It Turns Out That Opera & Comic books Are A Good Match
Operomanija 2018–19 Review: Opera “Alpha”
Libretto — Gabrielė Labanauskaitė
Composer — Albertas Navickas
Director, stage designer — Dr.GoraParasit
Nora Petročenko — Isabel
Nerijus Masevičius — Luis, Juan
Ieva Savickaite — Harlequin
9th of February 2019
This is a full original review, you can also read a version edited for operawire.com.
We all know that opera is a very complex art. The plot, music, libretto, directing, singing, acting, stage design — these are just basics. But there are even more layers, which make opera so impressive, breathtaking. With the help of your imagination, you can easily picture this in your mind: richly decorated stage, great singers, large orchestra under Maestro’s baton. They all work together to create this new fantastic, but convincing world for the audience. But what if I tell you, that this weekend in a small hall of independent art institution I’ve witnessed the most complex and powerful operatic performance in my life? And it was built up with Spanish melodies, played by just three musicians, classic operatic plot, minimalist libretto, two singers, and… comics.
The “orchestra” (an accordion, electro guitar, and drum machine) starts warming up. You don’t know yet, but these anxious sounds are quite symbolic. Classical, minimalistic and contemporary at the same moment. So naturally mixed. That’s also a perfect description for the whole “Alpha”.
The music and initial opera were created by Albertas Navickas with another plot, also inspired by life and art of Federico García Lorca, but for some red-tape reasons was never performed. Fortunately, this sad for a young composer fact turned into a new opportunity for other talented people to bring their creative forces together.
With another idea and a help of librettist Gabrielė Labanauskaitė, a new classic plot was created: memories, which brought anxiety and forced pursuits, with passion, fights, sex, and death eventually. Sounds familiar, right? And a story plays a dangerous game with a musical context. Motives of Flamenco are blending with recitative: asking, seeking for the truth, pouring out mixed passion and betrayal.
Being finished musically, the composition needed a director’s vision to become a real opera. And this choice was a huge merit of Operomanija — independent opera production company in Lithuania. Being as open as possible for everything new in the opera world, even I can barely imagine, how was it possible to invite Dr.GoraParasit to direct such a classical (in a manner) opera. But that was a winning decision.
What’s most important for the opera director? Original vision, strong position, imagination, musical either acting knowledge? Complex vision, open mind, and respect to what was done before, I’d say. And Dr.GoraParasit definitely has it all.
Saving the original story, when creating a new visual language was definitely a challenge. Under Dr.GoraParazit’s ingenious direction, this story of passion and revenge became comics. Somehow this seems extremely logical to me now. I wonder, why no one before used this. Both opera and comics are such massive universes, that house worlds within. And in “Alpha” they were combined gently and respectfully to represent a unique story analyzing social and cultural issues, which shaped one woman’s self-perception.
Main characters dressed in black looked convincingly graphic. Their actions became figuratively animated, and you basically saw the whole performance pictured in poses.
Another important part of the performance was actual comics on the background, which illustrated and complimented the story with bright details. This idea also allowed the director to show sexual content, without disturbing singers with the need to get naked. So the main duet of the opera was extremely powerful, with no limitation in the expression of passion, desire, striving, angst. And actors could comfortably concentrate on singing, meanwhile, the main action riveted our attention to the background screen.
This performance brought a really bold sound, even if the music and libretto were quite minimalistic. Mezzo-soprano Nora Petročenko delivered a riveting performance as Isabel, hitting low notes impressively powerfully. Her character is the dominant force in this story, so it required a low and deep voice, but also with flexibility, a wide range and possibility to go spinto. She could shade her tone with sadness, passion or agony effortlessly. This was really important to bring her character convincingly.
Petročenko’s stage partner bass-baritone Nerijus Masevičius is absolutely different. His voice is rich and round. His main character’s — Luis’ — confession in the last act was the precise dramatic moment it should be. His voice was carefully crafted to convey the controversial character.
The third hero — Arlekin, performed by Ieva Savickaite, was a stage stealer, indeed. In my memories, the idea to put someone, who never meant to be there, on stage, is a losing game, but this Joker — so natural for the comics universe turned out to be the most welcome. She helps to set every “picture” on stage very fast, and moreover was acting as an every supporting character, as well as a part of Isabel’s complex personality: a raving understanding of her own power, motives, and sexuality.
…Two days later I’m still thinking of what I’ve seen. I barely remember particular pictures, sounds, movements. But I remember precisely, how I felt, and how amazingly beautiful this thought-provoking opera was — melodically, visually, and narratively. How many things inspired me, how much I’ve learned. And I know how many articles I’ve read after, how many discussions I’ve held since that. Such a great impact. That’s what happens when people work together to represent a powerful idea, and respect the work of each other. When they believe, that their creation will be complex, impressive, complicated, — anything but boring. An Opera. In its very initial form — an art of creating a universe out of a single idea.
