The Opera Tattler

Ars Minerva's La Flora

* Notes * 
Ars Minerva gave the modern premiere of Antonio Sartorio and Marc'Antonio Ziani's 1681 La Flora last weekend at ODC Theater in San Francisco. The Sunday matinée was delightful, the music kept moving, the playing bracing but buoyant, and the singing absolutely beautiful.

The libretto, written by Novello Bonis, deals with historical figures from the Roman Republic in a very convoluted plot that includes overlapping love triangles. The dictator Silla has just put down a rebellion with the help of the Roman general Pompeo. Silla wants his son-in-law, another Roman general named Servio,  to divorce Silla's daughter Emilia because he wants to marry her to Pompeo. Unfortunately, Pompeo loves our titular Flora and Emilia loves her husband. Pompeo's friend Geminio also loves Flora and Pompeo's father Strabone wants his son to marry Emilia. Flora almost manages to seduce the dad, Flora and Pompeo fight and make up multiple times, and there is a conspiracy against Silla from Servio that ends in the latter's death.

The singing was very lovely. Tenor Maxwell Ary is funny as Flora's servant Probo, he's charming and his voice is pretty. Tenor Sidney Ragland was more authoritative as Strabone. Mezzo-soprano Nina Jones was perfectly clean and clear as Geminio, their sound is resonant and sweet. Bass Wayne Wong is convincing as dictator Silla.

Contralto Sara Couden is always impressive with her effortless sound, and did well as Servio. Soprano Aura Veruni has a fine physical presence, her mocking of Pompeo was hilarious. She also has a lot of control and nuance, and can sound jealous, angry, or smitten quite clearly in her voice.

Contralto Jasmine Johnson (Pompeo) has some incredible low notes, and truly sounded like a baritone at times. Soprano Alexa Anderson (pictured) is a seductive Flora, with a lucid and brilliant tone. It was amusing to see how many costume changes she had, in one-shouldered gowns or lots of sequins.

The staging was tame by Ars Minerva standards, but this served the opera well given how complicated the plot was. There were the usual video projection backdrops that looked blurry but realistic and the costumes looked contemporary. There were cell phones that were pulled out by the singers and Amazon boxes, so it seems the action was moved to present day.

The orchestra, led by harpsichordist Matthew Dirst, was two violinss, two violas, a cello, theorbo, and saved from being utterly dry by the trumpet.

* Tattling * 
There were a number of latecomers at the beginning of the first act, and most if not all of them had to climb over people to get to their seats. There was also someone in the last row who kept using their cellular phone, which angered another person who very audibly insisted it be shut off at least twice in Act I.

Carmen at SF Opera

* Notes * 
A revival of Carmen opened last night at San Francisco Opera with some very fine singing and lively, brisk playing. Francesca Zambello's 2006 production is both pretty and functional, there is never a pause in the music to set up the stage.

Conductor Benjamin Manis had the orchestra at a quick pace. The music was not particularly crisp and there were some moments that were not fully together, but it did not detract much from Bizet. The harp and cornets were particularly strong. 

At this point I have seen Zambello's staging three times, and it definitely holds up and does the job. It's not as interesting as Bieto's production we saw in 2016, no stage entrances from telephone booths or people being thrown in the air, but it does have a horse. Drogen (pictured with Christian Van Horn and the chorus, photograph by Cory Weaver), the 18-year old Gypsy Vanner gelding that appears in Acts II and IV and remained calm despite the excitement from the audience.

The cast has many powerful singers. The Adlers did well, baritone Samuel Kidd was a fine Moralès and has a good sense of physicality in the scene when Micaëla is looking for Don José. Bass-baritone James McCarthy was also strong as Zuniga, brash and confident. It was fascinating to hear mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz sing Mercédès rather than Carmen, as they have often done the title role at smaller opera companies. Soprano Arianna Rodriguez is a charming Frasquita, such a lovely, dulcet voice.

Soprano Louise Alder is a bit matronly for Micaëla, her voice is neither angelic nor sweet, but she certainly could be heard. Bass-baritone Christian Van Horn is convincing as Escamillo. His sound is consistent throughout his range and his volume was good. 

In the title role, soprano Eve-Maud Hubeaux has a dramatic and smooth sound, her voice is like a live ember. Her sensuality came through her singing rather than her movements, which were awkward and stilted. Her French is very clear, and it is obvious this is her native language. Tenor Jonathan Tetelman is a dashing Don José, his voice is very robust, but he has good technique and can vary his dynamic range.

* Tattling * 
I heard this opera up in balcony standing room. The house looked very full, and I did notice a fair amount of whispering and checking the time on cellular devices. The young man in Row L Seat 8 looked at his phone for several minutes in Act II during the quintet. I was relieved that he left with his date at intermission.