Merola's Don Giovanni

  * Notes *
Merola Opera Program's latest production of Don Giovanni (pictured left, photograph by Kristen Loken) opened with the first of two performances on Thursday night. Director James Darrah's production goes against the text and the drama, with most of the action taking place in an artist's studio, designed by Emily MacDonald and Cameron Mock. There is lots of face touching, crawling about, and getting up on tables. While enjoyably amusing, this does little to elucidate the narrative. I did laugh a lot when the chorus banged on the table in the last scene.

Admittedly, there are some effective devices and times when the space was used inventively. It is cute when Leperello walks out into the audience for the line "Anch'io, caro padrone, esibisco la mia protezione" and chooses someone to "protect." Also, Don Giovanni's descent to the netherworld is handled convincingly enough, with the chorus simply overwhelming him.

Martin Katz conducted a tentative and somewhat muddy sounding orchestra. The strings were problematic. Act II was an improvement over Act I, however. In any case, the impressive singing was certainly the main attraction, as it is for all Merola events. Yujin Kim and Rhys Lloyd Talbot made for a perfectly nice Zerlina and Masetto. Kim was particularly jaunty. Szymon Wach was a roguish but not especially lovable Leporello. His voice has a husky quality but is sufficiently loud. Scott Russell sang the Commendatore with power. Karen Chia-Ling Ho made for a strong Donna Elvira. She definitely seemed unhinged.

Benjamin Werley sang Don Ottavio's two arias with great beauty, there were times when his voice truly seemed seamless. Amanda Woodbury (Donna Anna) has a bright, lovely voice. Her arias were some of the best moments of the evening. Edward Nelson has an attractive voice and radiated confidence as a rather unlikeable Don.

* Tattling *
The audience was fairly silent and still. A girl in E7 had to exit the hall in Act I but returned quickly. The most ill-behaved person I observed was myself, as I had difficulty containing my mirth at the production.

As we were leaving, I also got in the way of the director as he rushed out of the theater to take his bow on stage. While this was happening, we admired an adorable sleeping newborn in a young woman's arms backstage, oblivious to the ovation.