What first comes to mind when you think of Windsor? An automotive centre? A gateway to Detroit? A historic distillery district? Put aside thoughts of the city’s industrial and manufacturing history, and turn your attention to the arts, and opera in particular.
It was with a bit of trepidation and a great deal of curiosity that I headed down the 401 to see Abridged Opera’s Die Fledermaus. As Windsor-Essex’s premiere opera company, Abridged Opera’s mission is to connect the community with exciting, educational and professional productions that cater to a wide and varied audience. The company’s online presence is evidence of devotion to their mission, and their informative and entertaining posts meant that I was well prepared for their production. The venue was The Capitol Theatre, a 1920 beauty designed by Thomas White Lamb who also created the Pantages (now the Ed Mirvish Theatre) and the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres in Toronto. The history of the preservation of this building is opera-worthy, and its grandeur was reminiscent of the opulent theatres that Fledermaus would have played in during the late 19th century’s Golden Age of Operetta. No grandiose sets were needed in a venue like this.
Die Fledermaus is a light-hearted social comedy involving flirting, mistaken identities, mischievous revenge and plenty of champagne. The plot centres around a New Year’s masked ball hosted by Prince Orlofsky. Dr. Falke uses this event to prank his friend Eisenstein, who is meant to be going to jail for insulting an officer. Eisenstein ends up going to Orlofsky’s lavish event and wooing his own wife, Rosalinde, while their maid, Adele, pretends to be a famous Russian actress. All is resolved happily in the jailhouse the next morning.
The minute that conductor Geoffrey Larson stepped onto the podium, people knew that they were in for a spirited musical evening. Animated but not pretentious, Larson led with infectious energy, and his emotional connection with the music translated into gorgeous playing by the 21-piece Windsor Symphony Orchestra ensemble. The large audience was treated to a rich orchestral layering of sparkling lightness mixed with deeper emotional phrasing, and the singers were fueled by Larson’s precise direction.
John Holland was in fine form as Dr. Falke – his sonorous speaking voice and skilled acting made his duplicitous character a comic delight, while his baritone training was particularly evident in his ensemble work. This operetta needs a strong main character around which all the others revolve, and Holland was the hub of that dramatic wheel. Andrew Derynck was a hilariously hapless Eisenstein who easily hit all the high money notes. It was a pleasure to see Derynck in a lighter role while still using his powerful dramatic tenor in legato passages. His enjoyment of the role was infectious, spilling over onto fellow cast members and the audience.
Photo Credit: Gene Schilling Media
The maid Adele (Brianna DeSantis) in disguise as a Russian actress for the ball
Grace Quinsey, as a self-centred and pretentious Rosalinda, was captivating. Her high notes popped like champagne, and her voice was full of colourful spins, with the Csardas in the second act demonstrating some particularly good phrasing. The cat and mouse game she played with Derynck was delightful. As the maid Adele, Brianna DeSantis was charismatic and had a lush, unforced tonality. Her voice was a lovely meshing of her classical background as well as her time in musical theatre – a very good combination for operetta. Her laughing song in Act Two showcased her ability to quickly switch between her lower and upper register.
I was particularly impressed by Colin Bell in his role as Alfred. He has a light, smooth sound; it is a voice that has the possibility of maturing into something very special indeed. Bell’s affected French accent and his excellent comedic timing made him a highlight of the show. Alyssa Epp was a suitably bemused Orlofsky who led a raucous “Chacun à son goût,” Martin Ouellette was a very funny Frank with a gift for physical comedy, Jordan Fantauzzo was a patter-perfect Dr. Blind, and there was good dramatic support from Hayley Romanyk as Ida and Victoria Horshowsky as Yvan. Tracey Atin was an entertaining and high-spirited Frosch.
Coming on and off stage when needed, the chorus, with scores in hand, was situated on bleachers on stage right. Although not a large group, they sounded strong and in sync with the orchestra. The orchestra itself was centre stage while the action took place around it. Director Erin Armstrong cleverly used minimal stage space, even incorporating the orchestra when breaking the fourth wall. Initially, when I walked in the theatre and saw the set up, I was cynical about how much actual staging would take place. But Armstrong was consistent with her fluidity of lines and action, making every scene visually interesting and different. Despite all the lead action taking place downstage from the orchestra, there was neither confusion nor obvious miscues. The costumes did not reflect any particular time period and were of varying quality.
Abridged Opera’s Fledermaus was a joyful reunion of Southwestern Ontario artists like no other, and I am curious to see what they come up with next. As we drove back to our hotel along the Detroit River and looked across to the States, I felt fiercely proud of the Canadian artists and production I had just seen.
Photo Credit: Gene Schilling Media
Grace Quinsey was “a self-centred and pretentious Rosalinde” in Windsor
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