Elmer Gantry, a recent work with music by Robert Aldridge and libretto byHerschel Garfein, has avoided many of these pitfalls. By touching all bases,including moments of Verdianoperatic grandeur, they have produced an appealing work in styles ranging allthe way from the infectious melodic beat of a Broadway musical to the moresubtle harmonies of Gershwin, Copland or Barberwith some Puccini-like lyricismthrown in for good measure. Elmer Gantryis a full-bodied contemporary operatic achievement with an exciting, richlydramatic, uplifting score.
The Sinclair Lewis novelhas been simplified to a love story between the opportunistic huckster ElmerGantry and the devout evangelist Sharon Falconer set against a rivetingregional background of Southern tent-style revivalism. It's important for thedoubtful reader to note that thecompositional milieu is of boisterous early Americana, yet the beautiful score never soundspiecemeal or fragmented. Nor is the music dissonant or pretentiouslyavant-garde. Elmer Gantry is firstand last a lyric opera. Thegospel interludes are original compositions giving the work a solid enervatingpunch, never hokey with artificial knee-bending hymnal piety, but brilliantlyconceived, sophisticated music straddling satire and sentiment.
Listening to this newscore for the first time, one is struck by its immediacy and the richinventiveness of its melodic pull. It doesn't sound like an opera at first, butas reachable as a sophisticated Broadway musicaluntil one picks up on thepolyphonic complexity and the full-bodied orchestral magnitude to which we havebecome accustomed in the great operas. Ensemble pieces range from dramatic butsubtly scored ensembles, suchas Elmer's and Sharon's first major arias, to complex groupings of trios, duetsand even an octet supported by rousing group interactions, not unlike Rossini.A brass band is used in some revival scenes, but the score never loses itsarching dramatic unity.
Listening to Elmer Gantry on CD without plot summary,it becomes apparent that the music remains self-contained, carrying its ownimpact, even without references to plot specifics, creating a compellingemotional aura strongly suggesting the potential impact that a good stagepresentation might achieve.
Yet Gantry's great moments never seem to diminish as the storyprogresses toward its poignant conclusion. A beautiful love duet opens thesecond act, which doesn't prevent Elmer from continuing his con-job preacherefforts along with Sharon'smore sincere commitment. Librettist Garfein explains, “We were determined to betrue to [Sinclair Lewis'] biting satire of religious wrongdoing but at the sametime to dramatize the underlying, deeply moving power of American religionitself. We resolved to bring audiences to the heights of both folly and glorywithin a single eveningsometimes within a single moment.”
Yet, the overall effectof Elmer Gantry is not that of asocial or topical musical dissertation but, like all successful operas, aunified musical invention, creating its own unique, engrossing auralexperience.
The final act is veryimpressive. Sharon'sfaith in her tabernacle is too great and we feel early on that Elmer's marriageproposal will not work out. A great revival scene in the new tabernacle,magnificently scored, reaches fever pitch as Sharon again asserts her undying faith in astunning musical exclamation that would have done Turandot proud.A great fire interrupts the proceedings, concluding in Elmer's efforts to save Sharon, still tornbetween her love for Elmer and her curious bent for martyrdom. Elmer, however,will remain a self-serving survivor and behave accordingly.
The Florentine Opera'sMidwest premiere of Elmer Gantry willfeature baritone Keith Phares, a terrific Elmer on disc with other original cast members fromthe opera's Nashvilledebut. Florentine General Director William Florescu views the project asanother in the “Florentine's evolution as an initiator of innovativeproductions.” Certainly, Elmer Gantrymakes a strong case for moving beyond the continuous recycling of the standardrepertoire. TheNew York Times hailed it as“an operatic miracle.” Indeed, it's quite a gem.
The Florentine Opera presents Elmer Gantry March 19 and March 21 at the Marcus Centerfor the Performing Arts.
