girls of the chorus mocking her, but she doesn’t care, she has
Tony. Later, Maria and Tony meet on the fire escape and sing
Somewhere together. Oy vey! The finale of the show, the
whole ensemble singing Tonight with the girl’s chorus on the
third level, the baritone Stephen Mumbert and mezzo, Leah
Summers, on stage singing the Jet song to counterpoint
with Maria and Tony on the stairs singing Tonight for all they
were worth. At the final note, one could hear Anthony’s clear,
pure note soaring above them all. Oh what a finish.
Opera Naples had staged this opera as part of their efforts to
fund an opera house. After each performance, there was a
champagne reception, which was well attended with enthusiastic
fans and much praise for the principals, the whole cast, actually.
Anthony said he was tired Saturday, which was no surprise,
but was gracious to one and all. He was much brighter on Sunday
afternoon, no doubt glad to have it over and ending well.
by Fay Loux