Reviews
Review: Soprano charms audience in ‘La Boheme'
Aside from music that initially drowned out the singers and a prop that was too big, Opera Idaho is off to a good start.
By Dana Oland, Idaho Statesman
Edition Date: 10/09/07
The artist's credo of art, love, life and misery came beautifully to life in Giacomo Puccini's "La Boheme," a one-night performance that opened Opera Idaho's 2007-08 season Saturday night.
Artistic director Julie Kilgrow brought a cast of vocalists to Boise that delighted the Morrison Center audience.
Director David Cox, who staged last season's "The Barber of Seville," returned to create a warm, funny and moving "Boheme." As he did with "Barber," he rendered a thoughtful and character-rich production.
Puccini's opera is one of the most produced works in the country. It's a story of a group of struggling artists living and loving in Paris' Latin Quarter, the creative center of the city in the 1830s. Filled with soaring musical themes and poetic lyrics, the opera contains just enough humor and irony to avoid cloying sentimentalism and remain freshly contemporary.
The story focuses on four friends: a poet Rodolfo (Adam Flowers), an artist Marcello (Jason Detwiler), a musician Schaunard (Joseph Rawley) and a philosopher Colline (Dennis Rupp).
The actors each had a dynamic presence and charm. Rawley and Rupp are both wonderfully cast. Each brings the right touch of humor and tenderness to their roles.
Detwiler is charming with a devilish touch as Marcello. He plays the perfect foil for Flower's Rodolfo and a passionate match for the lovely Musetta, Marcello's spirited and flirtatious girlfriend. She is played by Aimee Puentes, who dazzled every time she stepped on stage. She was particularly wonderful in the second act performing "Musetta's Waltz," during which she flirts and wins Marcello back, if just for a while.
Puentes was complemented by the Opera Idaho resident and children's choruses, who sang well and made for some fun play with Puentes, especially the men she flirted with. But the stage seemed a bit overrun with children for the scene. It did, however, offer a fun moment for Boise tenor Joe Dewey, who took a fun turn as a colorful Parpignol.
The heart of this "Boheme" came from lyric soprano Barbara Divis' performance as Mimi, the beautiful young seamstress who speaks poetry, embroiders flowers and captivates the poet Rodolfo. Divis has a rare voice, as rich and warm as it is clear and bell-like.
And when she paired with Flowers, they gave a stunning performance. His lovely tenor solidly matched Divis' at every turn. In their first-act duet, "Oh soave fanciulla" their voices blended to great effect.
Cox again did a good job of juxtaposing Marcello and Musetta's stormy breakup against Mimi and Rodolfo's agreement to stay together until spring. The four voices together were captivating.
San Jose-based conductor David Rohrbaugh led the performance, coaxing a marvelous performance from the musicians. Although, as often happens in the Morrison Center, they struggled for balance, often overpowering the singers, especially Flowers, particularly in the first act.
By the third act, Rohrbaugh had honed it into a wonderful blend.
One clunky spot in the performance came not from the music, but from a prop. During Mimi's death scene, Rawley and Rupp carried on a large bed that didn't at all match the rest of the set. It was quite fluffy; it created a barrier between Divis and the rest of the cast. A worn chaise already on the set might have been a better choice.
Still, Divis' voice was impeccable.
The performance was a great way to begin the season. The real tragedy is that Opera Idaho only had one night to pull it off.
It's another reason to explore the idea of a smaller, quality performance venue in Boise. With 600 to 800 seats, the opera, or even the ballet or other groups, could potentially run a production for a week.
Without such a venue, our arts groups won't have the opportunity to cultivate a larger audience.
Dana Oland: 377-6442Kate Sutherland of Boise: "I really enjoyed it. It's one of my favorite operas. I thought the first act was lovely, and the blend of the voices was wonderful. The duets they did were exceptional and stunning. The orchesta was lovely, and the harp was particularly lovely. But I wish the balance between the orchestra and the singers had been better. I thought the stage direction was grand. The acting was really at the same caliber of the voices."
David Hertling of Boise: "It's been gorgeous, quite a lot of fun. It's my first time at the opera. It was just a great chance for me to see something a little different. The voices were stunning, the soprano (Barbara Divis) was particularly amazing. It's been moving."
Jessica Colbert, of Boise: "It's amazing, more wonderful than I could have ever thought. This is my first time to an actual opera and I'll most definitely be back."
Emily Upchurch of Boise: It's my first opera and I really enjoyed it. I did cry at the end. The voices were amazing, I got the chills several times."
Ron Wilson of Dallas: "I thought the singing was really good and I really enjoyed myself."
Opera Idaho’s ‘The Barber of Seville’
Morrison Center 11.05.06
By Dana Oland, Idaho Statesman
Opera Idaho opened its season with a stellar production of Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” to a delighted nearly sold-out house at the Velma V. Morrison Center on Saturday.
From the first strains of the overture, the audience began to titter and giggle. Thank you, Chuck Jones. The credit for the success of this production lies with David Cox’s character-driven direction and the golden rule of theater of any sort: casting, casting,casting.
This stunning cast of mostly out-of-town artists Roberto Gomez (Figaro), Lindsey Falduto (Rosina), Ross Hauck (Count), Carlos Monzon (Dr. Basillo) and Joseph Rawley (Bartolo) oozed chemistry, technique and talent.
They each appeared to relish and revel in every moment the opera offers for laughs and lyric beauty. It was hard to pick a standout because they were all so good. Monzon was delightfully evil, funny and animated as Basillo, with a rich baritone that made me think, “Please bring him back.” Falduto was a beautifully exotic and perfectly willful Rosina. Her voice trilled and thrilled, and she showed a great feel for comic timing.
Gomez made a dashing and flawless Figaro, tackling his signature difficult, tongue-twisting arias effortlessly. He and Hauck as Count Almaviva were a perfect comic pair (and Hauck’s lyric tenor was a treat). Rawley was terrifically funny and bumbling as Bartolo.
Topped off with lively vocals and strong character work from the Opera Idaho chorus and excellent playing by the orchestra under Bryan J. Nies baton, the production was everything “Barber” should be and more.
Opera hits high note with ‘Traviata’
Opera Review
“La Traviata”
Opera Idaho
Oct. 8
Guest review by Mike Winter
Special to The Idaho Statesman
When soprano Leslie Mauldin released Violetta’s dying cry of joy and the curtain came down on Opera Idaho’s “La Traviata,” it set a new standard of professionalism for the company.
The quality that audiences have come to expect from Boise’s anchor performing arts groups, was achieved by the opera as well. The performance ranked in the top two or three of the past 23 years. Opera Idaho has come through a transition year of complete artistic and administrative overhaul with a clear direction and singing like a lark.
Mauldin shined in the title role. The lead role in Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata” is among the most difficult in the repertoire. Mauldin met each dramatic and vocal challenge with consummate ease, delivering an optional high E-flat after a series og high C’s, as if she’d been performing the role for years. In fact, this was her first time.
David Malis, who made his Idaho directorial debut, which was superb, directed and performed in “La Traviata.”
Malis, who has sung at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, had the cast and chorus in stunning costumes, moving fluidly and naturalistically on stage that sparkled with striking sets.
Malis’ resonant bass-baritone was added bonus, filling the hall with conviction and delicacy as the father. As his son, and Violetta’s lover Alfredo, Nicholas Copollo was handsome, youthful yet vocally mature and made an impressive debut. His wife, Lindsey Falduto, was dynamic as Flora.
Conductor Michael Borowitz had the Boise Philharmonic playing at its joyful best. Local vocalists Jim Poston, Willis carr, Joe Dewey, Alan Gardner and Sandra Schmidt filled out the cast admirably.
The Opera chorus deserves highest praise, as over the years these dedicated volunteers have proven to be a most reliably excellent element. John Mauldin, Leslie Mauldin’s brother and a very fine tenor, made his debut as chorus master.
J.R. and Esther Simplot were honored from the stage with the Morrison Center’s Gold Medallion Award to acknowledge their contribution to Idaho’s arts over the years.
If the company can maintain this level in the future, Opera in Idaho will continue this exciting new path, and that’s something to sing about.
Mike Winter is a freelance classical music writer who has written for publications locally and nationally and on music Web sites.
