Opera Atelier’s Armide at the Elgin Theatre, Oct. 22, 2015.
If the audience at last night’s Opera Atelier premiere of had a feeling that things looked a tad familiar, they weren’t mistaken. Given we’re in the thick of the Blue Jays playoffs, I’ll ask your indulgence for a bit of Yogism – “It’s déjà vu all over again!”
This production premiered in 2005 and revived in 2012. In fact, this is its third go-around in ten years, and for good reason. It’s one of the most successful productions in OA history, with a spectacular set by Gerard Gauci, an Early Baroque gem of a score, and a fine cast that has remained nearly intact over the years. A testament to its popularity, this production went to the Palace in Versailles, France and Upstate New York’s Glimmerglass Opera in 2012.
This time around, it’s being reprised in Versailles after the run at the Elgin. While last evening wasn’t quite sold out, it was a very good crowd, with a huge number of high school students in attendance. I assume they were there under the auspices of a school outreach program. Given the changing demographics and a dearth of arts education in schools, this is exactly the kind of initiatives we need to keep opera alive. And to keep opera not just alive but appealing to contemporary audiences, director Marshall Pynkoski has jazzed up this 329-year-old Lully masterpiece with stage actions that are more in keeping with a 21st century aesthetic. Nothing outrageous mind you, just some semi-nude, buff male dancers, a surfeit of lingering caresses all over the body – and I mean nearly all over – between the lovers (Armide of Peggy Kriha Dye and Renaud of Colin Ainsworth).
And then there’s the amusing slapstick in Act 4 between Renaud’s companions (Olivier Laquerre and Aaron Ferguson), given the full vaudeville treatment. The vocal lines were delivered with a lot of declamatory outbursts, and the final tragic end of the sorceress Armide was pretty much glossed over at the very end. An opera with the serious theme of religious warfare, culture clashes, murders and deaths is rendered more palatable as an evening of entertainment. Lest you think I’m a touch cynical, it’s merely to point out that these pieces were intended for an evening of light diversion in the royal courts during Lully’s time, as accompaniment to all the eating and drinking. The OA trademark of historically informed but not slavishly authentic style works well given the context. In my past reviews of this opera, I recall writing earnestly how timely this story of Christian-Muslim cultural and religious conflicts was given the 21st-century global situation. Perhaps… But now I’m more inclined to forgo the lofty analogies and just treat it as escapist entertainment.
Judging by last evening’s performance, this production has lost none of its freshness and eye-popping appeal. The set by Gerard Gauci remains wonderful to look at. The principals once again deserved kudos for their outstanding singing and acting. American soprano Peggy Kriha Dye reprised her fabulous 2012 Armide (the original in 2005 was American mezzo Stephanie Novacek). Her gleaming tone with its coolish timbre was ideal for the love-torn character. Canadian tenor Colin Ainsworth’s soft grained, warm tenor made an engaging Christian hero Renaud, and his slim figure and bare chest weren’t lost to the audience. This piece is unusual in that there are two more sopranos, Armide’s confidants, here taken by Meghan Lindsay (Sidonie) and Carla Huhtanen (Phenice). In the 2005 premiere, the Armide of mezzo Novacek had more of a vocal contrast to the two other women. No matter, as both Huhtanen and Lindsay were superb vocally and dramatically last evening. Daniel Belcher, first heard at OA during the frightening SARS season many years ago as Figaro in an English-language Marriage of Figaro, returned as an impressive La Haine. Stephen Hegedus made a suitably stentorian Hidraot, Armide’s uncle. And of course, the comic guys of Chevalier Ubalde (Olivier Laquerre) and Chevalier Danois (Aaron Ferguson) had the audience in stitches.
One can’t review an OA performance without mentioning the dancing. This opera seems to be designed to show off the male dancers, and they were terrific. Some of the people I spoke with last evening thought there was just a bit too much dancing, given the show was pushing three hours long. But with such superb dancers, who am I to quibble?
The orchestra under David Fallis was its superlative self, and the small chorus sounded wonderful as usual. All in all, a terrific evening at the opera, especially if you are an OA loyalist and an Early Baroque fan. Not to be missed!
#LUDWIGVAN
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