Gotham Chamber Opera: ARIADNE UNHINGED

Wednesday May 7, 2008 - The ancient tale of Ariadne, abandoned by her lover Theseus on the isle of Naxos after aiding him in his defeat of the Minotaur, has been transformed into my favorite opera: Richard Strauss' ARIADNE AUF NAXOS. But Ariadne's story has inspired other composers as well and tonight Gotham Chamber Opera presented ARIADNE UNHINGED with music by Monteverdi, Haydn and Schoenberg in a visually and musically fascinating production. Directed by Karole Armitage and featuring the dancers of her Company, Armitage Gone! Dance, the performance literally seemed to cast a spell over the audience at the Abrons Arts Center.

Last Fall, Gotham Chamber Opera had a highly successful production of Piazzolla's MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES in which the David Parsons Dance Company played a key role. Gotham repeated the successful formula - vocalism + dance - tonight. In the intimate auditorium, one felt strongly connected to the performers and the dance elements were finely woven around a true tour de force performance by Emily Langford Johnson as Ariadne. 

Emily Langford Johnson is Ariadne and dancer Ryan Kelly (formerly of New York City Ballet) is Theseus in this Stephanie Berger photograph. Ms. Johnson made a superb impression on me and my long-time opera companion Paul with the unrestrained passion of her vocalism and her ability to shift from the recitar cantando of Monteverdi to the classic style of Haydn and the jagged parlando of Schoenberg. Tall and attractive and willing to use her body as an expressive instrument, Ms. Johnson's warmly vibrant vocalism went from strength to strength in an arduous 75-minute 'monolog' in which she hardly ever stopped singing. Fearless in her exploiting of the vocal range, her high notes rang out into the house and her lower register was dark and sensuous. The plaintive severity of the Monteverdi and the melodic expressiveness of the Haydn revealed the character's despair but the  angular, often nightmarish qualities of the  Schoenberg showed us the madness that has overtaken her. Few singers would risk this kind of performance and the audience rightly shouted their approval for Ms. Johnson at the end.

Ms. Armitage memorably stages the 'aria' part of the Haydn as a pas de trois for Ryan Kelly and Frances Chiaverini with the singer also taking an active role. Both dancers revealed deep roots in classical ballet which shone thru their every movement. Ms. Chiaverini has a beautiful line and sense of spaciouness in her dancing. I actually met Ryan Kelly while he was at NYCB and remember him quite well; he has developed into a very impressive dancer with a powerful but lyrical style to match his physique. All of the Armitage dancers in fact have balletic references in their resumes so that their dancing seems both classical and contemporary at the same time.

Vera Lutter's design was a great asset for the production. A glistening grey stone wall provides a backdrop for three glass panels showing a negative-image Lutter photograph which is at once industrial in subject but somehow mythical in mood. At times the dancers appeared behind these screens in soft focus, given them a feeling of being part of Ariadne's dreams. Costume designer Peter Speliapolis puts the dancers in sleek, shiny body tights while Ariadne wears a crumpled metallic-silver gown. Both Ariadne and Theseus wear furry satyr-like hoof-boots. Ryan's torso might have been the model for an ancient statue of a young god.

Neal Goren led the tiny musical ensemble - experts all - with clarity. A special bravo to the excellent Daniel Swenberg whose theorbo accompaniment in the Monteverdi was a key element in the evening's success.

Performances continue thru this weekend and an alternate Ariadne, Brenda Patterson, will assume the role for three performances. Having heard her at Juilliard I can vouch for her completely, so you can't go wrong whichever of the mezzos you might end up hearing. ARIADNE UNHINGED is very much worth a trip to the Lower East Side. The photos of Brenda with Frances & Ryan and with the Armitage dancers are by Richard Termine.

A review of Gotham Chamber Opera's performance history to date shows how imaginative they are and their announced plans for next season are brilliant: not only will they offer a Montsalvage rarity EL GATO CON BOTAS ("Puss-in-Boots") featuring the work of puppeteer Basil Twist, but they will present Haydn's MONDO DELLA LUNA at the Hayden Planetarium! I wouldn't think of missing a Gotham production but: Haydn with lunar projections? That will be extraordinary.

Below: Photos from ARIADNE UNHINGED: Ms. Langford Johnson with Ryan Kelly as Theseus and with William Isaac and Frances Chiaverini of the Armitage Gone! Dance Company in production photos by Stephanie Berger.  Ms. Johnson with dancer Megumi Ada and with Ms. Chiaverini and Matthew Barnham in performance photos by Richard Termine.