Opera is so all-encompassing that even if one aspect doesn’t work quite as well as it might, the performance as a whole can still be an enjoyable experience. Such is the case with The Mikado, the second production of Lyric Opera Cleveland’s 31st season. This particular version was devised by stage director Philip Kraus and music dDennis Northway. Mr. Northway also generated the orchestral reduction from fairly large orchestra to rather smallish chamber group. It was a thin sounding on occasion but overall, played well.
Visually and musically this was a Mikado guaranteed to send you out of the theater humming some of the most-popular songs. Story-wise, however, you might just as easily had a frown on your face, trying to figure out exactly who was who. This version, rather than being set in Japan, was instead sent back to the Tudor England of King Henry VIII with his second wife Anne Boleyn, their daughter Elizabeth I (as an adult, long after her mother had been executed), her maybe lover Robert Devereux, and Will Shakespeare among others.
Anne Boleyn was transformed into Yum-Yum and wonderfully performed by soprano Marian Vogel. The role of Devereux/ Nanki-Poo as sung by tenor Robert Zimmerman, her vocal and visual equal. John Payonk assumed the cardinal robes and duality of Wolsey/Pooh-Bah, and the comic role of Ko-Ko (the Lord High Executioner)/Will Shakespeare was deftly enacted (and superbly danced) by Michael Bragg. Mr. Payonk drew consistent laughs with his fan technique whenever he snapped his large fan open, it sounded like a rifle shot! A huge ornamental Japanese gate stretched across the center of the stage, with three vertical panels on either side. Each panel sported a medieval English battle shield topped by an opened Oriental fan, thus alerting the audience to something a bit unusual about to happen. When four young men wearing Medieval costumes of sumptuous brocades and velvets came on stage, struck a pose and sang, “If you want to know who we are, we are gentleman of Japan,” you knew it wasn’t going to be a typical Mikado.
Other roles capably done were those of Andrea Chenoweth as Pitti-Sing/Catherine Howard (another of Henry’s wives) and Catrin Davies at Peep-Bo/Lady Jane Grey) were wonderful maids-in-waiting for Yum-Yum. (Based on one tricky maneuver, I predict diva-dom for Ms. Chenoweth, whose gown had a very long train. She displayed a most impressive ‘kick’ on several occasions, putting her train behind her where it belonged, rather than tangled around her feet.) Scott Uddenberg greatly resembled Henry VIII/The Mikado.
While her costume for Elizabeth was marvelous, Sophie Taillefer endowed Katisha with an over-the-top portrayal, very like the Wicked Witch of the West on steroids. She certainly seemed to be having a good time with her part, but very few of her words could be distinguished.
The somewhat spare set design (other than the fans and the shields) by Don Mc Bride? was suitably enhanced by the lighting design of Jeremy Benjamin. Choreography by Marie Zvosec added considerably to the production, being clever and appropriate. Kelly Yurko did the wigs and makeup. The marvelous costumes for the principals came from Broadway Costumes, Inc. in Chicago, while the chorus was outfitted by Magic Makers Costumes, Inc., of Huntington West Virgnia. It may not have been exactly what one would expect from The Mikado, but it was a worth-while venture. Although my disbelief could not suspend enough to cope with the historical distortions, the full house enjoyed the performance, giving the cast a standing ovation. For information or tickets call the Cleveland Play House at 795-7000, or Lyric Opera Cleveland at 685-5976 and visit http://www.lyricoperacleveland.org
by Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz kellytwo@core.com
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