Reviews
In Yielding to Temptation, Losing a Chance at True Love
by ANTHONY TOMMASINI
from The New York Times
June 27, 2011
PRINCETON, N.J. — Though an astonishing opera, Stravinsky's "Rake's Progress," the story of the dissolution of a charming but callow young man in 18th-century England, remains on the margins of the standard repertory. It is hard to say why.
On its surface Stravinsky's Neo-Classical score can strike some as merely a curious pastiche of 18th-century operatic styles, especially Mozart's. But in an insightful performance the work emerges as an ingenious and subtly complex contemporary masterpiece. Both the vocal writing, with its ornate filigree and fractured phrases, and the orchestra music, with its intricate textures and repetitive figurations, are difficult to pull off.
So, all credit to the Princeton Festival for presenting a strong performance with an appealing cast in an imaginative, if traditional, production on Sunday afternoon at the McCarter Theater Center here, which brought the seventh season of this diverse three-week festival to a successful conclusion.
For the most part, the conductor Richard Tang Yuk, the festival's artistic director, drew a vibrant, clear-textured performance from an orchestra of about 30 players. Things started off shakily during the opening romantic duet between young Tom Rakewell and his devoted Anne Trulove. But a run of just two performances a week apart is not ideal for continuity.
The director Steven LaCosse's production combined spare, modern sets (by Anya Klepikov) with colorful period costumes (by Marie Miller). The young tenor Lawrence Jones brought a light, sweet voice and lyricism to Tom. Ideally, the role wants more intensity and carrying power than Mr. Jones mustered. But he had the right earnestness for this gullible slacker, who is convinced that pluck alone will be rewarded by good fortune.
The soprano Jodi Burns, with her plush voice and rich expressivity, made an endearing Anne. Though her diction was often unclear, Stravinsky is partly at fault for the sometimes awkward way he set the clever but archly poetic English libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman.
The pace and energy of the performance picked up when the bass Kevin Burdette arrived as the devilish Nick Shadow, who brings news that a forgotten uncle has left Tom a fortune. Bent on claiming Tom's soul, Shadow offers to show him the ways of the world in London, and Mr. Burdette, singing with earthy power and flair, was slyly demonical.
The production offered a few fresh touches. The festival's choristers threw themselves into the brothel scene, which was unusually fleshy. The savvy prostitutes served drinks in bloomers, and the dissolute young customers were portrayed as shirtless, lusty playboys.
The mezzo-soprano Cindy Sadler was wonderful as Baba the Turk, an exotic bearded lady, a celebrity in London and beyond. With her flowing robes, deep voice and distinctive diction, Ms. Sadler made every phrase count.
Shadow's cynical logic in prodding Tom to marry Baba seemed especially right in this staging. Sick at heart and too guilty to contact Anne, Tom has succumbed to a reckless life of self-indulgence. What better way to ensure his freedom from carnal appetite and obligation than to marry a person for whom he has no desire? Besides, Tom is bored, and Baba is amusing. The marriage provides a short-lived kick, however.
In a game of chance Shadow loses his grip on Tom's soul. But in a parting thrust, he turns Tom insane. The final scene in the madhouse has some of Stravinsky's most inspired and overtly emotional music. Mr. Jones as the delusional Tom, Ms. Burns as the ministering Anne, the chorus as the ragtag inmates and the orchestra were all at their best.
The Rake's Progress: Hooray, hurrah, huzzah: The Princeton Festival does it again
by MICHAEL REDMOND
from The Princeton Packet
June 22, 2011
There comes a time, sooner or later, when an opera production company such as the Princeton Festival has to scale a particularly high mountain just in order to keep going. Igor Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress" (1951), the apex of 20th-century neoclassical style — set to a libretto by W.H. Auden, no less — is such a peak. It appears that for Richard Tang Yuk, the festival's artistic director and conductor, the time was now. What the festival audience was privileged to witness on June 19 in McCarter Theatre was a "Rake" which, at its strongest, could bear comparison with the work of most first-rank opera festivals around the country.
I admire and respect "The Rake's Progress," which is something quite different from loving it; the ambivalence I feel about the work is typical, I think, of the opera-going public in general.
In 1947 Stravinsky viewed Hogarth's "The Rake's Progress," a series of eight 18th-century engravings telling the story of the rise and fall of a feckless young man. Aldous Huxley brought Stravinsky and Auden together. Seldom in operatic history have two artists of this magnitude found themselves together so congenially on the same page. They were very different individuals, these men, but as artists they shared common values — work, discipline, craft, respect for form, disdain for romantic excess. "The Rake's Progress" is a work of particularly brilliant artifice, note by note, line by line. But there's a chill there, many opera lovers find — an aloofness from the messy goings-on of people's lives. The 18th-century was big on moral fables. One person's exemplary caution can be another's pedagogical pedantry.
The cast was splendid. The orchestra was very good. To my way of thinking, the heart of "Rake" is not Tom Rakewell, a self-centered blockhead whose sad fate inspires little sympathy. The character was well embodied by Lawrence Jones, whose light, clear, limpid tenor was ideal for the role. No, the heart of the opera is Anne Trulove, who loves Tom, and this part was radiantly sung by Jodi Burns. The very first Anna was Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, so it's obvious that Stravinsky was placing no upper limit on sheer beauty of sound; Ms. Burns' "Quietly, night, O find him" was a high point of the evening. But then the composer undercuts the heroine's prima position by creating the totally over-the-top role of Baba the Turk, the histrionic bearded lady Tom eventually marries. Cindy Sadler took this role to the bank, to several financial institutions, and then to various jewelers. Likewise spectacular was Kevin Burdette in the role of Nick Shadow, i.e., Old Nick, the Devil, whose ruin of Tom is easy work. Seldom has the Devil come across with such suavity and charisma, and with such nice vocal heft.
Stage director Steven LaCosse shrewdly focused on the humorous aspects of the story, of which there are many — what other opera, pray tell, provides a "Chorus for Whores and Roaring Boys"? As usual, this Princeton Festival production moved gracefully and looked good. And I really do think that set designer Anya Klepikov may be some kind of genius. You can spend a king's ransom on sets for an opera like this and end up with something ugly and stupid (the Met manages this feat from time to time), but Ms. Klepikov's scena was all gossamer, shadow, silhouette — an visual allegory, perhaps, of the veritable insubstantiality of the worldly vanities that undo Tom Rakewell. Ms. Klepikov's spareness was offset by Marie Miller's sumptuous costumes and by Norman Coates' deft and subtle lighting design.
Well, the mountain of "The Rake's Progress" has been climbed. It's an opera for grown-ups, I suppose, and the moral is surely truth to tell: "For idle hands/ and hearts and minds/ the Devil finds/ a work to do."
Yes, indeed.
The Boy Friend - A Smash Hit
by TOBY GRACE
from outinjersey.net
June 12, 2011
The Princeton Festival's presentation of the classic musical, The Boyfriend is an over-the-top delight. Elegantly costumed in period perfection and effectively staged with a set that was simple but evocative, this was a show we really did not want to end. We could have gone on dancing the Charleston all night long.
I am hard pressed to say whether the choreography or the singing was the highlight. Both were genuinely outstanding overall. The casting was excellent and entirely age appropriate. The complex dance numbers were executed with energy and precision. The entire cast projected a feeling that not only were they really good at what they were doing, they were thoroughly enjoying it as well – a feeling in which they were certainly joined by the enthusiastic audience.
Cara Fish as Hortense, the maid, was a show-stealer with a superbly comic performance that brought the style of Ethel Merman to mind. Rachel Handler as Polly performed and sang with star quality. Tyler Eley as Bobby can SERIOUSLY dance! I only wish I could Charleston like him!
Another serious dancer is Andrew Betz who played Tony. Mr. Betz in the lead romantic role, owned the stage at several key moments. Christine Egan as Mdm. Dubonnet was simply wonderful, with the look, the manner and the voice wholly suited to her character of an elegant French woman with experience of life. Kate Hamilton as Masie gave a high energy performance with great singing. Patrick James as Lord Brockhurst and Robert Mackasek as Mr. Browne both gave the delightfully amusing performances enriched by strong singing voices that one would expect from gentlemen of such considerable theatrical experience as theirs.
The supporting cast members, Avery Bryce, Reed Schmidt, Brittany Santos, Patrick McGee, Ryan John, Gus Steiner and Suzanne Houston, were each superb. From the wonderful opening number to the final ensemble they worked together with a theatrical chemistry that was magical.
My hat is off to Graham Lustig for the choreography, Jack Bender for the music direction, Marie Miller for the fabulous costumes and most of all, to Diana Basmajian for what was obviously a terrific job of directing.
Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress at the Princeton Festival
by DAN KESSLER
June 27, 2011
Yesterday I ventured to Princeton, New Jersey to witness a production of Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress," as mounted by a group called: "The Princeton Festival." Opera in Princeton has suffered its share of financial woes in recent years that perform at the McCarter Theater. Let's hope that this "Princeton Festival" group will continue now that it is in its 6th year of existence...
Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress" is a work that could easily defeat a regional opera group let alone a major company...but its conductor Richard Tan Yuk did honorable work in bringing to life Stravinsky's intricate score with its complicated and bewitching rhythms, played with complete accuracy and precision by his ensemble. Yesterday's Sunday matinee of "Rake" was performed by a cast of mostly young hopefuls relatively new on the operatic scene.
I once bought the piano vocal score of "Rake"...still own it....it was an expensive acquisition (Boosey & Hawkes piano vocal scores don't come cheap!...as scores go) my intention was to play parts of the score on the piano...but was defeated...never managed to master much of it with its tricky Stravinsky trademark rhythms... much to my dismay. Still, I soldiered on in liking the piece.
It should be borne in mind...with Stravinsky... the strings are important and the woodwinds play a dominate part in his "Rake" and sometimes require virtuoso standards as was evident yesterday. Some even claim only Stravinsky matches Hector Berlioz's clever writing for winds in opera.
With "Rake," Hogarth's series of eight paintings as seen through the lens of librettists W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman are brought to life. "Rake" has often been dubbed as "caviar for special tastes." Furthermore, "Rake" ...is a 20th Century account of and 18th Century story.
There are many wonderful things in the score...such as Act I, Scene 3...that canon between the bassoon and Anne's voice... so beautifully matched. Likewise, the piano accompaniment to that underlines the card game in the cemetery scene...just to point out a couple...
Curiously, the character Tom Rakewell is a gloomy guy who doesn't seem to take any pleasure in his fallen status. The role of Tom is a cruel test for a tenor. There are some wonderful "Stravinsky" moments in the score...Tom's aria in the brothel, with its beautifully rippling clarinet accompaniment always turns me to jelly with delight. British-born tenor Lawrence Jones was Tom Rakewell and could hardly be bettered. His voice excelled in agility, as was his accuracy of intonation which displayed an admirable understanding of the music.
Soprano Jodie Burns, our Anne Trulove, made sound easy what is more difficult than must seem apparent, i.e., those wicked and isolated high C's of her solo scena in Act I which were as good as you can get... her voice was sufficiently large to fill the auditorium of the McCarter Theater, her legato never suffered...and in those big moments, Ms. Burns showed no signs of apparent strain.
Kevin Burdett's Nick Shadow was not vocally to my taste...still he demonstrated enough ingratiating plausibility of a confidence man to be believable along with a goodly amount of deferential urbanity of a well-trained butler and showed himself to be a nuanced performer.
The role of Baba the Turk, a circus monstrosity is the bearded lady in question...as it turns out...one with a heart of Gold. Is she not is meant to be a huge caricature of a woman...as was the case played and sung convincingly by Cindy Sadler, a mezzo-soprano with an awe-inspiring voice as well as ample poitrine, barely constrained by her costume. With considerable authority... in her final scene, she departed grandly with the words..."Out of my way"...Baba is revealed as the perfect caricature of commonplace womanhood in spite of her tantrums and chatter.
Tenor Julius Ahn, in the brief role of the auctioneer, was full of ebullient spirits with the many small phrases allotted him...bringing to mind the oft-quoted phrase...there are no "small parts"...just "small performers"... Mr. Ahn managed to deliver his lines with great panache...too bad he didn't have more to do...
At the conclusion, four principals come before the stage curtain to sing the moral... just as is the case with Mozart's "Don Giovanni."
I understand that "Rake" is due back at the Metropolitan Opera in a future season... which will likely treat the Met audience to many seasoned performers in major roles...but I wonder if the Met revival will match the freshness and excitement demonstrated by this young cast that made the piece cohere in a way I could not have imagined.
The Rake's Progress deserves, and got, laughs
by DAVID PATRICK STEARNS
from The Philadelphia Inquirer
June 22, 2011
PRINCETON - Igor Stravinsky's theatricality often seemed to exist more in his musical imagination than in any external staging. How often has The Rite of Spring been choreographed all that successfully?
So the belly laughs that greeted Stravinsky's 1951 neoclassic opera The Rake's Progress in a new Princeton Festival production were as surprising as they were warranted in a work whose composer and librettists (W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman) were among the wittiest individuals of their time but created an opera whose laughs tend to be quiet and cerebral.
What made the difference here Sunday was a capable cast, the X-ray intelligence of Steven LaCosse's staging, and a factor that, by itself, should be worth the drive for next Sunday's performance: the size-appropriate McCarter Theater.
Princeton Festival Brings Stravinsky's The Rakes Progress to Operatic Life
by NANCY PLUM
from Town Topics
June 22, 2011
Despite having the last name of Rakewell, the protagonist of Igor Stravinsky's 1951 opera The Rake's Progress was not really a rake by the true definition of the word. When we meet our hero in the beginning of Stravinsky's two-act and very complex opera, he could be considered a ne'er-do-well with dreams of marrying his true love (whose last name is coincidentally Trulove) and becoming rich with no discernible plan for achieving either of these goals. Stravinsky's opera has been characterized as "neo-classical," but what Stravinsky composed in part is a satire on three centuries of opera which have come before, quoting 18th century musical idioms, Faustian themes, and heroic plots.
The Princeton Festival and a principal cast of seven brought the myriad of musical styles and characters to life this past Sunday afternoon as the mainstage operatic offering of the Festival's 2011 season. The production at McCarter's Matthews Theatre was simple yet elegant, rightfully focusing on the complicated musical score which drew from several eras of music history.
The cast assembled by Artistic Director Richard Tang Yuk was vocally solid, even while jumping through operatic hoops. Tenor Lawrence Jones and soprano Jodi Burns played the ill-fated lovers with lyrical and dramatic singing, and solidity of strength which carried them through the three-hour production. Although a bit hard to hear over the orchestra at times in his opening scene, Mr. Jones grew with the role as the opera progressed, and by his final "mad" scene, had proven himself to be a strong and convincing singer. Ms. Burns had a demanding job throughout the production, reaching low into her register at times and showing her mettle in effective coloratura toward the end of a very strenuous afternoon. When singing together, Mr. Jones and Ms. Burns blended well, accompanied by very smooth winds from the orchestra.
One of the 19th-century plotlines Stravinsky borrowed for this opera was the Faustian theme of trading one's soul to the devil, in this case Nick Shadow, sung by baritone Kevin Burdette. Mr. Burdette drew much of his malevolence from his facial expressions, contrasting with the light, 18th-century musical style of his arias. Stravinsky seemed to have borrowed heavily from Mozart's Don Giovanni for this character, with Mozart's trademark G minor key announcing impending suspense and the charm of Nick Shadow's music belying his devious and menacing nature.
The Rake's Progress, with a libretto by 20th-century poet W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman, was originally set in 18th-century England. Princeton Festival remained true to this concept, relying on minimal sets accented by clever lighting work with shadows. The Trulove family did not have a great deal of money, well evidenced by the costuming of Mr. Trulove, played by bass Stephen Morscheck. Mr. Morscheck sang as a rich lyric bass, and was especially clean on the few recitatives in the score.
The other two female roles in this story were the antithesis of Ann Trulove's sweetness and innocence. The brothel owner Mother Goose was certainly not a character one would take home for dinner, and the bearded Baba the Turk was definitely not a good marriage candidate, unless of course one has a pact with the devil. Both of these roles were heavy-duty mezzo parts, and both Eileen Jennings (Mother Goose) and Cindy Sadler (Baba) were up to the task. Ms. Sadler in particular demonstrated a true dramatic contralto voice without giving into the pitfalls of singing so low in the register.
The Rake's Progress is an opera with many different musical styles coming one after the other, and conductor Tang Yuk held orchestra and chorus together well with clear attention to detail. Voices were timed precisely with instruments, and very elegant instrumental solos arose from the pit throughout the afternoon. This opera is one not done often and it is a tough one for the principal singers, but the artists of the Princeton Festival brought this musical challenge to the stage effectively, showing some exceptional singing in the process.
The Boy Friend
by JONATHAN ELLIOT
from U.S. 1 Newspaper
June 15, 2011
Today it's easy to look at American musical theater, arguably the quintessential American art form, and see a troubling return to cynicism, snark, and vitriol. There's a strong surge lately of latter-day musicals jam-packed with irony, pathos, and nihilism; this week's Tony near-sweep by "The Book of Mormon" affirms some of that, despite its curiously earnest and reassuring message. The bottom line of all of this preamble is that sometimes you just crave an incredibly sweet bon-bon of a show in response to all of this, and Princeton Festival's "The Boy Friend" fits that bill, in spades.
Set in the midst of the roaring '20s, on the French Riviera, Sandy Wilson's 1954 musical was designed as an homage to the beloved musical comedies of the 1920s (in particular, it owes more than a little bit to the canon of Rodgers and Hart). The original London production held the stage debut of Julie Andrews.
Madame Dubonnet's School for Young Ladies is an upper-crust boarding school, educating the daughters of Europe's elite. Seventeen-year-old Polly Browne and her quartet of friends pine for boyfriends of their own, only to have those needs each met with a suitor. Polly herself falls for Tony, a poor delivery boy, which leads to its own hand-wringing antics of socioeconomic status and desire. Polly's widowed father reconnects with Madame Dubonnet. There's also the elderly Lord and Lady Brockhurst (she's a bit crotchety, he's a horndog, somehow it works); an overblown French maid named Hortense; and a bit of mistaken identity and sudden revelation amidst a costumed ball that gives us a sextet of marriage proposals at the end. It's delightfully cornball, and naturally there are no surprises in how the story itself unfolds.
But we're not here for the surprises; we're here to have some fun and take in some wonderful performances. First and foremost is Andrew Betz's Tony, chock-full of impish charm and good looks. He nails the "golly-gee" positivity at the core of "The Boy Friend" from his first entrance, and in the midst of his first number with Polly, "I Could Be Happy With You," a little bit of subtle early-on choreography gives us a hint of the treat we're about to receive. Betz's tap-dancing explodes onto stage shortly thereafter, and his capabilities are nothing short of breathtaking (more on the choreography below).
Also of particular note are Robert Mackasek's Percy and Christine Egan's Mme. Dubonnet. They make great foils for each other, as a flirty couple whose spark reignites late in life. Egan's playful aggressiveness is a lot of fun to watch, and Mackasek makes the brave choice of playing Percy as if he himself is surprised to be in a musical. It works spectacularly, though, and I spent the majority of their scenes together with a dopey grin stuck on my face.
Diana Basmajian's direction wisely harnesses the talents of the team at her disposal and lets them do their thing. Her work is understated and well-presented and lets the choreography in particular really shine. And here's the real gem of the show — the nigh-legendary Graham Lustig's work on this production is worth the price of admission, all by itself. Lustig possesses the uncanny ability to tell beautiful, layered stories in his work, and the athleticism and adventurous spirits of the cast are fully on display. There's a LOT of the Charleston in here, as befits the period, but there are also these wonderful little moments of interaction, and tiny gestures often blossom into breathtaking dance numbers. All of this is enhanced by the intimacy of the Matthews Acting Studio, which places the unbridled choreography very nearly in your lap. It's a rare treat to see such work up close.
There is a lot to love about this production; that's not to say it's not without the occasional questionable choice or two. Rachel Handler's Polly is played as if she's markedly older and less interesting than her fellow classmates. She comes across more as a supervisor of the other girls than a contemporary, and it's perhaps a flaw in the writing that I just couldn't quite stomach why Tony falls for her. Maybe this is the sort of on-paper leading-lady blandness that requires a young Meg Ryan-type to fix; while Handler is clearly talented in both voice and expression, it's a mismatch here. Marie Miller's costumes also vacillate between gorgeously period-appropriate and ghoulishly clown-like, which pulls one out of the story from time to time.
These are only minor blips on an otherwise great summer treat. I'm fairly certain musicals aren't made quite like this anymore because the 21st century lifestyle can't quite support this worldview; that said, the Princeton Festival's presentation is both a lovely example of a nostalgia-rife time capsule and a solid evening's entertainment.
The Boy Friend - It's All About Music, Dance and Love
by ANTHONY STOECKERT
from centraljersey.com
June 14, 2011
As refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot day and lighter than a feather in a flapper's cap, The Boy Friend has danced its way into Princeton with an irresistible production from The Princeton Festival that is certain to leave you tapping your feet in delight.
There's not a heavy moment in this show, which was written by Sandy Wilson and premiered in London in 1953. A year later, it debuted in New York and marked the Broadway debut of Julie Andrews as Polly Browne.
Now it's on stage as The Princeton Festival's annual musical offering at the Matthews Acting Studio in Princeton through June 25. The show is a pastel-colored romance set in France where young men and women fall in love, old flames are rekindled, and a randy gentleman flirts with young beauties, until his wife spoils his fun.
It takes place in 1920s-era Nice at Madme Dubonnet's Finish School, where the students are most concerned with being proper young ladies and finding a boyfriend. Everyone's most curious about the lover letters being sent to Polly (Rachel Handler) from a mystery suitor.
In truth, there is no gentleman in Polly's life. Her widowed millionaire father Percival forbids her to date out of suspicion that any boyfriend of Polly's would be after his money. Polly falls for a real live boy named Tony (Andrew Betz), who works as a messenger, and asks him to escort her to a costume ball and dress as Pierrot to her Pierette.
Of course this is when Percival decides to pay a visit to his daughter's school. Polly's ready to give up on love but Madame Dubonnet offers to help change Percival's mind about matters of the heart. That turns out to be fairly easy because the two had a fling during the war. Meanwhile, Lord and Lady Brockhurst have come to town looking for their dropout son, but the Lord becomes preoccupied by the school's lovely girls.
The entire cast is a delight. Handler's speech and singing voice do resemble Andrews' but it doesn't appear she was trying to imitate the legend. Her singing voice is lovely and she gets her laughs and sympathy as she relates the angst and joy of a young woman in love. As Tony, Betz is a wonder, particularly in the dancing department. His tap dancing is so elegant (there's no hoofing going on here) that he even makes a scene change a delight.
Other standouts include Kate Hamilton as Maisie, who shines during numbers like "Won't You Charleston With Me?" the number she performs with Tyler Eley, who plays Bobby, Maisie's suitor. Eley's voice doesn't compare to Hamilton's, but he's definitely her equal as a dancer and their Charleston is certain to put a smile on your face.
The story revolves around the young characters, but the adults get their day in the French Riviera sun too. Christine Egan has a ball while playing Madame Dubonnet, strong in voice and getting her share of laughs as she vamps and flirts. Robert Mackasek is her perfect counterpart at Percival, trying to shun the idea of romance and keep things proper, but always letting a hint of weakness shine through because his heart belongs to the woman even after all these years.
Patrick James is a riot as Lord Brockhurst, with his dignified beard, monocle and three-piece suit. He longs to loosen up and hang out with the younger crowd, especially the girls. He and Avery Bryce have a charming second act duet with "It's Never Too Late For Love." More laughs come from Suzanne Houston as Lady Brockhurst and Cara Michelle Fish as Hortense, the school's maid.
It all takes place on a simple and charming set by Colleen Dolan. The Matthews' stage is a wooden platform, and the main set features a building with a painted beach scene behind it. A few quick changes and we're at the beach and, in the final act, a ballroom where everything unfolds and gets tidied up. And while the stage isn't huge it's big enough for those flapper-era dance numbers.
Marie Miller's costumes are a hoot. The girls wear bright, colorful dresses, the boys are natty and the adults are elegant. Miller has fun with bathing suits (the men wear those one-piece jobs) and, in particular the costumes at the ball.
Director Diana Basmajian moves everything along and keeps the tone light and airy. Graham Lustig handles the choreography and the music is provided by a fine trio of piano, bass and drums.
With the Princeton Festival underway, it feels like summer has arrived, and it's off to a fantastic start.
