In his 1894 Masters of French Music, Arthur Hervey has this to say about Ambroise Thomas' 1868 opera Hamlet: "In order to render justice to this work it is necessary to try and forget Shakespeare as much as possible and look upon it in a purely operatic light, when much will be found that can be unreservedly admired."
The main reason to forget Shakespeare's Hamlet is that the librettists Michel CarrΘ and Jules Barbier clearly did the same thing. Instead of a complex tragedy of obsession and conflicting loyalties we have a doomed love story (this is a French romantic opera, after all), a revenge melodrama and three count 'em, three songs extolling the virtues of wine (did I mention that this was French?). The new translation, by director Colin Graham, restores some of the Shakespeare that was cut and removes the irrelevant ballet interlude demanded by Paris opera audiences, but Hervey's advice is still gold. Take Thomas' Hamlet on its own terms, and it's a completely entertaining and engrossing work, even if it is rather like seeing a Classics Illustrated comic book set to music.
But, to paraphrase the Firesign Theatre, it's really great music, Mrs. Preske. From the ominous dirge of the prolog, to the rapturous love duet for Hamlet and Ophelia, the dramatic confession scene of Claudius and the three count 'em three drinking songs, Thomas' music is nearly always theatrically on target. Some of it nearly rises to the level of brilliance. Ophelia's elaborate mad scene and on-stage death are good examples. The former, while obviously owing a debt to Donizetti's Lucia of thirty years earlier, puts a characteristically French stamp on the elaborate coloratura embellishments and the latter is a piece of nearly Impressionistic delicacy. Only in the confrontation between Hamlet and Gertrude does Thomas slip over the line into vulgarity, dragging the scene out too long and turning the drama into overwrought claptrap.
Much of the credit for the success of Hamlet, of course, goes to the fine OTSL cast. Baritone Nathan Gunn brings a powerful, clear voice to the title role and is totally convincing in Hamlet's rapidly shifting moods. As Ophelia a much larger part in the opera than in the play - soprano Lauren Skuce finally gets the prominence she has long deserved after years in the ensemble and cameo roles. She sparkles in the love duet and stuns in the mad scene. There's also top-notch work from mezzo Dorothy Byrne as Gertrude, bass-baritone Mark McCrory as Claudius and tenor Harold Gray Meers as Laertes.
The chorus sings beautifully if a bit less clearly than would be ideal and Raymond Leppard conducts the OTSL orchestra in a reading of this rarely heard score that includes some fine solo work from the brass and woodwind players. Director Colin Graham's rather Spartan set consists of little more than a series of shallow steps backed up by reversible panels that display either blood red swirls or pastoral blue-green shapes suggestive of weeping willows or bird wings, all dominated by a huge crown suspended over the orchestra. Combined with Mark McCullough's atmospheric lighting, however, it clearly sets every scene without requiring massive set changes.
So, if you're willing (as I was) to set the Bard of Avon aside for a few hours and shamelessly wallow in the high drama of Ambroise Thomas' very French Hamlet, performances continue through June 29th at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Call 314-961-0644 for ticket information. It's got everything you'd want in a summer blockbuster love, murder, revenge, violence and intrigue and it's all set to deliciously romantic music. It beats the heck out of anything you'll find at the local cinema megaplex.