Those of us a little longer in the tooth will recognize the return of Flying Dutchman (FOUR STARS) — a production last seen here in 2008. Sharply lit and scored with the harsh lines of a primitive woodcut, the set was memorable for the enormous birdwing which dipped occasionally into view like the well-meaning contributions of a gigantic toddler.
This time around, however, with more cohesion from director Stephen Lawless and more dramatic chemistry and tension, there is none of the remoteness that turned props (and ghostly apparitions) into amusements. Here, the potency of the narrative allows one the framework in which to find the forlorn beauty and emotion embedded in Wagner’s searching score -– an appreciation of the opera’s more rarified themes remaining optional.
And the plot itself is accessible. The story begins with sea captain Daland anchored near port, waiting out bad weather. A ship comes alongside and, after a brief but intense acquaintanceship with its mysterious Dutch captain, the greedy Daland promises his daughter Senta in exchange for the man’s treasure. Meanwhile, back at home, Senta pines for a mysterious seafarer of folkloric legend, while her boyfriend Erik watches in frustration. When the ships finally arrive in port, myth and reality collide.
At the heart of this version’s more effective storytelling is Eric Owens, who gives his Dutchman a strange and striking presence. A bear of a man, Owens traps his immense strength in the smallest of movements, lending them a portentous kind of delicacy. It suggests the potential for violence but also speaks to the unbearable moral and spiritual burden roiling within him. Befitting this Dutchman, Owens sings with a deeply gratifying precision, his sound lustrously hewn.
It wasn’t easy to feel the passion of Senta in 2008, but here soprano Christiane Libor makes for a very convincing young woman, believable in her increasing willingness to loosen earthly ties for idealized love. Libor captures the sad eeriness of this tale –- and of this woman — bringing an otherworldly magic to her song for the mythical seaman with an exquisitely beautiful tone.
Though he seems rather young to be her father, Ain Anger is a charismatic captain and sings with befitting energy. As Erik, Jay Hunter Morris brings a credible angst. He uses his tenor with a great, bowing roundness and at times it distracts, at others it is quite beautiful. As The Steersman, Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Michael Brandenburg is nicely showcased for his natural acting and clear, attractive tenor.
And so, seven years later the Dutchman returns. This time his vessel is far more sea-worthy.
To March 21. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $25 to $300. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
California Democrat says House Oversight Chair James Comer made a "homophobic" remark after Democrats challenged his handling of the Epstein investigation.
U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, fired back at Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) after Comer dismissed him as a "real big drama queen."
Comer's jab came after Democrats released a sexually suggestive letter allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender who died in jail while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The letter, featuring a drawing of a curvaceous woman used as the backdrop for birthday wishes, was allegedly signed by Donald Trump and included in a 2003 album celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday. Trump had been friendly with Epstein during the 1980s and 1990s.
Owners of several D.C. LGBTQ bars and nightclubs say the federal takeover of the city’s police force -- and the surge of federal agents stationed on 14th Street NW and along the U Street corridor -- cost them thousands of dollars in lost business this past weekend.
Mark Rutstein, co-owner of Crush Dance Bar at 14th and U Streets NW, told CBS affiliate WUSA that August 15 was the worst Friday the bar has seen since opening last year. He estimated losses to be approximately $15,000 for the night.
Rutstein told The Advocate that Crush sat near a multi-agency checkpoint, including agents from the Department of Homeland Security, set up on Wednesday evening. Authorities reportedly made 45 arrests, 29 of them immigration-related.
The atmosphere is not the same at the Kennedy Center since we’ve entered the era when many who love the institution show their love and support by not going there. This might create a heavier lift for the artists and performers welcomed into the space, like the cast and company of the musical drama Parade.
A touring production of Michael Arden’s Tony-winning 2023 Broadway revival, which starred Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, this Parade trudges a bit through openers “The Old Red Hills of Home” and “The Dream of Atlanta” before the show really gets marching.
That’s when Max Chernin brings the spark of urgency to his vivid portrayal of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager from Brooklyn, New York making a go of it in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Lucille (Talia Suskauer), who was born and raised Jewish in the South.
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