It was twenty -four years ago almost to the month that Mexican
composer Daniel Catán’s opera “Rappaccini’s Daughter” made its U.S. debut at
the Civic Theatre under the auspices of The San Diego Opera. His “Amazonas”
became the first Mexican opera to be produced by a professional opera
company.
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| Elaine Alverez |
‘Florencia’ with libretto by Marcela Fuentes-Berain and
characters by Columbian novelist Gabriel García Márquez, (Based loosely on his
novel ‘Love in the Time of Cholera) with the central character Florencia
Grimaldi (soprano Elaine Alveraz), a famous opera star who is returning to her
homeland in Brazil.
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| Cast of "Florencia en el Amazonas" |
She, along with other passengers, are on a steamboat journey making
their way down the Amazon. She is engaged to sing at the opera house in Manaus;
they hoped to hear her sing one more time. There she also hoped to connect with her
former lover Cristóbal, a butterfly hunter who disappeared into the jungle. She
hasn’t seen him in twenty years but still longs for those times.
On the boat there are several other characters that fill in
with a subplot that holds the story, thin as it is, together. Her interaction with the others is almost nonexistent.
She broods and sings of her sadness and longing
to meet up with her former lover.
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| Maria Fernanda Castillo and Daniel Montenegro |
Her arias are beautifully executed but always soulful. It’s not a bad thing when you are listening to
Alveraz’ gorgeous and soaring soprano voice but for the most part, she pretty
much plants herself along the steamboat rails or stairway and sings her heart
out. She was flawless on opening night but
it all became repetitive after a while.
Under other circumstances I could listen all day to her
impassioned pleas of loneliness and hope. Her voice is simply stunning. But it
does leave some void as far as the thinly veiled story is concerned.
Desire to hear Grimaldi one last time connects those on the
journey to her. That she is among them traveling in disguise is another matter.
Everyone sings about her but no one seems to recognize her until much later.
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| Levi Hernandez and Adriana Zabala |
Rosalba, (Soprano Maris Frenenda Castillo is another voice
with which to be reckoned) is a journalist planning to write a book about
Grimaldi, and to her surprise and almost astonishment, she becomes enamored
with the steamboat captain’s (Baritone
Hector Vasquez is perfect) nephew Arcadio (Tenor Daniel Montenegro) who has
somewhat of a jaded past but proves himself worthy after a storm grounds the
ship.
On a lighter side Paula and Alvaro (Mezzo-soprano Adriana
Zabala and Levi Hernandez) appear to be the more mature and all too married couple
along to hear Grimaldi sing.
They bicker almost throughout about lost opportunities; pride
and crisis adding needed levity to this all too heavy hitting piece. Zabala’s
mezzo voice is beyond magnificent. Of the women she is the most animated and, I
must add, the most three-dimensional.
 |
| Luis Elejandro Orozco |
This is all on the human side of Catán’s opera. What
fascinates, however is the dream like quality of the setting beneath the
waters. Ríolobo, (Baritone Louis
Alejandro Orozco) the ships mate acts as both narrator and later shows up as
one of the river spirits.
His baritone voice is almost larger than the man himself,
etched in tattoos, commanding in his head -dress and focusing all our attention
to him. His rich voice is like a magnet and his wonderful energy makes up for
the lack of it in the libretto.
The magical scenes (Mark Frederic Smith) dimly lit by Todd
Hensley set the eerie mood with Candace Evans direction and choreography, and
Linda Pisano’s costumes that bring a fairy tale look to the under water
creatures, which are in stark contrast to the light- weight linens of the
earthly folks and the realistic and functioning two -story steam -boat that
pretty much becomes its own character. The underwater dwellers rolling around
next to the boat however were a major distraction to yours truly.
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| Luis Alejandro Orozco and inderwater nymphs |
Conductor Joseph Mechavich was in full charge of his
orchestra that played flawlessly. Bruce Stasyna’s opera chorus was on top of
their game, but there wasn’t very much for them to do.
In Cátan’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” poisonous plants become
the focus of his attention. Now underwater creatures, a magical rainforest, sea
nymphs, and butterflies pave the way for some rich arias, dreamy atmosphere and
hope of new beginnings.
Hats off The San Diego Opera for bringing new operas with
quality and skilled musicians, across the spectrum, to our community.
See you at the theatre.
Dates: Fri. March 23rd at 7 pm, Sunday (mat) March
25th at 2pm
Organization: San Diego Opera
Phone: 619-533-7000
Production Type: Opera
Where: 3rdAvenue and B Street
Ticket Prices: Start at $35.00
Web: sdopera.com
Venue: Civic Theatre
Photo: J. Katarzyna Woronowicz Johnson
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