The Diary of Anne Frank: The Opera (Cleveland Opera)

‘THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK: THE OPERA’--music fails to move audience

The number of Holocaust survivors is dwindling daily. A small group of zealots, including the father of a famous Hollywood film maker and actor, are denying that the Holocaust even took place in spite of extensive documentation.

There are those who feel it is the obligation of the rational among us to make sure that the lessons of the murder of millions of innocents, including one-and-a-half million children, not be diminished or denied. Therefore, it is appropriate that since the famed Holocaust victim, Anne Frank, would have been 75 years of age on June 12, 2004 that a tribute in her honor and to the honor of all those who senselessly perished with her in the hands of the Nazis, be staged.

With this mission in mind, in his last official act as the General Director of Cleveland Opera, David Bamberger staged an evening entitled, ‘WE REMEMBER! A CELEBRATION OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.’

The evening’s opening segment, “Come to Me in Dreams” was a one-act opera which combined Bamberger’s scenario and the songs of Lori Laitman. The songs were based on a series of Holocaust writings, such the emotionally moving children’s collection, “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.”

“Come to Me in Dreams” showcases a concentration camp survivor who recalls his lost wife and child while telling his story to his surviving child. Each character is represented not only by an actor, but by a musical instrument. This creative device would have been effective if there had been more differentiation between the musical tone and emotion of the instruments. As is, there was a lack of contrast between the “happy” times and the “sad” times. The music lacked texture, didn’t pull at the heart strings. This, not withstanding, the voices of the cast members were excellent.

The overall effect was less than could have been expected. The piece was met with polite applause.

The second act was the Ohio premiere of the Encompass New Opera Theatre’s production of “Diary of Anne Frank” by Grigori Frid. The script puts the well-known story of Anne and her diary, which was first printed in 1947, into a musical venue.

The production brings nothing new to the story. In fact, it does not totally build the same emotional levels as the diary itself, or the play version or the film rendition.

Part of the problem may have been the familiarization with the material. Part may have been that the solo performance eliminated the verbal interactions that helped flesh out the frustration and fears. Part may have been the overly long nature of the piece which started to get tedious near the end. The major problem, however, from my perspective was the music. The contemporary sound just doesn’t sit well in the ear. After a while there was almost a discordant tone, much like fingernails scratching on the blackboard.

Dunja Perchstein as the solo participant, was generally effective as Anne. Often, especially near the end of the piece, her voice was difficult to hear. Fortunately, due to the visual bulletin boards above the stage, the words were available to read. She also failed to emotionally dredge heartfelt feeling from the audience.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Cleveland Opera should be commended for staging an evening of music intended to keep the horror of the Holocaust present in the minds and hearts of the audience. No matter the artistic effectiveness of the evening, the overall message was clear.

'TOSCA' (Cleveland Opera)

Cleveland Opera's TOSCA Sizzles with Passion:

One attending the opera knows to leave their reality-based thinking at home. Opera is supposed to be entertaining, larger than life, a spectacle to behold, melodramatic or comic, but definitely schmaltzy.

Cleveland Opera's TOSCA fulfills those expectations in Puccini's TOSCA. From the moment the curtain goes up, we see the lavish and detailed sets borrowed from the Seattle Opera and hear the brilliant music of Puccini sung beautifully by the cast. It is simply an excellent production.

Based on historical fact and a play by Victorien Sardou, and libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, the story begins with an escaped prisoner from the Battle of Marengo, Angelotti, who seeks refuge in a church. He meets the painter, Cavaradossi, who is the lover of the opera singer, Tosca. Their conversation is interrupted by the passionate, beautiful and ever-jealous Tosca, and Cavaradossi agrees to meet her that night. He resumes plans to help Angelotti and hides him at his villa.

The Chief of Police, Baron Scarpia, is searching for Angelotti and uses Tosca's jealousy to find him and her lover, Cavaradossi. Scarpia wants Tosca for himself, and poor Tosca has to endure the screams of her lover being interrogated. She reveals the hiding place of Angelotti to save her lover, not knowing that Scarpia will kill him anyway. Scarpia invites her to save her lover by giving herself to him. She pretends to do so, but stabs him instead. Scarpia had promised to do a "fake shooting" of Cavaradossi, but secretly he decided to really shoot him.

Tosca had planned to live happily ever after with Cavaradossi, but realizing he is dead and she has been duped, is not given a chance to grieve as soldiers come for her after discovering she killed the Scarpia. Her last words before jumping from the parapet to her death are: "Oh, Scarpia, the Lord will judge."

Throughout the play, the church is always in the background, and sets up many of contrasts in the story. One audience ember told me that she is amazed by the contrasts in this opera.

In Act I, the contrast between the material life and the spiritual life is evident. Tosca is described as a pious woman who attends church frequently and at one point says to Cavaradossi "not in front of the Madonna" and a few minutes later is kissing him right there! Scarpia, who exudes selfishness, lust and greed from the moment we meet him, is seen lying prone on the ground during prayers at the end of Act I, an act of great piety, and an excellent directorial moment for Mr. Bamberger.

In Act II, when Scarpia is trying to bargain with Tosca for her body, lovely sacred music is heard in the background drowning out his negotiations. Another contrast: Tosca laughs after she kills Scarpia, then slowly walks to get the cross and candles to place by his dead body. Act III opens with beautiful, floating clouds and the clear, sweet soprano of a local shepherd, another contrast to the tragic ending.

One of the most painful moments for Tosca, and a reflective one for the audience, has to be when she is faced with giving her body to the evil Scarpia to save her lover, or to let him die. She prays to the Madonna, and begins to question her faith. "I lived for art. I lived for love.... why do you repay me this way." How many of us have asked God that same question when faced with a tough decision.

There are moments of comic relief, the most poignant one at the end of the play when Tosca is fantasizing about her life with Cavaradossi after the "fake execution" when she shows him how to fake falling after he is shot. Perhaps the author felt the audience needed laughter before the impending tragedy of the death of both lovers.

The performances of all the leads were strong, particularly Antonio Nagore as Cavaradossi, Victoria Litherland, who replaced Elizabeth Byrne at the last moment as Tosca, and Stephen West as Baron Scarpia. There were times when the orchestra drowned them out, but their performances and the music of Puccini allowed the audience to ignore the imbalance.

Capsule judgement: Mr. Bamberger knows how to create a spectacle, and Tosca leaves us wanting more great opera performed in Cleveland.