Beatrice et Benedict @ CIM Opera Theater 11/14 You can tell Cleveland is mad about football, when even an opera is set around a football game. Actually, it was kind of neat seeing college age kids portray college age kids on stage. Except when they weren't, of course, and makeup had to age them to their portrayed age rather than the real one. But that’s not a quibble of any kind. The source for all this fun and frolic was Beatrice et Benedict by Hector Berlioz, sort of based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, staged last week at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

The English translation used in the surtitles, and the modern setting were devised by the stage director, David Bamberger. The singing however, was in French, while the dialogue was in English. Harry Davidson was attentive as he conducted the CIM orchestra, which sounded excellent.

Berlioz took only the more light-hearted aspects of the Bard’s play as basis for his opera, which made it entirely suitable for a campus-based story. Thus, we had the star quarterback and a couple of players, cheerleaders and a spectacular baton twirling exhibition all mixed in with the football coach, the Dean of Students and conductor of the student chorus. It was the Messina Knights against the Syracuse Moors, as one could guess, at least somewhat, by the sign posted on one brick wall – Mash The Moors!

The overture was a pantomime with the quarterback Claudio proposing to his love, Hero, while Béatrice seemed to be studying rabble-rousing more than anything, to the amusement of Bénédict. For most of the opera, Hero and her friend Ursula try to convince Béatrice that love is really splendid and grand and also that Bénédict loves her, although he’s never shown much indication of this.

Before everyone succumbs to true love and a wedding ceremony, there is a lot of fun and hijinks and questionable music making by the on-stage music students, as opposed to the real music students involved. Generally, the voices I heard give good reason to think the future of opera in this country is in good voice with these youngsters to carry the torch forward.

Robert Pierce was properly loverly as Claudio, while Hee Chang Shin suffered mightily as Bénédict, while trying to decide if love is really all it’s cracked up to be. Richard Ollarsaba demonstrated considerable maturity and his fine bass-baritone voice as the Coach. John Gray Watson had great fun chewing up the scenery as the Conservatory Conductor.

However, Berlioz really didn’t give his men very much to do, reserving the most beautiful arias and small ensembles for the women. They didn’t let him down here, either. Chelsea Coyne as Béatrice, Ann Coffman as Hero and Lindsey Ann Anderson as Ursula sang poignantly in the various duos or trios. Sarah Gardner was properly officious as the Dean of Students, while Mee Ryu nearly stopped the show with her coloratura aria imported from another opera by Berlioz, his Benvenuto Cellini. Shelley Thorpe was the excellent majorette, keeping her baton well under control in such a small space.

Set and lighting were by Dave Brooks, and costumes by Molly Walter while Alison Garrigan helped out with wigs and makeup.

Another staged opera performance at CIM will be a double-bill of Haydn’s The Apothecary and Puccini’s Suor Angelica on February 25-28. Information about all of CIM concert activities is available at their website http://www.cim.edu.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com
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