43
Singing carries delightful ‘La Perichole’
Photo
This weekend, Youngstown State University presents “La Perichole,” a lesser-known opera by great composer Jacques Offenbach.
By STEPHANIE OTTEY
YOUNGSTOWN
This weekend, Youngstown State University presents “La Perichole,” a lesser-known opera by great composer Jacques Offenbach. Directed by David Vosburgh, “La Perichole” tells the simple story of a girl named La Perichole and her lover Piquillo — poor street performers who sing to eat, and will hopefully earn enough to be married.
When the opportunity for wealth arises, it seems to separate the lovers. But in the end we find that it only pushes them together.
This delightful story is told clearly and briskly by a cast of characters portrayed by YSU students who demonstrate great vocal abilities.
The singing was bright, strong, and clear. Every word was clearly understood and the voices blended together expertly. Unfortunately, the orchestra did not blend quite as well. With some shrill strings and general pitch problems, the orchestra had some rocky moments.
Though the success of an opera lies heavily on a cast’s vocal ability, it doesn’t excuse poor acting. “La Perichole” is sprinkled with dialogue, and thus is a great example of why singers shouldn’t rely strictly on their singing abilities. When the music stopped, the scenes lay flat. Some cast members appeared uncomfortable in these brief scenes, and some struggled to maintain a character while singing as well.
Like most operas performed at YSU, “La Perichole” is double-cast; thus the Friday night and Sunday matinee audiences will not see the same performers as Thursday’s opening-night crowd.
The opening-night cast consisted of Allyson Pollice, Allysa Leith and Natalie Modarelli as the flirtatious and shallow cousins who fawn over Piquillo and stay versed in the town gossip. These ladies complement one another vocally as well as comedically and give the audience reason to chuckle.
Trevor Coleman shines vocally as Piquillo and brings a joy to his performance that makes him an audience favorite.
Kayla Wilson took on the title role of “La Perichole” on opening night. Her vocal tone is lovely, and although she lacks a connection to her spoken dialogue, she proves downright funny in the finale of Act 1 as she sings of being tipsy. This gem is one of the stand-out moments of the show.
“La Perichole” will be performed at 7:30 tonight and 3 p.m. Sunday in Ford Theater, in Bliss Hall on the YSU campus. Call 330-941-3105 for reservations.