Ariadne auf Naxos opera at CIM 2/26/10

Ariadne auf Naxos is such a rara avis that even though Richard Strauss is one of my very favorite composers, I’d never seen it prior to Friday evening’s performance at CIM. The music throughout carries the composer’s lush melodies and orchestrations, which require rather large voices and convincing acting skills among the singers.

CIM nailed it. I had to keep reminding myself that the singers up there on stage were students – they were that good. Same with the orchestra in the pit, ably conducted by Harry Davidson. We may not see this opera here again anytime soon, so the happy memories will have to last a while. David Bamberger’s direction kept things moving along, including some near-slapstick among the Commedia Troupe. The Opera Troupe, were, of course, more serious!

The set by Dave Brooks (who also did the interesting lighting) did double duty as the residence of the rich man in act one, and the desert island in the second. Alison Garrigan’s wigs contributed color and additional comic bits. Her costumes were bright and colorful and appropriate to the period, although a couple of them might have better suited the bodies beneath, but that’s a minor quibble. Those of Zerbinetta and Harlequin (Mark Wanich) were especially delightful.

Of course, some of the singers were farther along in their studies than others; this happens when you have undergrad and graduate students in the same ensemble. But it was still an impressive showing, overall. It’s hard to single out particular favorites, but if I could, they would be Ji Eun Park as the Composer; Heather Engebretson as Zerbinetta, and Robert Pierce in the mostly comic role of The Major-Domo. His fussiness combined with his spot-on German diction provided a great deal of the comic atmosphere in act one.

Ms. Park’s role was also mostly in the first act, where her large and lustrous voice easily carried over the orchestra, as she be-moaned the trials of a misunderstood (and underappreciated) composer. Ms. Engebretson, on the other hand, had a goodly share of the second act on her slender shoulders, as well as frequent shorter appearances during the first act. She was capricious, sensuous and delightful in her role as a woman who finds too many men to be highly irresistible! Her second act aria nearly stopped the show, and deservedly so.

The clowns who were also in act one were (in addition to Harlequin) Scaramouche (Kevin Simmons), Truffaldin (Ryan Downey) and the goofy Brighella of Enrique Bernardo, who truly looked adorable in his blond wig and pink tutu! The three nymphs of the second act--April Martin as Naiad, Kellie Rumba as Echo and Elizabeth Frey as Dryad, were graceful and harmonious as they moved around the stage in stately fashion.

Much of the second act concerns Ariadne and Bacchus, who appear to have been ship-wrecked on the island. Laura Ann Valles and Hee Chang Shin have large voices, suitable to their heroic roles, and this staging required little else from them.

Nearly all of these roles were double cast, easing the strain on young voices. The performance I attended was on Friday night. There will be one more opera production this season—Opera Scenes in mid-April. For more information, visit the web-site: http://www.cim.edu or call 216-795-5000.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an e-book, but perhaps will be in print next year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!

By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there's always been the writing. I can't imagine my life without it.