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Nashville Opera premieres intriguing 'Three Way'

Amy Stumpfl
FOR USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
With the world premiere of “Three Way,” Nashville Opera offers an unexpected twist on modern relationships.

Theater review

It’s difficult to avoid making assumptions about an opera provocatively entitled “Three Way.” And while its themes may raise a few eyebrows, Nashville Opera’s world premiere production ultimately offers an intriguing treatise on power, passion and human connection.

Billed as “a playful three-act performance that explores the future of love, sex and need,” “Three Way” — featuring music by Robert Paterson and libretto by David Cote — includes the aptly named “The Companion,” “Safe Word” and “Masquerade.”

Of these, “The Companion” felt the most fully realized and polished at Wednesday evening’s final dress rehearsal. As the story opens, we meet Maya, a single career woman who seems to have found the “perfect man” in Joe, a lifelike android companion. But as Joe becomes more glitchy and unpredictable, Maya finds herself looking to a handsome tech-support pro for answers.

Such contemporary characters provide a highly accessible, conversational tone. Cote has an obvious gift for humor, and yet there also are moments of genuine tenderness. And Paterson’s music is quite mesmerizing, beautifully supporting the story at hand.

Director John Hoomes has staged the piece with stylized specificity, using projected visuals to enhance and punctuate the humor. Soprano Danielle Pastin is well cast as the disillusioned Maya, while baritone Wes Mason brings a nice everyman quality to Dax, the software technician. And tenor Samuel Levine has great fun with Joe’s awkward attempts at robotic romance (“You have such shapely arches,” he says, massaging Maya’s feet). But Levine sings “You Were My First Love” with great warmth and compassion.

Eliza Bonet in Nashville Opera's "Three Way."

By comparison, “Safe Word,” which centers on an intense session between an upscale dominatrix and her client, feels much darker, with Paterson’s music taking on a more seductive, even jazzy quality. But the story’s central role-playing concept takes an odd turn when the client transforms himself into the naughty “Polly Puddlepanties.” The sight of bass Matthew Treviño in outrageous babydoll garb is certainly comical, but feels a bit out of place in such an otherwise darkly engrossing piece. Still, Treviño is outstanding as the “Client,” and Eliza Bonet puts her lush mezzo-soprano to excellent use as the complicated “Domme.”

Finally, “Masquerade” takes place at a swingers’ party, attended by four very different couples. Here again, Paterson’s music is rich and vibrant — and beautifully played by the Nashville Opera Orchestra, conducted by Dean Williamson. And Cote’s libretto offers an unexpected blend of whimsy and wistfulness. Countertenor Jordan Rutter’s poignant aria “Why So Shy?” is especially compelling, revealing his character’s nagging sense of uncertainty and isolation.

Running nearly three hours, it’s a long evening. “Masquerade,” in particular, might benefit from some cuts. But it’s exciting to see Nashville Opera take on such an ambitious piece. And it’s a rare opportunity for local opera enthusiasts to experience the world premiere first, before it moves to New York for performances at the renowned Brooklyn Academy of Music in June.

If you go

What: Nashville Opera presents the World Premiere of “Three Way” (Sung in English with projected English supertitles. Intended for mature audiences; contains adult language/situations.)

When: Jan. 27-29. Performances at  8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. CEO & Artistic Director John Hoomes leads the free Opera Insights preview one hour prior to each performance in the theater. Hoomes also will moderate a Talkback after the performance,  featuring the cast, composer and librettist.)

Where: TPAC’s James K. Polk Theater, 505 Deaderick St.

Tickets: starting at $26

Contact: nashvilleopera.org or 615-832-5242; tpac.org or 615-782-4040