Supporting the Arts in Western Massachusetts and Beyond

November 4, 2024

Review: Theatre Guild of Hampden, "Driving Miss Daisy"

Theatre Guild of Hampden, Hampden, MA
through October 27, 2024
by Janice Webb 

Photo by Mark Giza
A premier jeweler may tell you that a simple quality setting can make the finest jewel shine all the brighter. This is the same with community theatre. On a simple school stage with minimal props, Anna Giza shone as brightly as any Broadway star.

Giza's portrayal of Miss Daisy as a feisty, fiercely independent and opinionated Southern matron was nothing short of brilliant. Giza has returned to the stage after a five-year hiatus, and it is wonderful for audiences that she is back. 

Miss Daisy's story, directed by Mark Giza, was well told as a series of vignettes taking place over a period of 20-years. One section of the stage depicted the demeanor of the parlor of an affluent Atlanta lady. The opposite side was the creation of the interior of her automobile.

It is not a spoiler to know that when Daisy, at age-72, crashed her own car, it is time son Boolie, aptly played by Joe Lessard, to insist that he hire a colored driver named Hoke, portrayed by Floyd Patterson II.

The story is a character-study of individuals in a certain era in the South. For those seeking action, "Driving Miss Daisy" is not a good fit. However, for those seeking a sincere story of racism with compassion and understanding this play is ideal.

At first, Giza plays the epitome of an older woman who resists the assistance of anyone. The social/economic divide between wealthy Southern matron and colored servant is very apparent. Over the decades as her physical body deteriorates, her emotional aptitude grows. She realizes that Hoke has become more than a servant; he has become someone she can always rely on. She realizes he is her best friend. 

Floyd Patterson II, a local musician with a large following, was a surprising, yet brilliant choice in casting. Patterson set his funky groove with his guitar aside, replaced by "right on" acting chops. Yes! Patterson can act and has quite a few plays to his credit. Patterson's portrayal of Hoke was very authentic and heartwarming.

When there are only three actors in a play, all must rise to the occasion as any weakness in character portrayal will be spotlighted. There is nowhere to hide, and no one to hide behind. All three actors performed beautifully, and the story was well told.  

Review: Majestic Theater, “A Moon for the Misbegotten”

Majestic Theater, West Springfield, MA
through December 1, 2024
by Jarice Hanson
 
Photo by Kate Rankin
The current production of “A Moon for the Misbegotten” at Majestic Theater gives audiences an opportunity to see and hear some of Eugene O’Neill’s most personal work. For those who know the author’s name but not the plays, this production demonstrates why O’Neill became known as the “father of American theater.” O’Neill introduced a style of realism to American theater that was popular elsewhere in the world—and in doing so, he changed the direction of American theater in the 1920's through the 1940's. It is not surprising that of the 25 plays he wrote, four of them won Pulitzer Prizes for Drama—an accomplishment unequaled in theater history.
 
Director James Warwick and Producing Director Danny Eaton have condensed the original four act drama to two acts, to be more friendly for contemporary audiences, and though the dialog in Act I is circuitous, much relies on the exposition of Phil Hogan, the patriarch of the Hogan family, charmingly portrayed by John Thomas Waite, and his effervescent daughter, Josie, played by Sue Dziura.   
 
In Act II, the plot explodes with Josie and her love interest, Jim, played by Jay Sefton, who seems to mine the many layers of his character. The chemistry between Dziura and Sefton is exhilarating and the two communicate beautifully on stage. They show the audience the genius behind O’Neill’s multi-layered characters, and his raw dialog, defining heartbreak and lust. 
 
Caleb Chew and Tom Dahl round out the cast in smaller, but still powerful roles that help patrons understand Hogan family dynamics and the peril of the tenant farmer when the landlord decides to sell the land. All of these characters define the Depression as well as showing how alcoholism and depression were endemic to that period in history. 
 
Greg Trochil’s set is a masterpiece of a run-down post-Depression farm in Connecticut; and James McNamara’s subtle, but effective lighting design transforms the Majestic’s stage into a monochromatic, moonlit backdrop for the larger-than-life colorful characters. Director Warwick has his cast working at a fast pace, but every word is crystal clear, and the character choices bold and satisfying.
 
This show is a classic in many ways. It may not be considered O’Neill’s greatest work, but in drawing the characters and situations from his own life, the audiences learns much about his approach to life and to theater at a time when he himself, was increasingly unable to write anymore.
 
As a reference point to American theater in the 1920's -1940's, those in their seats see how one author defined a generation of drama and cultural themes. This production offers much to think about, and for all of these reasons, don’t miss it!

October 31, 2024

REVIEW: MOSSO, "Springfield Chamber Players Clarinet Quintet"

52 Sumner, Springfield, MA
October 26, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

Tonight’s concert marked this ensemble’s debut performance at its new venue, 52 Sumner. Located a short distance from Route 91, at 52 Sumner Avenue in Springfield, it provides ample free parking in a lot directly across Sumner Avenue with a traffic light and crossing signal. A former church built in 1894, now extensively renovated, 52 Sumner offers comfortable seating for up to 400 people, new sound and lighting systems, and warm yet clear acoustics.    

The performers are all musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra: principal clarinet Christopher Cullen; violinist Masako Yanagita, SSO Concertmaster for over 40 years; violinist Miho Matsuno, an SSO member since 1992; and violist Ellen Gronningen and cellist Patricia Edens, both associate SSO members. Their long experience playing together was evident in their warm rapport and technical cohesion.

Their program opened with a piece for the full ensemble: an affectionate and sensitive reading of the 1926 “Six Studies in English Folk Song,” by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Each lasting two minutes or less, and mostly in slow tempos, they quote and then briefly elaborate on traditional melodies. The suite made a delightful concert opener, especially the rousing finale, based on “As I Walked over London Bridge.”

The next two pieces featured the four string players. First came the two inner movements of Alexander Borodin’s popular 1881 String Quartet No. 2 in D Major, both used in the 1953 Forrest and Wirght musical “Kismet:” a playful “Scherzo,” and a gorgeous “Nocturne.” These were followed by jazzy arrangements for string quartet by Paul Chihara, in his “Ellington Fantasy," of two songs by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn: a shimmering “Mood Indigo,” and an intricate “Sophisticated Lady.”

The concert ended with a rhapsodic account by the full ensemble of the 1967 clarinet quintet “Souvenirs de Voyage” (“Memories of Travel”), by Bernard Herrmann. Best known for the film scores he wrote for Alfred Hitchcock, Herrmann brought cinematic colors to this picturesque piece: a dramatic “Andante pastorale – Allegro,” a lilting Irish-inspired “Berceuse,” and a lively Italian-flavored “Andante tranquillo quasi barcarolla,” with a catchy tarantella rhythm.

Informative spoken comments by Cullen and Matsuno heightened audience engagement in this intimate space. Next up is “Johnny Appleseed Plus,” featuring Clifton J. Noble, Jr., on December 8.

REVIEW: South Windsor Cultural Arts, "Anthony Trionfo, Flute; Albert Cano Smit, Piano"

Evergreen Crossings, South Windsor, CT
October 27, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

When flutist Anthony Trionfo asked his South Windsor audience how many had never attended a flute recital before, quite a few hands went up, including this reviewer’s. By the end of his triumphant debut here with Spanish/Dutch pianist Albert Cano Smith, the charismatic American musician had likely persuaded many concertgoers to attend more of them in the future. 

Trionfo & Smit
These internationally renowned performers opened their program with a passionate reading of Amy Beach’s lush 1893 Romance, Op. 23, for violin and piano in a sparkling arrangement for flute and piano. Trionfo next took the spotlight with a glowing account of Johann Sebastian Bach’s only work for solo flute, his 1723 Partita in A minor, including a graceful “Allemande,” a lively “Corrente,” a rapturous “Sarabande,” and a fleet “Bourree Angloise.”

The duo continued with a performance of Francis Poulenc’s popular 1957 Sonata for Flute and Piano that vividly captured what Trionfo called its “quirkiness” in a brooding “Allegretto malincolico,” a tender “Cantilena: Assez Lent,” and a rollicking “Presto giocoso.” In their bubbly rendition of the Waltz from Benjamin Godard’s 1889 Suite of Three Pieces, Trionfo’s ebullient motions made him look like a pied piper leading this “fun dance” across the stage.     

A reduction for flute and piano of the last three movements from Bach’s 1731 orchestral Suite in B minor featured a touching “Polonaise,” a stately “Menuet,” and an electrifyingly fast “Badinerie.” An arrangement for flute and piano of Bela Bartok’s 1918 piano suite of “Hungarian Peasant Songs” offered sharp contrast, with its shifting folk-dance rhythms. The 1831 “Grand Polonaise” by Theobald Boehm, the inventor of the modern flute, brought this eclectic program to a rousing close.
 
But Trionfo’s astounding virtuosity and his contagious joy in showcasing the flute’s wide range of sonorities, along with Cano Smit’s versatile support, brought them back for an encore: a brilliant rendition of the “Allegro” from Gabriel Faure’s 1898 "Fantaisie" for flute and piano. Personal spoken introductions by both players to the music and its meaning for them further enhanced this memorable afternoon.
 
Concerts in this 43-year-old series by world-class artists take place on Sundays at 2:00 pm, and open seating in its acoustically outstanding auditorium begins at 1:30. SWCA will next present pianist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner on November 17.

October 29, 2024

REVIEW: Springfield Symphony Orchestra, "New England Reverie"

Symphony Hall, Springfield, MA
October 19, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

This concert’s title derives from the two works on the program’s first half, by Massachusetts
composers at the turn of the 20th century, who were members of both the “Boston Six” and the “New England School.” After an enthusiastic season-launching national anthem, with audience participation, Taiwanese-American conductor Mei-Ann Chen led the SSO in an equally upbeat account of “Jubilee,” the first of George Whitefield Chadwick’s four 1904 “Symphonic Sketches.”  

In spoken comments, the effusive Chen proved an avid booster of Springfield (“my new favorite city”), noting that the only one of Chadwick’s “Sketches” inspired by a scene in Springfield (“A Vagrant’s Ballad”) would be far less appropriate for tonight than the celebratory “Jubilee.” Newly appointed as the SSO’s Artistic Advisor, she also shamelessly coaxed applause for the musicians, which the large, appreciative audience needed no prompting to give.

McDermott & Chen
Next came the piano concerto by the first successful American female composer, Amy Beach, who, also a skilled pianist, gave its 1900 world premiere with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Internationally acclaimed American pianist Anne-Marie McDermott joined the SSO in a bravura performance of this large-scale 40-minute showpiece in four movements.

McDermott brought dazzling technique and emotional depth to a dramatic opening “Allegro moderato,” a playful “Scherzo (Perpetuum mobile): Vivace” that was in constant motion, a lush and poignant “Largo,” and an exhilarating “Allegro con scioltezza” finale that was as nimble and quick as its title. Chen and the SSO offered colorful support.

Her scintillating encore – both Bourees from Johann Sebastian Bach’s first English Suite – showcased McDermott’s easy command of the classical repertoire.

The concert ended with a forceful account of perhaps the most famous symphony by any composer, Ludwig van Beethoven’s 1808 fifth symphony, in which Chen’s energetic leadership drew particularly inspired playing from the orchestra. The iconic four-note motif that begins the opening “Allegro con brio” had visceral power. The flowing “Andante con moto” was alternately sensitive and grand. A suspenseful “Allegro” third movement led without pause into the triumphant finale (also marked “Allegro”), which erupted in a blaze of glory.  

The SSO’s next concert will be “Echoes of the Americas,” a program of Latin American classical music, with conductor-violinist Guillermo Figueroa and composer-pianist Miguel del Aguila, on November 16.

Review: Hartford Stage, "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde"

Hartford Stage, Hartford, CT
through November 3, 2024
by Shera Cohen

Photo by T. Charles Erickson
An ideal play to commence Hartford Stage’s 2024/25 season coinciding with Halloween is “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde,” Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic.

It is doubtful that no one in the audience was ignorant of the tale of a man with two distinctly opposite personalities; one being somewhat normal, the other the epitome of evil. 

The production is taut, dark, and scary. HS does everything right. The depiction of “J&H” does not follow the usual formula. The play sometimes confuses its audience. It isn’t  just the grade-school audience members seated in the row behind me who repeatedly asked their mom, “Did he kill the other guy? Where did he go?”* [see note below]

The kids wondered aloud the questions that many adults probably thought. The concession line makes for an excellent location to eavesdrop. Lots of puzzles to figure out. However, “J&H” is so well crafted that every patron returned after intermission. Questions are answered in Act II. 

“J&H” may be a director’s dream, as Melia Bensussen (HS’s Artistic Director) stylizes the characters; oftentimes actors can approach their roles over the top physically and/or verbally, yet never scene steal. Without spoiling the story, it is safe to say that nearly every character is a little bit Hyde. Dr. Jekyll’s work is to delve literally into the psyche of what makes a human good or bad, using himself as the litmus test.

“J&H” stars an ensemble cast. Nathan Darrow (Jekyll) creates an upper-crust intelligent fellow who is so tightly-would that the slightest movement is able to make his character snap. Darrow projects the angst and torment that absorbs his Hyde. Yet, throughout the plot, Darrow is not the only Hyde among us. 

No actor outshines any other. The producer and director have selected a troupe of top-notch thespians, with lots of professional theatre credits. These men and women help to bring out the best in each other.

The genius triumvirate of Sara Brown (scenic designer), Evan C. Anderson (lighting designer), and Jane Shaw (sound designer) deserve the highest kudos. Brown has created the exquisite, immense, dark, and chilling set worthy of a Tony Award. That’s only the start: floating doors, at least four escape hatches, winding staircases, windows becoming scientific laboratory beaker cabinets, three acting levels with a person or shadow rear centerstage. Who are these people? Voyeurs? The set must be an actor’s fantasy. Added are startling cracking sounds and instant beaming lights amid soft period music. 

Hartford Stage’s “J&H” is professional theatre at its best, both onstage and backstage.

*Note: Perhaps promotion for “J&H” included recommendations that youth under a certain age should not attend; if so, I hadn’t noticed. It wasn’t just the little girl and her brother seated behind me who jumped at the play’s start. I joined them. Scary stuff. Some language is lewd, one character is a prostitute – something to check prior to taking kids to the theatre. There are many other cultural opportunities in the Pioneer Valley for youngsters to enjoy.

October 15, 2024

REVIEW: K and E Theater Group, “Promises, Promises”

K and E Theater Group, Northampton, MA
through October 20, 2024
by Michael J. Moran
 
The original production of “Promises, Promises” in 1968 boasted a witty book by Neil Simon, a brilliant score by Burt Bacharach, and clever lyrics by Hal David and won two Tony Awards. Its mix of light-hearted satire and serious drama can be challenging to balance and may explain why the show has only been revived on Broadway once. But K and E’s ebullient production seems to have found the sweet spot for putting it across to modern audiences.   
 
Based on Billy Wilder’s 1960 film “The Apartment” and set in 1962 Manhattan, the story focuses on Chuck Baxter, a junior executive in a large insurance company, who hopes to advance his career by lending his apartment to his married superiors for trysts. Chuck also falls for Fran Kubelik, a waitress in the company cafeteria. Romantic complications ensue, taking an unexpected turn for the worse, before a hard-won happy ending for the leading couple.

Dion, Choquette and Berube
Casey Dion is an appealing Chuck, softening his fierce ambition with self-deprecating
narrative asides to the audience. Shealyn Berube is a sympathetic Fran, whose ambition is more for love than status. Joshua Aaron Mason is haughty as company personnel manager J.D. Sheldrake. Myka Plunkett is a hoot as flirting Marge MacDougall, and Gene Choquette is hilarious as Chuck’s neighbor, Dr. Dreyfuss, who delivers some of Simon’s funniest lines with perfect timing. The vehemence of Aileen Merino Terzi’s parting words to Mr. Sheldrake as Miss Olson, his secretary, also reveals an edgy MeToo sensibility in the script of this “Mad Men” era tale.

Musical highlights include: an exuberant “Overture,” which showcases Bacharach’s catchy irregular rhythms and wordless choruses; Berube’s stunning “I Say a Little Prayer” and “A House Is Not a Home;” the playful “A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing,” by Dion and Plunkett; and Dion’s powerful take on the title song. Music Director Elizabeth Monte’s seven-member onstage band offers animated support, notably Laura Ross’ mellow guitar and Pete Grimaldi’s hot trumpet.
 
Director-choreographer Eddie Zitka (the “E” of K and E, with co-founding partner Ken Comia) keeps his 13-member cast in constant motion, rhythmically moving elements of his ingeniously minimal set on and off the Northampton Center for the Arts stage. Period-appropriate costume design by Moonyean Field and Zitka adds further zest. 
 
This entertaining trip down memory lane is highly recommended for mature theatergoers.

October 14, 2024

Preview: "Bravo: Adele Addison", A Celebratory Event

November 3, 2024, 2pm-3pm
Community Music School, 
127 State Street, Springfield, MA

Adele Addison in 1955
Photographed by Carl Van Vechten
Adele Addison sang her first concert at age 12 at Old First Church, Springfield, MA. Those were the first luscious notes from Adele’s soprano voice which led her to a professional career throughout the U.S., Europe, on recordings and film.

In the Spotlight is proud to formally honor Adele Addison for the first time in her home city of Springfield. Addison is 100 years-old. 

“Bravo: Adele Addison” will take place on Sunday, November 3, 2024 from 2pm – 3pm at the Community Music School of Springfield, 127 State Street, Springfield. Ideally, Addison would be in attendance, but due to her frailty at this age, a video tape of the program will be sent to her at her home. Admission is FREE.

July 24, 1925 was a special day in the history of Springfield, MA. On this date, Adele Addison was born. Addison, an African-American lyric soprano was a figure in the classical music world during the 1950’s and 1960’s. She appeared in several operas but spent most of her career performing recitals and concerts in world-stage auditoriums. 

Her performances spanned a wide array of literature from the Baroque period to contemporary compositions. She is best remembered today as the singing voice for Bess (played by Dorothy Dandridge) in the 1959 movie, “Porgy and Bess”. Known for her polished and fluent tone, Addison made a superb Baroque vocal artist. Many of her recordings were with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Leonard Bernstein.

As a teenage, Addison was selected to sing as a soloist with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall (then called Springfield Auditorium). Addison began dedicated vocal studies as a teenager and, following her graduation from Classical High School in 1942. Her Classical High School yearbook states, “She sings like a bird”. 

The singer won her first scholarship to study at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. Further scholarships enabled her to pursue graduate studies at Princeton and attend summer sessions at the Berkshire Music Center (now known as Tanglewood).

She continued to study voice at the Juilliard School, and in 1955 she made the prestigious stage appearance with the New York City Opera, debuting as Mimi in Puccini's “La Bohème”. The New York Post said, "…about the most appealing interpreter of the Parisian seamstress yet to appear on the City Center stage. Small, frail looking, and pretty, Miss Addison enhanced these assets by acting and singing with moving poignancy and sincerity."

The Music School’s entry on State Street will be open with a greeter at the door. The venue is wheelchair accessible. Parking is located behind the school and on-street. NOTE: 11/3 begins Daylight Savings Day.

The program is sponsored by a grant from the Springfield Cultural Council, an agency of the MA Cultural Council.

Additional support for “Bravo – Adele Addison” comes from: the Community Music School, Springfield Museums, Springfield Women’s Commission, and FOCUS Television.

For information email spotlightinc@verizon.net

October 9, 2024

REVIEW: South Mountain Concerts, "Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble"

South Mountain Concerts, Pittsfield, MA
October 6, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

Perfect weather for Berkshire leaf-peeping cast a warm autumnal glow on a packed house at the final program in the 2024 season of this 106-year-old early fall chamber music series founded by renowned music patroness Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. But the music on the program featured all three of its composers in the springtime of their careers.

Tomo Keller
The performers, eight principal players of the London-based St. Martin in the Fields orchestra, led by their first violinist, Tomo Keller, debuted at South Mountain in 2019, and this was their first return engagement. They opened today’s concert with the “Two Pieces for String Octet,” which eighteen-year-old Dmitri Shostakovich wrote in 1924-25. The four violinists, two violists, and two cellists of the Academy Ensemble stressed the experimental modernism of the young Russian composer still finding his voice in a brooding “Prelude” and restless “Scherzo.” 

Next came a glowing account by six players of the “Sextet in A, for Two Violins, Two Violas, Two Cellos. Op. 48,” which then 36-year-old Czech composer Antonin Dvorak wrote during his early maturity in 1878. Its relaxed spirit may reflect Dvorak’s growing confidence after he had just received a government grant recommended by his fellow composer Johannes Brahms. An ardent “Allegro moderato” was followed by a melancholy “Dumka” (a Slavic elegy) and a headlong “Furiant” (a fast Bohemian dance), both forms that Dvorak used often in later works, and a sweeping “Theme and Variations” finale that builds from a modest folk-inspired tune to a powerful conclusion.    

The full ensemble regrouped to end the concert with a thrilling rendition of the “Octet in E-flat, Op. 20,” written in 1825 by sixteen-year-old German child prodigy Felix Mendelssohn. The piece’s formal balance and melodic invention have made it not only Mendelssohn’s own chamber masterpiece but one of the most popular works of chamber music by any composer. The Academy musicians presented a vigorous and flowing “Allegro moderato ma con fuoco,” a meltingly tender “Andante,” a fleet and gossamer “Scherzo: Allegro leggierissimo” (played exactly as marked: “as lightly as possible”), and a joyous closing “Presto.” A more festive way to finish a season would be hard to imagine.    

Tickets for the September-October 2025 South Mountain Concerts season go on sale next May.

October 8, 2024

PREVIEW: Paradise City Arts Fair

3 County Fairgrounds, Northampton, MA
October 12, 13, 14, 2024

Nearly 30 years ago, Bravo Newspaper’s 24th edition was hitting the streets. Lauren Grossman and I were publishers. One of the cover-page, above-the-fold, articles featured the new Paradise City Arts Fair. 

What was once a racetrack, were now dusty and murky grounds and large empty barns. Husband-and-wife artist team, Linda and Geoffrey Post, then created something beautiful literally from mud. Needless to say, at first the couple questioned each other, asking how can we transform this venue to showcase quality crafts and fine art? Would people come from throughout the country to a small New England town? 

Hindsight is, of course, 20/20. Amazingly and thankfully, Paradise City has become one of the “Top 10 Art Fairs sand Festivals in America”. [AmericanStyle Magazine]

Paradise City has boasted attendance far beyond the Post's expectations. Annually, among the huge groups of enthusiasts and shoppers is me.

All of the art, of every genre imaginable and some never imagined, is high-end because it is among the best of the best in the United States. I can only imagine the fun and feigned torture the judges must go through in their selection process. I would love that job.

If you attend, and I hope you do, plan for at least 3-hours viewing the crafts, talking to the creators, walking by the outdoor sculpture, and lunching in the giant food/music tent. Local musicians perform throughout the fair.

“My tried ‘n true method” of experiencing the fair, and not to exceed my self-allotted 3-hours, is to realize that I can’t see everything. Hard as it is to believe, but there can actually be too much art.

With no offense to jewelers, of which there are many, I skip all. Someone else might set jewelry as their first destination. It’s all to one’s liking. 

Crafters are located in attractive spaces in each barn or on the lawn, with a variety of each art form at every venue. Many of the artists are old-timers, yet the organizers make sure there is room for first timers as well as locals. No matter the category, each vendor must be vetted.

Paradise City’s crafters include the genres: metal, leather, wood, painting, photography, mixed media, furniture, fiber, works on paper, glass, ceramics, and jewelry.

My 3-hour clock is ticking – what to look for? My first instinct would be paintings and photography. Why? Because I have no skills at either which makes me appreciate the talent of others even more. Whimsy, unusual, new; these are a few of my favorite things; i.e. furniture that looks like humans [think “Beauty and the Beast”] or a metal 8’-foot tall whooping crane.

I surprise myself each year when I gravitate to two particular artists. The surprise is that I normally do not like sculpture or ceramics (I refer to as pottery). Yet, without fail, I purchase at least one item from each – an example of my personal goal to support living artists when possible.

The sculpture pieces are large brass tree limbs with multi-color, delicate leaves for a wall creation. The artist has designed the branches so the patron can add more branches, twist the shape, and grow larger wall art…or not. 

The second crafter specializes in small, unusual, usable ceramics with waves and splatters of color in green and blue. My first purchase was many years ago with my mother as my guest. She loved these works of art. With her birthday two weeks later, this became the ideal gift. Year after year, fair after fair, when my mother was unable to go, I would make another selection for her. Mother’s Day and Chanukah gifts just kept on coming. 

When Mom passed away, at age 99 ½ (half-years count when you are a toddler and a senior), I inherited each bit of pottery that I had gifted her. I said to myself, “I live in a condo. I have no more room for these”. Yet, discovered that when something is important, there is space for it and for the memories.

October 7, 2024

Review: Berkshire Theatre Group, "The Weir"

Berkshire Theatre Group, Stockbridge, MA
through October 27, 2024
by Janice Webb 

Photo by David Dashiell
I have always been enraptured by an Irish brogue; it feels to me like a warm fire in a cold hillside pub. Indeed, that is exactly how it revealed in playwright Conor McPherson's "The Weir". 
 
As the actors step on the stage and start their lilting, musical dialogue I felt safe and at home,
just as the characters of "The Wier" portray in their theatre home. The story, actually several stories, take place in a neighborhood pub in Carrig, County Tipperary, Ireland. Each patron has their own history shaped by families and past decisions. These five people are not best friends, but individuals that make the whole. 

The play opens with Jack (Sean Bridgers), the patron pouring a Guiness -- well, trying to as the pump is broken, and he must resort to a bottle of beer. He is followed by Brendan the barkeep (Philip Themio Stoddard). The order of personalities onset seems a bit backwards, that a patron would be the first in the pub, but it is remote interior Ireland and that's how it starts and that's how it is.

Enters the shy "scientific" Jim (Joey Collins), Finbar the gregarious realtor (Harry Smith), and newcomer from Dublin, Valerie (Stephanie Jean Lane). Each actor is superb in roles that they make human. 

What follows is an evening of stories of ghostly nights passed, graves dug, fairy roads discovered, and apparitions seen; a bit unsettling, but a good play for October with Halloween approaching. 

In between the stories swapped, the audience sees what our current world is missing: the lost art of a tale well told, shared between neighbors, a sense of community, a night among friends. 

Director Eric Hill has positioned actors in each character's place in this tiny world; on the old tavern's floor in chairs where none match. At other times, it is clear that Hill has lined up this night's pub patrons, made ready for one tale ascending to another with Jack's emotionally powerful narrative at the last. 

The plot and characters create a look back in time before everyone was glued to their cell phones, where neighbors helped each other even if you didn't always agree with each other. In sharing anecdotes, they also learn a little more about themselves. 

With an Irish brogue, the actors could have been reading the Dublin phonebook and I may have been happy for a bit. However, it was clear by the instant standing ovation, that the tales told were engrossing and truthful of the various human conditions as we pass through life. 
At the play's end, I asked myself, are there ghosts and fairies living with us and what would we do if they appeared? 

Note: Because our latest writer, Janice Webb, comes with a heritage as Irish as can be and has visited the "old country" several times, In the Spotlight asked for a review from her perspective. 

October 6, 2024

REVIEW: Goodpeed Musicals, "No Love Songs"

Goodspeed Musicals, East Haddam, CT
through October 20, 2024
By Suzanne Wells

Photo by Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
Everyone has their go-to playlists—the road trip jams, the workout anthems. The musical drama "No Love Songs" at The Terris Theatre, directed by Andrew Panton and Tashi Gore, introduces life’s playlist in an emotionally charged production.

Conceived by Kyle Falconer and Laura Wilde, this musical spins a classic love story between a musician and an independent young woman, played out like pages from a diary. They come together, drift apart, face challenges, and search for a way forward—each pivotal moment underscored by a song from their own life’s playlist.

Jessie, portrayed by the talented John McLarnon, is the love-struck musician balancing family life and his touring band. His rich, timbered voice and distinct Scottish brogue add depth to nearly every scene and song, making his performance unforgettable.

Anna Russell-Martin delivers a powerful portrayal of Lana, a new mother isolated from friends and family. She transforms seamlessly from a hopeful college girl to a desperate single parent, each scene layering complexity and eliciting palpable despair.

The music, written by Kyle Falconer of “The View” and arranged by Gavin Whitworth, includes toe-tapping numbers like “Stress Ball” and “Rake It In,” as well as soulful ballads such as “Still Here” and “Mother.” While the songs effectively enhance the storyline, their frequent reprises and incorporations into other numbers can make them blend together, leaving nothing particularly memorable to hum on the way out.

The stage, designed to resemble a bar, cleverly uses amplifiers and equipment boxes to represent various locations, adding a gritty, authentic feel to the production. Cate Mackie’s costume design hits the mark, with Jessie’s rock-star ensemble of jeans, t-shirt, flannel, and jean jacket; while Lana’s wardrobe of a jumpsuit, leather jacket and Doc Martens doubles as worn-out pajamas, visually narrating her emotional journey.

"No Love Songs" beautifully captures the highs and lows of love and life, offering a raw and moving portrayal of triumph over despair. This musical drama is a poignant reminder that through life’s greatest struggles, the music plays on.

October 1, 2024

REVIEW: Hartford Symphony Orchestra, "Prokofiev"

The Bushnell, Belding Theater, Hartford, CT
September 27-29, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

For the first weekend of their 2024-2025 “Masterworks” series, the HSO’s Music Director, Carolyn Kuan, followed an HSO premiere of a Romantic showpiece honoring two orchestra members with a double helping of favorite masterpieces by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev.

After a stirring traditional season-opening national anthem, HSO Concertmaster Leonid Sigal and Assistant Principal Second Violinist Jaroslaw Lis soloed in Spanish violinist-composer Pablo de Sarasate’s 1889 “Navarra” for two violins and orchestra. Celebrating their 20th and 30th HSO anniversaries respectively, they traded the virtuosic runs and sweet harmonies of this lively folk-based waltz with the polish and flair of longtime colleagues, warmly supported by Kuan and the ensemble.   

Sigal introduced their encore – the “Allegro” second movement of Prokofiev’s 1932 sonata for two violins – as a bridge between the bulls of Sarasate’s native Pamplona and Prokofiev’s wolf. The two soloists met the technical challenges of this brief, astringent workout with aplomb.

Next came Prokofiev’s most popular work, “Peter and the Wolf,” which he subtitled “symphonic tale for children, for narrator and orchestra.” Written in 1936 for the Moscow Children’s Theatre, it uses different instruments of the orchestra to depict characters (Peter, his grandfather, a bird, a cat, a duck, and a wolf) in an original story by the composer about the importance of courage.

While Kuan and the HSO fully captured the dramatic spirit of the story and its happy ending, the standout performance was the finely tuned, folksy but urbane narration of music entrepreneur and HSO board member June Archer. When he related how (spoiler alert) the wolf swallowed the duck, younger audience members audibly gasped.

The program closed with a blazing rendition of Prokofiev’s 1944 fifth symphony. Composed when World War II was turning in the Allies’ favor, he intended it as “a hymn to free and happy Man, to…his pure and noble spirit.” The opening “Andante” was reflective and vibrant; the whirlwind “Allegro marcato,” relentless and sardonic; the slow “Adagio,” alternately radiant and brash; and the closing “Allegro giocoso,” an exuberant romp.

The HSO’s next Masterworks will again honor Sigal, who will conduct on October 18-20.

September 23, 2024

Preview: Majestic Theater, “Shear Madness”

Majestic Theater, West Springfield, MA
through October 20, 2024
by Beverly Dane

No one would think of questioning your reason for watching the instant replay of a baseball homerun or seeing it again on the evening news. You already know who hit the bat. You already know who caught the ball or if a kid in the stands caught the ball or if no one caught the ball. Not only do you want to watch the replay, even though this time it’s not instant, you still want to see it; in fact, look forward to it.

Many would say, why spend money to purchase a movie ticket to see “Deadpool and Wolverine” or “Toy Story I, II, III, etc.” or “E.T.” again. You already know you will be nail-biting tense, smiley-faced, or teary eyed, respectively. The same holds true for the sixth time seeing Mr. Bookman (the library truant officer of late returns) chastise Jerry on “Seinfeld”.

Why repeat life experiences, whether they be sublime, comical, or merely watercooler chat? Do watercoolers still exist? I digress. 

Photo by Katie Rankins
The Majestic Theater’s current production, “Shear Madness,” is a very funny, silly play about a beauty salon. This play isn’t like the tragicomedy “Steel Magnolias,” also set at a salon. There is really no reason to see “Magnolias" twice, in my opinion. Albeit a pleasant ensemble piece for woman, even with the cast of Sally Fields, Julia Roberts, et al (movie version), the story is not compelling enough to spend two hours in a dark room smelling popcorn.

As for “Shear Madness,” who wouldn’t want to repeat the experience of laughter, sometimes belly-laughs, again? In the case of The Majestic, this was likely be my fourth or fifth version of the comings ‘n goings of the ridiculous characters in this setting. Not a spoiler: there’s a murder mystery as background; a who-cares who-done-it. Actually, the audience decides the outcome. Each night or matinee’s performance in a single week may designate a different culprit.

Every theatre company, director, and cadre of actors make for a different production – some clever, some going for pratfalls, some over-the-top, and/or some emphasizing R-rated laughs.

The motley mix of personalities, eat up the madness of the story’s plot, chew up the scenery, and purposely scene-steal. Take nothing seriously in this romp at the salon, especially the erstwhile murder intrigue. 

If for no other reason than to see a perfectly designed set, complete with hot and cold running water, “Shear Madness” should be seen again. 

Actors’ skills in nearly every “Shear Madness” are comedy. Go for the jugular, and then quickly to the next, while the audience is still laughing at the first joke. Timing is important, and the Majestic is always at its best in this genre.

Visiting the “Shear Madness” once is not enough. After all, people get frequent haircuts over time; don’t they. Recommended is an appointment at the Majestic’s “Shear Madness” exploits.

September 16, 2024

Review: Shakespeare & Company, “Three Tall Persian Women”

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA
through October 13, 2024
by Shera Cohen

What a coup it is for any theatre to present a World Premiere. A double coup for Shakespeare
& Company is a playwright starring in her own play. This is the case in “Three Tall Persian Women”.
Photo by Maggie Hall

“Women” is a generational story of the old country, reluctant or intended immigration, and the new country. How do people segue from lifestyles, mores, and particularly the roles of women to another while still appreciating their heritage?

Yes, three women populate this story of mother/daughter relationships in a contemporary setting in the U.S. None are “tall,” yet perhaps mighty in each one’s convictions. Their heritage is Iranian.

Golnar, the 20-something daughter, portrayed by the play’s writer Awni Abdi-Bahri, shows her audience a young woman, caught in the middle of generations, beliefs, and history. While the outward focal point of many of the laughs, Abdi-Bahri gives her character a somber churning in her entire being.

Niousha Noor’s depiction of Golnar’s mother is in direct opposition to the personality, dreams, and lifestyle of Golnar. Noor plays this well-meaning mother role with hesitance and self-questioning.

The matriarch of this family of women is acted by Lanna Joffrey as Grandmother Mamani. Joffrey plays a powerhouse senior, living in Iran’s past as if history made no edits on her life as it is now.

The interaction between the characters is primarily between mother and daughter. In her own quiet way, Nasrin is at the center of the picture, on this day marking the anniversary of her husband’s death. The audience knows little about this man, except that he is an example of Iranian society where women are viewed in ancillary roles in a family and society.

Yet, the play’s title is about three women; not men; the setting America. 

Into this picture walks the only male on the stage; Shayan, richly and realistically portrayed by Afsheen Misaghi. Mom and Grandma have set up Golnar on a date with Shayan. These scenes provide many moments of laughter, but the duo does not play coy. Each character gives what he/she gets in their verbal jibes. Misaghi has fewer lines than anyone else on stage, yet he makes the most of every line, whether speaking or singing.

The running time is long, especially with some unnecessary elements that might be deleted or reduced; i.e. Grandma’s dissertation on the Shah, actors giving candy bits to the audience, and the shadowed sexual encounter that opens the play. Note: Not recommended for anyone under 16.

Some may disagree; the story is somewhat generic where Iranians could be substituted with just about any ethnic group. What is true about immigrants, especially in this era and to America, can be true throughout the globe.

September 10, 2024

REVIEW: South Mountain Concerts "Wu Han & Friends"

South Mountain Concerts, Pittsfield, MA
September 8, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

David Finckel & Wu Han
Pianist Wu Han, Co-Artistic Director (with her husband, cellist David Finckel) of the NYC-based Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, was joined by Finckel, violinists Chad Hoopes and Richard Lin, and violist Matthew Lipman to open the 2024 season of this century-old festival with a program of three major works for varied instrumental ensembles with broad appeal to chamber music veterans and newcomers alike.

The concert began with a lively reading by Lin, Finckel, and Lipman of Beethoven’s 1799 String Trio in C minor, Op. 9, No. 3. The key of C minor always drew music of high drama from the composer (for example, his fifth symphony). A turbocharged “Allegro con spirito” was followed by a gentle, almost happy-go-lucky “Adagio con espressione.” Both the energetic “Scherzo” and the tempestuous “Presto” finale had abrupt, quiet endings, a playful touch.                

Next came an impassioned account by Wu Han, Hoopes, and Finckel of Czech composer Bedrich Smetana’s Piano Trio No. 1 in G minor, Op. 15. Written in 1858 in memory of his young daughter Bedriska, its “Moderato assai” first movement opened with a seven-measure violin solo, played with piercing intensity by Hoopes. Wu Han’s sensitive pianism and Finckel’s rich cello tone were equally affecting in the expressive middle movement, “Allegro…Maestoso,” and a defiant closing “Presto” which includes a brief funeral march.

The program ended on a more upbeat note with a joyous performance by the full ensemble of Robert Schumann’s most popular chamber piece, his 1842 Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44. It featured an exuberant “Allegro brillante,” an alternately somber and brisk second movement, marked “In the Style of a March,” a virtuosically nimble “Scherzo,” and a jubilant “Allegro, ma non troppo” finale.    

The frequent choice by Wu Han and Finckel to perform with musicians several decades younger, creates a cross-generational spark in their music-making that clearly resonated with today’s enthusiastic audience.

This venerable series of chamber music concerts performed by world-class ensembles continues on Sundays through October 6.

August 29, 2024

REVIEW: Tanglewood "Lewis+/Gerstein+/Ehnes+"

Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA
July 24, 31 & August 21, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

Three recent concerts in Tanglewood’s Ozawa Hall extended the range and repertoire offered in earlier concerts during the 2024 season.

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players July 24 program opened with BSO flutist Elizabeth Rowe’s moving performance of Allison Loggins-Hull’s “Homeland” for solo flute, a harrowing 2018 depiction of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. English pianist Paul Lewis next joined BSO members John Ferrillo, oboe, William R. Hudgens, clarinet, Richard Svoboda, bassoon, and Richard Sebring, horn, in a sprightly reading of Mozart’s cheerful 1784 Quintet in E-flat, K. 452. The BSO’s Alexander Velinzon and Tatiana Dimitriades, violins, Cathy Basrak and Danny Kim, violas, and Blaise Dejardin and Oliver Aldort, cellos, closed the concert with a glowing account of Johannes Brahms’s radiant 1866 String Sextet No. 2 in G, Opus 36.

Photo by Hillary Scott
A week later, Russian-American pianist Kirill Gerstein was joined by American violinist Joshua Bell and British cellist Seven Isserlis in a program of French music written between 1915 and 1923. Bell and Gerstein played Claude Debussy’s violin sonata with the “joyful commotion” that the composer noted in the piece. Isserlis and Gerstein showcased the Spanish flavor of Debussy’s cello sonata. Bell and Isserlis focused their virtuosic take on Maurice Ravel’s sonata for violin and cello on its spiky modernism. In a solo piano set, Gerstein offered sensitive versions, with engaging commentary, of Gabriel Faure’s “heartbroken” Nocturne No. 13, an ethereal nocturne written in homage to Faure by jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, and four haunting late works by Debussy. A bracing rendition of Faure’s piano trio ended the evening on a life-enhancing note.   

On August 21, Canadian violinist James Ehnes and Italian pianist Alessio Bax made their Tanglewood debuts as last-minute replacements for violinist Leonidas Kavakos (recovering from a shoulder injury) and pianist Danill Trifonov. Prefacing each piece with helpful commentary, Ehnes said they had selected three of their favorite sonatas. They began with a nimble account of Mozart’s brief 1778 Sonata in E minor, K.304, including a dramatic “Allegro” and a stately “Tempo di Menuetto.” Next came an impassioned Brahms 1878 Sonata No. 1 in G, Opus 78 (the only carryover from the original program). They ended with an exhilarating account of Beethoven’s towering 1803 Sonata No. 9 in A, Opus 47, “Kreutzer” (named, ironically, after a violinist who never played it).  
 
Their whirlwind encore, the jazzy “Perpetuum mobile” finale of Ravel’s 1927 second sonata for violin and piano, brought another diverse Ozawa Hall season to a dazzling close.

August 27, 2024

REVIEW: Tanglewood, "Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra Series"

Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA
August 5, 12, & 19, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

The last three TMCO concerts presented the two 2024 TMC conducting fellows with new opportunities: vocal music, contemporary works, and replacing a missing conductor.

On August 5, TMC fellow Na’Zir McFadden led a touchingly vivid account of Maurice Ravel’s four-movement 1920 tribute to victims of World War I, “Le Tombeau de Couperin.” TMC fellow Ross Jamie Collins shaped a brilliant reading of Silvestre Revueltas’s 1938 tone poem “Sensemaya,” which fully captured its ritualistic Afro-Latin sensuality. American BSO guest conductor Alan Gilbert skillfully guided the TMCO through the complex rhythms and shifting colors of Henri Dutilleux’s 1964 “Metaboles” (“Transformations”), making this challenging piece surprisingly accessible. He then poked hilarious fun at himself and the audience with a playful rendition of Joseph Haydn’s 1788 Symphony No. 90, with its several surprise endings.      

Photo by Hillary Scott
A week later, the TMC conducting fellows led 12 TMC vocal fellows in excerpts from “The
Magic Flute,” “Don Giovanni,” and “The Marriage of Figaro” for a delightful “Mozart Opera Evening.” Collins cued the singers and instrumentalists more extravagantly than McFadden, whose more economical gestures drew equally compelling performances. Standouts included: soprano Emily Rocha’s devastating “Ach, ich fuhl’s” (“Ah, I feel it”) as a hopeless Pamina in “The Magic Flute;” a seductive “La ci darem la mano” (“Give me your hand”) from baritone John Arlievsky as a suave Don Giovanni and mezzo-soprano Anna Maria Vacca as a befuddled Zerlina; and a hilarious “Voi, che sapete” (“You who know”) by mezzo-soprano Carmen Edano as a lovestruck teenage Cherubino in “The Marriage of Figaro.” English subtitles were helpfully projected above the stage.
 
McFadden and Collins faced a new challenge on August 19, when Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, who would have led Sergei Prokofiev’s 1945 fifth symphony, cancelled his Tanglewood appearances due to a recent leg injury. Their ingenious solution was for each of them to lead two of its four movements. McFadden’s more restrained conducting style produced a vibrant first movement (“Andante”) and a haunting third (“Adagio”), while Collins’s flashier style inspired a driving second movement (“Allegro moderato”) and an exuberant finale (“Allegro giocoso”). The result was a powerfully cohesive vision of the Russian composer’s heroic masterpiece.

That concert opened with Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz’s six-minute folk-inflected 2021 “Kauyumari” (“Blue Deer”), representing a spiritual guide for the Huichol people of Mexico, in a visceral reading under McFadden. Next came a sensitive account, also under McFadden, of British-American composer Bernard Rands’s equally brief but bracing “Adieu,” for brass quintet and string orchestra, in honor of the composer’s recent 90th birthday. The program’s first half concluded with an electrifying Collins-led rendition by the TMCO of Jean Sibelius’s 1892 tone poem “En Saga,” evoking the spirit of Finnish folklore.

The past eight weeks of intensive concerts, professional training, and musical camaraderie, including their major role in the annual Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music, will surely be formative experiences in these young musicians’ careers.   

August 26, 2024

REVIEW: Jacob’s Pillow, "Dance Theatre of Harlem"

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA
through August 25, 2024
by Josephine Sarnelli

Dance Theatre of Harlem has remained true to its classical ballet roots, while breathing life into this program with infusions of R&B and funk. The versatility of this dance company allowed for a brilliant and varied program from four diverse choreographers.

To open the program, Robert Garland, new Artistic Director of DTH, choreographed “Higher Ground” to several genius works of Stevie Wonder. Although written half a century ago, the lyrics of the songs remain relevant in addressing socioeconomic and political issues. A thought-provoking program note written by Garland reads, “Higher Ground represents a Sankofa-esque reflection on our current time.”  Sankofa is a Ghanian word meaning to go back for what you have forgotten behind or learning from the past.  Garland may be referring to this on a cultural level, but possibly also to DTH’s mission of making ballet attainable to all. The optimistic lyrics of the song for which the piece is named address reincarnation and a second chance at life. This, too, could be referring to our global state of affairs or to DTH, in particular.
   
The classical training of the six dancers provided outstanding en pointe work and partnering. There were numerous overhead lifts, cabrioles and grand jetes to satisfy traditional ballet audiences, blended with jazz-like movements in keeping with the contemporary nature of the music. The choreographer brought the dancers together at the crossroads of ballet, funk and soul.

“Take Me With You,” a short duet choreographed by Robert Bondara, relied heavily on the athleticism and connection between performers Delaney Washington and Derek Brockington. Set to Radiohead’s “Reckoner,” the dance’s entrance and exit offer haunting acapella clapping. Unusually complex lifts were masterfully executed as their bodies seamlessly unite only to separate again. As with “Higher Ground,” this choreography might be making a commentary on world struggles or on a more simplistic level examining the cycles of interpersonal relationships.
Photo by Christopher Duggan

Balanchine’s “Allegro Brillante” was an exuberant performance to Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto No.3.” With only eight dancers performing for 13 minutes, the piece is a concentrated indulgence into classical Russian ballet style. It was joyful and an excellent complement to the other nontraditional offerings in the program.

“Blake Works IV (The Barre Project, 2023),” choreographed by William Forsythe to songs written by James Blake, closed off the program. With its start date during the pandemic, the original choreography was created over Zoom and echoes back to the isolation of that period. Dancers entered and exited singly to a ballet barre located at the back of the stage. The distance of the barre from the audience and lack of connection of the performers with one another was appropriate for the pandemic era but grew monotonous for a live audience. The dancers performed exquisitely, but in a vacuum, to the soulful music.

Sankofa is symbolized by a bird that has its grounded feet facing forward, while holding an egg in its mouth as it looks backwards. Dance Theatre of Harlem remains faithful to its founders’ mission of ensuring classical ballet is accessible to all, while keeping it relevant for a new generation.


REVIEW: Berkshire Opera Festival, “Faust”

Berkshire Opera Festival, Great Barrington, MA
August 27 & 30, 2024
by Michael J. Moran

Photo by Ken Howard
To conclude their ninth season, Berkshire Opera Festival presents its first French opera: a triumphant production of Charles Gounod’s 1859 masterpiece “Faust.” Based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s play “Faust, Part I,” and with a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre, “Faust” was not only Gounod’s breakthrough work but has remained by far the most popular of his 12 operas.

Act I opens as Faust, an aging scholar, plans to end his life in despair at its meaninglessness, when the sound of happy young voices outside his window makes him long to regain his lost youth. Mephistopheles, the Devil, promptly appears and offers to grant his wish on earth if Faust will serve him in hell. The remaining four acts follow the handsome younger Faust’s seduction of the beautiful Marguerite and its effects on both of them and on her family and community.  

Tenor Duke Kim is an ardent Faust, singing and acting with passion, clarity, and plush tonal beauty. Bass-baritone Justin Hopkins portrays Mephistopheles with a winning mix of demonic power, comic wit, and even sex appeal. Soprano Raquel Gonzalez tracks Marguerite’s journey from demure grace through amorous infatuation to abject heartbreak with unerring skill. Mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce as Siebel, a local boy in love with Marguerite; baritone Jarrett Porter as Marguerite’s brother, Valentin; mezzo-soprano Abbegael Greene as her neighbor; Marthe, and baritone Kyle Dunn as Wagner, a student, all make strong impressions in their roles.

Vocal highlights include: Porter’s affecting rendition of Valentin’s Act II aria “Before I Leave This Place;” Gonzalez’s poignant reading of Marguerite’s Act III “King of Thule” aria; Greene’s hilarious pass as Marthe at Hopkins’ roguish Mephistopheles in the Act III quartet; a stirring Act IV soldiers’ chorus; and Hopkins’ menacing laughter in Mephistopheles’ Act IV serenade.

Resourceful direction by BOF Co-Founder Jonathon Loy culminates in a stunning coup de theatre at Marguerite’s Act V redemption, when Alex Jainchill’s subtle lighting design suddenly brightens. Committed performances under BOF Artistic Director and Co-Founder Brian Garman by the BOF orchestra and chorus (led by Chorus Master Geoffrey Larson) bring Gounod’s brilliant score to vivid life. Sensitive choreography by Andrea Beasom, elegant costume design by Brooke Stanton, and spare but flexible scenic design by Stephen Dobay keep the focus squarely on the characters and the drama.

This outstanding “Faust” shouldn’t be missed by lovers of Romantic grand opera. Perhaps more importantly, "Faust" offers the opportunity for those who aren't opera aficionados to see a love story sung in French.

Note from editor: A surprising start to the performance was the swift staccato beat of a solo snare drum, followed by the full orchestra, and the unprompted audience immediately standing, facing the U.S. flag to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner". Now that both the Republican and Democratic conventions are behind us, without touching on politics, a salute to our country seemed fitting.