Press
from the Greenwich Time, June 2008
Offering up a piece of musical history in Greenwich
By Jerome R. Sehulster
Special Correspondent
Performances of Claudio Monteverdi's “Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria” (“The Return of Ulysses”) in the Theater at St. Catherine's in Riverside - the culmination of the Greenwich Music Festival's 2008 season - made for a delightful evening of opera.
Monteverdi's grand 1640 score was lovingly realized, edited and conducted by Robert Ainsley at the performances, held June 11, 13 and 14. Ainsley's excisions eliminated the extraneous, a few errant deities here and there, thus tightening the drama considerably. How nice to hear that loose, baggy monster called "Venetian opera" performed with some degree of focus! The Festival Orchestra is simply divine in Monteverdi's fascinating score. Matching this, Ted Huffman, the festival's artistic director, set his singing actors into taut dramatic interactions, severe or comic as called for. As it should be, what is past, remembered only on manuscript, became a living entity before our eyes and ears. Familiar with his other two operas only, I found Monteverdi's "Ulisse" to be easily on par and a very fulfilling experience.
Chloe Chapin's costumes were rustic, weathered and stressed, as fit many of the characters in the story, or simply regal, as fit the others. But for a few props, the stage is bare white. The color schemes of Marcus Doshi's lighting and some clever use of hand-held illumination put the characters in good relief, essentially relegating the white wall behind to the background of the mind. Clearly the Greenwich Music Festival puts music, drama and fine singing as its budgetary priorities.
As to the fine singing, one would be hard-pressed to find a weak voice in the cast. Most of the singers were conspicuous for their stage presence, their contact with the text and their intensity of dramatic interaction. For example, a sensuous Katherine Pracht, as Melanto, made convincing love to Karim Sulayman, as Anfinomo, one of Penelope's suitors. Pracht also sang Fortuna in the Prologue. A sonorous basso, Matt Boehler gave weight to Father Time in the Prologue, but swaggered and swayed as Antinoo, a loud, drunken, boorish suitor. Jason Abrams, a counter tenor, sensitively sang Fragile Humanity in the Prologue and the suave suitor Pisandro in the opera. Alison Tupay was a serious, attentive Ericlea, nurse to Penelope; a lovely Lisa Hopkins sang Amore, the spirit of Love in the Prologue.
As the more humorous characters, Jason Ferrante, as the shepherd Eumete, and Hugo Vera, as the oversized glutton Iro, drew significant smiles and laughs. Eumete's sympathy and care for the beached Ulysses were effectively portrayed; Iro's grotesque obsession with food pushed him to suicide in an extended comic-to-sad scene near the opera's close.
Of the royal family, Javier Abreu, a tenor, was a handsome, healthy Telemaco, son of Ulysses and Penelope. His recognition scene with his father at the end of Act 1 was a high point of the opera. As Ulysses, baritone Andrew Schroeder seemed as fit and strong as the hero himself and sang with a powerful voice to match. His every action, save his drugged drop-off on the beach, exuded confidence and command.
As Penelope, Laurie Rubin gave a majestic and noble incantation of her Lament in the opening scene of Act 1. Hers was a rich but mellow mezzo-soprano, capable of long, limpid lines but also spirited vocal ornamentation. Her visual impairment forced more muted and less spontaneous interactions on stage, especially when a face-to-face confrontation arises, and this was in marked contrast to the focused and energetic interactions of all the others. But then Penelope is not a merry character. Rubin's is a very special voice, and, with the help of others, especially Ericlea, she was able to negotiate around the stage with little trouble.
The Greenwich Music Festival's "Return of Ulysses" was an important part of the county's cultural fabric. Many thanks to all involved for the opportunity to hear this very important piece of musical history.