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Gotham Chamber Opera A rare chance to see operas by a Czech master staged by this resourceful opera troupe.
By Joel Benjamin The resourceful and imaginative Gotham Chamber Opera presented two one-act operas by Bohuslav Martinu, a Czech composer who, unfortunately, is not as well-known as his fellow countrymen, Dvorák and Janácek. Martinu’s output was prolific, beginning in Czechoslovakia where he got his basic training, then on to Paris where he absorbed neo-classicism and jazz influences and finally on to the United States where his work was widely performed. It’s refreshing to hear his music, especially when it’s given the witty Gotham Chamber Opera treatment under the direction of James Marvel and the baton of Neal Goren, Gotham’s artistic director. Two more different styles from the pen of a single musician would be hard to imagine, yet it is a testament to Bohuslav Martinu’s ingenuity that he was able to bring to life both a French farce and a politically colored comedy, the first in French to a libretto by André Wurmser and the latter in Czech to a book by Václav Kliment Klicpera. For Alexandre Bis (Alexander Twice) Martinu used a palette that was light, melodic in the Offenbach mode with hints of popular and jazz music; for Comedy on the Bridge (Veselohra Na Mosté) the music is more angular with folksy rhythms and many winks toward his Czech musical colleagues. Alexandre Bis is a classic French farce complete with rapid entrances and exits, breathless exchanges and lots of naughtily suggestive behavior. Alexandre decides to test his wife Armande’s fidelity by shaving off his prodigious beard and showing up as his own “cousin” from Texas (of all places!). Inadvertently, he turns his truly faithful wife into a sensualist as his machinations backfire. Armande has been fending off the advantages of the—shall we say—very well endowed Oscar with whom she went shrimp fishing (of all things!). Hanging on the wall is a portrait of Alexandre who comments on the chaotic comings and goings, even getting involved with the saucy maid, Philomène. There is a dream sequence, lots of running around, a good deal of come-uppance and five terrific performances.
Perhaps a better understanding of the nuances of Czech culture and history would make Comedy on the Bridge more meaningful to American audiences, but still, it is an entertaining glimpse into the frustrating quotidian battles that make life so difficult whether it is between two warring factions on either side of bridge or two political parties. A parade of characters who surrender their safe passage documents to an enemy sentry to get on the bridge are refused re-entry into their own country because they no longer have their safe passage documents! Caught on the bridge are: Popelka who believes she has just buried her beloved brother; the lecherous—married—local hop grower, Bedron who makes a pass at her only to be discovered by Popelka’s fiancé Sykoš who has shady reasons to be on the bridge; Bedron’s wife Eva who makes a stink over her husband’s infidelities; and Ucitel, the local schoolmaster who has an unsolvable riddle on his mind. Each has a secret that comes out just as a cease-fire permits the characters to kiss and makeup. The riddle? The solution is quite unsatisfactory, but nevertheless all ends happily. Most of the Alexandre cast also appeared to wonderfully different effect in Bridge. As Philomène, Cassandra Zoé Velasco was sassy, flirtatious, rich voiced and totally in on the jokes. Jason Slayden’s lecherous Oscar was totally focused on his hips while his Ucitel, the local schoolmaster, was a model of agitated decorum, and very handsome, to boot. Jenna Siladie was both the faithful—then transformed and chic—Armande and the much put upon Popelka changing her soprano from frothy to layered, perfectly believable as both characters. Jarrett Ott was the square-jawed aristocrat Alexandre and the fiancé Sykoš singing and acting strongly as both. Joseph Beutel sang richly as the portrait in the first opera and was the lecherous Bedron in the latter, showing the many facets of his talent. The black and white sets and costumes by Jason Sherwood and Michael Kaukl, accented by colorful accessories, gave the impression of looking at complex prints. The long banquet of Alexandre magically became the bridge in the second opera. Mr. Kaukl’s costume for the newly liberated Armande, among others, spoke volumes. The orchestra was lively and Maestro Goren’s conducting brought out every detail of both scores. The Gotham Chamber Opera’s season continues with El Gato Con Botas (Puss In Boots) in December and The Tempest Songbook in March. Gotham
Chamber Opera
More Information: www.gothamchamberopera.org 
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