Sensational debut for Opera Popolare
Viens’ voice students victorious
by Christopher Key
If the first performance by a new group called Opera Popolare is any indication, there is a major new player on the local music scene. The name means People’s Opera and part of its mission is “…to make opera accessible to a wider audience by controlling the length and cost of entry.” An admirable goal, indeed.
Their first production was an abridged version of Christoff Willibald Gluck’s Orfeo ed Eurydice and it couldn’t have been more impressive. They sounded like a much more seasoned company. That is due in large part to voice teacher Rob Viens whose gifts cannot be overstated. All of the vocalists in this production were his students with one exception. More on that in a moment.
Orfeo ed Eurydice is one of those iconic love stories that has inspired enough music and theatre to be almost an industry unto itself. When Orfeo loses his beloved, his grief is such that it moves Amore, the goddess of love, to permit him access to the underworld in order to bring her back. There is, of course, a catch. He can’t look at her until they have returned to earth. Euridice is restored to life, but hasn’t read the fine print. Not understanding the reason why Orfeo won’t look at her, she bewails his lack of passion until he finally gives in and looks at her. With predictable results. Orfeo, in despair over his dead again love, tries to do himself in. He is stopped by Amore, who is a sucker for happy endings. Eurydice is resurrected for a second time and everyone lives happily ever after.
As Viens pointed out in his introductory remarks, this was a rather radical departure for opera, which tends to have a high body count by the final curtain. Gluck’s opera premiered in Vienna in 1762 and remains as powerful today as it was then. Viens’ wife Carrie thoughtfully provided a translation of the Italian lyrics by means of supertitles, but the performances were so captivating that I rarely looked at them.
Chief among those performances was that of Celie Thomas as Orfeo. Her rich and vibrant voice brought Orfeo’s passion to life. Her passion was also the driving force behind the formation of the company and this performance. Bravo!
The only member of the company who was not one of Viens’ students was Charlotte Sather, a voice teacher in her own right. She gave a sensitive performance as Eurydice that was beautifully understated, a rare thing in opera.
Lauren Delorme, whose talents never cease to amaze, played Amore. Her voice is nothing short of thrilling and her stage presence is that of a far more experienced performer.
Every one of the chorus members deserved a solo and the least I can do is give them a shout-out here. The sopranos were Brittany Goldsmith, Wendy Donaghy and Denise Reynolds. Singing alto were Heidi Roland, Sonia Alexis and Karen Powers. Carlo Furlan, Jeremiah O’Brine and Bill Simpkins sang tenor. Basses were Lee Potzler and Alec Smith.
Most of the orchestra members were recruited from the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra and also deserve mention. Laura Barnes and Kris Turner played violin. Becky Elmendorf played viola and Adrianne Syvertson played cello. The two oboes were played by Kristin Gillig and Calyx Hoag. Katie O’Rourke shined on the keyboard.
The careful planning that went into this production was evidenced by the fact that the orchestra and singers were perfectly balanced, a not inconsiderable achievement. The acoustics at the Fountain Community Church were perfect for a production like this, but it almost didn’t hold the audience. The pews were packed and that is further evidence that Opera Popolare is a force to be reckoned with.
That full house gave the performers a well-deserved standing ovation at the end and occasionally interrupted the performance with spontaneous applause. I strongly urge you to look for the next performance of Opera Popolare and get ready to be blown away by some extraordinary talent.
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