Jennifer DeDominici as Maria Callas

                                                  (photo credit: Amanda Tipton)

MASTER CLASS

CENTRAL CITY OPERA:

JULY 18 – JULY 31

 

Nuanced and revelatory, Jennifer De Dominici’s performance in the role of Maria Callas is magnificent!

In a departure from the traditional contemporary experience at Central City Opera, this fifth oldest opera company in the country is presenting Terrence McNally’s play “Master Class.”  True, it’s a play about one of the great Divas of Grand Opera. Nevertheless… it’s been decades since there have been stage plays that are not operas or operettas presented as part of Central City Opera’s Summer Festival. 

     In the 1920s and 30s it was commonplace to see plays staged at Central City Opera. There was no air conditioning on the East Coast – or anywhere for that matter - and actors loved to leave the sweltering theatres back east and come to the cool mountains of Colorado to perform the dramatic hits of the day. 

      Lilian Gish, Helen Hays and Mae West were a few of the stars featured. Ms. Gish starred in “Camille” in 1932 for the opening of the newly refurbished opera house, initiating what is now the Central City Opera summer festival.

     Terrence McNally’s “Master Class” is a play that gives us Maria Callas after her career ends as she teaches a Master Class to young aspiring opera students.

   McNally’s play won the Tony for Best Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play in 1996.

     Playwright McNally peppers Callas’ teaching with intermittent memories that spring from a tortured, abusive childhood as well as a problematic relationship with Aristotle Onassis and the subsequent toppling from the height of her career when her voice fails.

     All this colors her interaction with the students in her “master class.”

     The subtext of the scars of emotional trauma and romantic heartbreak inform her insistent controlling passion in the sculpting of future stars of the operatic stage.

     Arthur Bosarge plays Emmanuel “Manny” Weinstock, tinkling the keys masterfully as the accompanist for Callas’ students.

     Isaiah Feken plays the Stagehand with a nonchalant attitude that draws laughter from the audience as he brings the demanding Callas a stool, a cushion and a glass of water.

     Denique Isaac plays and sings Sharon Graham with breathtaking skill. Her evolution into a magnificent rendition of Lady MacBetto’s “the letter” is superb.

 

    Sabina Balsamo plays Sophie De Palma with just the right blend of immaturity and naivete.

    Levi Adkins plays Anthony “Tony” Candolino with a mighty tenor that fills the house with Cavaradossi’s first aria garnering huge applause from this opening night audience.

     Ken Cazan, the master magician who brought you the CCO productions of West Side Story and Oklahoma as well as directing Jake Hegge’s Dead Man Walking and Benjamin Britten’s ‘Billy Budd,’ co-directs with Dennis Robinson, Jr.

     Illuminated by Abigail Hoke-Brady’s lighting design, the scenic design by Lawrence E. Moten III stuns!

     Costume Designer Elena Flores dresses La Divina beautifully. Her costumes for her students are divinely appropriate.

      You can’t go wrong taking a trip up the hill to see Jennifer DeDominici’s triumph as Maria Callas in “Master Class.”

 

For tickets call 303:292-2700 or go online at centralcityopera.org

 

 

 THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE

CENTRAL CITY OPERA:

JULY 4 – AUGUST 1

 

Weston Hurt and ensemble (photo credit: Amanda Tipton)

“The Ballad of Baby Doe” is an opera composed by Douglas Moore with libretto by John Latouche. Commissioned by Central City Opera, it premiered at the Metropolitan Opera on February 8, 1956.       

     It’s based on the true story of the relationship of Horace Tabor and Elizabeth “Baby” Doe Tabor in and around Leadville, Colorado in the late 1800s.  Renee Fleming has performed the role, and the play endures as one of the greatest examples of the American Opera. Although Jake Hegge’s operas such as “Dead Man Walking” and Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize winning opera, “The Crucible” are also fine examples of the American Opera, only “The Ballad of Baby Doe” and “Gabriel’s Daughter” are set in Colorado. John Moriarty, the late beloved Artistic Director of the Company was hoping to find someone to pen another opera set in Gilpin County and was unable to find the right composer before he passed. Maestro Moriarty made us aware of many American operas including Carlisle Floyd’s powerful opera, “Susannah,” and we miss him greatly! 

But I digress.

         This is the third time this reviewer has been lucky enough to see “The Ballad of Baby Doe.” The previous two productions were “very good.”  This one is Divine! 

         Virginia Mims is the quintessential Baby Doe! Besides being extremely easy on the eyes, her voice is transcendent!  In the early scenes her arias bloom with gentle melodic nuance. As the show progresses her luminous performance spins out increasingly powerful arias that amaze us with their expert modulation and power. Among many other triumphs, Ms. Mims has appeared as Musetta in “La Boheme” for Aspen Opera/Vocal ARTS and Musetta in “La Boheme” for Sarasota Opera.

   Emily Pulley gives a stunning performance as Augusta Tabor, the rejected wife of silver magnate Horace Tabor.   Her mezzo has all the steely power of the proverbial ‘woman scorned.’  Ms. Pulley has appeared as the title character in “Carmen” (2017) for Central City Opera, as well as Susannah Polk in “Susannah,” (2008) and Julia LaVerne in “Show Boat” (2013).

     Weston Hurt fills the opera house with his powerful baritone and blesses us with his dynamic acting in the role of Horace Tabor.  In this reviewer’s interesting opinion, Mr. Hurt is the most memorable vocalist to have sung this role! This magnificent opera singer recently played Germont in Utah Opera’s “La Traviata,” and the title role in English National Opera’s “Rigoletto.”

     As Illuminated by Abigail Hoke-Brady’s excellent lighting design, the realistic scenic design done by Lawrence E. Moten is something to applaud. Lynly A. Sanders’ costume design is eye-popping indeed. Among the many eye-pleasing costumes, the shimmering red gowns worn by Baby Doe and Mama McCourt at the Governor’s Ball give us the haute couture of the day in spades! 

     Conductor Aaron Breid’s baton invigorates the Central City Orchestra in the pit in such a way as to evoke and underscore a rousing vitality in the historical events unfolding onstage. 

The musicians in the pit make Douglas Moore’s composition, which is spiked with American folk tunes, sound better than ever! 

Director Cynthia Lawrence has cast the show magnificently, kept the story rolling at an engaging pitch, and makes use of the entire auditorium to announce the winners and losers of elections as well as presenting the stumping for votes by such politicians as William Jennings Bryan.

This is really the sparkling jewel in the crown of Central City Opera.

Miss it at your peril. 

 

For tickets call   303-292-2700    or go online at centralcityopera.org