BWW Reviews: Monty Python Meets Offenbach in City Opera's Daffy LA PERICHOLE

New York City Opera's production of Jacques Offenbach's LA PERICHOLE feels right at home at City Center, home of the "Encores!" series, which reintroduces audiences to lesser known Broadway musicals that failed or went out of fashion despite wonderful scores.

This opéra comique--a cultural antecedent of today's musical comedies--doesn't have a care in the world in Christopher Alden's boisterous vision. The choreography by Séan Curran, artful sets by Paul Steinberg, purposely tacky costumes Gabriel Barry and overly bright lighting by Aaron Black helped make this performance, which opened on April 21, a cheerful reminder of a musical style that has unjustifiably fallen by the wayside.

In brief, this is the tale of a couple of starving street singers, who tangle with a crazy-as-a-loon dictator and live happily ever after. I only wished it were in English to make the humor more free-flowing--which was how the Met used to do it back in the Rudolf Bing era--but much of the City Opera audience didn't seem to mind. Then again, in English, we might have missed the delightful performances of a pair of French performers, mezzo Marie Lenormand and tenor Philippe Talbot, as the street singers La Perichole and her lover Piquillo. They brought true Gallic flair to this comic but dialogue-heavy piece and had the panache and skill to handle the operetta's familiar music. Talbot was particularly nutty--but in the most endearing way.

Monty Python's John Cleese, oops, I mean bass Kevin Burdette, as Don Andrès, the demented viceroy of Peru, led the production's quotient of silliness, with his charmingly daffy, well sung portrayal of the dictator. As the three owners of the bar where the first act takes place, soprano Lauren Worsham, mezzo Carin Gilfrey and mezzo Naomi O'Connell were a hoot and sang well, with Worsham and Gilfrey having the best opportunity to impress with their singing. Baritone Joshua Jeremiah and tenor Richard Troxell had fun with their roles (and good voices) as Don Pedro and Comte Miguel. Philip Littell was very amusing in a nonspeaking role that included a priceless running gag with an elevator.

Conductor Emmanuel Plasson drew a savvy performance of this delightful score from City Opera's orchestra. This was one of nearly 100 operettas--as well as TALES OF HOFFMANN, of course--that made Offenbach a household name in his day. Let's hope that City Opera brings back another so we get to know better what the cheering was about.

Pictured: Kevin Burdette, Marie Lenormand, Philippe Talbot and New York City Opera Chorus. Photo by Carol Rosegg.

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