The Cunning Little Vixen
Long Beach Opera opened its 30th Season with a lively production of Leos Janacek’s THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN. Although performances of the opera have become more frequent in recent years, we were reminded by Artistic Director Andreas Mitisek that the Los Angeles Area hadn’t seen it since the Late Seventies.
The opera’s cast, in which animals and insects outnumber the humans, may lead one to expect a cozy Fairy Tale with cute critters. But Janacek’s aim is deeper and altogether more probingly philosophical. In addition, the omnipresent themes of Death, Desire and the unyielding power of Nature make this a truly adult fable.
Ani Maldjian (who had performed Anne Frank for the company) proved an entrancing Vixen Sharp-Ears. Maldjian is an eager and resourceful actress who found both the Vixen’s energetic charm and her wily resolve. Fresh-toned and vocally secure she brought the right silvery sheen to this music and her diction (an English translation was used) was admirable.
Andrew Fernando impressed in his three roles as the Badger, the Dog and the drunken Poacher who kills the Vixen. His richly colored voice brought as much variety to the roles as his fearless physicality. Michael Chioldi’s Forester unveiled a surprisingly self-reflective portrayal which allowed him to explore the lyricism of Janacek’s music. Peabody Southwell’s smoky, sensual timbre and beguiling presence made her Fox the Vixen’s perfect mate and their love scene was the musical highlight of the evening.
Alan E. Muraoka’s forest setting emphasized the opera’s earthiness by banishing trees and focusing the action on two daisy-covered mounds. He also found a simple and effective way to suggest Man’s encroachment on the Natural World. Dan Weingarten’s lighting brought depth to the mis en scene while Jacqueline Saint Anne’s wittily rag-tag costumes emphasized the personality of the characters, both human and animal.
The weak link in the production was Ken Cazan’s messy and unfocused direction. A story as unfamiliar and poetically fragmented as VIXEN requires order and clarity to deliver ultimate impact. Mitisek lovingly led the orchestra in Jonathan Dove’s scaled down version of the score and, if a bit of the grandeur of the full orchestration was lost, Janacek’s colorful world was beautifully realized.
Upcoming productions by this always adventurous group include a rare performance of Vivaldi’s MOTEZUMA and a pairing of Viktor Ullmann’s THE EMPORER OF ATLANTIS and Karl Orff’s THE CLEVER ONE. Both sound unmissable.
Center Theater Long Beach January 17 & 25, 2009 (562) 436-3661 www.longbeachopera.org