Stars Abound in the Fort Worth Opera's “Julius Caesar”
Was whether the Fort Worth Opera Company could live up to their standard of producing high-quality, entertaining shows that appeal to mass audiences? After all, this was the company’s first fully staged Baroque opera, and let’s face it, baroque opera is not for everyone.
The orchestra went to great lengths to make this a (what-is-known-as) historically-informed-performance, with incredible new costuming for an authentic “look” (accurate for Baroque-era costuming), two harpsichords with Daniel Beckwith conducting behind one of the two, and a host of period instruments. And speaking of the instruments, bravi to the orchestra, and an extra-special bravo to the horn section. “Wow” doesn’t even come close to cutting it. At one point the first horn player upstaged Caesar himself with sailing high-horn runs and absolutely, jaw-dropping (pun intended) lip-trills. It was inspiring to say the least.
The set from this production is historic itself, as it is the same refurbished set that legendary soprano Beverly Sills launched her career from in her role as Cleopatra. The set coupled with just fantastically done tapestries not only helped set the stage, but also kept the opera and plot moving along. It was almost as if the audience was seeing a staging of the iconic Rome scenes from the Oscar-winning film Gladiator . And the ingenious decision to drop golden flakes of confetti during the coronation scene at the end was extremely well received, and sent the whole production over-the-top. Which is entirely appropriate for a historically accurate portrayal of Baroque opera.
While praising the historical accuracy of the production, one cannot skip over the performers. Handel might have been one of the first composers to really enable the role of the prima donna, but the eighteenth century still belonged to the castrati (if this is unfamiliar to you, please look it up), and as such, there were no “pants-roles” in Fort Worth on Saturday night. So while the women were indeed a major element (Meredith Arwady as Cornelia was probably one of the strongest performers of the night), Julius Caesar All three brought something equally praise-worthy to the Bass Hall stage. Mr. Scotting showed technical brilliance with his delivery of spot on lines of coloratura within his many arias, and Mr. Álavarez brought the role of Ptolemy to life with his wonderful acting and delivery of the character. But in the end (as in the story), the unsung hero was Michael Maniaci in the role of Sextus. He proved that counter-tenors could have just as much power and resonance as any other voice-type. In fact, he was really the only male that could come close to competing volume-wise with the remarkable, bass-baritone, Donovan Singletary (Achillas).
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The question coming into the opening night of Julius Caesar was whether the Fort Worth Opera Company could live up to their standard of producing high-quality, entertaining shows that appeal to mass audiences? After all, this was the company's first
The Fort Worth Opera Festival presented George Frideric Handel's Julius Caesar last Saturday evening at the Bass Performance Hall (playing again on June 5). The structure's Great Dome and giant trumpeting angels set the perfect ambiance for this
"If you want to go to Texas, come to Fort Worth." Fort Worth and Dallas are the west and east bookends, respectively, of the Metroplex. Dallas had a TV show named for it, a prime-time soap opera that celebrated greed and venality.
In the arts, the foundation has supported everything from the Fort Worth Opera to youth orchestras. He has built relationships with nonprofit leaders who seek his counsel on their organizations' missions. Wilkie calls them "the best folks anywhere" for
Luckily, General Director Darren Woods and the Fort Worth Opera Company has committed their festival year-after-year to performing new and challenging works. The Fort Worth Opera Festival brings audiences in Cowtown works that patrons of “bigger” opera
Billevesées: Fort Worth Opera Festival 2011: 'Julius Caesar'
Fort Worth Opera had never before produced a Baroque opera, I’m told, prior to this season’s Julius Caesar , but on the strength of this production, I’m eager to see the company try again, and often. This repertory plays to many of Fort Worth’s strengths, not least because we are blessed to live in an age when so many young American artists combine the training and talent needed to make this music come alive. Moreover, Fort Worth’s Bass Hall isn’t a barn like the Met in New York: the proportions are closer to what Handel and his contemporaries anticipated, and thus the orchestra and voices don’t get lost. And the choice of Julius Caesar was smart, too. When Julius Rudel brought this piece to New York City Opera, 45 years ago (on the self-same set), Handel’s stage works were all but unknown in the United States, but today Caesar is very nearly a repertory staple; though NYCO prided itself on eschewing the star system, its Caesar nevertheless made stars of its leads, Beverly Sills (as Cleopatra) and Norman Treigle (as Caesar). In like fashion, Fort Worth Opera isn’t fixated on stars, and probably can’t afford to be. Yet this Caesar shone a brilliant spotlight on the Cleopatra of soprano Ava Pine — who’s scheduled to return next season in Mark Adamo ’s Lysistrata and who seems poised to become the company’s de facto prima donna, whether anyone intends it or not. As I watched on June 5, Fort Worth’s Julius Caesar signaled to me that this company really has grown up. That’s a paradoxical thing to say about what is, after all, the oldest continuously performing opera company in the state, but Fort Worth Opera really seems now what it never was before: a full-fledged player in the big leagues. Julius Caesar was more than an auspicious entry into new (albeit very old) rep, it was a fresh confirmation of how much Darren Woods has achieved over the past ten years. The look of the show — nimbly staged by David Gately — gained in glamour thanks to Robert Perdziola’s gorgeous costumes and Chad R. Jung’s ingenious lighting: when the background lighting matches Cornelia’s burgundy-colored gown, you know you’re in sure hands. And there was something almost unbelievably poignant about that set, designed by Ming Cho Lee for NYCO in 1966.
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