Classical Monday--Benjamin Britten's Gloriana

I'm over-reaching my primary mission a bit for today's entry, although I've talked about English-language operas before. I actually wasn't certain what Gloriana was before I put the dvd in the player. As someone who likes Britten's music and seeks it out when I can, I had heard the name of this piece before, but thought it might be a sacred cantata. Well, its a full-fledged opera, grander than any Britten opera I've encountered before, even Billy Budd.

Written to commemorate Elizabeth II's coronation, Gloriana tells part of the story of that monarch's namesake, Elizabeth I. In particular, the plots follows the relationship between Robert Devereux, Earl of Sussex and the Queen, and how that relationship falters after he fails to secure Ireland for the crown. While this relationship was rumored to be intimate, the opera portrays nothing unseemly, nor does it refer to that aspect--I assume in deference to the second Elizabeth regina.

Apparently, the current Queen Elizabeth didn't care for the opera and it was a bit of a critical failure when premiered in 1953. I can't quite imagine that; I loved almost everything about this 1984 English National Opera production. Of course, much of what worked for me was the performance of Sarah Walker in the title role (Gloriana is a moniker given to E1 by Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queene).

Ms. Walker (pictured above) is riveting as an actress, breathtaking as a singer, and proves herself a bit of a dancer as well. She rules any scene in which she appears (justly so) and even when in a more passive position, such as during a masque performed on stage, Ms. Walker's character is a glory to watch. The role requires a huge singing range, and Ms. Walker who is nominally a mezzo-soprano is thrilling from top to bottom.

The libretto for this opera is by William Plomer and it is one of the strongest aspects of this work; if you watch this production on dvd, include the English subtitles so you can see the text. I find the poetry wonderful, clever when needed, comic when appropriate, and rhapsodic most of the rest of the time.

The music is at times challenging, but never off-putting as I sometimes think Britten can be. There is a lot of dance music, many fanfares, and a couple of songs accompanied by lute. The large chorus has a lot to sing and at times it is unaccompanied and beautiful.

I'm not certain why this opera does not appear more often in the repertory.

Perhaps it is because Ms. Walker has retired.

Gloriana

Music by Benjamin Britten

Libretto by William Plomer

based on the book Elizabeth and Essex by Lytton Strachey

premiered in 1953

this production filmed in 1984

Cast: Sarah Walker, Anthony-Rolfe Johnson

Conducted by Mark Elder

Can-Can film

I haven't had nearly enough Cole Porter in my Year, yet, so I'm making up for that with the film version of Can-Can. The message of this film seems to be that, yes, the bad boy often wins out. I also need to remember that Cole Porter wrote good songs for good shows--even if the film version of this one doesn't show him off to his best advantage.

The casting of this film is an odd combination of Americans and Frenchmen. Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine are very colloquial and American as Francois Durnais and Simone Pistache; even when singing "C'est Magnifique" they seem more their Brat pack personas than anything else. Maurice Chevelier and Louis Jourdan are the French members of the cast and it's hard to argue with either of them as charming performers, although neither are the singers that I really wanted to hear. I suppose the casting is to drive home the class distinction that plays a part in the storyline of bad boy Sinatra and class act Jourdan both vying for the love and, a-hem, hand of MacLaine.

The plot is basically wrapped around a big "dance-tease" waiting for the Can-Can to be danced. When it finally comes, it is lively, but filmed in a very two-dimensional way. Who choreographed this? Hermes Pan for the film, Michael Kidd on the stage. But it appears that characters were switched around from the stage to the screen (or at least given other names), so I'll have to listen to the cast album to compare and contrast.

The songs, while being some of Porter's most memorable, seem lack-luster. Most are ballads and are presented at the slowest possible tempo, it seems. There aren't enough upbeat songs to balance out the dourness (that's the wrong word, help me here) of songs like "It's The Wrong Face". In looking at the song list for the stage show, it also appears that much was changed in transfering this to the screen, so cast album ho.

Can-Can
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Film released in 1965 by 20th Century Fox
Cast: Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Louis Jourdan, Maurice Chevelier

Me and Juliet original cast album on CD

Well, I've missed the opportunity to have something Halloween-related today; I don't know maybe The Phantom of the Opera, or the musical version of Lestat the Vampire (has that opened yet?). Instead we have the scenery that ate the musical by Rodgers & Hammerstein. That's basically how the informative notes to this CD reissue describe Me and Juliet.

It's a show-within-a-show. Am I in a rut with those? Well, apparently this one takes place in just about every place within a theatre, including the lighting catwalk. No wonder the set took over.

The only song I had heard from this score is "No Other Love" and it's a wonderful song presented in duet. Bill Hayes has a nice tenor voice. Isabel Bigley a lightish soprano that gets a bit covered in the upper reaches. Of course, it sounds as if this cast album was not remastered before being transfered to CD, so that may be partly to blame.

A couple of the songs about the theatre milieu approach funny without really getting there. The "Intermission Talk" has some hysterical references to which I laughed out loud, but the music is all over the board and doesn't settle on any one style long enough to make an impression. "It's Me" is also funny, about how an actor is no one until she takes on a role. This song could easily be arranged for one women and would be a good cabaret addition. "The Big Black Giant" about the audience is a good idea, again with too many musical styles to really sink my ears into.

The two songs from the show-within are blah, although the singing of baritone Mark Dawson is very good. I must check him out to see if he can reappear in my Year.

ps. It turns out, Mr. Dawson has already appeared in my Year, having been in the original cast of Fiorello, although I didn't list him in my cast list or labels as he didn't have much solo work.

Me and Juliet
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Opened May 28, 1953 and ran fro 358 performances
Cast: Barbara Carroll, Isabel Bigley, Bill Hayes, Arthur Maxell, Mark Dawson, Joan McCracken, Bob Fortier

Calamity Jane film on DVD

I mistakenly thought this was a film version of what had been a stage musical, but it turns out it was pure Hollywood. Still, Calamity Jane has a lot of the same vim and vigor as you would expect from a stage musical, and it has baritone favorite Howard Keel who makes his first appearance in my Year. Plus it has a drag number and log-cabin lesbians!

And how could I turn my back on Doris Day, who gives an energetic and athletic performance as Calam? It also brought the world the song "Once I had a Secret Love" which remains a staple of the Doris Day songbook. While the rest of the music is enjoyable, it's not nearly as memorable as that one.

Calamity Jane
Music by Sammy Fain
Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
Screenplay by James O'Hanlon
Released by Warner Bros. in 1953
Cast: Doris Day, Howard Keel, Allyn McLerie, Philip Carey

Wonderful Town -- concert version on DVD

No offense to Maestro Simon Rattle, the Berlin Philharmonic, or the fine opera and musical theater performers involved in this concert of Bernstein's music, but why was this concert version of Wonderful Town presented? In English, in front of a German audience? So much of the wit of the lyrics must have been lost in translation, even with the supertitles flashing above the stage. The context of the songs and struggles of the characters is also lost, since not even a ghost of the book is presented to string together the songs.

That said, the music-making is very good. Audra McDonald proves her worth with "A Little Bit in Love." Kim Criswell is a wonderful character singer in "Conga" and "100 Ways to Lose a Man". Operatic baritone Thomas Hampson sings the surprise of the score for me, the beautiful "A Quiet Girl". Musical theater veteran Brent Barrett takes on what must be several roles in singing the opening "Christopher Street" and "I Could Pass that Football".

Even with this fine singing, though, I felt like I was missing too much.

Wonderful Town
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Book MIA
Concert by Berlin Philharmonic
Conducted by Simon Rattle
Released on DVD in 2002
Cast: Thomas Hampson, Audra McDonald, Kim Criswell, Brent Barrett