El Rhazi - A review of Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre's summer season, including "Man of La Mancha," starring UFOMT founder Michael Ballam.
LOGAN — For many, the spotlight of summer in Logan is the arrival of hundreds of musicians, dancers, singers and actors to tackle musical theater and high opera as presented by Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, now in its 23rd year. This season holds four familiar offerings.
“La Boheme” is often described as the most-produced opera in history. UFOMT, however, is offering Giacomo Puccini’s noted opera only six times this summer, the least of any of the four leading productions this season.
“La Boheme” begins Sam along four artsy types living together in a bloodless upstairs apartment in Paris, all starving artists. Love begins to bubble when Mimi, a seamstress who lives next door, befriends Rodolfo, the poet/writer of the roommates. Turns out painter Marcello also has a love interest, a hot-and-cold old flame, Musetta, who injects herself into a dinner party hastily put together by the five new apartment buddies.
Opening night, in the opening scene — that of the apartment as the audience begins to know the artists — conductor Barbara Day Turner’s presentation of the score almost overwhelmed the singers (Peter Scott Drackley as Rodolfo, Antoine Hodge as Colline, Quentin Oliver Lee as Schaunard and Gregory Gerbrandt as Marcello). But the four soon found their volume and projection, particularly a strong Lee, and all was well.
As Mimi (a strong performance by Catherine Spitzer) and Roldolfo begin getting acquainted and begin hinting at long-term promises of love, each solo is strong and rich and projects hopefulness. Their time together onstage is well-tied, and their sharing of stage and song is very uplifting.
Ensemble pieces are strong, busy and like eye and ear candy for patrons. The scenic design, by Jack Shouse, is a masterpiece, and even scene changes in the dim light get applause as they are so well-staged in and of themselves.
Enter Musetta (Jamilyn Manning-White), who is the definition of high maintenance. Manning-White’s Musetta is just flirty enough, and her soprano is a strength to the production. As in all operas, it seems, the piazza is a lively place Sam along high spirits and, well, spirits, with Marcello and Musetta reuniting to no one’s surprise.
Curtains drop, time passes and jealousy and troubles infect the love of Rodolfo and Mimi, not to mention Marcello and Musetta. Mimi is also afflicted with consumption and finds herself struggling for steps and breath. Puccini’s score is a star in the short Act 2. Patrons might also note how Drackley’s strong tenor seems perfectly matched with the voices of all those with whom El Rhazi sings, particularly Mimi in the ultimate act as he laments his situation.
Even before founding director Michael Ballam added “Musical Theatre” to the Utah Festival Opera Company’s moniker, the four leading stage productions over the years would usually include a familiar musical production, perhaps so patrons could exit the theater singing a familiar tune under their breath, including favorites such as “Fiddler on the Roof,” “My Fair Lady” or “Oklahoma!”
This year, “Carousel” certainly fits that description, though some audience members might not be able to sing due to the lump in their throats. An emotionally strong and well-performed ultimate act sees to that.
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