REVIEW: PAGLIACCI and SISTER ANGELICA

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Posted: November 8, 2009 - 1:09 am

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By MIKE DUNHAM
'Pagliacci' stalwarts: While Jennifer Tiller, as Nedda, sings, Jane Drebert accompanies her with silent antics. Photo: Chris Arend.
The most entertaining moment in Anchorage Opera’s double-bill of “Sister Angelica” and “I Pagliacci” comes right at the opening of the latter and doesn’t involve singing. Jane Park Drebert does a cartwheel on the edge of the stage and, with comic intent, flubs it, falling on her patoot.

Drebert – a fine singer as well as dancer, though she doesn’t sing in this production – is part of an adroit trio of mute clowns that includes Don Love and David Haynes. They remain on stage for most of the opera, visually commenting on the drama in fascinating parallel action. It’s hard to keep one’s eyes off them.

Unfortunately, compelling opera need more than compelling mimes. Musically, Saturday’s opening night performance fell short. Several of the main singers seemed to be fighting the cold/flu/sinus thing that’s running around town. I was four seats back and the only voice that reached my spine was that of soprano Jennifer Tiller in the role of Nedda. She sang full volume in all registers with lively inflection and solid acting that made her the strongest character in this production.

Armando Mora, as Nedda’s jilted husband Canio, hit the notes but lacked some of the resonance we heard from him in March. Phillipe Damerval effectively evoked the Iago-ish nature of Tonio and demonstrated what may develop into a remarkable top end, but his bottom notes were not strong. Chris More, as Nedda’s bookish lover, had a clear and professional sound and could be another Canio one of these years. While Matthew Pena, as Beppe, had no weaknesses suggesting illness, his voice is light. Nonetheless, his entrance on a swing as Harlequin entranced the crowd.

Teresa Pond’s direction of “Pagliacci” was strongest in the first part. The deployment of the three clowns gave a surreal air to the usually earthy story. The swing bit was the most memorable image from the second scene. The placement of the on-stage stage may have been a disadvantage to the performers, and the concluding murders were not very convincing or even startling.

Both the pre-curtain lighting and the set – an open circus-style tent with mountains seen beyond – drew oohs from the audience. No set designer was listed, though Lauren MacKenzie Miller was credited with “set coordination” in addition to lighting design. If that means she pulled it together from odds and ends already sitting around at the company’s warehouse it was an inspired recycling. The mountain backdrop seemed familiar, but I don’t remember seeing anything like the vibrant tent.

The set for “Angelica,” on the other hand, was sparse and cold, suited to Puccini’s simplistic, constrained story. Miller’s lighting supplied a celestial effect on cue. Pond’s staging was on the formal side, the choir of nuns lining up almost like a classical Greek theater chorus to sing the climactic music of the finale.

Anastasia Jamieson, in the title role, was fluid and expressive, though some of her high notes went raspy. Nancy Caudill, as Angelica’s icy cousin, sustained a deliberate monotone except for her outburst about hearing the woeful complaints of the dead. It was good to see a number of the younger local performers we’ve been following – including Christine Keene and Lisa Willis – in stage roles.

The orchestra, directed by William Todd Hunt, was not at its best. The strings particularly struggled. The musical problems may have been one reason for the tepid applause. We hope the situation improves with subsequent performances. In the meantime, there are those clowns’ antics to stick in your mind.

The double-bill will be presented at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, 8 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, in the Discovery Theatre. Tickets are available at centertix.net.

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