Oakland Opera’s ‘Les Enfants Terribles’
JAIME ROBLES
Special to the Planet — October 3 — 5, 2006
LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES
8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays from
Oct. 6 to Oct. 22 at the Oakland Metro Operahouse,
201 Broadway, Oakland (one block from Jack London
Square). 763-1146, www.oaklandopera.org.
The Oakland Opera Theater opens this Friday its
third Philip Glass opera—the compelling dance
opera Les Enfants Terribles. This final opera of his
trilogy based on the work by French artist Jean Cocteau,
Les Enfants Terribles has been described by Glass as
Cocteau’s "tragedy":
"If Orphée is Cocteau’s tale of transcendence and La
Belle et la Bête his romance, then Les Enfants Terribles is
his tragedy. Like the others, it articulates Cocteau’s belief
in the power of imagination to transform the ordinary
world into a world of magic. But unlike the two previous
works, in which transformation leads to love and transcendence,
Les Enfants Terribles takes us to the world of Narcissus
and, ultimately, Death."
The opera, which is sung in French with a narration in English,
tells of a teenage brother and sister,
Paul and Elizabeth, who after the loss of
their parents strive to live in a fantasy
world they call "playing the game."
Increasingly isolated, they pass the days
acting out their bizarre imaginings.
Two friends—Gerard and Agathe—
join them to form an oddly four-sided
love triangle. When Paul falls in love
with Agathe, Elizabeth connives to have
Gerard marry Agathe. By ensuring that
her brother will never leave her, Elizabeth
leads them both into destruction.
Although the original story was set
in Paris, director Tom Dean has moved the setting to 1954
French Indochina. Placing the story amidst the turmoil of
war, Dean gives the opera a context that lends motivational
logic to the characters’ escapism. It also restages the
piece as a commentary on the self-reflective nature of colonialism.
The children of the story are adopted, just as in
Indochine, French couples found it fashionable to adopt
Vietnamese children who were then treated as someone
(or something) between a child and a servant.
Soprano Joohee Choi makes her Oakland Opera Theater
debut in the principle role of Elizabeth. Choi recently
completed a two-year residency with the Los Angeles
Opera, and was acclaimed for her performances in Aida,
Romeo et Juliette, Der Rosenkavalier, and Falstaff.
Axel Van Chee returns to Oakland Opera Theater in
the role of Paul. Recently described by Opera News as a
"resonant baritone with striking stage presence," Chee
performed Captain Valentine in Oakland Opera Theater’s
Johnny Johnson.
Mezzo-soprano Cary Ann Rosko plays Agathe. Tenors Ben
Johns and Johathan Smucker alternate in the role of Gerard.
Soprano Choi says she had doubts about singing the part
of Elizabeth. Although she wanted to add Glass’ work to
her repertoire, she was taken aback by the piece’s difficulty.
At first glance, she says, the music looked simple: "just
a piano line." Further study revealed the opera’s difficult
tones and disharmonies.
Baritone Chee agrees, describing the music as a game of
cat and mouse: "The singers are the cat and the notes are
the mice. You have to keep chasing them."
The music layers an intense rhythmic drive with a
melodic line that Chee describes as "very romantic."
There are no duets or trios within the opera; the singers
continuously switch from line to line, the music making
slight shifts between singers. Because the music is minimalist,
however, the smallest shift can sound huge.
The singers agree that the melodic lines are lovely. In contrast,
Chee remarks, this "very interesting and beautiful"
melody provides the setting for a disturbing text. The story
is a classic tragedy, with the characters fated to die, unaware
that their obsessiveness will ultimately destroy them.
The original score was written so that the singing line
could be played on one piano; second and third pianos
enrich the music by adding subtle complexity. Oakland
Opera has engaged four of the Bay Area’s top accompanists—
Skye Atman, Paul Caccamo, Daniel Lockert and
Kymry Esainko—to perform the three-piano score under
the musical direction of Diedre McClure.
Dance, integral to the opera, is woven in from play’s beginning
to end, and represents the children’s fantasy world. Each
singer has his or her dance double, and must dance as well.
The eight dancers working with the singers on stage are
from the Oakland-based Nguyen Dance Company. Choreographer
Danny Nguyen was recently recognized as one of the
seven best creative choreographers in the Bay Area at Paul
Taylor’s annual choreographic symposium in San Francisco.
The sets, painted by Garrett Lowe, represent the house
the characters inhabit, and like the music and the realities
the children inhabit, are built in many levels like an intricate
labyrinth.
Once again Oakland Opera is offering a unique and fascinating
theatrical experience with excellent singers, musicians
and performers. The company’s increasing recognition
for its innovative performances of 20th and 21st century
operas is well earned and deserves the best of the
community’s support.
Oakland Opera Theater presents three operas per year,
two fully staged and one in concert. Thanks to Jo Vincent
Parks, a new member of the board of directors, the theater
will launch a concert series this year that will include
recitals and instrumental music.