In a serious world, it’s OK to have a little light entertainment once in a while. The Anchorage Opera’s production of Donizetti’sDon Pasqualeis a delightful gem of comic opera that will please both regulars and newcomers. The orchestra, conducted by a bouncy Craig Kier, plays the entire three acts with an infectious energy that keeps the onstage action moving forward. If you’re worried that a story written in 1842 (let alone one entirely sung in Italian) won’t make much sense, never fear. Stage director David Lefkowich showcases the singers’ contemporary acting chops, making scenes from hundreds of years ago feel fresh and modern. The set, designed by Carrie Yanagawa, is a brilliant turntable-style building that flips between interior and exterior scenes with the deft help of various comedic moves by chorus members in bright costumes, originally designed by Allen Moyer for Glimmerglass Opera. The costumes, wigs, makeup, and lighting add their own pleasant polish to this world-class, must-see operatic production.
The cast is an utter joy to watch onstage. Philip Cokorinos plays the title character with a menacing, yet captivating buffoonery. His face seems made of rubber; Pasquale’s utter gullibility and complete surety that he is in the right (for most of the opera) is evident in every scene. Cokorinos has performed in over 400 productions of 40 operas at the Metropolitan Opera in New York; his mastery of craft is obvious. The scheming Doctor Malatesta is played with barely-suppressed laughter by baritone Eric McKeever, whose portrayal is quick and witty, oozing charm in every scene. Both men’s deep, strong voices are a joy to listen to, especially as their obvious talent serves the story again and again. Tenor Daniel Bates fills love-struck Ernesto’s shoes fully; Bates hits the high notes while convincing the audience that he’s the victim, here, of both his old uncle and the love for Norina. Bates will return to Anchorage for the title role ofCandidelater this season. Soprano Lindsay Ohse dazzles with her stunningly beautiful, strong, breathtaking voice. Every phrase she sings is crystal clear and easily heard from anywhere in the 700-plus capacity Discovery Theater. Not only that, but she positively owns her role, with acting chops that should make even non-singing performers green with envy. Ohse manages to create a character with many facets; this is no one-note portrayal. Ohse is definitely one to watch.
Filtered through a modern lens,Don Pasqualeis perhaps the ultimate of situation comedies. Elder bachelor Don Pasquale wants to marry a beautiful young woman so he can make babies (heirs) and disinherit his luckless nephew, Ernesto. Pasquale enlists the help of Doctor Malatesta to find a suitable bride; the doctor suggests his own sister, Sofronia, who is allegedly languishing in a convent somewhere. Pasquale loves the idea, unaware that Malatesta is planning an elaborate plot to teach the old fool the error of his ways. Malatesta asks Norina, the young actress that Ernesto loves (and has forsworn his inheritance from Don Pasquale for), to help him execute his plans. She agrees, thinking that the subterfuge will enhance her acting skills, and they present Norina to Pasquale as Sofronia, an incredibly shy, retiring young woman in a black cloak and veil. Pasquale is obviously smitten from the very first moment with this seemingly controllable, beautiful young woman, and marries her then and there.
Before the ink dries on the contract, however, “Sofronia” begins her reign of terror, ordering the staff about and spending all of the old man’s money. In the first scene of Act III, we see her takeover of the household is complete; her portrait (complete with an adorable chihuahua in her arms) hangs in the main house, the staff has blossomed to more than a dozen new servants, and the bills overflow Pasquale’s record-keeping book. When Pasquale confronts Sofronia about her behavior as she’s headed out for the night with her escort, Ernesto, the heated argument gets physical and Sofronia slaps Pasquale. She feels awful about it but realizes that the plot must continue for the older man to learn his lesson. The final nail in the coffin, as it were, is the note that Pasquale “accidentally” finds — it speaks of an assignation Sofronia and an unnamed suitor are to have in the gardens outside.
Malatesta talks Pasquale out of going to the authorities, which could be ruinous to the young lovers, but does encourage the old man to hide in the bushes and catch the lovers in the act. Pasquale, overheated with joy at being able to get his revenge against his overspending and physically abusive wife, agrees and they make their way into the darkness, capes at the ready. Here’s where the storytelling takes a decidedly non-modern turn, as Malatesta reveals that Sofronia is, in fact, Norina and that Pasquale should give his blessing (and a nice stipend) to the young couple. Pasquale laughs it all off, telling everyone that all is forgiven, and the opera ends with what can only be described as the older version of the final laughter scene many sitcoms seem to revel in after all the shenanigans have played out.
Anchorage Opera should be proud of this production. The singers brought their considerable talents to every moment; the actors expressed their character’s every mood and feeling with ease. There’s none of the stereotypical operatic “stop and sing” going on here — the music is accessible and joyful and the talented actors move about, pouring drinks, hiding in bushes, and convincing each other of their perspectives. While the supertitles — shown on a big screen above the stage — make it easy to understand the nuances of the plot, it’s the efforts of the actors (and everyone else involved) that make the show intelligible for modern audiences. Anchorage Opera’sDon Pasqualeis easy to watch, a joy to get lost in, and a live opera experience that anyone would love.
