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OPERA REVIEW A Faust Coming Close to Redemption November 11, 2002
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By Nikki Buechler
The devil is in the details, the saying goes, though
Opera San José would have us believe the
opposite. Its production of Gounod's Faust at
Montgomery Theatre, heard Sunday, has been polished to the last
possible detail, though this might have come at the
expense of some larger artistic considerations. Though
the overall quality of performance was high, it seemed
careful and conservative in places.
Jesse Merlin is perfectly cast as Mephistopheles. He
makes for a stylized, stereotypical devil, and it is
clear that stage director David Cox is not shying away
from caricatures. Though Merlin's performance was
consistent and his acting appropriate, he was
occasionally sharp in pitch, especially in the lower
register. This was an intermittent occurrence though,
and did not affect the ensembles. Everything about his
persona and his costume has been manipulated in favor
of creating a convincing and charming devil.
His counterpart, Faust, performed by Adam Flowers, was
unconvincing as an old man, though much more
appropriately cast as the younger man he becomes after
making an arrangement with Satan. This was not
entirely owing to the difference in age between the performer himself and that of the role at the opening of the opera. The
necessary depth of emotion was lacking in his
portrayal of the bitter, resentful expostulations of
an old man about to commit suicide. While his singing was consistently enjoyable in both parts of the role, he was much more persuasive as an energetic
opportunist.
Sandra Rubalcava is a delightful Marguerite. Her voice is charming, not overbearing yet never overcome by the orchestra. The sweetness of her voice helped portray a delicate, innocent girl. Joseph Wright, who played her brother Valentin, has a stunning voice and his performance was heartfelt and compelling. Though his character does not have as much stage time as others, his performance was notable. Lighting is a striking feature of this performance, as well as set design, especially as the two work well together. Mediaeval walls surrounding small rooms or gardens create a claustrophobic feeling onstage, which, with the help of colored background lighting, complement the mood of each scene. The color coordination is unobtrusive but visually pleasing. The orchestra played with sensitivity and warmth, and only occasionally covered the singers, though ironically this happened only with the chorus. Diction in the chorus was problematic and they seemed a bit lethargic in places, which would have contributed to balance problems with the orchestra. The richness of sound coming from the orchestra worked in favor of the darker passages, although more translucent, surreal passages would have benefited from more pronounced changes in texture. Details, down to such things as the perfection of makeup, and shades of burgundy clothing the main characters, seem carefully considered. The quality of production is high, and it seems a lot of thought went into choosing and implementing visual and staging effects. While nothing important in technical aspects seemed lacking in this performance, there was perhaps a sense of complacency, or comfort, that may have been avoided if the production had been slightly less polished. Ironically, a smooth performance is often a disappointing one, though this was a line Opera San José did not cross. While there were moments where energy could have helped turn the trick of sustaining momentum, the length of this opera makes that a challenge.
(Nikki Buechler is a PhD student at the music department at Stanford University. She has a Master's degree from St Catherine's College, Oxford, and spent 5 years working as a viola player in chamber groups, orchestras and as an occasional soloist in London, England.)
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Sandra Rubalcava (Marguerite)
Jesse Merlin (Mephistopheles)