Photo by Kevin Pauly
There is something strange and wonderful going on in The Snow Dragon, the new opera with music and libretto by Somtow Sucharitkul, which had its premiere at Skylight Music Theatre last Friday evening. Anyone in the area who cares about contemporary opera needs to see this production, which runs through March 29.
I can’t say I fully understood the short story on which it is based, “The Fallen Country” by S.P. Somtow (aka Somtow Sucharitkul). I found its internal fantasy logic baffling and muddled. Sucharitkul’s opera clarifies and streamlines the characters and story.
Many pieces of art that aim to carry a social or moral message fail, despite good intentions. This opera, about physical abuse of a 12-year-old boy, succeeds because of its highly crafted elements of libretto, music and performance. Sucharitkul’s attractive score borrows from various influences, film scoring among them, and winds up in its own universe. He writes with a feel and love for the voice, presenting the singers with challenges as well as rewards. The only quibbles I had with what I heard were the blunt sounds of the synthesizer in piano or strings settings, which didn’t mix well with the acoustic instruments in the pit.
The cast is very good, both as singers and actors. In the central character of Billy Binder, Luke Brotherhood proves that a terrific child actor is always a guarantee of good theater. His voice is light (and should be more heavily amplified) but pure and convincing. Mezzo-soprano Colleen Brooks, who plays the school counselor Billy sees, has a rich and interesting voice, and sang with musicality.
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As the Snow Dragon, Cassandra Black delivered some impressive singing, vocally bringing to mind a role like Richard Strauss’ Salome. As Billy’s mother, soprano Erica Schuller sang with gleaming brilliance into her high range. Baritone Dan Kempson, as the one who beats Billy, has a handsome lyric baritone voice and was a pleasure to hear.
William Boles’ generally spare scenic design is full of quirky and beguiling touches. The production was well served by Matthew Ozawa’s intelligent stage direction and Viswa Subbaraman’s vocally sensitive conducting.
