Marnie
The Met Live in HD
Brooklyn Academy of Music
November 10, 2018
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| Photo courtesy of Met Live in HD & the Metropolitan Opera |
The
Metropolitan Opera production of Nico Muhly’s Marnie was part of the Met Live in HD series at Brooklyn Academy of
Music. I have been attending these
broadcasts a few times each season over the past few years. I don’t post on this blog about them because,
although I am learning about opera and beginning to follow the different
singers, I don’t have enough expertise to comment on it as an art form. However, under to the direction of Michael
Mayer and with choreography by Lynne Page, this production contains sharp
theatrical elements that dramatize the psychological layers of the main
character to tell an intensely complex story that I very much want to share.
Based
on the novel by Winston Graham, which is the same source material as the 1964
Alfred Hitchcock move starring Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery, the main
character has a dark, hidden secret that causes her to take on different
personas and run from the truth. The
role of Marnie is performed by Isabel Leonard.
She captures the mystery of the role and uses it to propel the action
forward. The character’s inner world is
dark and haunted. There are four women
on stage at various times representing different parts of her personality, as
well as an ensemble of male dancers representing the dark forces pulling her in
different directions. The magnificent
collaboration between Nico Muhly, Michael Mayer, and Lynne Page is evident in
these moments. They brilliantly
illustrate the inner world of the character.
Alfred Hitchcock believed that suspense is created when the audience is
aware of the ticking bomb that can explode at any time. These moments create that tension and engage
the audience in caring for the main character. They are powerful, stylistic, genuine, and
clear.
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| Christopher Maltman, Isabel Leonard, & the dark figures of Marnie's inner world Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera |
The
role of Terry Rutland (Sean Connery’s role from the Hitchcock movie) is played
by Christopher Maltman. He and Ms.
Leonard are phenomenal together. Their
chance meeting during the opening scene is tender and sincere. The tension between their characters builds
throughout the two acts of the opera. As
the intrigue builds, they become tightly bonded through fear and lies, which all
falls away as they face the truth in the end.
Michael
Mayer’s versatility as a director is truly amazing. Among other outstanding projects, he has
directed the edgy Hedwig and the Angry
Inch, the over the top Head Over
Heels, and this dark, psychological dramatic opera. He is highly skilled at finding and balancing
the proper ingredients to tell the story in the best, most effective way
possible.
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| Isabel Leonard as Marnie surrounded by the images that haunt her inner world Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera |
I
highly recommend attending the Met Live in HD broadcasts at Brooklyn Academy of
Music. There is always a speaker an hour
before the broadcast who shares information about the art form, composer, and
background on the production that frames the experience so you can enjoy it and
learn how to watch and listen. The
benefits of the Met Live in HD broadcasts are the close-ups of the singers and
intimate scenes, the subtitles, and the backstage interviews during the intermissions. Whether you see one of the classic well-known
titles or a new production like this one, Met Live in HD is a great
introduction to the world of opera at a very reasonable ticket price. It is an amazing world to disappear into on a
Saturday afternoon.
Domenick Danza
