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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 30, 2016)
JUNE 30, 2016 // 7 A sisterhood of song Astoria Music Festival concludes with ‘Little Women’ By PATRICK WEBB ASTORIA MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR COAST WEEKEND ‘Who will we be tomorrow? It’s not in my control. I know that for a moment, we were four sisters . . . one soul. On to tomorrow, each to her separate goal.’ — “Let Me Look At You,” the fi nale to “Little Women” by Mark Adamo C Can you control another person’s destiny? Perhaps it is better to ask: How long does it take for an adult to learn he or she cannot? “Little Women,” Louisa May Alcott’s tale of sisters growing up in New England after the Civil War, asks both questions and comes to a distinct conclusion. American composer Mark Adamo makes that the theme of the concluding quartet of his operatic ver- sion, which will be staged this weekend to complete the 2016 Astoria Music Festival. The Friday evening show and Saturday matinee at the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center will conclude three weeks of 13 classical concerts that have lured appreciative crowds to the North Coast for the 14th annual festival. The four sisters will be played by the actresses who sang the roles in the Eugene Opera production in May. That show was directed by the opera company’s general manager, Mark Beudert, and conducted by its musical director, Andrew Bisantz. Both return to coordinate the Astoria production, with members of the Astoria Mu- sic Festival apprentice vocal artists program joining the cast. However, instead of an orchestra, which was used in Eugene, Adamo’s music will be played by solo pianist Jeremy Reger. Beudert, who is the director of the festival’s ‘Little Women’ Opera sung in English, based on the book by Louisa May Alcott, music and libretto by Mark Adamo, directed by Mark Beudert and conducted by Andrew Bisantz, featuring pianist Jeremy Reger and a cast from Eugene Opera and the Astoria Music Festival apprentice artists. 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 1, and 2 p.m. Saturday, July 2, at the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center, 16th Street and Franklin Avenue, in Astoria. Preview talk by Mark Beudert, one hour before each performance. For details, visit www. astoriamusicfestival.org Apprentice Vocal Artist Pro- gram, will speak about the opera one hour before each performance. The work, written in 1998, was the fi rst opera by American composer Mark Adamo. It was commis- sioned by the Houston Grand Opera and has been performed around the United States and in Canada, Israel, Australia and Belgium. The Boston Globe called it “The ‘Cinderella’ of recent American operas.” Critics have highlighted the manner in which Adamo uses recurring musical themes to contrast the lead character Jo’s stubbornness with her sisters’ acceptance of change. While he acknowledg- es that many readers see Alcott’s classic as a story of a free-spirited writer torn between the love of the boy next door and a man of the world, Adamo once offered a more complex interpreta- tion. “Closer reading of Louisa May Alcott’s novel revealed to me a deeper theme: that even those we love will, in all innocence, wound and abandon us until we learn that their destinies are not ours to control,” he said. musician,” he said. “There’s “So I shaped a libretto a depth to her performance in which Jo’s love for her as an actress that relates to her musical ability.” Jo never sisters regained the power leaves the stage. “It’s an en- it wielded in the original durance test,” Bisantz said. novel — and imagined The libretto draws on a fi nale in which Jo at last references to John Bunyan’s accepts that even sincerest “Pilgrim’s Progress” as well love and strongest will can- as references to Goethe’s not stave off change and writings sung by Jo’s second loss.” suitor, the German Dr. Bhaer. The March sisters will Bisantz predicts audienc- be sung by mezzo sopranos es will enjoy the witty fi rst Hannah Penn (Jo) and Alicia act, then share the emotion Piper Garcia (Meg), and of Beth’s death, the manner sopranos Emily Way (Beth) in which the sisters react to and Jocelyn Thomas (Amy). their suitors, and Jo’s fi nal Brett Sprague (Laurie), Tim acknowledg- McCoy (John ment of the Brooke) and ‘THESE ARE inevitability Zachary Len- THE BEST nox (Friedrich CONTEMPORARY of change. “It’s a very Bhaer) play ROLES FOR American their suitors. MEZZO opera,” he Bisantz, said, noting the conductor, SOPRANOS.’ that Adamo is thrilled at earned a the opportuni- degree in play writing before ty to reprise the show he and his musical credentials. Beudert staged in Eugene. “Mark Adamo is a wonderful He has been involved with other productions with Glim- composer. The way he wrote this, using the language of merglass Opera in upstate the post-Civil War, is really New York and Northwestern why the piece is so effective. University in Illinois. It is a Mark wanted to tell the story, popular choice for college fi rst and foremost, and add music programs, in part, his musical ideas — but they because it offers four solid all tell the story.” female leads. “These are the Bisantz describes the best contemporary roles for “gorgeous” quartet at the mezzo sopranos,” he said. end, as “the most nostalgic Penn, who sings Jo, piece in modern opera — worked with Bisantz at Glimmerglass, in Florida and sophisticated not simplis- Eugene. “She is a crackerjack tic.” e v First Lutheran Church e 725 33rd Street Sa th e! Astoria, OR t a (503) 298-8580 D July 18 th– 22 nd Vacation Day Camp at Monday - Thursday: 9 am to 3 pm Friday: 9 am to 11:30 pm • Camp theme: Follow The Leader! • Camp Counselors from Camp Lutherwood! SUBMITTED PHOTO SUBMITTED PHOTO SUBMITTED PHOTO Eugene Opera General Manager Mark Beudert directs the fes- tival’s Apprentice Vocal Artist Program. Mezzo soprano Hannah Penn will sing the part of Jo March in “Little Women.” Eugene Opera’s musical di- rector, Andrew Bisantz, will conduct “Little Women” at the Astoria Music Festival. Games! Singing! Crafts! Outdoor fun! Friends and much more! For children who have completed K through 5th grade! Registration forms available at: www.astoriafi rstlutheran.com
