By Lee Teply
Virginian-Pilot correspondent
©February 9, 2014
It may be that the Virginia Opera has taken a risk with its new production of Richard Strauss’s “Ariadne auf Naxos,” which opened Friday evening at the Harrison Opera House.
But what are the risk factors? That people don’t like 20th-century opera (this one comes from 1916)? That this particular 20th-century composer’s operas have rarely been done here? That it is in German, with that “auf” in the title enough to scare some people? Never mind the title’s ancient Greek references!
In the case of this production, such fears are absolutely ridiculous. Strauss was in an extremely Romantic (in the music history sense) mood when he wrote this score, much of which is absolutely gorgeous. And the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, so experienced with the Mahler/Strauss style, knew how to bring it to life under the guidance of conductor Garrett Keast.
Stage director Sam Helfrich reset the story in America, justifying the use of English, and that made the fast-paced prologue so much easier to follow. He left the body of the work, the “opera within an opera,” in German, but at a slower tempo, and with supertitles, its tragic/comic drama was also clear.
Scenic designer Andrew Lieberman built walls that effectively cut the already small Harrison stage in half. This actually brought the action and its emotional impact closer to the audience. Helfrich maneuvered the large cast well, in both scenes of great activity and of still moments for reflective thought.
In the title role, soprano Christina Pier could be powerful, but she always used her beautiful sound with care, even with delicacy, as she shaped each phrase. As Bacchus, tenor Ric Furman was a less consistent singer. Although he was at times quite strong, his voice could also sound unsupported, weakening his character’s position in the story.
Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Lauricella was quite convincing in the pants role of the composer. Moreover, she used her warm voice expertly throughout its wide range to express passionate emotions. Singing with equally fine effect, soprano Audrey Luna made the most of the comical Zerbinetta without neglecting her serious moments. Her long solo scene, which kept her almost as busy physically as vocally, was a triumph.
Baritone Jake Gardner and tenor Edwin Vega, music teacher and dancing master, respectively, both strong vocally, seemed to represent two generations of men with attitudes. Harlequin, the leader of the comedy troupe, had good variety, played by baritone Christopher Burchett.
His tattooed sidekicks – Ryan Connelly, David Blalock and Matthew Scollin – were kept pretty busy with a good bit of choreography in addition to their singing. They were secure with every task, adding a lot of the evening’s humor.
Their serious counterparts – Naiad, Dryad and Echo – were also well-played by Amanda Opuszynski, Courtney Miller and Jessica Julin. They were particularly impressive in their first trio, in which their fast-moving lines had to interact with great precision – and they did.
All of the elements, from production to casting, worked so well together. Add to that the musical score that covers the spectrum of comedy and drama so beautifully, and you get an operatic experience that can please all tastes. Maybe it wasn’t such a risk after all.