Shakespeare Opera Theatre is a small group opera with rising expectations.  Founder and Managing Director Lori Lind has created a daring and impressive new mixing of components of Shakespeare’s play with Verdi’s marvelous music from his Macbeth.  Sadly, Friday evening’s opening might have been titled “toil and hassle”.  It was beset with a witch’s brew of issues main as much as its debut.  Half of the solid and workers got here down with sickness or accidents.  The ensemble was unable to follow collectively for the 5 days previous the premiere.  Many last-minute position adjustments and workers adjustments had been required, resulting in finicky particular results tools and a failure of the subtitles to reach.  Dr. Lind talked about these challenges in her opening feedback; she stated she had even gone as far as to cease encouraging folks to attend the premiere, which de facto had turn into the gown rehearsal.  She inspired the viewers to benefit from the present as introduced; in any case, she stated, “it’s simply opera”.  Her easy honesty and all the way down to earth perspective elicited understanding within the viewers and an appreciation for the “show-must-go-on” spirit of everybody concerned.  There have been tough spots and errors to make sure, however even with the problems that arose, there was a lot to get pleasure from on this manufacturing.  It was an entertaining night, and future audiences will after all get a extra polished efficiency.

Founder Lind initially educated to be a Shakespearean actor, however then turned an opera singer (notice: she received the Annapolis Opera annual singing competitors in 2005 and is presently the Organist and Choirmaster for St. Thomas Episcopal Church in McLean, VA).  After touring the globe, she got here to settle in northern Virginia and determined to begin an organization that mixed her two loves, Shakespeare and opera; the corporate shall be celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2025.  Macbeth tells a narrative of the corrupting affect of lust for energy that compels Girl and Lord Macbeth to commit homicide to ascend to turn into queen and king of Scotland within the eleventh century.  Composer Giuseppe Verdi beloved Shakespeare’s performs and labored with librettists Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei to translate the Bard’s work into opera, following the play as intently as they felt they may.  In opera, all or virtually all the dialog is sung.  Of necessity, this concerned deletions and deviations from the supply’s plot (singing takes way more time than dialog) and modifications (composing librettos for singing is completely different than composing dialog for talking). 

JP Gorski as Macbeth and Monica Niemi as Girl Macbeth. Picture by Lori Lind; courtesy of Shakespeare Opera Theatre.

Dr. Lind feels {that a} vital impression of Shakespeare’s phrases and storytelling is misplaced on this course of.  For SOT’s Macbeth, she sought to mix sections of Shakespeare’s phrases with sections of Verdi’s vocals and music holding on to essentially the most crucial elements of every.  She acknowledged, “My purpose with Macbeth, as with all the Shakespeare variations I prepare, is to maintain to the unique Shakespeare story as intently as I can whereas using the enhancement of masterful opera composers’ works. Many opera composers cannibalize Shakespeare and add or take away characters. This serves the need of time, principally, however typically it is to provide an aria to somebody or to wrap up a narrative extra neatly in opera conventions. They mess up advanced character arcs and omit full aspect plots or essentially the most attention-grabbing speeches and couplets.”

She talked about a number of particular considerations with Macbeth: “Some issues are finest left unspoiled, like as an example, what I name Verdi’s “dudley do-right” music of Malcolm coming in to avoid wasting the day. That is not what Shakespeare wrote in any respect, he wrote Malcolm as a really younger and untested soldier who wants Macduff, Ross and the Siwards to combat for him. He is hardly the heroic determine that Verdi portrays him to be in that music, and he doesn’t combat Macbeth, however sends others. Macduff even has a tussle with him himself when Malcolm insensitively says: ‘let’s get our revenge on that tyrant for killing your loved ones’ with out giving the poor man his second of grief. In that means, Verdi’s music for A la paterna mano is a superb addition, however it must be popping out of the Shakespeare scene the place he says I’ll achieve this like a person (take revenge,) however first, I need to really feel it like a person (that means his grief.) Combining the 2 forces of Shakespeare and Verdi actually provides you goosebumps and will get you proper within the coronary heart. Then there is one thing like Macbeth’s Tomorrow and tomorrow speech. It is simply so meaty in spoken phrase, including music to it’s gilding the lily!”

Loads of room there for debate I’m certain, however it’s an attention-grabbing method, creating one thing distinctively completely different from both work, combining good components of every.  With what fashionable administrators are doing to basic operas nowadays, I discover it an interesting different method, turning basic opera right into a basic opera musical, or as Shakespeare Opera Theatre calls it, with out apologies, a mash-up.  In the event you like Shakespeare and Verdi, attend and see what you assume. 

Dr. Lind additionally served as Stage Director, Manufacturing designer and Decorator for Macbeth.  SOT performances are totally staged with appearing, costumes, units, and piano accompaniment, the dimensions of the venue locations constraints on scene adjustments and the dimensions of the refrain.  The cleverly designed, three half set for Macbeth included a fort wall, a banquet room, and a aspect chamber, nicely performed.  The three witches conjure up their potions atop the fort wall.  Lighting and sound results are created on website with some use of recorded sounds.  Shakespeare Opera Theatre makes use of interns backstage; kudos to 16-year-old Qasim Sabir who managed costumes and props and 16-year-old Samuel Lee who was in command of lights and sounds.  Eleven-year-old Amelia Pixton (Mia) who has labored with the corporate since she was three-years-old carried out the drumming and created some thunder sounds, in addition to appearing as Macduff’s son on stage.  The combat scenes have been properly choreographed by Casey Kaleba, although the big swords flying round made me a little bit anxious for the performers. The corporate does so much with a small house to work with.  The actor/singers come and undergo the perimeters of the set and down by way of the viewers.  It’s a very intimate setting, a superb alternative to expertise the ability of operatic singing up shut.

Combining two variations of Macbeth will increase the roles and gamers wanted.  This solid has 14 performers, with many taking part in multiple position and/or overlaying different roles.  The singers/actors come from throughout the U.S. with one from Sweden; all of them carried out nicely on this “gown rehearsal”.  The three witches (soprano Christine Cummins, mezzo-soprano Demi Vander Werff, and Swedish mezzo-soprano Louisa Anderson) have been maybe extra charming than scary that night however have been a delight.  There are 5 principal roles in Verdi that get arias: Macbeth, performed by baritone JP Gorski; Girl Macbeth, by soprano Monica Niemi; Banquo, by bass-baritone Justin Ramm-Damron; Macduff, by tenor Quaine Hogan; and Malcolm, by tenor Xavier Flory.  Every gave a superb efficiency, and I took specific notice of Mr. Ramm-Damron and Mr. Hogan.  These singers warmed up and gave their most stirring performances later within the drama.  Further performers have been Gene Allen as Duncan and Siward, Bryanna Toll in 5 roles, Neema Meena in three roles, Rick Knight as Lennox and Murderer, Justin Meyer as Seyton, Donette Rimmer as Girl Lennox and Queen Elizabeth I, and naturally, Amelia Pixton as Macduff’s son and the Youngster King.  I believed that Justin Meyer as Seyton confirmed a theatrical aptitude.

The pianist for the efficiency was offered by Anh Nguyen, a Physician of Musical Arts candidate at George Mason College, a current newcomer to Shakespeare Opera Theatre.  I loved the music, and it appeared nicely coordinated with the singers, although sure sections might need benefited from extra finesse.  Kudos to the singers within the ensemble vocals and the refrain; these have been maybe my favourite elements of the night.

As I stated, there was a lot to get pleasure from right here; the errors on this “gown rehearsal” kind of turned a part of the enjoyable.  Alas, scheduling received’t allow, however I want that I might see it once more only for enjoyment.  Dr. Lind calls this adaptation a jewel field opera; she has collected jewels from multiple supply for a manufacturing.  Certainly, she has, and for all she does, kudos to Dr. Lori Lind.

The Fan Expertise: Performances of Shakespeare Opera Theatre’s Macbeth have been scheduled for July 12, 13, and 14 on the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in McLean; extra performances have been scheduled for July 20 and 21 at The Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains.  The manufacturing’s dialog is in English and the vocals are in Italian with subtitles in English.  The efficiency with Dr. Lind’s feedback lasted about three hours, and the solid got here out to mingle with attendees after the ultimate applause.  Given the difficulties famous within the textual content above, Dr. Lind provided attendees a free ticket to a different efficiency or to a different SOT manufacturing.

Shakespeare Opera Theatre performs basic works not by Shakespeare as nicely.  Their subsequent manufacturing shall be one other jewel field manufacturing, scheduled for December 6-15, titled La Vie de Bohéme, based mostly after all on Puccini’s La Bohéme, which works extraordinarily nicely with the vacation season.

SOT’s performances have extra of a celebration ambiance reasonably than the church service ambiance of our main opera halls.  I discovered little pretense with SOT; they readily personal their limitations and nonetheless managed to have interaction us totally.  Gown is “as you prefer it” and seating is at tables.  Snacks and drinks are provided on the market which might be consumed earlier than, throughout, or after performances.  After a meal of Shakespeare, I incessantly recall these phrases by Puck on the finish of A Midsummer Evening’s Dream:

If we shadows have offended


Suppose however this and all is mended


That you have however slumbered right here


Whereas these visions did seem


And this weak and idle theme


No extra yielding however a dream