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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Make no mistake about it: Kansas City opera-goers were ready, and based on their enthusiastic reception, I believe waiting, for Baroque opera. While 21st-century reproductions of 18th-century serious opera present undeniable challenges regarding casting, staging, narration, and audience expectation, Saturday's performance (aided by a masterpiece musical score and a rousing tale of love, betrayal, supposition, and power trips) delivered an extraordinary punch. The opening-night audience of just over 900 was genuinely engaged throughout Handel's three-hour Julius Caesar.

If a production of Julius Caesar can be adequately described as edgy, then Mark Streshinsky and Ward Holmquist's partnership achieved that and more via striking dramatic moments and strategic artistic choices. The motivation to objectify Lydia (Cleopatra in disguise), for example, did not present as a cheap shot at gratuitous sexual nuance; instead, it demonstrated to the audience early in the opera that Cleopatra knew how to use her womanly guiles and that she was in full command of her "powers." The focused intimacy and physicality of Cleopatra's and Caesar's passionate embraces was bold direction, celebrating what became a very believable chemistry between these two characters.  

Handel's story only gradually unveils characters through a careful network of lead and secondary roles the audience, then, is called to imagine how characters might support one another or turn on one another as the story unfolds.  Moreover, the genre Handel inherited and perfected was one that typically boasted many subplots, and Streshinsky celebrated to an appropriate extent each one. Achillas' pursuit of Cornelia was explored just enough to emphasize Harris's robust bass-baritone (even if his scalar runs tended to bog down), while Sextus' path toward righteous revenge was a satisfying sequence indeed. The love story between Caesar and Cleopatra was front and center, of course, and their duet in Act III brought the full impact of this fateful historical encounter to culmination.

Handel wrote heroic male roles for the castrato singer-roles that in modern productions are often cast to an alto or mezzo-soprano (the ranges of these female voice types would be comparable to the male castrato, even if the vocal quality differed). Saturday's version participates in the growing trend of casting Caesar and Ptolemy as countertenors: a proficient countertenor partners power and agility with a flexible timbre competent across a broad range. This demanding score challenges even the best singers. David Walker's countertenor did not at first entrance boast dramatic command of the stage, and José Lemos struggled to disguise the break between chest and head voice. Parker's Cornelia, however, settled from the start, consistently elicited audience sympathies as she weaves in and out of three acts. When Sextus bravely denounced tears in his Act I, the audience knew, even via Abraham's mezzo-soprano, that a vengeful soul lurked just beneath the surface and eagerly awaited what Sextus' intentions might yield. 

Walker only incrementally unleashed the prowess and agility for which a capable countertenor is known. Caesar's poignant accompanied recitative "extolling the spirit of Pompey" began a sequence that demonstrated Walker was, by late Act I, settling into the dramatic personage, his more powerful falsetto revealed. Walker's experience in theater shines here, and he gives Caesar a profound and credible depth. Caesar's interruption of Lydia's three-part V'adoro pupille was expertly fashioned by Handel and magically executed here; it was clear that Caesar simply had to react to Lydia's spellbinding song and no amount of operatic convention could stop him. The seamlessness with which Walker acted this moment was admirable. Both Brandes and Walker were, though, at their best during scenes of triumph. Caesar seemed so natural during his leisurely "morning after" celebration of Act II, and Cleopatra later shines in her spirited reaction to the realization that Caesar had survived his death-defying "swim."

Baroque opera is admittedly plagued by problems of dramatic sequence, and one major complaint is that the bulk of the action typically takes place off stage, only to be recounted in lengthy, speech-like recitative. The aria that follows conveniently leaves a star singer alone on stage to muse (with vocal acrobats abounding) about what transpired in the preceding dialogue; to be sure, characters do not so much act as react. This formulaic cycle poses for modern audiences a predicament: we crave the visual and dramatic effect of action and cannot help but feel a little left out when a story does not deliver. Streshinsky's alternatives eased this for Saturday evening's audience: the "exit aria" convention was avoided, and there was a substantial fight scene in Act III, cleverly choreographed in slow motion and definitely worth the wait. The director also allowed for an on-stage murder so that the vengefulness hinted at in Sextus' Act I soliloquy was brought to bear. The collaboration between musical and stage direction brought to this production an impressive range of artistic ideas and called for more animation from (and more interaction among) peripheral characters; this option was crucial to dramatic depth and narrative continuity.

Handel's brilliant orchestral score was in capable hands: brisk, never sagging tempos and a sensitive balance contributed immediate and impactful text painting; only rarely did the instrumental dynamics need tempering.  Character personages were brought into focus with exquisite costumes, while adept lighting drew viewers' attention across an engaging set. Certain scene changes were handled behind the curtain, which allowed the action to continue up front to provide the lengthy story much-needed momentum (even if those changes were at times clumsy and distracting). 

To be sure, it has been a historic week. What a luxury to have baroque opera brought to life in Kansas City, particularly in Saturday's brilliant synthesis of resources. The Lyric Opera deserves congratulations for not allowing one of Handel's most representative accomplishments to languish in obscurity. The lively chatter during intermission (yes, this reviewer eavesdropped some) negates any misgivings about how this work might be received here-attendees were intrigued and inspired; no doubt the company made some converts. Here's hoping that the Lyric continues to stretch and to choose wisely from the available repertoire to give performers and audiences alike such a wealth of artistic opportunity. 
 

REVIEW
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Julius Caesar                 
Saturday November 8 at 8 p.m.  
Lyric Theater, 11th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO

Still running:
Monday, November 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 14 at 8 p.m. 
Sunday, November 16 at 2 p.m. 

For tickets call 816-471-7344 or online at kcopera.org

By Sarah Tyrrell

Opera, Vocal and Classical Contributor

Since 2004, Dr. Sarah Tyrrell has been part of the Musicology faculty at the UMKC Conservatory of Music. In 2003, she completed doctoral work at the University of Kansas and also holds degrees in music history and voice performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and Kansas State University. At UMKC, Sarah teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in music history and world music, as well as graduate seminars on American and Latin American musics. Sarah has presented her research locally and nationally (her research specialty is the art music of Brazil) and actively guest lectures about town on Brazilian popular subjects such as samba and bossa nova. Her articles and reviews have appeared in Musical Quarterly, Latin American Research Review, and Latin American Perspectives.

Sarah is also active in the Kansas City choral music scene: she is the Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Chorale of Kansas City and also sings soprano with the group. This 60-voice ensemble presents four concerts each year and recently completed a performance tour of Brazil.