Opera Review: An Avalanche of Sight Gags Buries "Don Pasquale" at Opera Theatre

The actual opera recedes into the background.

Susanne Burgess and the company.
Photo by Eric Woolsey

As part of its 50th Festival Season, Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL) has elected to return to a classic opera buffa that was part of its very first season in 1976: Donizetti’s 1843 hit Don Pasquale. Returning as well is the director of the first production, Christopher Alden. That first Don Pasquale is hard to remember after all these years. The new one will be difficult to forget—which is not necessarily a good thing.

In his program notes, Alden says that the current production “replaces the period-specific picture postcard realism” of his original “with a more open-ended fluidity, in an attempt to conjure up a psychic space in which the eternal conflict between young and old can be seen from different shifting perspectives.”

OK, then.

In practice, that means using sight gags and other visual gimmicks to underline, reflect, and comment on the thoughts and emotional states of the characters. That’s not a bad concept as those things go . But when the music, lyrics, and singers are constantly upstaged by swarms of people in nearly constant motion, it all starts to feel less like Opera Theatre and more like Circus Flora.

The story and characters are pure commedia dell’arte with the serial numbers filed off. Don Pasquale, a rich old bachelor, decides to get married and to disinherit his rebellious nephew, Ernesto. But Ernesto’s crafty friend Dr. Malatesta cooks up a scheme to make Pasquale rethink marriage. Ernesto’s feisty fiancée Norina will disguise herself as Malatesta’s demure sister Sofronia and “marry” Pasquale in a bogus ceremony solemnized by a fake Notary. “Sofronia” then transforms into a domineering spendthrift, making Pasquale’s life unbearable. As chaos unfolds, Pasquale realizes he has been played, concedes defeat, and blesses the union of Ernesto and Norina.

Set in a “psychic space” that looks a lot like early 1960s Rome, this Don Pasquale boasts exuberantly colorful sets and costumes by Marsha Ginsberg, complimented by inventive wigs and makeup by Krystal Balleza and Will Vicarl. And my earlier comments aside, some of the sight gags did strike me as ingenious and funny.

A case in point is the absurdly large gold-colored chair, footstool, and lamp in Pasquale’s apartment that mock the character’s self-importance. As my wife noted at the time, the image of a little man with a big ego looking like a child on a golden throne is not only a good comment on Pasquale, but it also seems politically relevant. So does the Act I finale, in which Malatesta, Norina, and the omnipresent Notary rejoice at the prospect of Pasquale’s downfall while holding a “Viva la Resistenza” banner.

 

Mostly, though, it just felt like so much noise. Still, nothing succeeds like excess, as the old joke goes, and most of the opening night audience found it all quite hilarious. To steal a line from S.J. Perelman, “de gustibus ain’t what dey used to be.”

The saving grace of this production is its cast. Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi, who was such an outstanding Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville last season, once again demonstrates his impeccable comic timing and big, accurate voice in the role of Don Pasquale. He punches out those low notes with ease and handles the rapid-fire patter songs with ease, despite all the on-stage distractions,

Baritone Kyle Miller is not just wily as Dr. Malatesta—a pun on mal di testa (headache), which is what he proves to be for Pasquale—but also moves with the kind of grace I’d associate with a dancer. It’s an unusual look for the character but works quite well.

Soprano Susanne Burgess has the coloratura chops for the role of Norina, along with the sass and spark needed to make this character fun. She lights up the stage whenever she appears—a good thing since Norina dominates the second and third acts.

The role of Ernesto can be a bit one-dimensional, but tenor Charles Sy brings out the tragic heartbreak of his Act II “renunciation” aria. He also makes the most of some comic business Alden has given him in the Act III garden scene. Decked out in a cheesy blue brocade tux and shades for his serenade to Norina (“Com ‘ è gentil la notte a mezzo / How soft and light is the spell of the night”), he’s the very model of a 1960s lounge singer. When Norina joins him for their duet (“Tornami a dir che m’ami / Tell me again you love me”) it becomes a “Steve and Eydie” moment that’s both romantic and risible.

Last but certainly not least for the Opera Theatre audience, the celebrated soprano and educator Sheri Greenawald, who sang Norina back in OTSL’s 1976 production, played the Notary. As written, the Notary is a comic cameo but in recognition of Greenawald’s many starring roles at OTSL over the years (to say nothing of a long and distinguished operatic career in general), Alden has elevated the role to a kind of Greek Chorus. Silently observing the action and putting in a bit of pantomime now and then, Greenawald clearly had a lot of fans on hand opening night and got a massive ovation at the end.

In his OTSL debut, guest conductor Kensho Watanabe led members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) in an outstanding reading of Donizetti’s tuneful score. There were some fine solo moments from (among others) Principal Cello Daniel Lee and Associate Principal Horn Thomas Jöstlein. A special shout-out is due to SLSO Principal Trumpet Steven Franklin for his lyrical solo in the Act II Prelude.

I really wanted to like this Don Pasquale. Having greatly enjoyed the 2023 Union Avenue Opera production as well as the Norina/Malatesta scene that was part of that same year’s Center Stage concert at OTSL, I know this is a very funny piece taken on its own terms and was looking forward to what OTSL would do with it for its 50th anniversary.

Ah, well. As the old song goes, “you can’t always get what you want.”

Don Pasquale runs through June 27th on the Browning Mainstage Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. More information on times and tickets for the Opera Theatre season can be found at their web site.

This article originally appeared at St. Louis Arts Scene, where Chuck Lavazzi is the founder and principal critic.

Opera Review: "This House" Has Great Bones at Opera Theatre

Composer Ricky Ian Gordon, along with librettists Ruby Aiyo Gerber and Lynn Nottage, deliver a gripping multi-generation family drama.

L-R: Briana Hunter, Brad Bickhardt.
Photo by Eric Woolsey.

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL) production of This House is composer Ricky Ian Gordon’s third world premiere at company, and as far as I’m concerned, his third hit. With a libretto by renowned playwright Lynn Nottage and Nottage’s poet daughter Ruby Aiyo Gerber, This House is the engrossing and often surprising story of three generations of the Walker family and their brownstone house in Harlem’s Sugar Hill neighborhood, and the secrets it holds.

Those secrets unfold with a near-perfect mix of words, music, and stagecraft. This House is the kind of theatrical experiences that grows in one’s estimation with the passage of time. This may have been the world premiere, but I would expect to see many more performances of this remarkable work in the future.

Allen Moyer’s turntable set allows the focus to shift seamlessly between the outside and inside of the house—a fact that turns out to have an importance that goes beyond the initial visual impact. Outside it’s the present day. Inside the past and the present collide as The House, speaking through its ghosts, reveals the family secrets to Zoe, the daughter of family matriarch Ida.

A prosperous investment banker, Zoe and her husband Glenn are expecting their first child. Glenn is encouraging Zoe to reclaim and rehab the house for their planned family, but Zoe has her doubts. Those doubts come to the surface quickly as Zoe enters the house for the first time in years and immediately finds herself at odds with her mother and her artist brother Lindon over her plans.

As the opera progresses, the ghosts tell their stories. We learn how Minus Walker bought the house for cash in 1919 just as the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s was heating up, and how it was nearly lost during the 1930s when Minus’s ne’er do well son Percy ran up against debts he couldn’t pay and underworld connections he couldn’t ignore. Percy’s formidable sister Beulah saves both the house and Percy’s life, but at a terrible cost.

In the 1960s we meet Young Ida and her sister Lucy. Ida thinks she has found happiness with Milton, a musician with a promising career, but Milton’s affair with the rebellious Lucy has tragic repercussions. Later we encounter Lindon’s lover Thomas who urges Lindon to abandon his unfinished painting and start a new life in Spain—a dream denied by Lindon’s progressive illness.

It all comes to a head with what the program describes as “one last stunning revelation” before Zoe makes peace with her family’s past and she and Glenn look to their future together. That revelation is as stunning to the audience as it is to Zoe, so you’ll get no spoilers from me.

All of this makes for a compelling multi-generational drama given added depth by Gordon’s score, a libretto that artfully combines prose and poetry, and James Robinson’s fluid staging. Yes, things can get a bit crowded up there at times with the house full of ghosts, but that’s not all bad. It is, for one thing, a constant reminder of the inescapable past they represent.

OTSL has assembled a terrific cast of singers, every one of whom is thoroughly invested in their characters, bringing them to vivid life.

Mezzo Briana Hunter’s commanding stage presence and powerful voice are ideally suited to the character of Zoe, conflicted but with the same steely core as her mother and grandmother. You can see and hear that in Soprano Adrienne Danrich’s Ida, and with particular force, in mezzo Krysty Swann’s Beulah. All three performers let us see the more vulnerable sides of their characters, but little doubt is left that these are women with whom you do not want to mess.

The libretto describes the role of the free-spirited Lucy as “soprano (Melismatic)” which presumably refers to the elaborate vocal filigree that perfectly captures the character’s romantic and somewhat flighty nature. Soprano Aundi Marie Moore’s voice clearly has the flexibility to handle that line, as well as the power to express her anguish when her life spins out of control.

Young Ida’s optimism veers close to naïveté at first but soprano Brandie Inez Sutton never lets her go there, and her grief at the outcome of Lucy’s affair with Milton is palpable.

The role of Milton gets a nuanced and musically solid performance from baritone Sankara Harouna. Tenor Victor Ryan Robinson brings a sinuous vibe to the role of Percy that reminded me Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess, living the “high life” without counting the cost. And bass-baritone Christian Pursell is a warm and sympathetic Thomas—a marked contrast with his swaggering Escamillo in OTSL’s Carmen in 2022.

The role of Glenn is small but critical to the story line, and tenor Brad Bickhardt gives the character real depth.

Last but definitely not least, baritone Justin Austin is heartbreakingly tragic as Lindon. The part is large and the emotional range is wide, but Austin more than does it justice.

Lightly infused with Essence of Copland, Gordon’s score is richly imaginative and creatively eclectic in its evocation of the music and sounds of over a century of American history. It’s filled with brilliant touches, many of which I expect I missed after only one hearing. Conductor Daniela Candillari, who collaborated with Gordon on the opera, leads members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in what must be considered the authoritative performance of this music. Her program notes on the score are well worth reading for their insights into the piece.

Greg Emetaz’s video projections and Marcus Doshi’s lighting combine with Moyer’s set to make The House the living presence it’s meant to be. Costumes by Montana Levi Blanco expertly delineate time, place, and character.

Watching This House, I was reminded somewhat of Wagner’s concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk—the “total work of art”—in which all the elements of the stage combine to create a coherent, artistic whole. This House puts a contemporary (and less didactic) spin on that model that deserves all the praise it is sure to get. Don’t miss it.

This House runs through June 29th on the Browning Mainstage Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. More information on times and tickets for the Opera Theatre season can be found at their web site.

This article originally appeared at St. Louis Arts Scene, where Chuck Lavazzi is the founder and principal critic.

Opera Review: A Frenetic "Fledermaus" Opens Opera Theatre's Season

Season 50 opens fast and furious

Deanna Breiwick in “Adele’s Laughing Song.”
 Photo: Eric Woolsey

Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL) has opened its 50th anniversary season with Johann Strauss the Second’s 1874 comic operetta Die Fledermaus. Previously presented by the company in 1983 as an off-season show at the late, lamented American Theatre and then as a touring production in 1989, Die Fledermaus is now getting its first regular season production. With its mix of both visual and verbal comedy and unabashed affirmation of champagne-fueled frivolity, the quintessential Viennese operetta should have been an ideal choice to kick off this celebratory season.

Unfortunately, director Shawna Lucey has elected to move the action from late 19th-century Vienna to New York City circa 1959 and to spike the champagne with a massive dose of Red Bull. The result is a frenetic barrage of sight gags, shouting, and general excess that renders most of the lyrics and spoken dialog incomprehensible and makes the projected English text indispensable. It also seems designed to draw as much attention away from the score as possible.

L-R: Jonathan McCullough,
Sara Gartland, Edward Nelson.
Photo: Eric Woolsey

That starts with the overture, which winds up being background music for an elaborate and noisy sequence in which Eisenstein and his friend Dr. Falke, returning in a state of advanced inebriation from a costume party in superhero outfits, cause a bit of a scene on the subway. It ends with Falke, in his Batman costume, barfing into a woman’s purse before passing out and Eisenstein making a hasty exit. Falke gains the unwelcome nickname of “the Bat” and plots revenge.

Now, I have nothing against a good sight gag. I still think the early Three Stooges shorts with the original Curley are a hoot and I’m a sucker for a pre-1960s Warner Brothers cartoon. It’s just that when you turn up the schtick control to 11, it tends to drown out everything else. The opening night audience seemed to love it. I didn’t.

Sara Gartland in the “Czardas”
Photo: Eric Woolsey

Anyway, flash forward a few years and Eisenstein, now a respectably boring advertising executive living in the ‘burbs with his wife Rosalinde, gets an invitation from Falke to join him at a costume party thrown by the notoriously Bohemian Prince Orlofsky at his Greenwich Village nightclub. Eisenstein jumps at the chance for a last fling before reporting to the city jail for an eight-day disorderly conduct sentence.

Unknown to Eisenstein, Falke plans to use the party as cover for a bit of revenge for the preshow incident on the subway. Unknown to both of them Rosalinde and her maid Adele, bored with suburban life, plan to be there as well. Everyone is disguised and mistaken identities abound, but it all ends happily with a rousing paean to champagne.

Kelsey Lauritano. Photo: Eric Woolsey

>My complaints about the high level of audiovisual noise aside, this Fledermaus is exceptionally well sung, given the non-stop movement the director has given the singers. Soprano Deanna Breiwick scintillates as Adele, the chambermaid who dreams of an acting career and disguises herself as one in the Act II costume ball. Her flawless delivery of “My Lord Marquis” (a.k.a. “Adele’s Laughing Song”) and her Act III “Ever since I was a baby,” in which she touts her abilities as an actress, are reminders of why the New York Times once dubbed her a “vocal trapeze artist.”

Soprano Sara Gartland makes a striking OTSL debut as Rosalinde, still carrying a torch for her former lover and singing teacher Alfred (tenor Joshua Blue, in a fine comic cameo). Disguised as a Hungarian in Act II she delivers a striking and sinuous “Voice of my homeland” (a.k.a the "Czardas"). It’s staged as a striptease number here which, while appropriately lubricious, can be a bit distracting.

L-R: Sara Gartland, Joshua Blue,
Robert Mellon. Photo: Eric Woolsey

Mezzo Kelsey Lauritano is a wonderfully excessive Count Orlofsky, knocking back vodka shots and exquisitely bored by everything. One of the great operatic “pants” roles, Orlofsky is a comic license to kill, and Lauritano makes the most of it.

Baritone Edward Nelson, another Opera Theatre first-timer, brings a strong, flexible voice and fine comic sense to the role of Eisenstein. Baritone Jonathan McCullough romps through the role of Falke, vocally commanding and gleefully weaving his web of comic revenge. Baritone Robert Mellon, a familiar figure on local opera stages, proves once again that he is a dab hand at comedy as the befuddled Frank, who comes to arrest Eisenstein and winds up with a disguised Alfred instead.

Rounding out this fine cast are mezzo Sophia Baete as Adele’s sister Sally, tenor Gregory V. Sliskovich as Eisenstein’s inept lawyer Dr. Blind, and actor Oscar Olivo in the non-singing roles of Orlofsky’s valet Ivan and the inebriated jailer Frosch. Olivo is a gifted physical comic but has apparently been directed to deliver all his lines at maximum volume and speed. That makes his long Act III monolog about using disapproving grandmothers as a crime-fighting tool (a substitution for a much shorter bit in the original libretto) a fairly tedious business.

Photo: Eric Woolsey

Conductor George Manahan conducts a lively rendition of the score. Seán Curran’s choreography was nicely tailored to the abilities of the performers. Sets and costumes by Robert Innes Hopkins were appropriately cartoonish, including an Act I kitchen that looks like The Jetsons viewed through a migraine aura and a Las Vegas–cheesy Act II nightclub.

Ultimately, my real issue with this Fledermaus is not so much the concept itself as the execution (I use the word advisedly) of that concept. The parallels between fin de siècle Vienna and 1950s New York are shaky but properly done this could have been fun—which it apparently was for most of the opening night audience. For me, though, it came across as a loud, incoherent assault. If you like your comedy “fast and furious” you might appreciate this Fledermaus. Personally, I plan to go back and watch the rest of the Vienna State Opera version on YouTube.

Die Fledermaus runs through June 28^th in rotating repertory with the other three operas on the Browning Mainstage at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. Visit the OTSL web site for details.

This article originally appeared at St. Louis Arts Scene, where Chuck Lavazzi is the founder and principal critic.

Video: Feeling Festive with Tim Schall

 The Cabaret Project STL's Summer Fest 2025 is coming your way the first week in June.

My chat with singer, actor, teacher, and Artistic and Executive Director of The Cabaret Project of St. Louis, Tim Schall.

We talk about the 2025 St. Louis Summer Fest, five nights of cabaret performances at Jazz St. Louis and the Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge. Performers include Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Donna McKechnie famed jazz pianist and vocalist Billy Stritch and friends, and cabaret legend Marilyn Maye.

The festival closes with the Sing Center Stage showcase with the talented teen vocalists of The Cabaret Project’s premier pre-professional training program followed by he Closing Night Celebration of the St. Louis Cabaret Conference , starring singers from around the country who have spent the last seven days in that premier song performance training program.

Links:

The Cabaret Project of STL: https://www.thecabaretproject.org/

The St. Louis Cabaret Conference: https://www.stlouiscabaretconference.com/

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 19th 2025

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out

Act Two Theatre presents the comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through May 25. “Vanya and Sonia have spent their lives in quiet sacrifice, caring for their family’s farmhouse while their glamorous sister, Masha, basks in movie stardom. When Masha returns home with her much younger boyfriend, Spike, chaos erupts. Old wounds are reopened, futures are uncertain, and hilarity ensues, all under the ominous predictions of their quirky housekeeper, Cassandra. Throw in a surprise costume party, voodoo dolls, and a charming young actress named Nina, and you’ve got a riotous weekend of family drama and unexpected romance.” Performances take place at the St. Peters Cultural Center in St. Peters, MO. For more information: www.acttwotheatre.com.

The Alpha Players present the musical Sister Act through May 25. “A feel-good musical comedy based on the hit 1992 film! When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in a convent. Disguised as a nun she finds herself at odds with the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior. Using her disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community, but in doing so, blows her cover. Soon the murderous gang is giving chase but they are no match for Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood. Filled with powerful gospel music and outrageous dancing, Sister Act is a reason to rejoice!” Performances take place in the James J. Eagen Center in Florissant. For more information: www.alphaplayers.org/season.html.

The cast of Scream, Echo. Scream

Aquarian Rising Productions presents the world premiere of St. Louis playwright Summer Baer’s Scream, Echo. Scream Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm through May 24. “SCREAM, ECHO. SCREAM. follows four nymphs who gather every century in a hidden grove—a sacred space where time stands still. They honor the fallen spirits of their kind while confronting the impact of humanity's disregard of the planet. As they mourn and celebrate, they find their voices and channel them into a powerful reckoning with time, mortality, and identity. As their numbers dwindle and their lives reflect the state of the Earth, they are forced to ask: what will be left behind?.” Performances take place at Metro Theatre Company, 3311 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: www.eventbrite.com

The Black Rep presents Radio Golf by August Wilson through June 1 “The story of a real estate entrepreneur who is determined to become Pittsburgh's first black mayor, Radio Golf is August Wilson's 10th and final play in his American Century Cycle, covering 100 years of the Black experience in America. It is also the final work before Wilson's death in 2005. Set in the Hill District in the 1990s, Harmond and his business partner Roosevelt are golf enthusiasts with big plans for the neighborhood, and their future. But at what risk?” Performances take place at the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA. For more information: www.theblackrep.org.

The Fabulous Fox presents &Juliet through June 1. “Created by the Emmy®-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Die Fledermaus by Johan Strauss II opening on Saturday, May 24, at 7:30 pm and running through June 28. “Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!” Performances are sung in English with projected English supertitles and take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University Campus. For more information: opera-stl.org.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive May 22 through June 1. “A fast-paced, comedic play that revolves around the chaos that ensues when a clueless and bumbling president finds himself in trouble. Set in the White House, the story follows seven women—staff members, advisors, and assistants—who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to manage the president’s blunders and crises. As they juggle political fallout, personal drama, and absurd situations, these women must hold it all together to keep the president and the country from falling apart. The play is both a satire of political power and a celebration of the women who often go unnoticed in leadership roles.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Black Box Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: tesseracttheatreco.org.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

To get your event listed here, send an email to chukl at pobox dot com. Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Video: That's the Spirit

The 15th Missouri Chamber Music Festival is all about the spirit that moves us

 

On Chuck’s Culture Channel, it’s a chat about musical spirit with pianist Nina Ferrigno, a founding member of the Calyx Piano Trio and the director of the Missouri Chamber Music Festival. This June marks the 15^th anniversary of the festival with four, count ‘em four, concerts at different venues in the St. Louis area.

Links:

Missouri Chamber Music Festival: https://mochambermusic.org
Calyx Piano Trio: https://www.calyxtrio.com/

St. Louis Theatre Calendar for the week of May 12, 2025

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out

Act Two Theatre presents the comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm May 15 through 25. “Vanya and Sonia have spent their lives in quiet sacrifice, caring for their family’s farmhouse while their glamorous sister, Masha, basks in movie stardom. When Masha returns home with her much younger boyfriend, Spike, chaos erupts. Old wounds are reopened, futures are uncertain, and hilarity ensues, all under the ominous predictions of their quirky housekeeper, Cassandra. Throw in a surprise costume party, voodoo dolls, and a charming young actress named Nina, and you’ve got a riotous weekend of family drama and unexpected romance.” Performances take place at the St. Peters Cultural Center in St. Peters, MO. For more information: www.acttwotheatre.com.

The Alpha Players present the musical Sister Act May 16 through 25. “A feel-good musical comedy based on the hit 1992 film! When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in a convent. Disguised as a nun she finds herself at odds with the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior. Using her disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community, but in doing so, blows her cover. Soon the murderous gang is giving chase but they are no match for Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood. Filled with powerful gospel music and outrageous dancing, Sister Act is a reason to rejoice!” Performances take place in the James J. Eagen Center in Florissant. For more information: www.alphaplayers.org/season.html.

The Black Rep presents Radio Golf by August Wilson May 14 through June 1 “The story of a real estate entrepreneur who is determined to become Pittsburgh's first black mayor, Radio Golf is August Wilson's 10th and final play in his American Century Cycle, covering 100 years of the Black experience in America. It is also the final work before Wilson's death in 2005. Set in the Hill District in the 1990s, Harmond and his business partner Roosevelt are golf enthusiasts with big plans for the neighborhood, and their future. But at what risk?” Performances take place at the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA. For more information: www.theblackrep.org.

Tim Schall

The Blue Strawberry presents Sunday Standard Time with singer Tim Schall, pianist Joe Dreyer, and Willem Von Hombracht on bass on Sunday May 18, at 6 pm. “Join Tim, Joe and Willem in the lounge for a casual, classy Sunday evening of jazz standards, a little sophisticated pop and a dash of classic Broadway.”  The performance takes place in at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

First Run Theatre Playwright’s Workshop presents a reading of The Dybbuk of Brooklyn by David Margolis on Monday, May 12, at 6:30 pm. “This is a comedy about a man, Morrie Goldfeld, who wakes up one morning to find a dybbuk (Jewish phantom) in the shower with him. The audience can see and hear Max, but none of the other characters in the play know he’s there. Max is a humorous but abrasive apparition, who talks with a thick Jewish accent, reminiscent of Mel Brooks in the Two Thousand Year Old Man.” The reading takes place at Square One Brewery and Distillery in Lafayette Square. For more information: firstruntheatre.org.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder through May 18. “This is the knock-’em-dead, uproarious hit and the most-nominated show of the 2014 season with four Tony wins including Best Musical. When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he’s eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D’Ysquith family, he figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight, so what’s a guy to do? Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught and become the ninth Earl of Highhurst? And what of love? Because murder isn’t the only thing on Monty’s mind….” Performances take place at The Reim Theatre in the Kirkwood Community Center. For more information, ktg-onstage.org

KTK Productions presents Breaking Up Is Hard to Do Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through May 18. “This jukebox musical set during Labor Day weekend in 1960, following two best friends, Lois and Marge, at Esther’s Paradise Resort in the Catskills, where Lois tries to cheer up Marge after her fiancé leaves her at the altar, leading to mistaken identities, misdirected love, and hijinks.” Performances take place at the Saint John the Baptist Gymnasium, 4200 Delor Street in south St. Louis. For more information: kurtainkall.org.

The cast of Scream, Echo. Scream

Metro Theatre Company presents the world premiere of St. Louis playwright Summer Baer’s Scream, Echo. Scream Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm through May 24. “SCREAM, ECHO. SCREAM. follows four nymphs who gather every century in a hidden grove—a sacred space where time stands still. They honor the fallen spirits of their kind while confronting the impact of humanity's disregard of the planet. As they mourn and celebrate, they find their voices and channel them into a powerful reckoning with time, mortality, and identity. As their numbers dwindle and their lives reflect the state of the Earth, they are forced to ask: what will be left behind?.” Performances take place at Metro Theatre Company, 3311 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: www.eventbrite.com

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents Lanford Wilson’s comedy The Hot L Baltimore Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, through May 17. Performances take place at the Guild theatre at 517 Theatre Lane, at the corner of Newport and Summit in Webster Groves. For more information: www.webstergrovestheatreguild.com.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

To get your event listed here, send an email to chukl at pobox dot com. Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Symphony Review: A Peerless "Peer Gynt" closes the SLSO season

L-R: Caleb Mayo, Marya Lowry, Robert Walsh.
Photo by Tyler Small courtesy of the SLSO.

Last Saturday and Sunday (May 3 and 4), Stéphane Denève conducted the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus along with a brace of guest performers in the Concert Theatre Works production of Henrik Ibsen’s 1876 epic play/poem Peer Gynt. It was a big, entertaining, crowd-pleaser—words one wouldn’t typically associate with Peer Gynt.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

Although popular in Norway, Ibsen’s elaborate five-act verse play about the globetrotting adventures of the feckless and self-absorbed Peer has not traveled as well as the great dramatist's other works. The incidental music by Edvard Grieg (1843–1907), on the other hand, has become an international favorite, thanks to the composer's ability to create appealing themes and paint vivid orchestral pictures to accompany the play's action.

For writer/actor/director Bill Barclay, the music was the starting point. “This new adaptation,” writes Barclay, “tries to tame the story while going back to the wilder incidental score, mining for fresh bits of Grieg you’ve probably not heard before.” In the process, he boiled down Ibsen’s five-hour original to a fast-paced two hours or so (including intermission) that makes the story line even more absurd than it was originally but preserves nearly all Grieg’s wonderful music. That’s a win as far as I’m concerned.

Stéphane Denève conducts the SLSO.
Photo by Tyler Small courtesy of the SLSO.

One rarely, if ever, gets a chance to hear too much of the score, much less with a full symphony orchestra and the chorus. Their role is limited, but for the scenes in which they appear, essential. The Mountain King’s music in the first suite is always exciting, but to see it performed in its original context, with the singers, in their role as a gang of angry trolls out for Peer Gynt’s blood—“Slagt ham” (“Slaughter him”)—well, that adds a serious dose of menace you won’t get otherwise. Erin Freeman’s chorus can generally be counted upon for fine singing, but it’s less common to hear them engage in a bit of acting as well.

Speaking of which, several members of the chorus sang the smaller roles. They weren’t credited in the program, but an alert reader informed me that soprano Joy Boland was the singing voice of Anitra. If anyone else has some names, just leave a comment.

Up on the podium, Denève led the band in an equally dramatic performance of the orchestral score, some of which was being presented here for the first time. There was the usual fine playing of the many little solo bits in the score, including Kelly Lukic and Ann Choomack on piccolos in the storm and shipwreck music; oboists Jelena Dirks and Xiomara Mass in the famous “Morning Mood” sequence (a theme anticipated during the “Woman in Green” music, another bit of the score that never made it into the suites); and the horns under Associate Principal Thomas Jöstlein in pretty much everything.

I must also tip my hat to Principal Viola Beth Guterman Chu for her convincingly rustic playing of the first of the two “Halling” folk dance sequences in the “Prelude.” The second was taken by Nordic folk musician Vidar Skrede on a traditional Norwegian Hardanger fiddle, although I would have been just as happy to see Chu do both.

Vidar Skrede (L) with the cast of
Peer Gynt.
Photo by Tyler Small courtesy of the SLSO.

That brings me to the eight-member acting cast, all of whom wore the usual wireless body mics. Balancing them against the full orchestra could have been a bit dicey, but on the whole, it seemed to work, despite a somewhat noisy sound system and some issues with Peer Gynt’s mic, forcing actor Caleb Mayo to occasionally fiddle with it. Happily, it failed to spoil his spot-on portrayal of Peer’s insight-free self-absorption.

The whole cast did exemplary work, in fact. Robert Walsh was engaging as The Button Moulder who, in this version of the script, is a kind of omniscient narrator. Marya Lowry got her share of laughs early on as Peer’s mother Åse, but her death scene with Mayo was wonderfully touching. Risher Reddick’s Dovre King (Mountain King), a Bunraku-style puppet, was broadly comic—perhaps a little too much so at times.

Kourtney Adams was a sinuously seductive Anitra and Caroline Lawton a bawdy Woman in Green (a.k.a. the Dovre King’s daughter). Both also play multiple roles in the Ensemble, along with Daniel Berger-Jones. Will Lyman was the offstage voice of The Bøyg, an all-knowing gnome-like creature Ibsen imported from the fairy tale that formed the basis of his play.

Camilla Tilling as Solveig.
Photo by Tyler Small, courtesy of the SLSO.

There’s not much to the role of Solveig, the long-suffering “gal he left behind him,” but she does have a pair of beautiful songs toward the end of the play: “Solveig’s Song” (from Ibsen’s Act IV) and “Solveig’s Cradle Song,” sung to a dying Peer Gynt as the lights dim on the last scene. Soprano Camilla Tilling’s performances of both carried profound emotional impact. Her vocal technique was remarkable, most notably on that unforgiving pianissimo high A at the end of “Solveig’s Song.” She just floated up to it, seemingly effortlessly.

The SLSO program notes say that this Peer Gynt was “a new full-length adaptation for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra,” which explains why the total show time was a little over two hours (including intermission) vs. the 105 minutes (also including intermission) described at the Concert Theatre Works web site. I’m not sure what was added, but I can say that the first act (Ibsen’s Acts I and II) held together much better than the second, which crams Ibsen’s Acts III through V into around an hour or thereabouts. Even considering that a lot of plot has been jettisoned, it still felt almost telegraphic in its brevity.

The chorus and orchestra curtain call.
The chorus sang in English and Norwegian.
Photo by Tyler Small courtesy of the SLSO.

That’s really a minor gripe, though. The evening was brisk, bright, and obviously great fun for the audience. As a finale for both the season and the SLSO’s tenure at Stifel Theatre, it was an excellent choice.

The regular SLSO season resumes in September with the traditional Forest Park concert followed by the opening weekend and the newly renovated Powell Hall on September 26th and 27th. Meanwhile post-season activity continues through June 9.  Check the SLSO web site for details.

Symphony Preview, May 4, 5: Incidentally speaking

Peer Gynt
Photo:: Robert Torres

This weekend, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) Music Director Stéphane Denève returns to conduct the orchestra, chorus, and soloists in the final concert of the season. There’s only one thing on the program: a rewritten serio-comic version of Henrik Ibsen’s 1876 epic play/poem “Peer Gynt” by writer/actor/director Bill Barclay using the original music by Edvard Grieg (1843–1907). First staged for the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2017 and then taken on the road, this “Peer Gynt” shrinks Ibsen’s five-hour, 40-scene spectacle down to just over two hours (including intermission) with eight actors taking on the play’s 21 roles.

Although popular in Norway, Ibsen’s elaborate five-act tragedy about the globetrotting adventures of a feckless young man who seems afflicted with terminal immaturity has not traveled as well as the great dramatist's other works. Grieg's incidental music, on the other hand, has become an international favorite, thanks to the composer's ability to create appealing themes and paint vivid orchestral pictures of the play's action.

Edvarg Grieg

Grieg wrote around 80 minutes of music for the play, but most concertgoers have heard only the eight pieces Grieg collected in his two suites. And even those have been reworked for concert purposes.

The popularity of the suites is hardly surprising, though. The full score, consisting of 26 numbers, wasn’t published until a year after the composer’s death, in an edition by Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen (1864–1935). To confuse things even more, the score was thought to be lost until 1986 or thereabouts. It was finally published by Edition Peters in 1988.

I haven’t been able to determine how many of those 26 numbers Barclay managed to include in his concert theatre version of the play, but I was able to locate a recording by Ole Kristian Ruud and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra of what’s billed as the “Complete Play With Complete Incidental Music,” even though it runs less than two hours. But the “complete incidental music” part does appear to be correct, so I pulled all the musical numbers (including the ones that include dialog) and used them to create a new playlist on Spotify:

Yes, there are 27 tracks instead of 26. That’s because the recording breaks score No. 12—“The Death of Åse (Prelude to Act III”)—into two separate tracks. That’s understandable since the prelude music is repeated, pianissimo, as underscore for the scene in which Peer’s mother, Åse, actually dies. Since that scene is described in detail in Yvonne Frindle’s excellent program notes, I thought you might like to hear what it sounds like in performance, even if it is in Norwegian.

Listening to Greig’s complete score this way can be a revelation if your only prior experience to the music comes from the two suites. As much as I love them, I have to admit that they leave out a lot of worthy music, including the two brief appearances by the traditional Norwegian Hardanger fiddle (played this weekend by Nordic folk musician Vidar Skrede).

It's also a treat to hear the chorus adding genuine menace as a mob of trolls in the extended “Mountain King” sequence. And the small group of women chorus members singing the roles of the rude “Herd Girls” taunting Peer in Ibsen’s Act II should be fun.

Camilla Tilling
Photo: Maria Östlin

Greig wrote two lovely songs for Solveig (who inexplicably finds something loveable in the otherwise reprehensible Peer). “Solveig’s Song” is the only one that made it into the suite, and then only as an instrumental. This weekend you’ll be able to hear both it and the touching “Solveig’s Cradle Song” from Ibsen’s Act V, sung by Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling, who has substantial credits on both opera and concert stages.

There is much more to be said about Ibsen’s play, Grieg’s music, and the uneasy partnership between the two. Fortunately that’s all covered rather well in the SLSO program notes, so there’s no need for me to repeat it all here. The official Concert Theatre Works “Peer Gynt” web site also has some video sneak peeks which I highly recommend.

The Essentials: Music Director Stéphane Denève returns to conduct St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in the regular season finale, “Peer Gynt.” Soprano Camilla Tilling sings the role of Solveig and Vidar Skrede plays the Hardanger fiddle. The production is written and directed by writer/actor/director Bill Barclay and includes most of the incidental music Greig wrote for the play. See the SLSO program notes for a complete list of credits. Performances are Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, May 2 and 3, at the Stifel Theatre.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 5th, 2025

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out

The cast of Jacques Brel: The Impossible Dream

The Blue Strawberry presents Jacques Brel: The Impossible Dream, A Cabaret - Theater Show in French and English on Monday, May 5, at 7:00 pm. Designed and Directed by André Nerman, the show features André Nerman as Jacques Brel; Lucile, singer and actor; and Laurent Clergeau, piano, singer, actor. “Jacques Brel inspired an impassioned fan base in France and later around the world. He was the most popular and influential singer-songwriter in mid-century France, drawing massive crowds to his concerts. He often put down his guitar and sang unaccompanied, and sometimes acted his songs in spoken word. The theatrical nature of his concert performances inspired actor and singer André Nerman to put together this dazzling piece of cabaret theater.” The performance takes place in at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents singer Ben Jones in Temptation on Friday, May 9, at 7:30 pm. “Join award-winning vocalist Ben Jones and legendary pianist, composer and music director Ron Abel as they return to Blue Strawberry for an evening of side-splitting laughs and unbelievable music. Featuring the songs of Irving Berlin, Lesley Bricusse & Anthony Newley, Nat King Cole, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Peggy Lee, Julie London, Nina Simone, Stephen Sondheim and more, Jones dazzles audiences with touching and hilarious renditions of your favorite songs of infatuation, obsession and temptation.” The performance takes place in at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The cast of the Sargent Conservatory
Senior Cabarets

The Blue Strawberry presents students from the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University performing their Senior Cabarets on Saturday, May 10, at 3:30 pm. The performances take place in at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle and is also available as a live video stream. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Contraband Theatre presents acclaimed Ozark storyteller Ursa Miles in Ozark Phantasmagoria. “The Ozarks in the 1930s is a strange and mystical place. As new dams are built and towns plunged underwater, cryptids that once hid in the woods and the rivers are forced into contact with humans. When Sarah Jane's brother is taken, it is the hills that will be her revenge. A benefit production for Contraband Theatre, tickets are pay what you wish $0 - $30 with $15 suggested.” The performance take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: www.contrabandtheatre.org.

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The Fabulous Fox presents Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations May 9 through 11. “Ain't Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations is the electrifying, smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder May 9 through 18. “This is the knock-’em-dead, uproarious hit and the most-nominated show of the 2014 season with four Tony wins including Best Musical. When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he’s eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D’Ysquith family, he figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight, so what’s a guy to do? Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught and become the ninth Earl of Highhurst? And what of love? Because murder isn’t the only thing on Monty’s mind….” Performances take place at The Reim Theatre in the Kirkwood Community Center. For more information, ktg-onstage.org

KTK Productions presents Breaking Up Is Hard to Do Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, May 9 through 18. “This jukebox musical set during Labor Day weekend in 1960, following two best friends, Lois and Marge, at Esther’s Paradise Resort in the Catskills, where Lois tries to cheer up Marge after her fiancé leaves her at the altar, leading to mistaken identities, misdirected love, and hijinks.” Performances take place at the Saint John the Baptist Gymnasium, 4200 Delor Street in south St. Louis. For more information: kurtainkall.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Our Songs on Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 pm. “Join Opera Theatre for a celebration of music and storytelling with this annual free concert. Our Songs features a different guest curator every year, giving artists the opportunity to honor the voices and influences most important to them. From classical music to folk songs to contemporary harmonies, this is a night where every voice has a place, and all are welcome.” The free performance takes place at Third Baptist Church, 620 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: opera-stl.org.

Stray Dog Theatre’s Stray Pups Youth Theatre presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through May 11. “In a magical underwater kingdom, a young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home behind and live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she's the girl whose enchanting voice he's been seeking.” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. For more information: www.straydogtheatre.org.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents Lanford Wilson’s comedy The Hot L Baltimore Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, May 9 through 17.. Performances take place at the Guild theatre at 517 Theatre Lane, at the corner of Newport and Summit in Webster Groves. For more information: www.webstergrovestheatreguild.com.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

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