Photo by Kathy Wittman
Revisiting Elmer Gantry, the Florentine Opera’s award-winning 2010 production, proved an enlightening experience in a refreshingly renovated presentation. Director Frank Kelley oversaw new costumes and sets by Camille Assaf and Kris Stone respectively, plus the creative staging design of Noele Stollmack with constantly changing, creatively lit sets. The new facelift worked well under the eager hand of conductor Christopher Larkin, who brought new lyrical life to the score.
Composer Robert Aldridge’s complex score never seemed inundated or overridden by the revivalist milieu of librettist Herschel Garfein’s story line. My second exposure to the score revealed the ingenious harmonic complexity, giving the drama subtler psychological pull, especially in the second act’s lovely duet between Elmer and Sharon.
The performances by the cast varied. Much of the overall success of the evening depended on the terrific singing presence of Craig Verm as Elmer. Handsome and with a ringing baritone, he seemed at first too young for the role, but he set the tone with his commanding presence. As revivalist Sharon Falconer, lovely mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht looked great but lacked some of the vocal heft for the role. Her entrance was almost inaudible with a weak middle register and an occasional vibrato.
More vocally proficient was Alisa Suzanne Jordheim as Lulu Baines, Elmer’s sometimes mistress, with her lovely lyric soprano. As Eddie Fislinger, deeply embittered by Elmer’s betrayal, tenor Matt Morgan took on the “laughing aria” capably, as did Jonathan Boyd and Kevin Burdette in important supporting roles. Overall, Elmer Gantry was a rousing success for the Florentine.
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