02/21/2019
Twilight Bowl and La Traviata
This week I had the pleasure of seeing two excellent productions back to back - the Tues opening of Twilight Bowl at the Goodman, and the Wed. matinee of Lyric Opera’s La Traviata whose acclaimed Violetta (Albina Shagimuratova) was replaced by the wonderful Emily Birsan.
Twilight Bowl may have been the first all female production I’ve ever seen and it was excellent! It took me personally back to high school and the life decisions we make at the time. Six friends gather at the bar of a bowling alley for a going away party. Gifts include a bright red d***o. One of the young ladies, a devout Christian, says she’s never seen one that color and when questioned by the others admits she’s only seen pictures of them in a catalogue read by Christian wives to improve their marriage. This party, it turns out, is not the usual going away – the recipient is off to prison.
The point of the play seems to be how our lives change after matriculating to adulthood and how one choice (unless it’s crime) isn’t necessarily better than another. Over 90 minutes without intermission the audience is able to understand the characters and their points of view. Some new graduates stay in their hometown, some go to college and only return to visit family and friends, one goes to prison and returns predictably changed. These options remind me of post high school decisions most of us make - whether or not to be a college graduate and likely leave home forever.
La Traviata was an operatic game changer for me. I’ve always said, tongue in cheek (sorta), I love opera except for the singing. (This is especially true during morning transition to consciousness when WFMT replaces rhapsody with a lightning strike soprano (Sorry FMT opera addicts. Can’t we agree to opera only in evenings?)
Wed. the lead, Violetta, who had received excellent reviews opening night, had laryngitis and was replaced by Emily Birsan, a beautiful young performer whose clear, passionate voice mirrored her acting acuity. It was a smooth, satisfying afternoon until the third act. when her aria brought uncontrolled moisture to eyes smitten by her sound and passion. As Violetta lay against the couch, near death and bathed in light on a mostly darkened stage, the house vibrated with soft, thunderous applause which showed no signs of fading for nearly a full minute,.
Brava! Brava! Thank you Emily! Thank you Lyric!
