Blitzstein, musicals, opera and Regina

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 4:27am

So while I have a lot of experience, and appreciate/love for classical music, as well, of course, for musical theatre I don't have a lot of experience with opera.

Sure I know Tchaikovsky's three major operas pretty well, have also seen Magic Flute and Don Giovanni, Carmen, Madama Butterfly and Turandot as well as Britten's Turn of the Screw and Bartok's Bluebird--but that's where my knowledge ends. I enjoyed all (some more than other--I tend to prefer the more modern ones) but have to admit that somewtimes the musical fan in me comes out--I think to myself how pointless the lyrics seem to be, how repetitive much of it is, etc...

Anyway--I've always wanted to get more into Blitzstein--I know the songs (and love them) on Dawn Upshaw's Wish it So album, and I somewhat know the rest of Juno--and that's it. A local profesional opera company has announced that they are doing Blitzstein's Regina this Fall--which has me excited because I remember reading from one musical theatre writer (Suskin maybe?) that it had shades of Sweeney Todd in it and in terms of its ambitions and if seen as a grand musical/opera crossover was one of the most impressive scores. Unfortunately all recordings of it seem out of print (which seems kinda shocking to me...)

Is anyone here experienced with it? Would you recommend it? Compare it to? Is it more opera or more musical (I'm guessing more opera)--and I suppose where does the line cross

E

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 9:08am

Quite a bit of the music from REGINA is superb, but the storytelling is less than stellar. I would definitely consider it an opera, and I recommend that you definitely see it, given the fact that it's so rarely produced.

Vis-a-vis the line between opera and musical: I classify REGINA as an opera because of the heightened quality of the music, the score's vocal demands, and the lack of actual spoken dialogue.

[ben1986]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 12:59pm

I saw Regina about three years ago at the Kennedy Center will Patti LuPone in the lead role. The Kennedy Center produced this show as a year long tribute to the forties.

AC hit the nail on the head in that the show did have some real good numbers but aside from the that I was not wild about it. The plot could be confusing at times and in their review even The Washington Post said that many left the theatre asking the question, "What was that about?"

In addition I agree with AC in classifying the show as an opera. Would I see it again? Probably not considering the only real reason I went to see it in the first place was because LuPone was in it. In all actuality that was why a majority of the audience was there it seemed.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 1:21pm

The best record of REGINA was a 3 LP set on Columbia with the late 1950s NYCO cast.

The text follows Hellman's play THE LITTLE FOXES and the music serves the drama well but is never demandingly memorble on its own.

The best moment is the party scene with guest dancing a mad galop as Regina reproaches Horace shouting she hopes he dies. The orchestra stops as she reaches the top of the stairs and sings (unaccompanied) "I'll be waiting!" and in shocked silence the curtain comes down.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 2:14pm

Regina is a strange piece for me. I don't think it does ANYTHING to improve or enhance upon Foxes. Still,I love to listen to it but can't imagine sitting through a whole produciton.

I think it is Blitzstein's best theatre score.

Updated On: 5/4/07 at 02:14 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 3:02pm

City Opera did a major revival of Regina in about 1993 or 94. It is entertaining because of Hellman and those characters. I have always thought that The Little Foxes is possibly America's best melodrama which I also realize could be damning it with faint praise. The scope of opera only heightens the melodrama which is already hyper-caffeinated.

There is one stunning aria for Birdie (Do I remember the title? Nooo...), but Lauren Flanigan performed it as a stand alone art song when she did her gig at Joe's Pub a few years back. In a memorable evening, it stood out.

I bet if there is a book of Blitzstein material out there that it would be in it. Try the Lincoln Center Library (he said, assuming that everyone lives in New York). If it is anywhere, that will be where. You can probably find the lp there too.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 11:58pm

Thanks guys. I'll get tickets--they do three operas a year and one is always a bit unusual and doesn't get the support the others do so for that reason alone...

I've also always wanted to investigate Blitzstein further, so it sounds liek this will be a good opportunity and maybe the only one I'll have for some time to see it. It's a travesty no recording is easily available seeing as even its critics seem to see it as a fairly major work.

(It took me years to find Bernstein's A Quiet Place on CD but this is a much more famous opera)

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 1:33am

If you can find a copy give JUNO a listen. It's another of those fascinating pieces that far too few people know.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 10:12am

Regina falls far short of the original source material. If you have ever have the opportunity, try to Kurt Weill's Street Scene or Menotti's The Saint of Bleecker Street. Those are Broadway operas that really work.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 4:07pm

Juno is my second favorite Blizstein score. I think you can still order the cd from:

http://store.fynsworthalley.com/16269.html

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 9:47pm

I know and love Street Scene but will have to investigate Menotti (I onlyknwo the film fo the Medium)

I used to have Juno on vinyl and played it a lot as a teen but can't seem to find my copy--thanks for the link, I'll pick up the cd :)

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 11:56pm

Pick up VANESSA, too.

Personally, my favorite American opera is Carlisle Floyd's SUSANNAH. I heartily recommend the complete recording with Cheryl Studer and Samuel Ramey.