Opera GIves Voice to Two Grieving Mothers This Weekend and Next at Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph

Opera OGGI New York - Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph at Pacific and Vanderbilt streets.

www.operaogginy.info for info

This small indie-opera company continues its courageous programming this week as it presents an overwhelmingly emotional work by their Artistic Director, Thomas Lawrence Toscano. MADE IN AMERICA: Episode 1: The Interview is the first installment of his new Opera Mini-Series with five episodes, all based on current issues plaguing our society. This work received its world premiere last May at St. Bart’s Church on Park Avenue and 51st St. in Manhattan. They now bring it to our neighborhood, which is their neighborhood as well, given that they are in residence at St. Joseph’s for this season.

The Interview tells the story of Anat, an Israeli Jew, life-long resident of West Jerusalem and Alzubra an American Muslim woman who converted to Islam to marry her pediatrician husband, now stationed in East Jerusalem. These two grieving mothers meet by chance and begin a life empowering path as they share their eerily similar stories. For both women have lost two young children each, aged 7 and 9, 3 and 5, respectively.

An Army Public Affairs Officer, on leave in the Holy Land, is dispatched to hear and record their story. The “interview” which ensues is in fact the opera. It takes place at the table where these three instruments of change begin to bear their grief and face their complicity as they are transformed through this sincere and deeply moving exchange of life events.

In the end they are all transformed, by the telling and the hearing of tragic life events, events which have inspired a new institution for peace and an end to the Middle East crisis.

The cast is made up of three very dedicated young singers.

Peri Sussman, Mezzo-Soprano plays the role of Alzubra. Perri has performed with such renowned local companies as Bronx Opera and Da Capo Opera. She brings a rich lyric mezzo voice and a range of expression that astounds and moves all who hear her. As Alzubra, She sings some very haunting moments, including “I had turned , I saw them smiling, laughing…stepping out with their presents for their grandmama”…I don’t want to give it all away, but, trust me when I tell you it’s heart wrenching and brilliantly performed by this young woman.

Sonya Rice, Soprano plays the role of Anat. Sonya has performed in Asia, Europe, Boston and New York on her deeply rich path towards discovering a wonderfully expressive instrument. Her courage in performance as well as her comic-talents have wowed both children and adults in such famous works as Humperdincks - Hansel and Gretel and Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. As Anat, she pours our her heart in many different ways, given that she is the only life long resident of Jerusalem, she has a stability that the others don’t. Her role gives her the opportunity to give great motherly love to Alzubra, who is far from her Maryland home, while simultaneously having to also explain the details of her children’s tragedy. Almost without any accompaniment at all, one of her great moments ( and she has many) can be heard via “Aliva and Raffi were meeting a friend, who studies at Anata School, at the checkpoint a four year old Palestinian boy, took out a toy gun…” It goes on from there, again, I don’t want to give it all away.

There is also an amazing weaving of these two characters as Toscano brings them to pray in front of the interviewer, we see them literally singing each other’s prayers, it’s very moving indeed.

Ben Spierman, Baritone and Associate Artistic Director of Bronx Opera, returns in his role as the Public Affairs Officer, bringing to life this genuinely human role of a man caught between two different codes of conduct, both demand he stays detached! Not normally appearing as singer, given his upper leadership role with Bronx opera, he has generously lends his emotional baritone timbre to this production in the creation of this role. As the Public Affairs Officer, he leads us all through the interview, with sporadic questions and a professional attitude, which of course, becomes harder and harder to maintain given the subject matter. The transformative moment of all of this is when he sings the Aria - “You have my mother’s eyes , They peer into my soul, How can I then distinguish what you say, from what I’m told...” (referring to his professional duty to stay detached). No spoilers allowed, but he’s completely changed after the singing of the beautifully and surprising aria.

Alessandro Simoné piano has studied at Manhattan School of Music and Columbia University. He was a favorite of his teachers and classmates at Stuvesant Hight School where he was chosen, in recognition of his prodigious talent, to perform Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto while still a student there. His flawless technique and sensitive touch provides the basis for this very exposed and fragile score in bringing this delicately balanced melange of tragic and revelatory life experiences to their audiences.

Finally, Thomas Lawrence Toscano conductor/composer and librettist has spent his life in pursuit of artistic excellence and has spearheaded a great deal of innovation in opera and opera performances. His undying energy projects and inspires the tectonic levels of emotional response from his performers, combining the musical energy of the work itself with the physical energy of the audience to create an opera experience that most audiences, outside of the major halls, just don’t experience that often. It’s very rare to find someone like this at the helm of a small opera company. Do not let the fact that you have probably not heard of him fool you. This is someone who can magically effect the energy running through you both with his writing and the wave of his baton! It was uncanny for me how I found myself completely wrapped up in his work, it took my breath away, at how I was so instantaneously given over to the situation and these characters.

That said, let me say something about this opera from a listeners standpoint. Many of you may be shying away from such an event thinking that you have no business listening to such an art form. I can personally assure you that this opera is something your just not expecting. First of all - you can actually understand every word that is sung. It is written in English, but, Toscano is a magician at bringing the singers into a place where they can communicate everything to you, almost 100% of the time. I say almost because some times when the voice goes very high, yes, it can be hard to get the gist across. However, this so rarely happens in this production that what little there is of this, is easily understood because the rest of the context is immediately accessible. Further, he has a way of bringing you in, causing you to find yourself within the work itself, your usual mind chatter subsides as you ride on the waves of this very frank storyline and, just as in a great novel or one of your favorite TV mini-series, you just can’t wait to hear (and see) what’s going to happen next.

For those of you who think - Opera? oh no, it’s just too long. Not in this case :-). The opera runs 40 minutes, (again craftily very similar to Television episodes) and with the discussion period after every performance one leaves with both one’s artistic and intellectual side quite satisfied. Of course, its very interesting to experience the various questions which arrive on the scene as the Maestro leads the discussion. (when was the last time you went to a concert where the performers were not only willing to speak with you but, wanted to hear your thoughts and field your questions?) It was startling at first for me ( I had no idea this was going to be a part of the program) but, was just smiling from ear to ear in no time. Both the questions and the answers showed me that there are MANY of us, more than politicians and officials believe who not only understand this all has to be resolved and soon, but, also who realize that the “old rhetoric” is no longer enough nor acceptable.

I asked the composer/conductor Thomas Lawrence Toscano, an obviously imposing yet very sensitive artist, just what kind of opera this is? He replied - with absolute sincerity “In Your Face Opera”. (I smiled, but he went on and it made more sense)

“I’m from the Bronx, born and raised until I was 13 when we moved upstate to Mahopac. However, my formative years and my four Sicilian grandparents forced me to cope with my natural directness and a passion for the truth. For years I have watched one war after another begin and continue and heard the constant claim that the “Irish conflict” would never end. Well it did, and frankly, eventually so will the Middle East conflict. I finally got to a place where I asked myself - what are YOU doing to change this situation? - and I began to formulate this Opera Mini-Series. One can perceive this as small time, especially given how many millions can be reached by television. Nonetheless, each person is important, each person’s attitude and beliefs are important and further, MOTHERS, can and I believe will change our world. I fervently hope that this opera in its own way, joins the wave of that transformation.”

The Opera Mini-Series, MADE IN AMERICA, will deal with other subjects as well. Scheduled for next spring Episode 2, HIHC will deal with cancer treatment, Ep. 3 will deal with African American boys being shot in our streets, Ep. 4 will deal with Fracking and Ep. 5 will deal with our veterans returning home and their suicide rate! Not light subjects, but certainly both timely and topical.

MADE IN AMERICA: Episode 1: The Interview. Don’t miss it. This Friday, Oct 3rd at 8pm and again on Sunday, Oct. 5th at 4pm and again next Friday, Oct. 10th at 8pm, at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph 856 Pacific Street (near to the corner with Vanderbilt).

Tickets: Suggested Donation $20 - at the door or via paypal @ operaogginy.com.            For info: Tkts@operaogginy.com: Call 718-312-8064