Review: Opera Colorado’s ‘Scarlet Letter’ all-around superb

It was worth the wait and more.

Not only is Lori Laitman’s “The Scarlet Letter” everything one could hope for in a new opera. Not only has Opera Colorado triumphantly — and finally — brought a world premiere to the stage of Denver’s Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The production, which plays for two more performances, on Friday and Sunday, is without exaggeration the most powerful in the company’s recent history.

Committing to a full production of a new opera is a huge leap of faith and an incredibly risky venture, but a necessary one for any company. It obviously involves more investment than, say, premiering a new symphony. Audiences can be wary, and nobody really knows if the product will be valuable until it is experienced.

Fortunately, Laitman’s score had much going for it before she even penned a note. Her collaboration with Colorado’s own poet laureate emeritus David Mason was already fruitful in the world of art song. Mason’s adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s revered but famously dense novel is astoundingly brilliant, maintaining the compelling narrative of the original but adding a layer of poetic beauty that might have made the Transcendentalist author envious.

Obviously the story itself is iconic for a reason, and — Hawthorne’s prose aside — is about as ideal a subject for operatic treatment as could be imagined. From this fertile ground, Laitman has grown and nurtured a score that already seems to belong to the standard repertoire the first time one hears it.

The professional premiere at the Ellie was supposed to happen in 2013, but a financial crisis that year caused a three-year delay before last Saturday’s opening. At the second performance on Tuesday night, a deep internalization with Laitman’s music was evident from the singers and orchestra.

She has crafted her melodies with a keen eye to Mason’s text. They are modern, but eminently operatic, taking close consideration of the singers and listeners. The beauty extends to her orchestration, which is remarkably atmospheric and makes highly effective use of specific instruments, notably the snare drum. Conductor Ari Pelto led his forces with his usual sensitivity to the singers on the stage, and the sounds from the pit were a gorgeous background to the action.

Director Beth Greenberg, who has collaborated with Mason and Laitman from the outset, provides a stark, riveting frame. The set, consisting of two massive, asymmetrical blocks, opens and closes based on the physical and psychological states of the characters. The projection used for the Act II forest scene is spectacular.

Soprano Laura Claycomb exudes both passion and pride in her portrayal of Hester Prynne, an archetypal character whose punishment for adultery gives the story its title. Claycomb effortlessly negotiates the coloratura lines Laitman constructed for her and makes clear distinctions between her public and private interactions, particularly those with Hester’s concealed lover, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale.

Tenor Dominic Armstrong plays that role with an almost unbearable emotional intensity. Laitman gave him a powerful soliloquy toward the end of Act I, perhaps the most gripping number of the opera. He is also marvelous in his extended Act II love duet with Claycomb. Armstrong’s piercing high register is breathtaking, and his forceful delivery penetrates the hall.

Baritone Malcolm MacKenzie is a terrifying force as Hester’s long-absent, vengeful husband, Roger Chillingworth. Like Dimmesdale, he conceals his identity from the masses, but his motives are more sinister. Laitman’s music for Chillingworth has an inexorable, relentless character in which MacKenzie relishes. While his scenes with Claycomb are wonderful, he is at his best in the interactions with Armstrong as Chillingworth psychologically dismantles the Reverend.

Equally frightening is mezzo-soprano Margaret Gawrysiak as Mistress Hibbons, a witch-like figure whose very reality is in doubt. She serves as the voice of Dimmesdale’s conscience in an electrifying scene containing some of Laitman’s most exciting music. Young Maiah Elyse Howie is a delight as Hester’s daughter, Pearl, a silent role but vital presence, whose interactions with Claycomb and Armstrong are affecting.

Tenor Kyle Erdos Knapp and baritone Daniel Belcher (a beloved fixture at Opera Colorado) are excellent as representatives of the (literally) puritanical, judgmental community. That word, “community,” takes on a fearsome, menacing quality, and is frequently repeated by the chorus representing the word. The frequently reiterated “One Law” symbolizes the society’s rigidity.

This chorus, which serves as both the opera’s antagonist and its soul, is magnificent, and its preparation is the swan song for John Baril, Opera Colorado’s longtime chorus master. Baril, whose contribution has always been one of the steadiest, most reliable, and excellent aspects of company productions, has resigned the position to pursue other opportunities.

While Tuesday’s audience was enthusiastic, there were far too many empty seats given the quality of the production and score, and the significance of the event.