Syracuse Opera’s Carmina Burana Reviewed.

After mentioning various Syracuse Opera productions over the past six months I finally got a chance to see one. It came in the form of the epic and famous 1935-6 Orff cantata called Carmina Burana. I talked about it in a previous article, and since the Opera was nice enough to allow me access as a member of the press (thing’s are getting interesting for the Guru), I promised a review. By no means am I some sort of opera expert and I won’t claim to be, but I think you’ll be interested to hear thoughts from an opera virgin. For that reason I won’t be comparing it to other performances or famous operas whilst trying to sound “cultured”–I’ve already read an article like that today. What I want you to get a sense of is why the Syracuse Opera’s important and why I think you should most definitely take a “risk” and attend Madama Butterfly on April 20th or 22nd (or both).

So that disclaimer aside, here we go. On Friday around 8:15 p.m., the crowded (1400+) theater went silent as the lights faded to black. That singular, momentary sense of wonder entered my mind as quiet voices burst from the darkness on either side. A procession of monks (robed up) appeared and methodically descended towards the stage, swinging lanterns to light the path. Their voices were incredibly complex; moving but subtle. It almost sounded as if it was a high quality recording–but no–it was most certainly live. It was a quiet moment of contemplation and foreboding building up to the powerful and moving work, which traces all seasons of human experience. The monks reached the sides of the stage and the show began. Bursting from the orchestra came the massive and tragic first few notes of “O Fortuna”, blossoming into an indescribably rich orchestral cacophony (in a good way). For me, it was reminiscent of the more classical composition-based electronica concerts I’ve been to, but on a much grander and serious scale.

The stage setup was impressive, with an English subtitle box above a huge projector screen. Below that was a semi-translucent black curtain, behind which stood a huge number of choristers both adults and children. Projected on the screen was the Wheel of Fortune (not the show that Pat Sajak hosted while drunk) slowly turning it’s way around in stunning detail and clarity. Images of highways, speeding traffic and modern cityscapes flashed to life on the screen. O Fortuna wailed in the background and then it felt like the weight of the world landed on me, Fate laughing at us all–fortune waning and desolate winter choking all hope. Sorry to get all dramatic, but opera is probably the only art form capable of making you feel like an insignificant speck–it’s also very much what Carmina Burana is about.

While it was extremely oppressive (realistic may be a better word) and fatalistic in a very German sense, the show soon moved to the lighter topics of Spring, romance, maidens and drinking (hooray!). This is where the pint-sized (that was an accident–I hate puns) choristers began to shine–singing out in a playful bursts that seemed to require full body effort. I’m sure some of these kids were eight to ten years old, which was especially amazing–what talent! The leads had extremely cultivated and powerful voices as well–working in and out of the intricacies of Medieval Latin and Middle High German with relative ease. I can’t imagine being able to do that, let alone in a foreign, 700 year old dead language. It became very clear to me that opera is the pinnacle of vocal ability–more demanding and more stunning than any pop vocals could ever be.

The only limitation I really noticed was the costumes when “II. In Taberna (In the Tavern)” began. Set design was quite minimal and the actors were wearing khakis and other various modern attire. The dancers were better costumed and helped cover for the Gap-inspired wardrobe. This was the only moment that the spell of Carmina Burana was broken, but I feel like the show finished off so strongly that this didn’t matter. It was one of the most visually-stimulating experiences I’ve seen in a standard theater and I don’t think there’s really a bad seat in the house (just avoid those giant pillars). The conductor and orchestra showed finesse and expertise throughout the show–and in combination with 90 choristers the experience became quite unforgettable. The only thing that bummed me out was the fact that I couldn’t go to both performances.

For my part, I can say that you definitely missed out by not being one of the 3000+ audience members, and with tickets from $19 who says you can’t experience the power of Syracuse Opera on a budget?

The Syracuse Opera is a 100% Guru Approved experience, if an opera non-fan like me can suddenly love opera and want to see both shows, I’m guessing you’ll like it too (away with those preconceived notions).

Syracuse Opera — Carmina Burana Review
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Special thanks to my friend Michael Heagerty, Communications Director at Syracuse Opera.

© 2012, Michael Rotella. All rights reserved.