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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2010 > April > 19
Monday, April 19, 2010
Review: ‘La Serva Padrona’
La Follia Austin Baroque took a bold step this weekend staging a production of ‘La Serva Padrona,’ a comic operetta by Giovanni Pergolesi.
After all, the longtime period music chamber music group doesn’t have much experience staging operas. And if sometimes that lack of experience showed around the edges on Friday at the First Presbyterian Church, the first of two performances, in the end the utterly charming nature of Pergolesi’s goofball of a piece and some engaging singing made La Follia’s bold step a pleasure.
Hardly a part of any standard opera repertoire, ‘La Serva Padrona’ was originally presented in 1733 as an intermezzo for Pergolesi’s longer opera ‘Il Priogioniero Superbo’ which never exactly became a hit, thus shunting ‘La Serva’ to obscurity for a while before the short piece piece finally got its much deserved solo recognition.
And the operetta is a charmer alright.
Serpina (soprano Gitanjali Mathur) is a spit fire, a cunning young maid to an Italian nobleman, Uberto (Steven Olivares) who desires more from life. So she conspires a way — through the not too unexpected devices of disguise and simple chicanery — to trick Uberto into marrying her and thus making her the mistress of his estate.
With Mathur and Olivares in period Baroque costumes, the action all took place on a small stage backed by drapes — a simple set not without its slightly amateurish look. English supertitles were projected top the right of the stage on the back wall of the church sanctuary. To the left of the stage sat the eight-piece period instrument baroque orchestra lead by La Follia artistic director and harpsichordist Keith Womer.
A regular with Grammy-nominated choir Conspirare, Mathur — while she doesn’t have a big voice — has a sweet clear tone that’s full of delightful color. And humor. Mathur is a natural — and convincing — comedic actress who is a delight to watch. Olivares, too, showed his comedic acting chops, along with good tone that got stronger and more colorful as the operetta progressed.
Though ‘La Serva Padrona’ is a short two acts no more than 45 or 50 minutes, it was nevertheless presented with an intermission. And the second act was proceeded by Pergolesi’s Flute Concerto in G Major, featuring soloist Marcus McGuff.
It was a clever thought to insert an intermezzo piece into a operetta that was itself created as an intermezzo. But the intermission stole energy from Pergolesi’s frothy folly that took the case and ensemble a while to regain after the Concerto.
Still, La Follia earned a tip of the hat for sticking a toe in the opera arena.
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Review: ‘Our Town’ at Zach Theatre
As Emily Webb, one of the main characters in “Our Town,” revisits a day in her past, she woefully marvels at how human beings are blind to the everyday. “All of that was going on,” she says, “and we never even noticed.”
The fleeting pace of life (and the importance of paying attention to each moment while living it) is at the heart of Thornton Wilder’s classic play “Our Town.” The show is hot again, popping up at theatres across the country, from a popular off-Broadway production to one at the University of Texas to the bold new version currently playing at Zach Theatre.
“Our Town” follows the citizens of Grover’s Corners—a fictional small town in New Hampshire in the early twentieth century—as they live their daily lives, fall in love and marry, and eventually pass on. At the center of the action is the courtship between teenagers Emily Webb (Jordan McRae) and George Gibbs (Michael Amendola). A wise and humorous Stage Manager (Jaston Williams) guides the audience through the town’s stories.
In Zach Theatre’s energetic version, director Dave Steakley visually re-imagines the play as taking place in contemporary Austin. The play’s visual design is stunning, as is the lighting by Jason Amato. Some of the Austin touches include members of an actual church choir in East Austin playing the town’s choir, and Willie Nelson tunes drifting in and out.
In another creative twist, to celebrate the marriage of Emily and George, the audience moves to the Nowlin Studio for a site-specific experience that truly feels like a wedding. Turquoise curtains are draped across the walls and dozens of white lanterns hang from the ceiling. A lively reception follows, complete with free wedding cake for all the guests.
But while the visuals suggest today’s Austin, the language of the play still refers to the Grover’s Corners of the past. At times, this choice highlights the specificity of the play’s actual time period while also suggesting that its themes translate into contemporary time and place. At other times, it feels a tiny bit jarring.
The actors approach their roles with gusto. Michael Amendola perfectly captures the earnest exuberance of youth. His sweet, slightly dorky portrayal of George is endearing. Jordan McRae imbues Emily with energy and natural goodwill.
Zach Theatre’s production of “Our Town” is creative and fun, and once again Steakley does an admirable job of connecting theatre to the local community. Sometimes though, the play seems overproduced. There are moments when all the bells and whistles distract from the poetry of Wilder’s language.
“Our Town” is popular again partly because it emphasizes the importance of human connection, which many Americans are focusing on in hard times. Zach Theatre’s production is at its best when it slows down and embraces the simplicity of the play’s message.
‘Our Town’ continues through May 23, Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Zach’s Kleberg Stage, 1510 Toomey Rd. Tickets $20-$40. www.zachtheatre.org
Claire Canavan is an American-Statesman freelance arts critic.
Photo by Kirk R. Tuck.
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Long Center announces 2010-2011 season
Broadway greats Tommy Tune and Liza Minnelli are just two of the acts that will be coming to the Long Center for the Performing Arts as part of its 2010-2011 season.
Also on the roster are comedy troupe the Capitol Steps, Tango Buenos Aires, the Vienna Boys Choir, Cirque Dreams Illumination and Blue Man Group.
‘Cowboy Noises,’ a play written by and staring “Greater Tuna” originator Jaston Williams, will start the Long Center’s off-Broadway season of plays.
And Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel will present his original musical “A Ride With Bob: The Bob Willis Musical.”
