Review: ROMEO AND JULIET at Opera Theatre Of St. Louis

It’s now in its 51st season!  Opera Theatre of St. Louis has, over these decades, built a name for itself among the great opera companies of the world.  Folks come from ‘round the globe to enjoy pre-show picnics on the beautiful grounds, then enter the comfortable and acoustically blest Loretto Hilton theater to gobble up the world’s operatic wonders. 

This season they’ve been teasing us a little: 

• Their opener, The Pirates of Penzance, is a beloved treasure, and it has challenging music far above the norm for its genre, yet it remains an operetta. 
• The Light in the Piazza has great, engaging charm, yet it is (let’s face it) a Broadway show.
• A Streetcar Named Desire is indeed an opera, yet it has no duets, trios, or quartets—let alone a chorus.

But ahh, now!!  Now we’ve hit the jackpot!  Now we have grand opera that is truly grand!  Now we have Charles Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet—one of the most popular operas in the world.  A large cast of brilliant voices, exquisite costumes, a score that’s brimming with everything from fugue to madrigal to somber requiem to dazzling coloratura arias, an ageless tragic love story—and exciting sword-fights!  What more could we ask? 

Now Opera Theatre has let us have it with both barrels!

As usual, the opera is sung in English, with supertitles.

Stage Director Keturah  Stickann and her designers have a big surprise for us.  Can you guess the “concept” of this production?  Is it placed in colonial Africa?  Or on Mars?  Or in the Bronx?   No!  Would you believe these folks set this story in Renaissance Verona?  I love ‘em!

The production is spearheaded by two remarkably gifted singers:  Leonardo Sánchez as Romeo, and Emma Marhefka as Juliet.  These two bring their four great duets to thrilling life.  All supporting roles are rock-solid fine.

The light rises on a striking edifice—a great brick wall and pillar, another pillar in stone, a few steps here and there.  At first I was surprised at all this brick.  In 16th century Italy I was expecting marble.  But designer Liliana Duque Piñeiro has done her homework.  My electronic crystal ball tells me that Veronese architecture showed a very distinctive use of alternating stripes of red brick and white stone.  So rest assured this is authentic.  The wall is, yes, rather staid, but some nicely romantic touches appear in the very artful and intricate ironwork against a deep blue sky.  

We open with a wonderful prologue with the black-clad chorus singing almost a cappella (with just a harp).  It’s a solemn fugue describing the conflict between Montagues and Capulets.  Bravo to the singers and to Chorus Master Andrew Whitfield for such gorgeous, moving work.  

Vincius Costa appears as Lord Capulet, to introduce his lovely daughter and invite us all to the ball.  His is a towering bass voice that commands the stage. 

In Juliet’s first arietta (the familiar “Juliet’s Waltz”) she sings “I want to live!”  She conveys a school-girl’s elation at the joys of life—and of a costume ball!  Soprano Emma Marhefka is small, but what a voice!  She triumphs in all the coloratura decorations that fill this song.  Now Juliet is only thirteen and all these rather sophisticated vocal fireworks actually diminish the pure innocence we want in her—and of course no thirteen-year-old could possibly sing them.  But that’s Gounod’s problem.  He added this arietta to please the soprano he’d cast for the premiere.  And we?  We can just sit back and soak in that vocal glory.

The ball fills with Capulets, all in graceful party gear—masks, flowing gowns.  They dance a lovely, lively dance—choreographed by Seán Curran.

When the young Montague rowdies arrive Mercutio sings that marvelous ballad of Queen Mab.  It’s almost a patter song, and baritone Benjamin Taylor nails it!  He’s energetic and agile and shows an irrepressible wit.

Tenor Leonardo Sánchez as Romeo was born for this role.  His voice is very strong and clear, and he and Ms. Marhefka, together, sing the most beautiful songs of love and anguish that we’re ever likely to hear.  Perfect casting!   At Juliet’s balcony, as the girl brushes her beautiful hair, Romeo captures her heart and the young couple both melt with love.

Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, pops in from time to time to defend the family honor.  Micah Perry, whose tenor voice is bright and clear, makes him a flashing character, fiery of temper and an elegant swordsman. 

Now her father intends Juliet to wed Paris, who is sung by Cole Bellamy.  For a singer of modest size Bellamy shows a surprisingly large and powerful voice.  Fine work!

Friar Lawrence is sung by bass-baritone Nicholas Newton with a strong and lucid voice.  He presides over a secret and musically joyous wedding. 

Stephano, a fresh and lively young Montague, is a role invented for this opera.  His confrontation in the street with some Capulet chaps sparks the sword-fight that ends in the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt.  This is a “trouser role” and is beautifully sung by the  charming and light-footed mezzo-soprano Veronica Siebert.

The street fight, with swords, is something to see!  It’s realistic and exciting.  Fight choreography was by Shaun Sheley.

Despite his nephew Tybalt’s burial that day, Lord Capulet insists that his daughter marry County Paris immediately.  (Well, Hamlet might say on this, “Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral baked meats can coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.”)  But Juliet, of course, will have none of this.  Thence her faked death, Romeo’s real one, and her use of a dagger to quickly follow him to the grave.

Imara Ashton does lovely work as Gertrude, Juliet’s nurse and companion.  Excellent performances are given by Kevin Douglas Jasaitis as Gregorio and Edmond Rodriguez as Benvolio.  Jason Edelstein gives power and gravitas to The Duke of Verona as he quells the street-fight and banishes Romeo.

The orchestra is, as usual, drawn from the great St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.  It is under the baton of Maestro Ramón Tebar, and it beautifully supports (and never dominates) the singers throughout.

The flawless period costumes are by Roberta Perdziola.  They’re rich and elegant, the Montagues in shades of blue, the Capulets in shades of red, violet and rose.  Juliet wears, of course, a “Juliet cap”—a lovely net of small pearls.

Lighting, by Eric Southern, is often quite beautiful—always suggesting and supporting the time and mood of each scene.

The scene changes were smooth and swift, but several times after the scene was set there was “dead air” for five or six seconds.  Perhaps some minor technical delay?  These should be tightened.

This quite glorious production of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet plays at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis through June 27.

Other productions still running in this festival season are The Pirates of Penzance, The Light in the Piazza, and A Streetcar Named Desire.   Be sure to catch the informative pre-show talks one hour before each performance.