IN REVIEW: Kentucky Opera - Dialogues of the Carmelites

Dialogues of the Carmelites
Francis Poulenc

NO PRODUCTION PHOTOS AVALIBLE

CAST/ PRODUCTION TEAM:

Conductor: Christopher Larkin
Director: Casey Stangl
Blanche: Susanna Phillips
Mere Lidoine: Emily Pulley
Old Prioress: Janice Meyerson
Mere Marie: Eugenie Grunewald
Constance : Caroline Worra
Chevalier: Brian Stucki
Marquis: John Stephens
Father Confessor: Daniel Weeks
Mother Jeanne: Courtney McKeown
Sister Mathilde: Susan Nelson
1 st Commissioner: Chuck Chandler
2 nd Comm/Officer/Jailer: Daniel Collins


LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY (December 2, 2007) – The Kentucky Opera impressed me very much at my second visit to the place with their production of Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites. The small company successfully staged an opera which presents many challenges, both musicians and stage directors.

I must note that Louisville is a very quite city. When you enter it’s downtown area (actually uptown…you see it’s north of the rest of the city.) The city is dominated by a few large contemporary towers. It is clean and nice enough but not the sort of place you expect to find great opera. The Kentucky Center is a moderately large “new” opera house. It doesn’t have a bad seat in it, and the sound quality isn’t all that bad.

A wonderful speech on the opera was given by a Scottish gentleman whose name escapes me. The lecture was a top rate exploration of the work by a very entertaining speaker.

Upon taking my seat I noticed that the company had chosen to place only a partially transparent scrim between the audience and the large crucifix…a set piece which would dominate much of the opera. The lighting made the scene look somewhat ominous, and it was a good choice. The largest shortfall of the evening came just before downbeat. A personal peeve I have is when a general director or artistic something or other appears before the opera to talk to the audience about the work and/or to thank donors, the board members and so on. I feel that the program book is a fine enough place for all of that, but I was subjected to a speech by the Kentucky Opera.
The Louisville Orchestra played well enough thought the evening. The sets were stark and minimal but they were very appropriate and worked well. The first scene went well, Tenor Brian Stucki, (who it turns out I have heard at Indiana University in 2004 in La Cenerentola) had a small but intensely beautiful lyric voice and sang the role of Chevalier de la Force very convincingly. Bass John Stephens sang proficiently as the Marquis de la Force.

Susanna Phillips possessed a fine lyric voice which would be perfect for Micaëla, Liu, or even Fiordiligi and Mozart’s Countess in the future. Blanch de la Force turned out to be just right for the young soprano and her youthful appearance made her immediately believable in the role. She was heartbreaking and relatable as the character comes of age in an awful period…finally she was inspiring as the opera ended. For a few wonderful hours Susanna Phillips really was Blanch.

A few of the larger voices, possessed great talent and filled the Kentucky Center easily. The problem with these voices was like that of many large ones, they didn’t always sound controlled. Many of these young singers have great gifts and will grow into fine dramatic sopranos or mezzos in the future as they become more technically sound. Caroline Worra (who was not in this class) is also worth mentioning. I think she was a coloratura, with a bright yet handsome sound, her performance as Sister Constance made the character very believable.

The Mere Lidoine of Emily Pulley’s singing toward the end of one scene was especially moving. She displayed a rare gift to float a pianissimo note above the orchestra and she at time evoked Renata Scotto (as she performed another nun in the final notes of her “Senza Mamma” from Sour Angelica). Emily Pulley is the sort I would come back to see again.

The production’s end is always difficult and was done effectively. As one sister after another was guillotined…each saying goodbye to this world in their own way I was deeply moved, even getting goose bumps for a moment or two. It made me wish I had the chance to see the opera again so that I could observe more closely how each woman played her character.

The sisters collectively make up the most important character, and they did a fine job. Much can be said of the director of this little ensemble. The stage direction of Casey Stangl was on point, and Christopher Larkin led the orchestra over the many obstacles in Poulenc’s score with intelligence and sensitivity. This opera is filled with traps where a production could easily be bogged down. The result here was better than at least a few recent Met performances. Bravo to the Kentucky Opera for pulling off a work that many don’t dare to approach.