The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/27737
‘Figaro’ wins with standout performances Traditionally, SUNY Oneonta produces both an operetta and a musical during the spring semester. The Apollo Music Club and the music department produce the op- eretta and Mask and Hammer and the theater department produce the musical. This year, however, everyone pooled resources to produce one opera _ “The Mar- riage of Figaro,” directed by John McCaslin-Doyle, with musical direction by Timothy Newton. Modernized and set in the early 20th century, the show surprised me in a number of ways, with some minor setbacks. First, set design by John Bagby. Six “towers,” three on each side of the stage, acted as the walls and were rotated to produce a differ- ent setting for each act. This al- lowed for very quick and efficient scene changes, which is always ap- pealing to the audience. I was also drawn to the light sconces that were unique with each act. They were charming, well-designed additions that contributed to the energy of the set. The proscenium was lined with incandescent bulbs, and I loved the vaudevillian effect they created (compliments of lighting designer Rich Valentine). The fallback to the set was in some of its construction; many seams and unpainted screw heads were clearly visible on the “tow- ers” during each act and distracted from the aesthetic of the set, es- pecially in the count’s room in Act II, which was my favorite design. In regards to the performance, there were some standouts. By far, the best vocal performances came from juniors Chelsea Riegal and Alexandra Schleuderer. Schleuderer appeared very com- fortable on stage and controlled her songs with beautiful precision, creating an intelligent and witty Susanna. Riegal was stunning as the Countess and never lost my attention. She carried herself so well and sang with such accuracy that I wanted to stand up and clap just for her. Their performance of the duettino “To Romeo” in Act III was breathtaking; it was the only song to elicit light cheers from the audience. My next two favorites in the show were Megan Harrington (Cherubino) and Joseph Klebanoff (Count). Harrington, witty and full of energy, delivered great vocals with a demanding stage presence. She was very confident and kept a good rapport with the audience by feeding off their reactions. Like Schleuderer and Riegal, Harrington was one of the few who kept this show from sinking. Klebanoff’s performance was a complete surprise. This was his stage debut, and he held his own against the more experienced members of the cast both vocally and with his overall performance. His facial expressions added a dimension to his character that others lacked, and he controlled his movement and vocals nearly as well as the best in the show. Mark Durkee (Bartolo) and Photo by Taylor Hogan Actors perform a scene from ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ opera, which was staged at SUNY Oneonta last weekend. Samantha Donnelly (Marcellina) played very well off one another. After seeing Durkee in a few performances in the past, I was delightfully surprised by his strong vocal performance. Donnelly brought her version of Marcellina in full force, and it was a relief to see her play so well off the other characters. After his previous performances at SUNY Oneonta, I was underwhelmed with Jared Gates’ (Basilio) performance. He did, however, gained some ground with his farcical flare in his dance number with Tim Kurtzberg (Don Curzio). Jacob Wansor (Figaro) was a toss-up for me. Like Klebanoff, this was Jacob’s stage debut, but he did a fairly good job. His physicalization of the character was entertaining and unique and his singing was good, though he lacked a little on the annunciation; a demanding part for a new- comer to the stage, so I was fairly impressed. McCaslin-Doyle incorporated farce into the show in a number of ways, and though it contributed to most of the performance, it dis- tracted at times. For example, the fainting of Susanna in Act I went on a little too long, as did the run- ning back-and-forth behind the garden pillars in Act IV. Another missed mark was in not having mics; I agree that not hav- ing body mics could have worked, but it was difficult to understand almost all characters at times; choral mics, or something similar might have helped. I do have to give him kudos for undertaking a young cast and a very demand- ing vocal show. I anticipated a little less finesse in the staging, given the lack of experience in some and the nature of perform- ing an opera in a school not know for classical performance, but he pulled it out of the performers in the end, and it was fun to watch. Marjean McCaslin-Doyle created some fantastic costumes, namely those worn by Riegal, Schleuderer and Harrington. Riegal’s were always striking, Shleuderer’s were precise, and Harrington’s were absolutely fun and colorful. I am not a fan of opera, but SUNY Oneonta’s recent perfor- mance of “The Marriage of Figaro” provoked some interest in me for another opera outing. I was delighted to see new talent excel, two departments take chances on something challenging, and students experiencing something that too few will ever have the opportunity to. This performance may not have been my favorite, but it will be memorable and I commend Oneonta for taking this leap of faith. _ Kyle Beckley She carried herself so well and sang with such accuracy that I wanted to stand up and clap just for her. March 24, 2011 O-Town Scene 21