Poor lover triumphs in 'The Bartered Bride'

What seems plainly obvious when viewing Bedrich Smetana\'s opera "The Bartered Bride" is that the composer was using Mozartian opera as his model.\nThe opera, which opened at the Musical Arts Center on Friday, has a similar Renaissance Comedy story line in which the two lovers cannot marry, but in the end the witty, handsome, poor lover triumphs -- he also ends up being rich. Musically, the opera is similar in form, using duets, arias, choruses and recitatives in alternating sequences.\nThe difference between Mozart and Smetana opera is that Mozart knew how to fuse true emotion, light and hilarious comedy and social commentary much better than Smetana ever could. \nBut Smetana's opera is important for other reasons. Many agree that "The Bartered Bride" is the beginning of Czech opera, using melodies that, while a creation of the composer, have the flavor and rhythmic style of Czech folk music. It is the beginning of Czech nationalistic opera.\nIU's current staging took Smetana's colorful, light music and delivered a production that reflected the Czech folk flavor with some strong performances and well-executed music.\nUnder professor David Effron's baton, the orchestra dove headfirst into the driving rhythm of the overture. Effron and the concert orchestra had a difficult job on two fronts. Having to serve as an accompaniment with such a large company in the orchestra for such light music was no easy task, but not once did they overpower the singers. Rhythmically solid with the feel of a small band rather than a full pit orchestra, they played Smetana's difficult score -- full of 16th-note runs that seem to never end -- as if by only one seamless instrument played by one hand.\nOnce the curtain rose on Professor Emeritus Max Rothlisberger's design, senior Anne Wright's lighting allowed all of the rainbow colors of the set and costumes to become a precursor to the joyfulness of the opening chorus.\nUsing a simple single set on a turntable, all of the opera's locales were effortlessly shifted, leaving no downtime for scene changes and keeping the opera continually moving. Guest Director Jay Lesenger's staging utilized all of the set and kept the eyes continually moving, especially when the character Vasek popped out of nowhere.\nThe chorus is a large part of this opera and they did not fall into the trap of being monotonous on stage. They were bright, alive and interested in what was happening. When they sang, much like the instruments in the orchestra, it seemed to come by one choral voice. Graduate student Charles Prestinari, who served as the Chorus Master, shaped his troupe into a finely-tuned ensemble which director Lesenger could easily mold.\nThough the arias and duets from this opera cannot hold a candle to those in Smetana's inspiration, the singing was quite lovely for the most part. Graduate student Stephanie Dawn Johnson as the ingenue Marenka had a lovely soprano, while perhaps a bit thick for something this light. Nevertheless, her tone was always crystal and her phrasing was varied so that it was always interesting to hear.\nTenor and graduate student David Sadlier as Marenka's lover Jenik was like a swashbuckling Errol Flynn promising his love she'd be well, with a smile to which one cannot say no. When not troubled by his upper register, his voice cut through like raging water and then sprinkled over the MAC like a light shower.\nThe role of Kecal, the patter singing marriage broker, was played by graduate student Quincy Roberts, a full rich baritone/bass. But the role was not suited for his voice. Though Roberts used everything in his arsenal to make it work, his voice and his stage presence are better suited for heavier roles with lush arias.\nPerhaps the two most entertaining parts of Saturday night's performance came from graduate student Sheldon Hughes (who played the role of Vasek in place of Jacob Sentgeorge) and the circus act which opens the third act. Hughes's aloofness and child-like innocence mixed with the stuttering music and movement was hilarious to watch. Whenever he was on stage he was loved and his character playfully pitied.\nThe Bloomington High Flyer Family Circus performed during the "Furiant" dance which opens the third act. Senior Nathan Bick, the director, announced his troupe, which included a real American bear and a real American Indian. Bick's hilarious introduction led to a unique spectacle unseen at IU opera in the last four years.\n"The Bartered Bride" is not the world's greatest opera and it is understandable why it is not performed more often. But if given an innovative production, it could easily transcend its own musical and dramatic fallacies to once again entertain audiences. While this current production is not new, it certainly was innovative and clever when it was created and IU's current orchestra, conductor, director and cast have added their own respectable flavor in creating this piece of operatic theater.