 Flight
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In a recent Post-Dispatch interview, composer Jonathan Dove notes that "great art is always at least entertaining" and speaks of the need to communicate with the audience. "When I go to the theater," Dove says, "what I hope is to lose myself in a fully realized world for as long as the piece lasts." I couldn't agree more, which is why the Opera Theatre of St. Louis production of the American premiere of Dove's Flight is such a disappointment. It's not that the piece isn't smartly directed or extremely well sung and acted; it is. The problem is that, at least from my seat in the front row of the center bay, much of what was sung was simply unintelligible.
This isn't the first time that problems of elocution and/or balance have marred an otherwise flawless production at Opera Theatre and I suppose it won't be the last, given the way most conservatory-trained singers are taught, but it's especially regrettable when the opera being presented is a new one. Losing pages of dialog in, say, La Boheme is unfortunate but usually not critical since most of the audience already knows the story and can fill in from memory and context. But when (for example) an important aria by a pivotal character is nearly incomprehensible — as was the case here — the damage is substantial.
All this is a pity because, based what I did manage to understand, Jonathan Dove's lean and melodious music and April de Angelis' intelligent, funny and multi-layered libretto combine to produce a work that invites repeat performances. This is all the more remarkable when you consider that it's a contemporary comic opera — a rarity in a field dominated by tragedies and works with great social and political pronouncements. Indeed, the only self-important aspect of the libretto is the practice of indicating characters by type rather than giving them names. Thus, the flight controller is referred to only as The Flight Controller, the refugee is only The Refugee and so on.
The story of Flight is one that will be familiar to anyone with frequent flyer miles: a group of airline travelers is trapped overnight by an electrical storm. As tempers fray, so do relationships. The very pregnant wife (The Minsk Woman) of a Russia-bound diplomat (The Minsk Man) panics over the thought of being a mother; a couple on a second honeymoon bicker (Bill and Tina, the only characters with actual names); An Older Woman waits for a lover who may not arrive; a male and female Flight Attendant each push drink trolleys and grapple passionately behind the chairs; and a mysterious and somewhat magical Refugee hides from the Immigration Officer while waiting for the return of his brother. There's comedy (lots of it, including a "wrong pants" bit straight out of the Classic Farce bag), pathos, mystery, a bit of magic, off-stage sex (hetero and homo) and even an on-stage birthing scene, which may be an operatic first.
The Opera Theatre cast does a splendid job with this. Brandon Javonovich and Cynthia Waters have some of the best comic moments as the clashing couple. Myrna Paris brings a nice combination of dry wit and world-weariness to the Older Woman. Mary Ann McCormick is convincingly conflicted as the Minsk Woman as is Thomas Barrett as her husband. Angela Horn and Carleton Chambers are the hilariously oversexed Flight Attendants and Mary Wilson is the aloof Flight Controller whose fascination with The Refugee — beautifully (if not always intelligibly) sung by countertenor David Walker — finally brings her down from her tower.
While previous productions of Flight have opted for a realistic approach and design, director Colin Graham and set designer Jerome Sirlin have chosen to emphasize the magical and slightly surrealistic aspects of the script. Here, the Controller's tower sits on the head of a huge eagle and arriving and departing airplanes are shaped like exotic birds. It's whimsical and it works beautifully. William Lumpkin conducts Dove's evocative and pleasantly contemporary score with great skill.
My earlier comments aside, I think Flight is well worth seeing. I would strongly recommend familiarizing yourself with the story line in advance, however. Reviews of the opera with detailed plot descriptions are available at www.musicweb.uk.net/SandH/2002/Feb02/dove.htm and www.helsom.demon.co.uk/opera/Flight.txt. Flight continues in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 27th. Call the Opera Theatre box office at 314-961-0644 for more information.
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