‘Cendrillon’ Opera Not Just Another Cinderella Story
by Becky Kinder - Originally Published April 11, 2011
Opera can be unapproachable to even the most avid theatre buff, but the use of a commonly known fairy tale story such as Cinderella, even the youngest novice can find fun and appreciation in a night at the opera. The latest production of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music here at California State University, Long Beach is “Cendrillon,” by Jules Massenet with libretto by Henri Cain.
First performed in 1899, Massenet and Cain used some well-known aspects of Perrault’s 1698 tale, but conceived of some fresh interpretations for the story. This production echoes that sentiment with its own conceptive twists of the opera under the direction of Stephanie Vlahos.
Though Vlahos is a Director-In-Residence for the conservatory and has the experience of a professional singer, her capability as a director for “Cendrillon” is delightful in theory, but not in execution. The curtain opens on several occasions to excruciatingly uneventful staging where the performers are standing or sitting and doing nothing but that. Placing an actor on a stage is not the same as blocking a story to bring it to life. Vlahos’ conceptual themes and their simplicity and post-modern funk work for the set and some of the costumes, make up, and hair, but fall flat in most of the actual direction of the performers. There is a child the story of Cinderella is being read to, and it is as though her imagination is what we see being performed on the stage, but Vlahos’ staging of the child through almost every scene becomes merely a distraction and annoyance, for there is nothing for her to do but stare at the action and eventually she gets so bored she is just rubbing her face and looking at the ceiling. The child would have been better as an undertone and periodic spice to the story, rather than such a focus as Vlahos set her up to be. The lyrics, though in French, are provided in English by supertitles above the stage, and only end up magnifying that more action should be happening, such as when the servants are suddenly nervous that their master is in the room, though he was there, down center, all along and could not be missed.
The cast was comprised of high and low points as well, though it is hard to tell if it is only that their experience is lacking or if it is also the direction. Standout performances were given in this evening performance by Zoe Scaljon (Cendrillon) and Mindi Ehrlich (Madame de la Haltiere). These women not only have amazing voices, but their acting is what really secures them as spotlight performers. Scaljon’s voice is creamy and seemingly effortless, while Ehrlich’s acting soars above the rest. The stepsisters, played by Beth Wightwick and Jessie Shulman, are a joy with their physicality at times as well, and the other leads and chorus caress the ears as well.
The set design by Frederica Nascimento is perfectly simple in Cendrillon’s home, but misses the mark in other aspects, such as the weird Fairy Godmother coach and clouds that looked like black trash bags covering foam. The costume, make up, and hair designs by Nancy Wei are also interesting and fun in some ways, but lack being more cohesive with the lyrics and feel of the music. This is very apparent during the scenes with the birds which take the place of any other fairy-like characters and are more buzzard-faced ugly things than whimsical.
I do recommend seeing this production, which runs as a double cast with matinee and evening shows, but its two and a half hour run and French lyrics, along with overly sexualized staging, make it inappropriate for the little ones who will get bored or confused. Know that Cain wrote the libretto with the Prince as a soprano, so that makes it a breeches role played by a woman. The harmonies of the Prince and Cendrillon work overall, but I miss the blending of a strong tenor that Massenet and Cain did not acheive.
Though this production has a dark tone in its costuming and paint and its production quality is lacking at times, it is, as the translated lyrics say, “embroidered in color.”
Opera can be unapproachable to even the most avid theatre buff, but the use of a commonly known fairy tale story such as Cinderella, even the youngest novice can find fun and appreciation in a night at the opera. The latest production of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music here at California State University, Long Beach is “Cendrillon,” by Jules Massenet with libretto by Henri Cain.
First performed in 1899, Massenet and Cain used some well-known aspects of Perrault’s 1698 tale, but conceived of some fresh interpretations for the story. This production echoes that sentiment with its own conceptive twists of the opera under the direction of Stephanie Vlahos.
Though Vlahos is a Director-In-Residence for the conservatory and has the experience of a professional singer, her capability as a director for “Cendrillon” is delightful in theory, but not in execution. The curtain opens on several occasions to excruciatingly uneventful staging where the performers are standing or sitting and doing nothing but that. Placing an actor on a stage is not the same as blocking a story to bring it to life. Vlahos’ conceptual themes and their simplicity and post-modern funk work for the set and some of the costumes, make up, and hair, but fall flat in most of the actual direction of the performers. There is a child the story of Cinderella is being read to, and it is as though her imagination is what we see being performed on the stage, but Vlahos’ staging of the child through almost every scene becomes merely a distraction and annoyance, for there is nothing for her to do but stare at the action and eventually she gets so bored she is just rubbing her face and looking at the ceiling. The child would have been better as an undertone and periodic spice to the story, rather than such a focus as Vlahos set her up to be. The lyrics, though in French, are provided in English by supertitles above the stage, and only end up magnifying that more action should be happening, such as when the servants are suddenly nervous that their master is in the room, though he was there, down center, all along and could not be missed.
The cast was comprised of high and low points as well, though it is hard to tell if it is only that their experience is lacking or if it is also the direction. Standout performances were given in this evening performance by Zoe Scaljon (Cendrillon) and Mindi Ehrlich (Madame de la Haltiere). These women not only have amazing voices, but their acting is what really secures them as spotlight performers. Scaljon’s voice is creamy and seemingly effortless, while Ehrlich’s acting soars above the rest. The stepsisters, played by Beth Wightwick and Jessie Shulman, are a joy with their physicality at times as well, and the other leads and chorus caress the ears as well.
The set design by Frederica Nascimento is perfectly simple in Cendrillon’s home, but misses the mark in other aspects, such as the weird Fairy Godmother coach and clouds that looked like black trash bags covering foam. The costume, make up, and hair designs by Nancy Wei are also interesting and fun in some ways, but lack being more cohesive with the lyrics and feel of the music. This is very apparent during the scenes with the birds which take the place of any other fairy-like characters and are more buzzard-faced ugly things than whimsical.
I do recommend seeing this production, which runs as a double cast with matinee and evening shows, but its two and a half hour run and French lyrics, along with overly sexualized staging, make it inappropriate for the little ones who will get bored or confused. Know that Cain wrote the libretto with the Prince as a soprano, so that makes it a breeches role played by a woman. The harmonies of the Prince and Cendrillon work overall, but I miss the blending of a strong tenor that Massenet and Cain did not acheive.
Though this production has a dark tone in its costuming and paint and its production quality is lacking at times, it is, as the translated lyrics say, “embroidered in color.”
Labels: Becky Kinder, Cendrillon, Cinderella, CSULB, Long Beach, opera
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