Review: Central City Opera’s ‘Impresario’ a brisk diversion

Over the last four years, Central City Opera has tweaked its formula for complementing its two mainstage productions at the opera house. For the first two years, a big production of an

American musical ran for a week in Denver. Then last year, this was replaced by a pair of one-act operas, sung in English, at alternative venues in Central City and around the Front Range.

Last year, this proved highly successful, introducing new patrons to the art of opera and giving the company’s excellent apprentice artists a chance to really come into their own instead of simply doing minor roles in the mainstage productions.

The first of this summer’s two one-acts, a whimsical adaptation of Mozart’s “The Impresario” (often known by its German title, “Der Schauspieldirektor”), opened Wednesday afternoon at the unusual and extremely intimate Williams Stables Theater across the street from the Central City Opera House.

And this is the production that makes its way to Boulder’s Nomad Playhouse tonight for two performances, at 6 and 8 p.m.

Mozart’s original was essentially a short stage play with four musical numbers and an overture. It is almost always updated to a more modern setting, but the simple plot about a harried producer and two dueling divas is easy to retain. Mozart composed the music during the time of his mature masterpieces, such as “The Marriage of Figaro,” for a competition with rival Salieri in 1786.

Thus, the musical numbers and the familiar overture are of extremely high quality, which is the main reason the little operetta is frequently revived. For this production, director Michael Ehrman, reaching to a previous version by Dwight Bowes, expanded the piece by adding a few other Mozart pieces, some abridged.

These included the famous duet “La ci darem la mano” from “Don Giovanni” in its original Italian (it is used for a plot point), along with a couple of other pieces sung in Italian. One aria from “Così fan tutte” was given new English words for the impresario — who otherwise lacks a number — to sing. The four original numbers were all given in English.

Ehrman’s concept, setting the action in 1948 America, was visually satisfying and extremely effective for the Stables. Conductor Aaron Breid led a string quartet reduction of Mozart’s original orchestration (including the overture), with parts filled in by pianist Eric McEnaney.

The little ensemble was integrated into the action at the back of the performance space, with the two “divas” and other cast members interacting comically with McEnaney.

The six-person cast of apprentice artists utterly charmed the crowded theater. Soprano Danielle Palomares, with a hilarious affected German accent, played the aging diva (here named “Madame Tiefgurgle”) with almost reckless abandon. Ashley Fabian, as the younger soprano (with the comical name of “Betty Braswell”), is a joy to watch and hear. Each of the two has one of the original numbers as a solo aria.

They are joined by Peter Lake as an operatic tenor who has composed a new (and apparently terrible) opera score, its name a bastardization of Mozart’s “Abduction from the Seraglio.” Lake joins the two divas as they battle in the uproarious trio of one-upmanship (“I am the finest singer here”). Lake’s character is given the name “Placebo Paravotti” (not Pavarotti).

Rounding out the cast are bass-baritone Stephen Clark as the titular impresario (“Irving D. Geltman”), who only wants to leave the business and retire to a farm, baritone Chad Sonka as the persistent director (he has his own little solo in the final ensemble), and mezzo-soprano Alice Anne Light as a receptionist who herself has performing aspirations.

The plot — and its contrived resolution — are certainly lightweight, but these six performers make the most of their opportunity and negotiate everything deftly in a tight 52-minute whimsical breeze.

Central City’s Artists Training Program is highly regarded with good reason, and any Boulderites who want a good laugh and a quick evening diversion at the Nomad will be rewarded with fine music and exquisite performances by these young artists.