The smaller configuration of the orchestra (17 string players only) worked well with the Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite III of Ottorino Respighi. The set of four pieces sounded like an extraordinarily sturdy string quartet, so lush was the sonority. The addition of several wind and keyboard instruments plus percussion made the same composer’s Adoration of the Magi almost as much a visual pleasure as an aural one. Katherine Shanklin excelled as the graceful bassoon soloist. A screen suspended over the orchestra displayed projections of various paintings from history, nicely complementing the music.
The main event, however, was a new look at a fifty-five year old classic Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carol Menotti. Originally written to be produced on television (!), Mr. Sheffer, who doubled as stage director, moved the setting to the here and now—a shelter for the homeless. In some ways this worked very well; in others, it left a bit to be desired.
As always, the musical portions were excellent; the voices all matched the parts and for the most part needed no additional amplification, even in the large Masonic Auditorium. (It did sound at first as though Amahl and the Mother were miked, but after only a few minutes the ‘boominess’ disappeared, and they then sounded un-amplified.) The men needed no such help.
In Sheffer’s version, Amahl (Brett Seekely) is in a wheelchair, with an everpresent Walkman, and wearing a LeBron jersey. (Hard to believe that either of them would stay around very long in a shelter, but maybe.) Mother (Marian Vogel) was rather well-dressed, as was the chorus. Once past those quibbles, the rest of the production was enchanting.
The Three Kings—and, on occasion, the Mother—were given wonderful life by the marvelously intricate larger-than-life-size puppets created by Basil Twist. They danced, they marched, they squabbled among themselves, they did everything but breathe! Balthazar was wonderfully dignified while Melchior was more of an elder-statesman type of King. Caspar was the mischievous diplomat, complete with tailsuit, medals (and occasionally a parrot) adorning his natty self, although to me he rather resembled the Mouse King from another Christmas classic. Oh, well. It was all wonderful imagery, anyway, and isn’t that the point?
The kings were voiced by William Dempsey as Balthazar, Michael Preacely as Melchior and Adam Smith as Caspar. Robert Thompson was the Page. The three singers were mostly immobile, seated in front of the open portion of the set, where the puppets held sway. The orchestra was seated to the rear of the stage area, but came out to the front for a final bow along with the singers and puppeteers.
Based on the response of the large audience for Saturday’s matinee performance, this could easily become Red’s gift to Cleveland in years to come. The next imaginative performance Image/Sound/Image will be February 4. For tickets or other information, visit http://www.redanorchestra.org or call (440) 519-1733.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net
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