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| Benjamin Britten with Peter Pears. Photo by Victor Parker. |
By Benjamin Britten
Libretto by William Plomer after Luke 15:11-32
Director: Thomson Smillie
Conductor: Jim Rightmyer
Conductor: Jim Rightmyer
Reviewed by John Austin Clark
Entire contents are copyright © 2012, John
Austin Clark. All rights reserved.
St.
Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church served as the platform for Kentucky
Opera and Louisville Choral Arts Society’s recent production of Benjamin
Britten’s church parable The Prodigal Son (1968), the last composed from a cycle of three. Two seasons ago, Kentucky Opera
patrons were treated to The Burning Fiery
Furnace (1966), there again presented by Louisville’s chamber operatic duo
Thomson Smillie (stage director) and James Rightmyer (music director).
The
tale of the prodigal son consists of a Father (John Arnold) and his two sons
facing moral dilemma and consequence. The Elder Son (Greg Jebaily) departs for
his day’s work in the fields as the Younger Son (Patrick MacDevitt) is praised
for his choice to leave the family for a different life – soon swayed by the
voice of The Tempter (Brad Raymond) and lured into Sin City with his entire
inheritance. Clad in gold, Younger Son naively embarks on a youthful journey
into a lifestyle of Bacchanalian overdrive, including the essential elements of
debauchery: booze, sex and gambling. Once the money is up in true prodigal
fashion, the game is over and the fun ends. Younger Son must return home in
shame to beg for Father’s forgiveness. In very short order, Father rejoices in
Younger Son’s return as the household celebrates, all the while Elder Son
defiantly questions Father’s acceptance of Younger Son’s wrongdoing. Father
quells Elder Son’s jealousy over not receiving equal if not more praise for
working the fields all day. It is understood that Younger Son’s return is
enough to be hailed and both sons reconcile, restoring the family unit.
In Britten’s adaptation:
In Britten’s adaptation:
The
Tempter provides the narrative structure for the storyline, greeting the
audience with a promise that he will break the family. Raymond’s portrayal of
The Tempter was spot-on from his early clarion calls to the riling duet shared
with MacDevitt as Younger Son sinks into the heat of sin, finally free from the
yoke of his family labors. Both Raymond and MacDevitt were a convincing dynamic
duo on stage, carrying the parable from beginning to end. MacDevitt’s
interpretation of Younger Son as a naïve rolling stone provided a much-needed
lightness to the production, while Raymond’s vocal agility fused with confident
acting prowess. In fact, the tenor fach led this show in such an impressive way
that seemed fitting given Britten’s companionship for tenor Peter Pears. Also striking were the young treble
voice clusters that collectively served as an ironic interior dialogue for
Younger Son, a clear and masterful contribution from Rightmyer.
Smillie’s
staging was modest, yet fitting in a well-informed miracle play formation:
simple and evocative of the storyline yet never excessive. The use of a projector
screen and silhouetted characters gave theatrical depth to the production while
still maintaining simplicity so that the music and its complexity could shine.
Rightmyer led, from a portative organ, an elite group of instrumentalists
evocative of a Japanese Noh gamelon collective. Britten was a master colorist, selecting sounds that often painted exquisite aural tableaus. Rightmyer’s group
was stunning as part of the theatrical experience, showcasing the
instrumentalists as part of the production, team players in the telling of the
storyline. Father taught his sons that at the end of the day a unified family
was the most important value – a lesson learned in this production’s successful
execution.
Thursday, October 4, 8pm
Friday, October 5, 8pm
Kentucky Opera at
St. Francis in the Field Episcopal Church
6710 Wolf Pen Branch Road
Harrods Creek, KY 40027
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