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World Premiere!

FIG: R.O. (retro opera)
by Heather Howe, Robert G. Leigh, Dean Anderson and The Chance Theater Repertory Company
Directed by Robert G. Leigh
Musically Directed and Adapted by Dean Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THEATER REVIEW

If opera bores you, but you can't help humming the arias, this might just be the Figaro you've been waiting for
by Anne-Margret Bellavoine, Northern Lights

May 16, 2005

Many people are turned off by astronomically priced opera tickets, not to mention the sheer test of endurance of the length and compulsion to be sung in foreign languages. Yet, everyone can hum the theme of Figaro. If this sounds like you, the Chance has just the operetta for you.

Whether you call it bouffe or comic, or even zarzuela, there is a reason people flock to Gilbert and Sullivan's productions but shun the more high falutin form. Simply spoken, it is fun and accessible, nay irresistible.

Tightly packed into an impressively intermission-free 90 minutes, Fig.R.O. is directed by Robert G. Leigh under the musical direction of Dean Anderson. The French Beaumarchais play was composed as an Italian opera by Austrian Mozart and starring a Seville Spaniard orphaned barber cum valet. With a libretto translation by Sherwood Dudley and Miriam Ellis, further reinterpreted by Leigh aided by Heather Howe and the rest of the intrepid Chance cast, the piece is set in a retro Italian cabaret where patrons shed keys and coats for the raffled roles and togs of the Figaro characters.

Figaro (Casey Long) cleans the floor while humming to a scratchy L.P. produced by Don Curzio (Dean Anderson). The tables and chairs soon set the scene for the count and contessa's (separate) chambers, with Count Almaviva (Michael Irish) just as decided to woo innocent Susanna (Clarissa Barton) as her fiancé Figaro does, and whom she is planning on marrying that very day. Countess Rosina (Lisa V. Zaradich) is equally set on confounding her philandering husband, with the help of sweet young page Cherubino cum Barbarina (Sarah Moreau). The count's aims are abetted by Basilio (Jeff Hellebrand) and conniving pair of aging society belle Marcellina (Clare V. Solly) and her ambivalent physician Bartolo (Bryan Barton).

Intrigue abounds as characters hopelessly tangle themselves in lies, subterfuges and betrayals of every kind, with mixed up identities to uncover traitors backfiring to snare the guilty and the innocent alike. How much action and rebounding can be compactly packed in seventeen fast-paced songs is astounding.

Barton and Zaradich lend their classically trained voices to the two female lead roles, blending in the lovely duet of "Gentle Breezes Flowing on the Night'. Long and Irish duel their tenors over the ladies' affections. The rest of the cast does a more than commendable job in the assorted numbers giving each a chance to star and shine.

The happy ending is predictable even for those not familiar with the intricacies of the plot, but some surprises occur along the way for the uninitiated, leading to an unexpected double wedding.

The opening Italian dialogue has an authentic feel, and the audience is even called on to join in a chorus.

Steve Grodt's simple props and sets come alive under Adam Greene's lighting and Dave Mickey's sound design, with Alia Amaya's costuming.

If opera purists and Mozart devotees may cringe and choose to pass, Leigh's whimsical take is a light antidote to the indigestions of the traditional genre. It may even serve as an appetizer to delve into more substantial fare, serving as an introduction to the narrative and brilliant music.

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THEATER REVIEW

Chance offers grand opera for beginners
Review: This 'retro' version of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" is opera lite, but certainly not dumbed down
by Eric Marchese, Special to the Register

May 19, 2005

Say the words "grand opera" and you're likely to get one of two reactions: zealous enthusiasm or bafflement reflecting ignorance of the subject. As with politics, there appears to be little room for half-heartedness.

Taking its cue from the common perception that opera is strictly the pastime of an elite upper class, the Chance Theater Repertory Company has taken it upon itself to "deconstruct" a well-known opera for the purpose of making it palatable - and maybe even enjoyable - to the masses.

It's entirely fitting that the opera they've chosen is "The Marriage of Figaro," for the troupe has dubbed this slimmed-down, English-language version a "retro opera," creating a pun in the show's new title, "FIG: R.O. (retro opera)." If you thought it was impossible to take a four-hour extravaganza and cut it by more than half without losing anything essential, this production proves you wrong.

Opera purists may scoff at the concept (some may even find it horrifying), which leaves nonfans of the art form. There's a slim chance that seeing "FIG: R.O." may elicit enough curiosity to encourage some viewers to attend a real opera performance, or at least give a listen to authentic opera recordings.

More likely, though, is that most will take it for what it is - light entertainment along the lines of the Chance's outstanding productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, minus the British accents.

The comparison is apt, for Da Ponte's libretto for Mozart's opera, adapted from the Beaumarchais play, is rife with mistaken identities, babies misplaced at birth, and many other comedic devices that stretch back from Gilbert and Sullivan's era (the late 19th century) through the time of Mozart (the late 18th century) and, earlier still, Shakespeare.

Director Robert G. Leigh, with Heather Howe, has adapted the libretto translation of Sherwood Dudley and Miriam Ellis (of the U.C. Santa Cruz music department), and the show's musical director, Dean Anderson, has adapted Mozart's score. The result is opera lite, although it certainly can't be referred to as "dumbed down" - "Opera for Dummies," perhaps, but only in that it's designed for the uninitiated.

Leigh and company give this "Figaro" a novel frame: Guests arrive at a restaurant in Italy, during a pouring rainstorm. Each selects a name from a hat - the name of a character from Mozart's opera. We're thus introduced to the barber Figaro (Casey Long) and his lady love, Susanna (Clarissa Barton) as they prepare for their wedding day. The entire scene is performed in Italian, yet the lyrics and dialogue soon morph into English, where they remain till the play's closing minutes.

In keeping with the material, everyone involved in "FIG: R.O." applies a humorous touch that's lightly farcical. The plot - which involves Figaro's attempts to learn the identity of his parents, and the jealousies of Count Almaviva (Michael Irish), to whom Figaro is personal valet - is convoluted at best, even in this version. Long is a good comedic everyman, quick-witted yet with integrity, while Barton's Susanna takes great pride in her abilities as a schemer.

There's room in this mixed bag for serious work, too. Clare V. Solly shows honest emotion as Marcellina, determined to enforce a contract that would have Figaro wed her. Irish gives a multifaceted reading to what could be a stock heavy. As his wife, Rosina, Lisa C. Zaradich is equally adept at comedy and tragedy, delivering heartfelt renditions of two of the show's most stirring arias.

All of the musical scenes, in fact, are well handled - strong vocally and given a fanciful, storybook quality by Anderson's performance of his adapted score. Alia Amaya's costumes and Steve Grodt's set go for a timeless, classic design look - contemporary, but not in a sense that anyone would find jarring.

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THEATER REVIEW

FIG: R.O. (retro opera)
by Melinda Schupmann, Back Stage West

June 1, 2005

In undertaking a production that intentionally changes a standard artistic work, a little bit of chutzpah and a lot of conviction are necessary for directors and cast to make it succeed. In this case, five people take credit for the 100-minute adaptation of Beaumarchais' play and Mozart's classic opera sequel to The Barber of Seville: Robert G. Leigh (director-adaptor), Heather Howe (adaptor), Dean Anderson (musical director-musical adaptor), Miriam Ellis (libretto translator), and Sherwood Dudley (libretto translator). Add 10 cast members to the mix, and you have a lot of talent energizing this ambitious production.

One night at an Italian restaurant, a group of people converge, drawing names out of a hat that identify the characters they will portray. Initially speaking in Italian but quickly switching to English, the cast members set about making a sensible and cleverly abbreviated story out of this farce, filled with disguises, naughty innuendo, and complicated tricks. Although they are clearly determined to treat the work with integrity, they have a wonderful time injecting audience-pleasing humor and heartfelt emotion into the wonderful choruses and arias performed.

The women are vocally strong. As the Countess Almaviva, Lisa C. Zaradich admirably balances coquetry and warmth, while her co-conspirator, Susanna (Clarissa Barton), is saucy and flirtatious. Sarah Moreau acquits herself well as the beleaguered Cherubino, and Clare V. Solly delivers a standout performance as Marcellina, a woman who understands her untenable situation too clearly. Though several of the male performances are uneven, the actors provide energy and enthusiasm to their respective roles. Michael Irish is a passionately mercurial Count Almaviva. One notable scene in which Figaro (Casey Long) plays puppet master to Irish's marionette is a marvelous bit of agility. Long is bawdy and endearing as he tries to manipulate situations to his advantage. Bryan Barton (Bartolo), Jeff Hellebrand (Basilio), and Anderson (Don Curzio) enhance the complicated machinations.

Steve Grodt's set, Adam H. Greene's lighting design, Dave Mickey's skillful sound, and Alia Amaya's costumes contribute to the retro feel. There is much to admire in this abridgement, most notably the sense of dedication exhibited by the company in tackling this work and its solid unity as an ensemble.

"FIG: R.O. (retro opera)," presented by the Chance Theater Repertory Company at the Chance Theater, 5552 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim. Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. May 12-Jun. 12. $22-40. (714) 777-3033.

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THEATER REVIEW

Opera in Bits
by Pat O'Brien, Press Enterprise

June 1, 2005

Chance Theater takes a chance again, this time nudging elitism out of opera.

"The Marriage of Figaro" becomes "FIG: R.O. (retro opera)." Mozart's opera and Beaumarchais' play gets judiciously pruned and translated into English.

"We've got all the grand elements of opera synthesized down to bite-size opera, and we've thrown in 1950s flair. That's the retro aspect," said Chance spokesperson Annie Mezzacappa. "Our tagline is: If you've got 90 minutes, we've got the opera for you."

Audiences can expect all the excitement and emotion without the boring stuff, according to director Robert G. Leigh.

Thursday through June 12 at 8pm Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2pm Sundays. $20-$30. 5552 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim Hills. (714) 777-3033.

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