Photos Robert Tucker

Focalpoint Studio

Entire cast first-rate in Tosca ......................

Review Extracts - Anna Crebo, Contributing Writer, Cape Cod Opera August 19, 2008

Cape Cod Opera's production of Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca" last weekend had lots of vocal and dramatic sizzle. The visuals — ingeniously designed sets by Andrew Arnault and period costumes by Linda Arthur — were striking as well. And, finally, after so many seasons of sparse, albeit tasteful, accompaniment, there was an honest-to-goodness orchestra of 14 players, including piano and harp, astutely led by talented Cape newcomer John Yankee. It would seem our fledgling local opera company has had a serious growth spurt and is fleshing out nicely. Sunday afternoon's taut, animated presentation, its usual three-scenorio condensed into two, immediately drew in and held the audience, which responded irresistibly to the all-out dramatic commitment and high-level vocal peformance of the seven-member cast. Even the minor roles.....................................were fully enacted and well-sung. For example, Angelotti, the escaped political prisoner whose questionable fate generates both the plot and the opera's pervading undercurrent of threatening violence, appears only once, at the beginning of the first act, fleeing from his persecutors into a church chapel. Veteran opera performer Paul Soper, his baritone voice strong and resonant, his movements tense and catlike, gave the part full measure. Likewise, the "comic relief" role of the simple-minded old sacristan and choirmaster, who unwittingly betrays Angelotti's connection with the painter Cavaradossi (the leading tenor role), was convincingly drawn and vigorously sung by Cape baritone Thomas Crumb, who, incidentally, is himself a bona fide minister and church music director. His prancing antics while leading the spirited chorus of black-frocked nuns and clerics drew audience laughter and applause............................... Boston-based baritone Philip Lima effectively used his 6-foot-7-inch athletic frame and commanding stage presence to deliver a chilling portrayal of the brutal police chief, Scarpia, who lusts after Tosca and seeks to eliminate Cavaradossi as his rival for her affections. He was at his vocal best in the second-act dramatic monologue, "Ha piu forte sapore," in which he sings of his pleasure in ruthlessly possessing what he desires.

As Cavaradossi, young New York-based singer John Tsotsoros was first-rate. Lithe and handsome, he fully looked and vividly acted the part of the passionate bohemian lover and patriot. He created vocal fireworks with his brightly penetrating, wide-ranging tenor...............................................But the artistic conquest of the afternoon belonged to Tosca herself. As the ardent, idealistic diva, soprano Diana Toscano-Gross, a former regional opera singer who is now a music and drama teacher at Harwich Middle School, made a spectacular comeback as a high-powered vocal performer. Her colorful, flexible spinto easily projected to the back of the hall, even in a nuanced pianissimo, and her high notes were thrilling. Her soulful delivery of "Vissi d'arte," the opera's most famous aria, moved some in the audience (including this reviewer) to tears...................................................Huge kudos also to artistic director David McCarty, whose adept staging kept the plot boiling and the soloists mainly at stage front, where they could be better heard by the audience.

Photos by Argo Video Productions

A Carmen with a lot of soul.

Review by Paul Joseph Walkowski OperaOnline.us

Cape Cod Opera is not the Boston Lyric, but like so many small opera companies struggling to keep interest alive and serve an opera community that is clearly present and interested on the South Shore, it does its best...................................

Cape Cod Opera is now doing fully staged productions, and before getting to the singers, a word about those productions: the shows are always colorful and, on Tilden's large stage, always impressive. Three things seem to be a staple for this company, and are applicable, especially, in this production: Its costuming is always rich and era appropriate thanks to costume designer Linda Arthur; its lighting is superb, always colorful and well-utilized (background as well as main stage), thanks to Anne Kiefer; and its set design here, as in other productions, was imaginative and right on mark, thanks to Robert Troie. When you combine the three elements of a production: lighting, costumes and stage design, as well as Cape Cod Opera does, the result is going to be a a great visual feast that is on par with larger and more heavily funded companies.

In bringing this latest production to stage Cape Cod Opera called upon the talents of mezzo-soprano Jodi Karem,........... As "Carmen," she was just what we hope to see in this role. Indeed, Ms. Karem brought to the role the zest and sex appeal that "Carmen" is supposed to, but doesn't always, possess, in other singers. Here, she combined a smooth vocal performance with strong sensual physicality and melded the two in our minds and kept everyone's attention whenever she was on stage. That's what Carmen's supposed to do, and she did it well!

Singing the role of Don Jose was tenor Neal Harrelson. Mr. Harrelson's characterizarion of Carmen's obsession-driven suitor was a good match here. His ringing highs seemed without a limit on top notes, and his acting, especially the final murder scene, was believable. His physical interaction with Karem, I thought, was rough, though. When he shoved her, he really seemed to shove. ..........Lyric Mezzo-soprano Marie McCarville, as Mercedes, and soprano Alisa Cassola, as Frasquita, two gypsy friends of Carmen, performed magnificently throughout and displayed both solid vocal talent and commanding acting skills. Singing the role of Don Jose's neglected girlfriend, Michaela, was soprano Melissa Manseau, who turned in another solid vocal performance, coupled with good stage and acting skills -- a pleasure to hear. In the role of the flamboyant, ever-confident Toreador, Escamillo, was baritone Anton Belov. Mr. Belov has a commanding, full baritone voce and delivery that is easy and comfortable throughout the range. ..................

Filling out this talented cast, were equally talented support members: Thomas Crumb, singing the role of Morales; Aaron Guckian (maybe a little too overbearing and swaggering) singing the role of Zuniga; Brian Ballard, singing the role of El Doncairo; Laurent Martin, singing the role of Remondado; and Pav Wilkinson, singing the role of Lilias Pastia. All did a fine job, all contributed to making this a worthy ensemble. And lastly, hats off to the Cape Cod Opera chorus for another job exceedingly well done. ............. As for this production of Carmen, it was another example of what a small company on a small budget can do with the right talent and creative staff. In my book, it was a "Carmen" with a lot of soul.

Photos by Richard Tucker at Focalpoint Studio

Singers sparkle in classic 'Hansel and Gretel' tale

Photos by Richard Tucker at Focalpoint Studio

Gifted soloists make Cape 'Mikado' a success

Extract from a review in Cape Cod Times by Anna Crebo Contributing Writer

The singing of the lead and major roles was exceptional for a Gilbert & Sullivan production. All too often one hears either insufficiently trained classical voices or, worse, an edgy nasal Broadway-type sound, while Sullivan's music distinctly calls for a light opera approach. Each soloist, besides singing well, looked and, for the most part, acted his or her part to a turn. Moreover, all seemed to be enjoying the romp.

Cape Cod Opera delivers a Mikado that is brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed, providing the gold standard of excellence for others to follow

Extract by Paul Joseph Walkowski, OperaOnline.us
see the full review at http://operaonline.us/mikadocape.htm

Everything about this production was noteworthy: from gloriously colorful, full costumes, to an economical and simple, yet elegant, set design (consisting of three traditional Japanese arches in aqua on a burnt orange faux marble platform, set off again a scrim that changed colors from scene to scene and mood to mood) courtesy of set designer Cara Marcy, to a kaleidoscopic array of color -- in one scene the backdrop gradually changed from light orange at the top fading into a dull blue at the bottom, with a large white sun projected on the background, to a full deep blue sky with a red sun - brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, thanks to Anne B. Kiefer. Add to these artistic achievements, smart stage direction by Richard Conrad that moved characters about fluidly and naturally from scene to scene, and all presumably under the overall artistic direction of Beth MacLeod, and you have a sure fire winner on all production counts. Everything about this performance deserves high praise and receives it here. What made this production so truly amazing, though, is that each of the performers never missed a cue. They sang, they acted, they danced, they jumped about, they moved around the stage naturally and smoothly while doing everything a performer is supposed to do, keeping the audience's pleasure foremost in their sites as they went about their business. Multiple Bravos for this wonderful cast. Brava! Brava! Brava!

Photos by Argo Video

Extract from a review by Anna Crebo Cape Cod Times - November 2004
"Amahl awakens season's spirit - Gian Carlo Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors" ? the tale of a crippled shepherd boy and his widowed mother who receive a surprise visit from the Three Kings en route to Bethlehem ? has the power to awaken the miraculous Christmas spirit of selfless giving. At the climactic end of Friday night's sold-out opening performance by Cape Cod Opera in Pilgrim Congregational Church, many in the raptly attentive audience were dewy-eyed. No less moved was lead soprano Martha Evans, a company regular, who must have realized she had just delivered one of the best performances of her career as Amahl's embittered mother, fiercely solicitous of her son's needs and discouraged by her inability to surmount their impoverishment. Indeed, as important to the work's success as are the colorful pageantry of the Three Kings and the animated chorus of shepherds, the emotional linchpin of the tightly-knit one-act opera is the nuanced relationship between the dreamily imaginative, somewhat fragile Amahl and his robust, pragmatic mother, resentful of her lot. Cape Cod Opera was fortunate to have discovered Benjamin Young of Lakeville, who made his highly successful stage debut as Amahl in Friday's performance. The slight-appearing youngster has an utterly natural, winsome stage manner and what's more important, refined diction, a bell-like tone, and an infallible sense of pitch. Music director Thomas Vasil conducted unobtrusively and effectively. Making their majestic entrance through the center aisle, the Three Kings, in full regalia, were amusing studies in contrasting personalities. Kaspar is paunchy, hard-of-hearing and comically obsesses about his box of semi-precious healing stones. Melchior has a stately regality. Balthazar is possessed with a dark philosophical aplomb. The three were aptly portrayed by tenor Howard Whitmore, baritone Thomas Crumb, and bass Michael Wrobleski (Brian Gilman performed the role of Balthazar in November 05 and January 06) The chorus of shepherds sang in a nicely animated stage appearance.

Costumes, designed and executed by Linda Arthur, were impressive throughout. Dan Rojay was the pompous, surly Page, a speaking part. The staging by Ann Kiefer and set design by Robert Troie were simple and effective. "

Trouble in Tahiti

Photos by Argo Video

Gianni Schicchi

Extracts from a review by Anna Crebo, Cape Cod Times ? August 30, 2005
"It is refreshing to see operas not drawn exclusively from the dozen or so perennial favorites endlessly repeated by some regional companies in the belief that audiences will not like anything that is unfamiliar. Kudos to Cape Cod Opera for last weekend's production of two one act operas that are perhaps not as performed as they should be, although their composers, Bernstein and Puccini, are practically household names.

The pairing of Trouble in Tahiti and Gianni Schicchi was an ingenious one.

Cavalleria Rusticana / I Pagliacci - 2004

Photos by Focal Point Studio, Orleans

Cavalleria Rusticana

I Pagliacci

Extracts from a review by Libby Hughes, Cape Cod Today
"Jodi Karem's Santuzza broke our hearts" "Ray Bauwens gave us emotional chills with his vocal and acting craft as the brazen & heartless Turiddu" "Anne Kiefer's magical touch on lighting was very apparent, especially the sunset on the church" "Robin Laughlin's costumes were muted in Cavalleria Rusticana and lively and colorful in Pagliacci. "Dr. Thomas Vasil's musical acumen was unrelenting in steering his ten-piece orchestra through two complicated operas" "Cav and Pag put Cape Cod Opera on the map! Take a bow."

Extracts from a review by Anna Crebo, Cape Cod Times
"Cape Cod Opera delivers on double bill. An opera company much like the human voice itself, does not come fully developed it takes years of careful nurturing and considerable outlay of expense and effort to bring operatic potential to fruition. Drawing from the rich cultural resources at its doorstep, Cape Cod Opera, which started nine years ago as a concert opera group, is beginning to emerge as a young company of note... this season's double bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci is another step forward in terms of the overall ability of soloists and beauty of the physical production."

Die Fledermaus - 2003

Photos by Focal Point Studio, Orleans

Extracts from a review by Anna Crebo, Cape Cod Times
"Superb singing and stylish acting by soprano Patrice Tiedemann (Rosalinda). Prince Orlofsky is comically portrayed by soprano Martha Evans. Both singers have the vocal projection and diction skills to be clearly heard over the orchestra. Craig Hanson (Alfred) has a resilient, high ranging tenor voice with animated acting and fluid movements that create a memorable portrayal that is worth the price of admission. Cynthia Plumb (Adele) was radiant voiced, she negotiates the lilting coloratura passages with assurance and seeming ease. Tom Oesterling (Eisenstein) sings with stylish animation, clear tone and diction. Frank Haggard (Falke) is vocally and physically appealing. Kudos to the exceptionally fine chorus, whose high spirited, well blended choral numbers added immeasurably to the production's appeal. Stage Director David McCarty's ingeniously conceived staging, colorful period costumes and sets were impressive."