“A View from the Bridge” opens Detroit Opera House spring season

By SUE SUCHYTA

            The Michigan premiere of William Bolcom’s “A View from the Bridge,” based on the Arthur Miller play, opened the spring season at the Detroit Opera House Saturday. 

The production, sung in English with English supertitles projected above the stage, has four more performances at 7:30 p.m. April 9, 11 and 12, with a 2:30 pm April 13 closing matinee.

Set in 1950s Brooklyn, “A View from the Bridge” is a dramatic tale of a middle age dockworker, Eddie, who smuggles two Sicilian relatives into the United States. He becomes angry when one of the two men falls in love with his niece, Catherine, whom he has raised as his own with his wife Beatrice since Catherine was a child.

Eddie’s inappropriate desire for his niece drives his anger, exacerbated by his suspicion that the smuggled cousin wants to marry his niece just to become a US citizen. His cousin’s habits that Eddie considers effeminate, like singing and cooking, further anger him.

The story is engrossing, the acting strong, and the singing engaging and understandable.  This is not a traditional opera in French or Italian where one glances at the subtitles to understand the dialogue while basking in the incredible operatic vocal performances.  “A View from the Bridge” tells a story as opposed to offering an operatic showcase for vocal virtuosos.

Which is not to downplay its appeal -- however, this is not a Puccini or Wagner epic, where you already know the tale and are content to let the incredible vocals sweep over you.  This is a tale in its own right, more that a through-composed musical because of the demanding vocals, but with more of a contemporary appeal about situations – like illegal immigration – to which modern audiences can relate. 

American baritone Kim Josephson makes his MOT debut in the role of Eddie, a role he sang during the opera’s debut in 1999 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago and later at the Metropolitan Opera. His daughter, American soprano Kiri Deonarine, debuts as Catherine. Both are believable and a delight to hear and see perform.

Others in the talented cast include soprano Beverly O’Regan Thiele as Eddie’s wife Beatrice, and tenor Eric Margiore as Rodolpho, the illegal immigrant cousin in love with Catherine.

Baritone Jonathan Lasch passionately portrays Marco, the other smuggled cousin, who is desperate to send money to his wife and children starving in Italy.      

Bass Ricardo Lugo plays the lawyer Alfieri, who alludes to the plot, and tells part of the story in flashback, which is one of the more plodding parts of the story, despite Lugo’s vocal strength.

The chorus of dockworkers and neighbors serve as the Greek chorus or collective conscience.

Tickets, which range from $25 to $125, are available through Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or by calling the Detroit Opera House at 313-237-SING, going to www.MichiganOpera.org, or at the box office at 1526 Broadway in Detroit.

The Wednesday performance offers reduced pricing for students and young professionals age 18 – 40, with a reception following the show.