* Notes *
Thea Musgrave’s Mary, Queen of Scots opened at San Francisco Opera yesterday evening. The music and production both had a starkness and intensity that made for good theater.
Conductor Clelia Cafiero did a fine job with the orchestra, her intentions were clear. The music has a certain stridency, with a lot of staccato. The woodwinds and harp were particularly lovely.
Director Stewart Laing had the work set in contemporary times, no period gowns or tartan to be seen. It did make the events depicted seem quite immediate, and the complete lack of scene changes did keep us in the moment as well. The austere set (pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) is essentially a white marquee tent, as in The Great British Bake Off, that is put together before the opera starts and is completed by Act II.
The cast is strong from top to bottom. Bass-baritone Philip Skinner always impresses, and his Lord Gordon has much authority. His diction is so clear, and we could hear every word. Baritone Hadleigh Adams is charming as the hapless Italian courtier David Riccio, singing prettily of Orpheus.
Tenor Christopher Sokolowski also has a very pretty voice as Lord Darnley, channeling the charisma necessary to be believable. Tenor Thomas Kinch makes for a good contrast as The Earl of Bothwell, both characters are despicable, but they are distinct in sound. Kinch has more brute force, while Sokolowski is more refined.
Baritone Thomas Mole gave a nuanced performance of James Stewart, Earl of Moray. He is ingratiating and tender with his sister Mary, Queen of Scots to start, but then shows his duplicity and power-hungry nature as the plot unfolds.
Most impressive was soprano Heidi Stober in the title role. She has incredible high notes that never sound strained or shrill. She very much embodied Mary, and it was easy to identify with her. Her singing about being not believed and alone in Act III was heartbreaking.
* Tattling *
The opening performance of this opera was canceled due to the San Francisco Opera Orchestra strike, but had been part of my subscription. It was easy enough to call the box office and get tickets for this second performance, but we were in Box B instead of our normal Box Z but still had a good view of the orchestra pit and conductor.
The opera was not sold out, and so there was no bad behavior to have to tolerate.
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