BWW Reviews: Opera Theatre of St. Louis' RICHARD THE LIONHEART Astonishes with its Beauty

This review was first published by KDHX, St. Louis.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis has opened Handel's "Richard the Lionheart," and it is truly astonishing! It is, in all aspects, the most perfect production of an opera that I've ever seen. And voices? Ah, the voices are quite stunning! This is not to be missed. This is a masterpiece.

I've never been a great fan of Handel. His music is beautiful, but a bit pompous with all that ornate filigree. I'd never even seen an opera by Handel. Well, I certainly won't miss a chance to see another-though I could never expect anything approaching the quality of this production.

"Richard the Lionheart" (or "Riccardo Primo" as originally titled) first appeared in 1727, shortly after the accession of George II. George Frideric Handel was, of course, a German but he was the long-time court composer to the English king (another German). All of his operas, however, were in the Italian style and in the Italian language. This production's excellent new English libretto by Lee Blakeley and Damian Thantrey was specially commissioned by Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

This is a rarely performed opera. In the whole world there have been only two productions (and only eight performances) in the past five years--and, I think, only this production in English. Bravo OTSL for bringing us this wonder!

We see the beautiful Costanza, "bride in waiting" to Richard Coeur de Lion. Crusader Richard has been off gallivanting 'round the Holy Lands, but he sails to meet Costanza for their wedding. A great storm arises and Costanza is shipwrecked on the island of Cyprus. She, with her cousin Berardo, seek refuge in the court of the tyrant Isacio. The lustful Isacio wants Costanza for himself, and thus arises the battle between the forces of Richard and those of Isacio. (Spoiler alert! The good guys win.)

Susannah Biller, as Costanza, is even more beautiful than she was last year in OTSL's "Elixir of Love." Her lovely voice seems quite at home in this very demanding role. To sing Handel is to have a voice that dances with laser precision along all those runs and trills. Miss Biller loftily exceeds expectations.

Berardo is sung by bass Adam Lau, and he shows wonderful power. Admittedly, here the low beauty of his voice is blessed by being surrounded by an array of very high voices, but he is clearly an outstanding talent.

The tyrant Isacio, another bass, is sung beautifully by Brandon Cedel. Mr. Cedel makes Isacio a wicked and passionate man indeed--even giving a very suspect kiss to his own daughter, Pulcheria.

Another love interest, secondary to that of Richard and Costanza, concerns Pulcheria and the courtier Oronte. Devon Guthrie is splendid as Pulcheria. Whereas Costanza is generally given poignant arias in the minor mode, Pulcheria has vigorous ones in the major mode. Miss Guthrie quite masters these.

Pulcheria's lover, Oronte, is sung by Tai Oney, a wonderful counter-tenor. It is surprising, at first, to hear this passionate man singing with a lovely alto voice--but Mr. Oney convinces us that masculine force can be embodied simply in the mastery of beauty, whatever the vocal range.

But it is Richard himself who totally amazes us. This role is, again, for a counter-tenor. Tim Mead, as Richard, is a very handsome, strikingly masculine, ardent warrior king. He opens his mouth and out pours this divinely powerful beautiful woman's voice. How can a human voice (let alone that of a man) produce such glory? It is like an angel's trumpet--like a great shaft of golden sunlight. He pours out a long, long tone of celestial purity--decorating it at the very end with a graceful garland of vibrato. And his voice can scamper among those notes and brilliantly rapid runs with perfect Handelian articulate precision. Quite superb! I cannot imagine that even back in the days of real castrati the role could have been sung more magnificently.

There is an almost unbearably beautiful duet where Richard and Costanza express their love. Their voices play easily, joyously together like proud larks or nightingales.

The orchestra consists of sopranino recorder, archlute, harpsichord and violoncello. Conductor Grant Llewellyn guides his singers and musicians into what I can only call perfection.

Stage director Lee Blakeley (who also partnered in the new libretto) fills the production with grace. Every instrumental passage is filled with meaningful action by the performers. Lovely graceful turns are used to fill a wine glass or to take it away. When Richard is disguised as an ambassador his assisted costume change is done simply, rhythmically, beautifully. There are many light and subtle touches of wit--bits of business that freshen the scene without distracting from its beauty. And, a tiny point, but one indicative of the detailed care given to the staging: the four mute uniformed guards who appear throughout the evening are perfectly matched in height and build.

The beautiful costumes, by Jean-Marc Puissant, are from the 18th century; They are as King George himself would have seen them. (Richard, bewigged in disguise, resembles nothing so much as an ancient Voltaire.)

Puissant also designed the set. He places the singers in and around the immense dark hull of a wrecked wooden ship. Strange, but somehow effective. The act curtain is a great canvas image of a lion, and a huge crusader's cross serves as both a carpet and a banner.

Lighting, by Christopher Akerlind, is appropriately somber and mysterious or brightly jubilant. In the final battle he gives us a sky full of distant flashing canon-fire.

This is, in short, a flawless production, with very, very wonderful voices. The curtain call was greeted with the most universal, enthusiastic and prolonged standing ovation I ever saw at an Opera Theatre performance.

Handel's "Richard the Lionheart". Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents this utterly perfect gem of a production through June 26.

For more information visit the OTSL website.

Photo Credit: Ken Howard

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