Operatoonity.com review: Ariadne in Naxos presented by Glimmerglass Festival
Live performance: Monday, July 28, 2014
Alice Busch Opera Theater; Cooperstown, NY
To put it plainly, Ariadne in Naxos is an odd show. It’s a mashup of German slapstick that is not nearly as funny to Americans as Germans think it is and obscure if not obsolete homage to Greco-Roman mythology. So, why not do something completely unexpected and set the show smack in the middle of the Great State of New York? On a farm. Did I mention in a barn…with live goats and chickens?
The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2014 production of Strauss’ “Ariadne in Naxos.” Photo: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival.
Glimmerglass Festival’s new production of ‘Ariadne’ (music by Richard Strauss) employed an English adaptation of von Hofmannsthal’s original libretto by Kelly Rourke for most of the show–the second half “real” opera scenes were sung in German. Again, another interesting twist that worked.
The premise is silly. Two different classes of performers have been invited to this New York farmstead to perform both an opera and a burlesque. After arguing over which portion of the entertainment will go first, at the last-minute they are told that they have to combine both styles in one show, which comprises the second act.
Director Francesca Zambello made other signature choices that stamped this new production as hers besides the barnyard setting and English/German libretto: the diva played by Christine Goerke was riotously comic as the Prima Donna in the first act, mugging unabashedly for the audience:
Christine Goerke as Prima Donna in The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2014 production of Strauss’ “Ariadne in Naxos.” Photo: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival.
The burlesque troupe was attired and comported themselves like a hip hop gang:
L to R: Gerard Michael D’Emilio as Truffaldino, Carlton Ford as Harlequin, Rachele Gilmore as Zerbinetta, Christine Goerke as Ariadne, Andrew Penning as Scaramuccio and Brian Ross Yeakley as Brighella in The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2014 production of Strauss’ “Ariadne in Naxos.” Photo: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival.
The temperamental Composer sung by Catherine Martin was in trousers, but it was no trouser role. Nor did she play it “straight” since she winds up in a girl-on-girl relationship with Zerbinetta played by Rachele Gilmore.
Rachele Gilmore as Zerbinetta and Catherine Martin as Composer in The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2014 production of Strauss’ “Ariadne in Naxos.” Photo: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival.
It was also the most sexualized version of ‘Ariadne’ I’ve ever seen, with the burlesque troupe doing more twerking than you’ll likely find in a Rihanna video and Zerbinetta strutting her stuff in skin-tight leggings held up by a garter belt, while fanning herself with black ostrich feathers.
Rachele Gilmore as Zerbinetta in The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2014 production of Strauss’ “Ariadne in Naxos.” Photo: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival.
All distinctive choices that, strangely enough, all made this show succeed in a unique way.
The production values were to be savored. A charming, original, and functional set by Troy Hourie, inspired costumes by Erik Teague, atmospheric lighting by Mark McCullough, fun and funny hair & makeup by Anne Ford-Coates, and comedic choreography by Eric Sean Fogel all combined seamlessly to carry out Zambello’s distinctive vision for the production.
Of course, what would classic opera be without voices of exceptional character? It would be nothing, which is why opera is so very challenging, perhaps the most challenging of all art forms to pull off.
The singers in ‘Ariadne’ were all extraordinary. Christine Goerke exhibited tremendous vocal power and control. Her comic timing as the Prima Donna was so glorious that I missed her Divine-Miss-M spark in the second act while singing the character Ariadne in the legit opera. Jen Houser, Beth Lytwynec, and Jacqueline Echols were a sheer delight as the vocal trio Naiad, Dryad, and Echo, showcasing some of Strauss’s most beautiful and soaring composition abilities in Act II.
L to R: Jeni Houser as Naiad, Beth Lytwynec as Dryad and Jacqueline Echols as Echo in The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2014 production of Strauss’ “Ariadne in Naxos.” Photo: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival.
Despite their twerking or perhaps because of it, the Back-Street-Boys-Meets-Sweeney-Todd comedy troupe of Gerard Michael D’Emilio as Truffaldino, Carlton Ford as Harlequin, Andrew Penning as Scaramuccio, and Brian Ross Yeakley as Brighella were sheerly delightful and outrageously costumed. All happened to be talented singers and actors and captured focus every time they appeared on stage.
Clockwise from top: Brian Ross Yeakley as Brighella, Christine Goerke as Ariadne, Gerard Michael D’Emilio as Truffaldino, Andrew Penning as Scaramuccio and Carlton Ford as Harlequin in The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2014 production of Strauss’ “Ariadne in Naxos.” Photo: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival.
But this show really belonged to Zerbinetta. And it is supposed to the way it is written, despite its being titled Ariadne in Naxos. It is Zerbinetta who has the biggest transformation amidst an 18-minute aria in Act II. Yes, an 18-minute aria, which Rachele Gilmore sung as if she was born to do it. I was stunned to read other critics’ reviews of this show that lacked significant mention of Ms. Gilmore because she makes this show at Glimmerglass. Yes, she is very shapely and attractive and works every single feminine wile God has endowed her with, which, by the way, does not diminish her talent, not one iota. She also has tremendous operatic chops and deserves highest praise for her performance. So, why such stingy reviews for this performer, compadres?
Conductor Kathleen Kelly has a graceful, fluid conducting form on the podium. While ‘Ariadne’ did not constitute the most ideal balance between orchestra and performers that I’ve encountered at Glimmerglass, the singers were overall capably supported. I did notice a few times that singers were struggling to be heard. Some such as Catherine Martin even lost notes, and the conductor needs to be mindful not to overpower the performers and leave them “stranded” during difficult passages.
