The little OPERA theatre of ny
lives up to its name with their delightful production of Opportunity Makes the
Thief. The show, taking place at
one of the shoebox-sized theatres at the 59E59 complex, is a one act comedic
romp of happenstance, mistaken identity, and discovery. Written by Gioachino Rossini, the opera
is sung in English, with a translation by Mark Herman and Ronnie Apter, which
an opera neophyte like myself thoroughly appreciated.
The seven person chamber ensemble,
under the sure-handed guidance of James Bagwell (who also demonstrates a deft
comic touch with the players), provides a rich and precise sound.
The group of rotating actors
present for the performance I attended possessed rich, full-throated voices
that beautifully resonated within the small performing space. They were all very polished, delivering
accomplished performances. Baritone Adelmo Guidarelli stood out with the showcase role
of Martino, the bumbling, amusing man-servant. Sometimes the lyrics were hard to understand, as the enunciation
wasn’t as smooth as a strictly Broadway musical, but with the simple plot
outlined in the program the action was not difficult to follow.
Director Phillip Shneidman, working
within a cramped space and what could basically be described as an up and down
ramp surrounding the musicians, deserves kudos for just keeping the actors from
running into each other.
Opportunity Makes the Thief,
validating the old adage of good things come in small packages.
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