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San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘Harvey Milk Reimagined': What works and what doesn't in revised Opera Parallèle production
'Harvey Milk' is back. No, not the legendary civil rights activist, who was assassinated after becoming the first openly gay elected official in California history, but ' Harvey Milk Reimagined,' a heavily revised version of composer Stewart Wallace and librettist Michael Korie's 1995 opera. San Francisco Opera co-commissioned the original, performed here in 1996. Now, three decades later, Opera Parallèle — the local company that has made a mission of staging works by contemporary composers — is presenting the West Coast premiere of 'Harvey Milk Reimagined,' as part of a co-commission with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. This production, which had its opening performance at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts' Blue Shield of California Theater on Saturday, May 31, comes at a timely moment, when the civil rights of transgender and other LGBTQ people are being challenged in the United States — a contrast to the hope that infuses Milk's story. The message of the opera is ultimately uplifting, even if the telling is at times harried. Korie has trimmed the libretto, which covers Milk's life from his childhood to his assassination by fellow San Francisco supervisor Dan White, While he removed a swath of secondary characters and a good amount of repetitive text, the libretto manages to retain many interactions and scenes. Still, the result feels too compressed and overstuffed, crammed with so much incident in its two hours that Milk himself, here portrayed by the sweet-voiced baritone Michael Kelly, feels out of focus. There's a lot of throat-clearing and scene-setting before his character is settled in San Francisco and running for office. Wallace's highly eclectic and fast-moving score contributes to the sense of trying to do too much. The revised opera starts with Harvey's Mama, tenderly sung by mezzo-soprano Catherine Cook, lecturing her young son (a star turn by tenor Curtis Resnick) about the Holocaust and being Jewish over a choral setting of the Mourner's Kaddish. Themes of identity overlap right from the beginning, as do musical styles. Mama also warns about 'men who are different' and reminds her son to come home right after the opera he's attending. From there, the score is constantly on the go, full of jagged rhythms and awkward text-setting. Sometimes this works — the scene with young Harvey at the opera, wondering who 'Tessa Tura' might be, is hilarious and evocative — but more often it feels rushed. Moreover, Ben Krames' sound design was far too loud, with each of the principal singers overamplified, blunting their portrayals and covering much musical detail in the 30-piece orchestra. (In a theater seating only 800, with a small orchestra, why amplify at all?) 'Harvey Milk Reimagined' is at its best when it takes its time: in the scene introducing Milk's lover Scott Smith, flamboyantly portrayed by tenor Henry Benson; in a loving late-night duet between Smith and Milk; and especially in the beautiful closing scene after Milk is murdered. The revision casts the role of the Messenger as a countertenor rather than a baritone, and Matheus Coura's supernaturally beautiful voice and striking presence in the part brought real magic to the close. Soprano Chea Kang as supervisor Henrietta Wong contributed a gorgeous solo there as well. Act 2 is more focused and covers Milk's emergence on the San Francisco political scene. Here his interactions with Mayor George Moscone, who was also murdered by White, and then-supervisor Dianne Feinstein provide insight into Milk's character and strategic abilities. Bass Matt Boehler and soprano Marnie Breckenridge, respectively, eloquently brought these politicians to life, with Breckenridge's additional brief turn as a Castro prostitute vividly jumping out of the mass of secondary characters. Tenor Christopher Oglesby's chilling depiction of White went from aggrieved and homophobic to truly mad over the course of the opera. Some choices made by the production team dull the work's effectiveness. The opera starts in New York City, where Milk grew up and lived for most of his life, and concludes in San Francisco, but the stage design — consisting of sets of stairs that are deployed in various formations and numerous hanging doors — lacks any sense of place. The projected photos of both cities don't quite do enough, leaving Castro Street feeling indistinguishable from Wall Street. The doors unsubtly symbolize the closet, where you'd find most LGBTQ people in the 1970s. The sets shift constantly around the stage and limit what director Brian Staufenbiel can do with his cast, particularly in the frequent crowd scenes. On top of all this, the costuming and styling of several characters seem slightly off, especially noticeable against the real-life photos and film the production uses. On Saturday, Nicole Paiement conducted with her customary sharpness and drive, though perhaps, in this case, less drive and more repose would have been to the opera's benefit.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Under bombs, above fear: Kharkiv's ballet reclaims the stage amid war's shadows
KHARKIV (Ukraine), May 31 — In the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, it's hard to escape the war with Russia. On some days, when the wind blows in the right direction, residents of the historic city can hear the boom of artillery fire from the front line, some 30 km (20 miles) away. Most nights, Russian kamikaze drones packed with explosives buzz over apartment buildings as parents put their children to bed. Frequently - but unpredictably - a Russian ballistic missile will slam into the city. Three years on from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, for many people in Kharkiv, the war with its unrelenting, inescapable proximity, takes a mental toll. But there is a space in the city where – for a few fleeting hours – the war stops existing. In the dark, brick-walled basement of the Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, a dance company has created a space protected from drones and bombs where audiences can lose themselves in performances of classic ballets. In April, the space was host to performances of 'Chopiniana', an early 20th-century ballet with music by Frederic Chopin. Despite the makeshift setting, the ballet was performed with full classical pomp, complete with corps de ballet and orchestra. That marked a milestone for Kharkiv's cultural life because it was the first full performance of a classical ballet in the city since February 2022, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. 'In spite of everything – the fact that bombs are flying, drones, and everything else – we can give a gift of something wonderful to people,' said Antonina Radiievska, artistic director of Opera East, the ballet company which staged the performance. 'They can come and, even if it's just for an hour or two, completely immerse themselves in a different world.' Despite Ukraine's history of excellence in classical ballet, the art form seems far removed from the everyday lives of Ukrainians in wartime. Daily routines are given over to checking apps for drone attack warnings, sleeping on the metro station floor to escape an air raid or seeking news of relatives on the front line. Pirouettes, pas-de-deux and chiffon tutus feel a world away. Ballerina Antonina Radiievska, 43, poses for a picture after practising for the revival of 'Chopiniana,' the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the underground area of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 27, 2025. — Reuters pic New normal Nevertheless, the journey of Kharkiv's ballet through the war mirrors the ways Ukrainian society has adapted and evolved. On February 23, 2022, the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre put on a performance of the ballet 'Giselle'. The following day, Russia launched its full-scale invasion. As Moscow's troops reached the outskirts of Kharkiv and threatened to capture the city, the theatre closed its doors and many of the ballet troupe moved away. Some of them reassembled in Slovakia and Lithuania, and began touring ballet productions outside Ukraine with help from European sponsors. By 2023, the war was grinding on, but the situation in Kharkiv, in Ukraine's northeast, had stabilised after Russian ground forces pulled back. The realisation dawned on the city that this was a long game, a new, wartime reality. Local people started referring to the city – and themselves – using the Ukrainian word 'nezlamniy', meaning invincible. It was that year that work began on converting the theatre basement into a performance space. In October 2023, it began to be used as a rehearsal space. In spring the following year, the theatre was granted permission to bring in an audience, and it held small-scale ballet performances such as children's concerts. The revival of 'Chopiniana' represents the next milestone in Kharkiv's wartime cultural journey. Staging a classical opera again sends a message that Ukraine is still standing, according to Igor Tuluzov, Director-General of Opera East, the company staging the production. 'We are demonstrating to the world that we really are a self-sufficient state, independent, in all its aspects, including cultural independence,' he said. The auditorium seats 400 people on stackable chairs, compared to 1,750 in the main theatre upstairs, where the plush mustard seats lie empty. The stage downstairs is one quarter the size of the main stage. The aesthetic is grey-painted brick, concrete floors, pipes and electricity ducting running along the walls – a contrast to the varnished hardwood and marble of the space upstairs. The acoustic qualities of the basement, say the performers, don't match the lofty expanses of the main theatre. What matters to artistic director Radiievska, though, is that after a long hiatus, she and her troupe can once again perform at their best, in front of an audience. 'It means, you know, life,' she said. 'An artist cannot exist without the stage, without creativity, without dance or song. It's like a rebirth.' — Reuters
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
In Ukraine's Kharkiv, ballet offers 'rebirth' after bombs and bullets
By Marko Djurica KHARKIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -In the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, it's hard to escape the war with Russia. On some days, when the wind blows in the right direction, residents of the historic city can hear the boom of artillery fire from the front line, some 30 km (20 miles) away. Most nights, Russian kamikaze drones packed with explosives buzz over apartment buildings as parents put their children to bed. Frequently - but unpredictably - a Russian ballistic missile will slam into the city. Three years on from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, for many people in Kharkiv, the war with its unrelenting, inescapable proximity, takes a mental toll. But there is a space in the city where – for a few fleeting hours – the war stops existing. In the dark, brick-walled basement of the Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, a dance company has created a space protected from drones and bombs where audiences can lose themselves in performances of classic ballets. In April, the space was host to performances of "Chopiniana", an early 20th-century ballet with music by Frederic Chopin. Despite the makeshift setting, the ballet was performed with full classical pomp, complete with corps de ballet and orchestra. That marked a milestone for Kharkiv's cultural life because it was the first full performance of a classical ballet in the city since February 2022, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. "In spite of everything - the fact that bombs are flying, drones, and everything else - we can give a gift of something wonderful to people," said Antonina Radiievska, artistic director of Opera East, the ballet company which staged the performance. "They can come and, even if it's just for an hour or two, completely immerse themselves in a different world." Despite Ukraine's history of excellence in classical ballet, the art form seems far removed from the everyday lives of Ukrainians in wartime. Daily routines are given over to checking apps for drone attack warnings, sleeping on the metro station floor to escape an air raid or seeking news of relatives on the front line. Pirouettes, pas-de-deux and chiffon tutus feel a world away. NEW NORMAL Nevertheless, the journey of Kharkiv's ballet through the war mirrors the ways Ukrainian society has adapted and evolved. On February 23, 2022, the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre put on a performance of the ballet "Giselle". The following day, Russia launched its full-scale invasion. As Moscow's troops reached the outskirts of Kharkiv and threatened to capture the city, the theatre closed its doors and many of the ballet troupe moved away. Some of them reassembled in Slovakia and Lithuania, and began touring ballet productions outside Ukraine with help from European sponsors. By 2023, the war was grinding on, but the situation in Kharkiv, in Ukraine's northeast, had stabilised after Russian ground forces pulled back. The realisation dawned on the city that this was a long game, a new, wartime reality. Local people started referring to the city - and themselves - using the Ukrainian word "nezlamniy", meaning invincible. It was that year that work began on converting the theatre basement into a performance space. In October 2023, it began to be used as a rehearsal space. In spring the following year, the theatre was granted permission to bring in an audience, and it held small-scale ballet performances such as children's concerts. The revival of "Chopiniana" represents the next milestone in Kharkiv's wartime cultural journey. Staging a classical opera again sends a message that Ukraine is still standing, according to Igor Tuluzov, Director-General of Opera East, the company staging the production. "We are demonstrating to the world that we really are a self-sufficient state, independent, in all its aspects, including cultural independence," he said. The auditorium seats 400 people on stackable chairs, compared to 1,750 in the main theatre upstairs, where the plush mustard seats lie empty. The stage downstairs is one quarter the size of the main stage. The aesthetic is grey-painted brick, concrete floors, pipes and electricity ducting running along the walls - a contrast to the varnished hardwood and marble of the space upstairs. The acoustic qualities of the basement, say the performers, don't match the lofty expanses of the main theatre. What matters to artistic director Radiievska, though, is that after a long hiatus, she and her troupe can once again perform at their best, in front of an audience. "It means, you know, life," she said. "An artist cannot exist without the stage, without creativity, without dance or song. It's like a rebirth." (Writing by Christian Lowe;Editing by Ros Russell)
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
'Sophiatown' returns in glory at the South African State Theatre
Running from 5 to 21 May 2025 at the South African State Theatre, Sophiatown — a South African musical-drama classic — continues to attract school learners, theatre lovers, and first-time attendees alike, drawing them into a world where jazz, struggle, and community memory collide with haunting familiarity. Image: Bongani Nicholas Ngomane In an electric return to the Opera Theatre stage, Sophiatown — a South African musical-drama classic — has entered its fifth season with thunderous applause and renewed urgency. The play, first penned by the Junction Avenue Theatre Company and Malcolm Purkey, and now powerfully directed by the award-winning Aubrey Sekhabi, opened this week to full houses, standing ovations, and a resounding message: memory is not just nostalgia — it is resistance. Running from 5 to 21 May 2025 at the South African State Theatre, the production continues to attract school learners, theatre lovers, and first-time attendees alike, drawing them into a world where jazz, struggle, and community memory collide with haunting familiarity. Set in the 1950s in a Johannesburg neighbourhood teeming with creativity and cultural fusion, Sophiatown tells the story of a group of politically engaged black South Africans who, in a courageous act of resistance, welcome a white Jewish woman named Ruth Golden into their shared home. The play unfolds with wit, satire, music, and poignancy, capturing the essence of a community on the brink of erasure — torn apart by apartheid, yet fiercely determined to live, love, and resist. More than a setting, Sophiatown — fondly known as Kofifi — is the soul of the performance, pulsing through every note, every monologue, every moment of silence. At the helm of this deeply South African narrative is director Aubrey Sekhabi, Artistic Director of the South African State Theatre, who has remained devoted to the original script while infusing the work with refreshing musical and visual elements. 'This is a South African classic. We must not shy away from doing our classics again and again,' Sekhabi reflects. 'Artistically, the production has already succeeded. It's a fully-fledged musical now, and socially, it contributes massively to education across the country.' Under his direction, a formidable cast brings the spirit of Sophiatown to life. Sandi Dlangalala gives a charismatic and thoughtful performance as Jakes, the narrator and journalist. Gaby Georgeson portrays Ruth Golden with heart and grace, embodying the idealism and vulnerability of someone crossing boundaries with curiosity and courage. Sindisile 'Nyoni Lenhle' Nkuna breathes fire into Mamariti, the strong matriarchal figure whose love is as fierce as her wisdom. Terrence Ngwila's portrayal of Mingus commands attention—his stillness and intensity drawing laughter and tears in equal measure. Bringing playful energy and comic timing to the role of Fahfee is Tshallo Chokwe, while Mncedisi Hadebe silently stirs the audience as Charlie, his presence ever watchful and evocative. Directed by award-winning Artistic Director Aubrey Sekhabi, the production — created by the Junction Avenue Theatre Company and Malcolm Purkey — has opened to full houses, roaring applause, and deep emotional resonance. Image: Bongani Nicholas Ngomane Nompumelelo Admirer Mahlangu's Lulu is full of youthful spark, and Princess Sechele, playing Princess, dazzles with flair and authority. Her offstage leadership, too, is unmistakable, serving as an Associate Producer at SAST TV and a celebrated figure in the theatre's broader creative ecosystem. Live music wraps around the performance like a second narrative. Oupa 'Poy Poy' Makhubela on guitar, Khutso 'Shalom G' Nkwana on saxophone, and Suprise Mshwana on drums form a seamless ensemble that transports the audience straight to the smoky shebeens and jiving streets of 1950s Johannesburg. The musicality, directed by Zakhele Mabena, is not mere accompaniment — it is storytelling through sound. From the moment audiences enter the theatre, they are welcomed into a space that feels alive with memory. Banners declaring 'We Won't Move' and 'Hands Off Sophiatown' frame a set dressed in period-perfect detail — a vintage typewriter, coal stove, zinc basin, and layered rostra's conjure a home full of history and resistance. Set designer Lungile Cindi has crafted a world that breathes, while Mandla Mtshali's lighting and Lesego Moripe's exquisite costumes paint a visual language as rich and textured as the script itself. The choreographic direction by Bafikile Sedibe animates the stage with movement that is both rooted in historical rhythm and vibrant with contemporary energy. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The response from audiences has been overwhelming. Princess Sechele notes that 'the audiences are engaged, they laugh, they cry, they sing—they see themselves in the characters.' Nkuna adds, 'It still feels like the first season. Every time I step into Mamariti's shoes, I am reminded of how powerful our stories are.' Learners, especially those encountering the story as part of the Grade 11 curriculum, have filled the theatre's seats, often leaving no space unoccupied. The show's consistency in drawing in schools is also a testament to its financial sustainability and cultural relevance. At its core, Sophiatown still matters because it still mirrors the truths of South Africa today. The themes of racial displacement, economic struggle, community tension, and love across boundaries remain deeply relevant. 'We've stayed loyal to the script. No ad-libs, no additions,' Sekhabi insists. 'That discipline has made the storytelling even stronger.' Gaby Georgeson echoes this sense of purpose: 'Ruth is fearless. She reminds us to go beyond our comfort zones, to listen, to understand.' There is a shared longing among the cast to take Sophiatown beyond Pretoria. 'We'd love to tour it,' says Sechele with a grin. 'This cast is family. Touring would be a dream.' The production continues to be supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Department of Basic Education, whose investment ensures that this living archive of South African resistance continues to inspire new generations. Guitarist Oupa Makhubela offers a simple yet moving invitation: 'Come for the music. Stay for the message.' And truly, what a message it is — one of memory, of defiance, of love, and of what it means to be home.
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Soprano Patricia Racette to become artistic director of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Soprano Patricia Racette will become artistic director of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, filling a key management position of a company she has been associated with since her debut there in 1993. General Director Andrew Jorgensen said Tuesday that she will take over on Oct. 1 from James Robinson, who had been artistic director since 2009 and announced in June that he was becoming general and artistic director of the Seattle Opera. Racette has headed the St. Louis company's young artist programs since 2019. 'I already have such a rich relationship with the company and with Andrew, so it's sort of taking it to the next level,' she said. 'It is my job to sort of be a leader in terms of programming, casting, creatives.' The company's 2025 season has 25 staged performances of four works, including the world premiere on May 31 of Ricky Ian Gordon's 'This House,' with a libretto by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and her daughter, Ruby Aiyo Gerber. The company projects its operating budget at $12.5 million to $13 million. Racette, who turns 60 next month, made her directing debut in St. Louis with Verdi's 'La Traviata' in 2018 and went on to direct in Poulenc's 'La Voix Humaine' in 2021 and Carlisle Floyd's 'Susannah' in 2023. 'Having lived my life on stage and now as a director, I've been on both sides of the curtain,' she said. 'I think that puts me in a unique position to understand what goes into putting on an opera.' Racette is to sing in Polenc's 'Dialogues des Carmélites' at The Dallas Opera in November and to direct her 'Susannah' at Opera Omaha in January. She will work in St. Louis with an administration that includes principal conductor Daniela Candillari and already has been involved in future programming. 'As she's added master teacher, as she's added mentor, as she has become a stage director, as she has taken a greater role in casting here,' Jorgensen said, 'she has proven just time and again that all of those skills that made her such a spectacular performer, she now understands how to how to bring all of that, harness it and leverage it for the broader benefit of the organization.'
