The Boston Opera Collaborative was at its most spectacular this past weekend with their production of A Little Night Music, Stephen Sondheim’s charming and funny tale of love across generations.  The show is a favorite of opera companies for its musical intricacies and a favorite of audience members for its clever dialog, witty puns and fun music.  One need not know me that well to know that I am not a fan of Sondheim in general, regardless of his status as the grandfather of musical theatre, but I have a soft spot in my heart for A Little Night Music.  To me, the show represents a time when Sondheim wasn’t trying too hard to be discordant and complicated- and was focused on good storytelling and interesting music instead.  I was really looking forward to BOC’s production, having had my interest piqued during their production of The Crucible this past fall.  This production though, blew The Crucible out of the water and across the seas.  It was a delight from light’s up to curtain call.

The simple stage dressings and carefully thought-out lighting (by Julia Noulin-Mérat and Chris Brusberg respectively) were the perfect compliment to the simple yet elegant costumes by Rebecca Landau.  I love the unfussy way the stage was set, and the thoughtful way that director, David Gram used the space to compliment its assets and downplay its flaws.  Even the running up and down the aisles wasn’t as annoying as I usually find that sort of thing to be (though I could have done without the slamming doors- a piece of gaff tape would have done the trick).  There was a little bit of a volume problem with the bulk of the “chorus”, but I found the principles to be confident and present throughout the production.

Stephanie Piraino as Anne Egerman was captivating, with a light and crystal tone that instantly endeared the audience to her.  The trio she shares with Fredrick and Henrick, “Soon”, was the best I have ever heard it (and I was far more looking forward to it than to the more famous “Send in the Clowns” in the second act.)  Kristina Riegle was a statuesque beauty with a delicate and sophisticated voice and beautiful presence.  Her portrayal of Desiree Armfeldt was exactly as I would have envisioned her.  Ellen PutneyMoore was a wonderful Mme Armfeldt, causing bubbles of infectious laughter to burst across the audience with her every line.  She was extremely believable as an older woman; in fact, seeing her treatment of the character up against Meena Malik’s depiction of young Frederika Armfeldt was particularly impressive- the two really did seem to be several generations apart.  Katrina Holden and Brandon Cordeiro were a dramatic pair as the Count and Countess Malcom.  They both had strong voices with excellent characterization.  I loved seeing their interactions.  The knock-out, inspired performance of the night, though, goes to the incomparable Keith Potts as Henrik Egerman.  I almost fell out of my chair when I read that he is only in his sophomore year of studies because he was fantastic.  Besides his spirited cello work in the first act (extremely sexy, I might add) his voice was wonderful, and his acting was nuanced and full to the brim with emotion.  His angry outburst at the beginning of the second act was the highlight of the show.  There is not a question in my mind that Potts has a great career on the stage ahead of him.  I would have paid to see him perform alone, but luckily I didn’t have to, because the whole cast complimented each other, making the show feel even more polished and professional.

I must commend directors David Gram (stage) and Emily Hindrichs (music) for this production.  Rather than trying to wow the audience with flashy mechanics or modern marvels, the pair focused on clear and controlled character choices, and thoughtful comic timing to deliver the story.   There was never a moment where I thought, “why is this happening this way,” (a problem I had with The Crucible) because at every moment the directors thought about giving the best presentation of the story that they could, even when that meant a simpler or more traditional choice in staging or music.  I was so impressed and delighted.

My colleague, who did the review of BOC’s The Crucible, warned OperaBoston and BLO to “watch out” for Boston Opera Collaborative, and I have to echo his sentiments.  If this is the future of Opera in Boston, sign me up.

The excellent Samuel Bowen and Kristina Riegle share an intimate moment.

When on my way to see The Boston Opera Collaborative’s production of The Crucible this weekend, I mistakenly went in the wrong entrance. Instead of the ticket booth and refreshment table, I was greeted by people shuffling large instruments through small door ways, people shmoozing with would-be donors pre-show and the far off sounds of singers warming up- Of course, I quickly exited and went to the front entrance where I was supposed to be, but this was a great start to the night. It was full of excitement, last minute preparations and energy. Through my crazy history of working with operas, this was the feeling you look for in an opening night.

The Crucible is the definition of the quintessential witch hunt play (if such a thing as a quintessential witch hunt play exists). From young girls running wild through the forest, to secret love affairs gone wrong and the ever powerful church looming in the background, it’s all the best parts of opera poured into one show. Robert Ward’s musical interpretation is full and lush and is a perfect match to the story line. It’s even more impressive to take on the show in New England and so close to Salem, because the residents here have that extra bit of knowledge of the area and the history of the play. As I told my companion, in Opera, the music itself shapes everything, and with Ward’s treatment, you could literally sit with your eyes closed and understand exactly what was happening just by hearing it.

The BOC chose the main section of the Church of the Covenant on Newbury Street as their playing space for this production. It was richly decorated and hauntingly poignant to stage the show in a holy building. Primarily, the piece was staged in the altar area and main aisle through the center of the church. While I understand the desire to play with the unique space, I would much rather have watched the show if the staging remained in the front of the church, rather than running up and down the aisles and tucked into dimly lit alcoves. I’m not completely opposed to working in unique ways in unusual spaces, but the main point of contention here was the use of super-titles on the wall at the front of the church. When one makes the decision to use super-titles, the audience will subconsciously read them over the action at all times, even if the action leaves that area and moves somewhere else.  The audience was staring up at the front wall even when the action was elsewhere.  It significantly weakened the overall effect.

Under the baton of Adam Boyles the orchestra sounded superb. I was actually surprised to see the full orchestra and was so pleased that I even took a seat right next to them.  Boyles’ tireless direction and fierce attitude with the piece pulled it to a height that was surprising and exhilarating. They beautifully underscored a cast of singers that ranged from good to phenomenal.  Chelsea Beatty as Mary Warren and Julia Teitel as Elizabeth Proctor were standouts in this production. Chelsea was, by far, the strongest player in the cast. Her pinnacle moment was in the third act court room scene when she recanted her confession.  Against Sepp Hammer’s stiff portrayal of John Proctor and the overly exuberant Holly Cameron’s Abigail Williams, Beatty was a breath of fresh air. Her musicality and stage presence won me over entirely. Julia Teitel as John Proctor’s wife has the hardest character to play. Being an aging wife shoved aside for a younger girl but trying to keep up appearances in the town and staying true to her family’s name would be hard for any twenty-something to wrap their brain around, but Teitel was passionate, and in control of her every move. Her beautiful voice is captivating, but she is even more enchanting in the moments when she was not singing and had only her face and body to convey her pain. She was a treat to watch.  Andrew Wannigman as Thomas Putnam must be noted for his stage presence and knowledge of his character. I wish he had had a larger role in this production.

Since the set design itself was the church, there was not much that needed to be constructed set wise, but I think Maria Molteni went a little overboard with the yarn spinning paraphernalia. There were pieces strewn all around the altar and at the back of the church for no apparent reason and they were a bit distracting and cumbersome to work with for the singers. The lighting on the other hand was flawless. Chris Nayler’s small additions to the church’s own lighting gave an eerie feeling that translated very well for the space and the opera. The costumes were wonderful and well thought out by Cara Pacifico, adding a great “period” feel to the piece. The makeup design though, left me scratching my head bewildered.  There was just no reason for the black lines and smudges bisecting people’s faces.  Random little crosses, dots, and flowers, adorned cheeks like a face-painting booth at a children’s country fair.  Combined with the pale, wan overall facial palate and the odd bits of string on peoples clothes and hands, the makeup was just nonsensical.  It actually continuously pulled me out of the story, especially Judge Danforth’s heavy black line right across his eye.  It completely detracted from this production’s plausibility.

The direction of the show was, for the most part, great. Roxanna Myhrum put much thought into where things would be placed in the space and the meaning behind it, but it seems that at times her thoughts got lost in translation with the cast.  While I enjoyed a lot of the artistic choices with character development, especially with Mary Warren and Elizabeth Proctor’s characters, I was not a fan of the portrayal of Abigail Williams.  Holly Cameron has a beautiful voice, and I loved listening to her, but her character was so over the top, so animated and attention grabbing, it was hard for me to imagine that she would not have been instantly dismissed as crazy by her strict and somber peers and superiors.  I have only ever seen her played as quietly wise and justified- which is why the confession of her infidelity is so implausible- and this overzealous interpretation left a bitter taste in my mouth.   Something also tells me that there were parts cut in the opera for time purposes, and it caused a little bit of confusion with the progression of the story.  I’m not sure where those cuts were made and who was ultimately in charge of them, but any first time viewers had to wonder just how it was that Proctor was cleared of her charges.

All in all, despite the criticisms, I was mightily impressed with this production. Boston Opera Collaborative is pushing the limits of itself to reach greater heights and I applaud them for it! They are capable of creating amazing shows and have the talent and resources for it. This production will surely get them on the radar for Boston’s opera goers and they will reap the benefits for it. Watch out OperaBoston and BLO…the BOC have the youth and vivacity that you crave. I wish them luck and look forward to more productions of operas I can relate to and not have to work too hard to be a part of in the audience.

Mary Warren (Chelsea Beatty) laments her participation in court room condemnations.  (photo by J. Justin Bates)