The Washington Post, Tuesday, July 12, 2005

'Rigoletto': A Summer Treat

     The Summer Opera Theatre's "Rigoletto," now playing at the Hartke Theatre, is one of the highlights of Washington's busy opera season. The credit goes partly to Giuseppe Verdi, who filled this work with melodies, action and emotion abundant even by his high standards. But also noteworthy is a cast that is strong all the way from Jason Stearns in the title role down to Jessie Sutherland in the tiny role of a page.
     Half of the singing roles in the cast are company debuts, and they have been chosen with a discerning eye for singing and acting talent. Conductor Kate Tamarkin paces and balances the music for maximum impact, and stage direcotr Leland P. Kimball III keeps the action vivid but uncluttered. Particularly noteworthy is his visual treatment of the rambunctious men's chorus in the first two acts.
     Top singing and acting honors go to Stearns, whose voice is well controlled through all the extreme demands of the role, notably the gamut of emotions in Act 2 that range from a tearful plea for mercy to a thundering pledge of revenge. His acting is as powerful as his singing, which is very powerful indeed.
     Benjamin Warschawski seems born for the role of the testosterone-driven Duke of Mantua, handling with ease some of the greatest tenor music ever written. As Gilda, Stacy Mastrian has a voice that is sweet and agile with just the right hint of fragility. Veronica Jaeger has mastered Maddalena's curious mix of warmth and ferocity, and Kwang-Kyu Lee is a properly menacing Sparafucile.
     There will be repeat performances tomorrow, Friday and Sunday.

— Joseph McLellan [ Back ]

The Washington Times, Saturday, July 16, 2005

Traditionally grand 'Rigoletto'
Stirring end to company's season
Opera
T.L. Ponick

     The Summer Opera Theatre Company's high-energy production of Giuseppe Verdi's enduringly popular "Rigoletto," being staged at Catholic University's Hartke Theater, successfully caps off a short but significant 2005 season. Verdi fans will want to catch it before it vanishes into the humid mists of a typical Washington summer.
     In an innovative move, the Summer Opera has joined with OperaDelaware to create this surprisingly sumptuous joint production of "Rigoletto," gaining enough support to allow designer Mims Mattair to create first-rate, highly evocative sets. Add to these a bevy of colorful medieval costumes and you have, albeit in miniature, the kind of sumptuous, traditional grand opera that Washingtonians prefer but rarely get.
     "Rigoletto" is set largely in the 16th-century court of the lecherous Duke of Manua. Rigoletto, the young Duke's nasty, deformed court fool, amuses the boss by putting down and ridiculing the other members of the court, making plenty of enemies in the process.
     However, his unpleasantness secretly masks a broken, embittered heart that lives only for the love of his innocent daughter, Gilda. Unfortunately, Rigoletto earns the curse of Count Monterone, whose daughter has been abused by the Duke, setting in motion Gilda's rape and tragic murder.
     "Rigoletto" is loaded with some of Verdi's most popular arias, including "Questa o quella" ("This one or that one") and "La donna e mobile" ("A woman is fickle") as well as the famous final-act quartet. Fortunately, the Summer Opera's cast is generally up to the strenuous task of projecting a long and busy musical evening.
     As Rigoletto, baritone Jason Stearns is the heart and soul of this production. Radiating the jester's angry, complex personality in every bar of music, Mr. Stearns' powerful instrument conveys the deepening tragedy of his vengeful miscalculations.
     As the Duke of Mantua, tenor Benjamin Warschawski and his booming voice convey menace and insouciance at the same time. Mr. Warschawski may have a promising future taking on this kind of role, but he will need to avoid the kind of mishap he suffered during Wednesday evening's performance when, blasting away at impressive full volume, he lost control of his pitch at least twice.
     As Gilda, soprano Stacey Mastrian turned in an exquisitely etched performance, unveiling delicate, silvery tones and pinpoint accuracy. However, her voice — as well as that of mezzo-soprano Veronica Jaeger (Maddalena) — was at times overwhelmed in Verdi's mighty concluding quartet. Both will need to develop a bit more power to hold their own in this kind of role.
     In smaller roles, bass Kwang-Kyu Lee (the assassin Sparafucile) and baritone Neil Ewachiw (Count Monterone) sang convincingly and well. The work of the chorus was outstanding. The small company orchestra, under the baton of Kate Tamarkin, accompanied the singers with sensitivity and fluidity.

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