Opus: Sweet Music

Though it's certainly too early to predict such things in the sticky days of New York August, I wouldn't be surprised if, come the lusty month of May, Michael Hollinger's smart, funny and ultimately shocking and downright breathtaking comedy/drama Opus, now getting an sparkling production under director Terrence J. Nolen at Primary Stages, is remembered as one of the top plays of this fledgling theatre season.  You don't need an intimate knowledge of classical music to appreciate this entertaining and surprise-packed study of group dynamics among members of a Grammy-winning string quartet, as the same story could very well be told of any situation involving office politics.

We first meet the musicians through snippets of private interviews each is giving for a documentary.  The play skips between the past and present, peppered with more of these individual asides.  First violinist Elliot (David Beach) is the fussy, intellectual whip-cracker who leads the group.  Carl (Douglas Rees) is the strong, silent bass player, nice guy Alan (Richard Topol) is at second violin, and violist Dorian (Michael Laurence) is considered far and away the finest musician and most visionary artist of the group.

But when the first proper scene begins, Dorian is gone and the young, soft-spoken Grace (Mahira Kakkar) is auditioning for her spot.  The others recognize brilliance in Grace, and she hesitantly accepts their offer, despite her upcoming opportunity to audition for the first violin chair at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; a job with less individual prestige but more stability and security.

As the quartet prepares for their first gig with Grace, a high-profile televised engagement at The White House, Elliot insists they scrap the intended piece for Beethoven's difficult Opus 131, adding more pressure to a tense situation.  We gradually learn more about the history of the group involving both personal and professional relationships and conflicts as new relationships and conflicts develop.

Much of the friction revolves around how far the group can advance artistically under Elliot's technically proficient, but perhaps artistically limited performances at first violin.  In explaining the decision to give him that position instead of the gifted and visionary, but troubled and unpredictable Dorian, Alan tells Grace, "Do you really want Joan of Arc as your leader?  Giving cues, setting tempos?  I mean, she's inspirational, sure, sometimes she takes you to a whole new place.  But when you're sitting down to play a sold-out concert in Carnegie Hall… do you really want to wonder if tonight that person's talking to dead people?  So, we settled.  For a little less brilliance, less spontaneity, maybe.  But a lot more reliability."

Hollinger's lively, fluid and literate dialogue reflects the instruments each character plays, from Elliot's intellectual flamboyance on top to Carl's muscular foundation below, and under Nolen they interact like a polished ensemble.  Their playing is excellently mimed to pre-recorded music, seeming very live with Jorge Cousineau's sound design.

From its opening strains to its stunning climax, Opus is worthy of scores of bravissimos.

Photos by James Leynse:  Top:David Beach, Richard Topol, Douglas Rees and Michael Laurence

Center:  Michael Laurence and David Beach

Bottom:  Douglas Rees, Richard Topol, Mahira Kakkar, Michael Laurence and David Beach