Through Thu 8/9
Do you think opera is old-fashioned and stuffy? Boring, even? Hah! If so, you’re in for a surprise!
Officially, La Périchole is referred to as opéra bouffe, but in actuality it’s more like the Marx Brothers meet the Three Stooges! True, dat.
There is lush music by the German-French master, Jacques Offenbach, who is credited with creating the genre of operetta, and wrote nearly a hundred of them in the mid-1800s. His frequent collaborators, Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, provided the words (librettos, if you will) for many of them: Meilac for a dozen or so, while Halévy assisted on more than 20. The version currently on the boards at Ohio Light Opera in Wooster, features a terrific new English translation by OLO’s Jacob Allen. The original dates to 1868.
Who knew Lima, Peru was so scintillating and/or naughty in the mid 1750s? Apparently, the existence of the street singer La Périchole was common knowledge, so why not put her in an opera? The widowed viceroy Don Andres decided to offer her a position in his court, but them realized that only married women could do that. So his henchmen are sent out to find a suitable bridegroom. Who do you think they found? Piquillo, her current beau, that’s who! Unfortunately, he’s too drunk to recognize her, so once they’re married, the viceroy sends him off to the dungeon for recalcitrant husbands.
Here’s the reason for this operetta — one of the most famous arias of all time: the lovely “Letter Song” in which La Périchole tells Piquillo of her unchanging love. Even if you’re not familiar with this sort of music, you may well have heard this particular song. They pretty much even have a happy ending.
Julie Wright Costa is the stage director for this lively version — the third one in OLO’s 40 years. The sunny climate of Lima is reflected in the colorful costumes by Kim Griffin, and the sets to match are by Kiah Kayser, with lighting by Brittany Shemuga. The OLO orchestra was conducted by Wilson Southerland, with choreography by Spencer Reese.
For the third time, now, (’84 & ’93 plus this year) Spiro Matsos has performed as the Marquis de Tarapote, chamberlain of the viceroy, while Boyd Mackus has been Don Andres, the viceroy, in the first go-round, plus this one. (In ’93, he was Piquillo.) La Périchole was portrayed by Gretchen Windt who could hardly be blamed for accepting the viceroy’s offer, putting her in position to sing the “Letter Song” to her erstwhile lover Piquillo, this time in the person of Daniel Neer.
Ted Christopher and Stephen Faulk were also noblemen, while the Cabaret of the Three Cousins was under the capable management of Chelsea Miller (Guadalena), Caitlin Ruddy (Berginella), and Alexa Devlin as Mastrilla. Cory Clines did double duty as assistant stage director and the Old Prisoner. The two Notaries (to formalize the marriage) were Seth Johnson and Trevor Todd.
La Périchole is now in repertory through Thu 8/9 at the Freedlander Theatre on the campus of Wooster College. Call the box office at 330-263-2345 or go to ohiolightopera.org.
[Written by Kelly Ferjutz]
Wooster, OH 44691