Granite State Opera ends season with a riveting and awesome "Cav/Pag" that is one for the record books, it was that good! Cavalleri Rusticana Ruggiero Leoncavallo I Pagliacci Granite State Opera May 13, 2007 By Paul Joseph Walkowski OperaOnline.us Granite State Opera concluded its 7th season with two opera favorites that always please. I’m talking, of course, about the dynamic duo of Mascagni’s “Cavalleri Rusticana” and Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s “I Pagliacci,” known simply as “Cav/Pag.” Wow, what a finish it was, particularly the breathtaking and dynamic performance of Leoncavallo’s wonderful “I Pagliacci.” To be sure, both performances were truly memorable, but because “Pagliacci” was so special I’ll deal with that opera first. The energy is still flowing. This Pagliacci was, perhaps, one of the most emotionally moving opera experiences I have had in a long time. It was delivered with perfection by an impressive ensemble cast, accompanied by an orchestral performance that transformed each musical moment into a deeply personal and highly charged experience. It was that good. As I sat watching and listening, I kept thinking to myself just how lucky this audience was. This is what opera is all about; this is the beauty of the musical line and the power of a strong, involved delivery from a cast that is at the top of its game, every one. The orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Philip Lauriat, who also doubled as stage director, actually spoke to the words, melding music and story line into one seamless tapestry, drawing out all the energy and talent of this amazing cast and fine orchestra. As for the cast, ladies before gentlemen: I have seen soprano Nouné Karapetian sing twice before and on each occasion have commented about her clear vocal line, wonderful technique and pleasing, flawless delivery. Yesterday’s performance contained all that and a good deal more: Ms. Karapetian can also act and flirt and dazzle when on stage and her Nedda did all that to the immense pleasure of the audience. Her performance was mesmerizing. She is an extraordinary talent, indeed. But hers was not the only amazing performance. I read the “hype” on tenor Daniel Rodriguez, “The Singing 911 Cop,” and thought, ‘yeah, yeah, we’ll see.’ After all, how good could he be? Simply, Daniel Rodriguez’ performance was electrifying, pure magic, pure energy, pure emotion and blazing in glory. It has to be his signature role. As Canio (Pagliacci) he stood in a class by himself: a star of easily recognizable magnitude and a force to be reckoned with on the opera stage. There was not a single note he delivered where the audience wasn’t held in his firm control. He inherited the character and by sheer force of delivery blew away any complacency that may have existed. I suspect we’ll be hearing a lot from and about this extraordinary talent in the future. Hats off, too, to baroitone Phil Lima, whom I saw recently in Opera Boston’s sizzling production of “The City of Mahaggony.” (Mr. Lima did a double here, singing the role Tonio in “Pagliacci” and Alfio in “Rusticana”). He delivered in Boston as he did here with a performance that was animated and lively, with a rounded, controlled vocal performance that was pleasing to the ear. As an aside, Mr. Lima is the kind of performer who sings and acts well and who communicates his role with believability to the audience, which makes him a natural who can enhance any ensemble performance. Well done! Kudos also to the very talented tenor Steve Carpenter, singing the role of Beppe and whom we saw recently in Granite State Opera’s “Madama Butterfly,” singing the role of the marriage broker Goro, and to baritone Sean Damm, who sang the role of Silvio nicely and whose easy stage presence was remarked upon by a two members of the audience sitting behind me. But this was a double bill, that started with an equally dazzling performance of “Cavalleria Rusticana” As with “Pagliacci” this cast and the production value of the entire performance was noteworthy. From the beautifully nuanced and delicate entry of the Prelude to the well-known and genuinely moving Intermezzo Maestro Lauriat led the orchestra in an emotionally charged performance that was resonant, full and deeply moving throughout. Couple this with a strong cast, headed by tenor Arnold Rawls who gave a superb performance as the jealous, philandering Turiddo; baritone Phil Lima, who gave an equally strong and nicely acted performance as Alfio, mezzo-soprano Jacque Eileen Wilson, who gave a solid accounting of herself in the role of Alfio’s wife, Lola; mezzo-soprano Janice Edwards giving a believable and solid performance in the role of Mamma Lucia, and soprano Melissa Manseau who gave a good accounting of the jilted Santuzza – all this talent couldn’t miss the mark on a “missing machine, and they didn’t. It was a superb ensemble performance, deserving of the highest accolades. In both performances we give a tip-of-the hat to Stivanello Costumes Co. Inc, for the colorful sets; Quentin Stockwell for some effective lighting, and Tri-Cities Opera for effective costuming. The fact is, there was little to critique here; it was one of Granite State Opera’s best shows, by far. This Cav/Pag was Granite State Opera’s finest in every way we measure opera: strong casts, strong set design and lighting, good costumes, and a rendition of two musical scores, both vocally and orchestrally, that rose to a level of perfection that spelled magic to the audience. Bravo, bravo, bravo to Granite State Opera for a job well-done and for a beautiful ending to a magnificent season. Music and Stage Director, Phil Lauriat Production Manager, Meghan Beauchamp Lighting designer, Quentin Stockwell Sets, Stivanello Costumes Co. Inc. _______________________________________________________________ No clowning around NYC's opera cop belts out 'Pagliacci' By Jeff Rapsis jrapsis@hippopress.com Never mind nitpicky details. When an opera truly works on stage, an audience feels a surge of adrenalin in the final moments as the action swiftly concludes (usually involving at least one death) and the curtain comes tumbling down. With everything building to the big moment, it's a rush that opera fans come to crave. And the good news is that addicts got a double fix this past weekend at Granite State Opera's double-bill of two red-blooded verismo one-acters. 'Cavalleria Rusticana' and 'Pagliacci,' staged Sunday afternoon at the Capitol Center of the Arts in Concord, each showed a few rough edges. But aided by a superb cast of strong singers who acted up a storm, each gathered the needed momentum to deliver that final and fatal and satisfying punch that characterizes the best live performances. Vocally, "Pagliacci" was thrilling, and never so than when tenor Daniel Rodriguez (famous as New York City's "singing cop") was belting out his big moments as Canio, opera's iconic sad clown. There are plenty in the score, and Rodriguez was in the zone for all of them, with a booming voice that perfectly matched his dramatic approach to the role. Rodriguez, not intimidated by great tenors who've defined the part, made it entirely his own, generating a smoldering and angry intensity that filled the theater even when he wasn't singing. Just the way he threw his hat offstage was menacing, and helped set the stage for the inevitable violent conclusion. Soprano Nouné Karapetian was another 'Pagliacci' standout, throwing herself into the role of Nedda and making the most of a bright, rich, warm voice that somehow seemed vulnerable and powerful at the same time. Solid acting made the performance work on al llevels. Baritone Phil Lima made for an energetically vengeful Tonio, while tenor Steven Carpenter joined in the fun with a lively Beppe. Baritone Sean Damm completed the leads with a solid Silvio. The cast of 'Cavalleria' was highlighted by a knockout performance of the Santuzza role by local soprano Melissa Manseau, whose marvelous voice and convincing acting carried the day. Mezzo Janice Edwards, another local singer, contributed a strong performance as Mamma Lucia, her dark and agile voice tinged with hysteria at just the right moments. Tenor Arnold Rawls as Turiddu had many strong moments, but the other leads didn't have equal presence in their parts, lending the production a slightly off-balance feel. Overall, the production seemed to drag a bit, but picked up enough steam for the finale to still pack a wallop. Both operas require a busy cast of villagers to populate the stage in various roles. The chorus assembled by Lauriat brought a good deal of focus to their roles, with nobody phoning it in. Rehearsed by Michelle Alexander, the singing was strong and their presence added greatly to the overall vibrancy of both operas. Set design and lighting for both productions fell along traditional lines, which meant the few big gestures stood out in strong relief. No big experiments here, which gave each production a comfortable and natural feel. The end of 'Pagliacci' featured a sudden and stunning change of lighting that added to the intensity of the stabbings while keeping them from being too flat and stagy. Production values seemed a big skimpy in some places; the fabric church front in 'Cavalleria' looked flimsy and unconvincing enough to be a distraction. Costumes were unobtrusive, which served to make the Harlequin-like theater get-ups used in the last part of 'Pagliacci' a nice treat that stand out in sharp contrast. Overall stage direction by Phil Lauriat was solid and assured, with some nice pantomimic touches that played off the theater setting of 'Pagliacci.' In the orchestra pit, Lauriat multi-tasked ably, keeping orchestra and singers moving along, wringing real music out of the notes, and quickly pulling things together whenever they got a bit wobbly. All in all, the double-bill wasn't the very tip-top best that Granite State Opera has done. But it was still a fine afternoon filled with passion and emotion and much genuine operatic excitement, capped by two curtain-closing climaxes that to some of us are what opera's all about. ________________________________________________________________ Theater review: 'Cavalleria Rusticana,' 'I Pagliacci' SeacoastOnline By Jeanné McCartin May 17, 2007 6:00 AM The state opera company that wowed us with "Carmen" earlier in the season and with last year's "Madame Butterfly" seems to have tripped up with its latest, "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "I Pagliacci," its final production of the season. The two one-act operas by Granite State Opera, presented at The Music Hall, certainly had some voices to sing about and a stellar orchestra. But inconsistencies had it falling short of previous work. Two voices, one in each opera, were true standouts. Melissa Manseau as Santuzza, the woman wronged in "Cavalleria," and Daniel Rodriguez as Canio, the man wronged in "I Pagliacci," gave us what is expected of this generally polished company. Both displayed beautiful, controlled, powerful vocals you could sail on. Both moved you to tears. Others also held their own, Arnold Rawl as Turiddu, the man that did Santuzza wrong, and Janice Edwards as his mother. In "I Pagliacci" Noune Karapetian as Nedda the wife, and Steven Carpenter and Sean Damm also gave wonderful vocal performances. Many in both casts proved they had acting chops as well, though relationships were not always strong between characters. Philip Lima performed as Alfio in "Rusticana" and Tonio in "I Pagliacci." While the sound of the voice was lovely, execution varied. Lima lost depth in certain ranges and on occasion struggled to retain or hit notes. Overall the chorus gave a strong single voice. But unfortunately it was out of step at time during both operas. The orchestra — just beautiful. The GSO, under Artistic Director Phil Lauriat, has been notable for its production values. It was once again successful in "Cavalleria." The costumes worked, and the set design was wonderful. "I Pagliacci" was less impressive. It's understandable that the traveling theater was a bit shabby, but it read amateur. GSO has already set its own bar. This is a company that can find the talent and work it into a successful, moving production. This time it fell short of its own line. Hopefully it will regroup and come back next season with the caliber production we've come to expect. Jeanné McCartin reviews local theater productions. She can be reached at maskmakernh@aol.com.