Review: Classical Goes Camp in CANTATA! BLOOD MAGIC at Red Eye NY

Grab one of Red Eye NY’s signature espresso martinis on your way in, and forfeit that urge to scream and clap at the end of every act or prepare to be very hoarse by the end. Cantata!, self-proclaimed “monthly Queer Classical Music Kiki of epic proportions,” convened frequenters and newcomers on Saturday, October 19. Over the main stage, a lone disco ball hung by a thread, reflecting ominous red light washing over the crowd. The theme was “Blood Magic,” and many showed up in somber, Hawlloween-appropriate garb.

Following a cabin announcement rife with endearing sass and quips that won knowing smiles, opera-singing drag queen Créatine Price marched onstage in a shroud, creating a camp, boxy silhouette, before revealing her face and launching straight — no oxymoron intended — into “Stride la vampa,” the horrifying aria from Verdi’s Il trovatore. For this number, she wove together pop culture moments from Dune, Doja Cat, and Rihanna, and what better song to whip out one’s tip jar to than “B*tch Better Have My Money”? Throughout the afternoon, Price, who’d recently amazed judges and audience alike in her TV appearance on France’s Got Talent, kept up these juxtapositions that made the songs relatable to laypeople, from plastering the beaming face of Kamala Harris on a mannequin head, to picking up the mic for a thunderously loud and proud rendition of “I Am What I Am,” with fake blood dripping down what appeared to be a ghostly white nightgown that she donned for the “mad scene” in Lucia di Lammermoor.

Price was by no means the only artist that offered technically and emotionally demanding music. Cantata! veteran and classical vocalist turned singer-songwriter Krystofer Maison, resplendent in an edgy getup featuring bandana, leather gloves, and corset, tugged at their overskirt and the audience’s heartstrings with Richard Strauss’s wistful “Allerseelen.” Rather than abiding by the strict rules of classical voice, he liberally called upon colors and techniques spanning pop/rock and Bel Canto to bring out the pathos of the piece. Cellist of 26 years and composer Anthime Miller bedazzled with original music, Cher’s iconic “Bang Bang” and Melanie’s “Brand New Key,” and accompaniment for Price. They made the sport that is singing and playing look easy, and gave an enlightening lecture on pizzicato, bariolage, and the chop when I pulled them aside after the show to better understand their bowing. Zalman Kelber, the pianist and a grounding force, navigated and supported all the theatrics with poise and aplomb.

As Price said, Cantata! is about spotlighting drag as much as classical music. The Countess Mascara, NYC nobility and Price’s drag mother — the coconut doesn’t fall far from the tree — delivered a masterclass in lip-syncing, and worked the crowd like a fiddle, in all her fuschia sequin-studded glory. My jaw was on the floor when she casually recounted how she made the dress she was wearing with fabric a friend didn’t know what to do with. International sensation and drag king of Missleidy Rodriguez’s “Class of ‘24” fame, Cunning Stunt, stole the show with Brian David Gilbert’s hilarious adaptation of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” Chugging wine and wielding a skeleton by its spine, he embodied a dashing Victor Frankenstein, embracing and making fun of the Mad Scientist and melancholy Byronic Hero tropes in the same breath.

Cantata! is a big show in every sense of the word. Its run time rivals that of an opera, with an intermission to boot. It aims to educate folks about classical music as well as queer culture, not just entertain. You’ll laugh and cheer a lot, and maybe shed some tears of joy. The stellar lineup promises pleasant surprises every time, and Price, who produces the show and manages a million details behind the scenes, has no problem sharing the limelight with formidable peers. The thought that it’s one of several ambitious residencies at the trendy Hell’s Kitchen gay oasis Red Eye NY, which recently celebrated its one-year birthday, is truly exhilarating. In the spirit of the art form, “come to the cabaret, old chum!” and don’t forget to tip your drag royalty!

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Find more upcoming shows at the Red Eye NY on their website.

Learn more about Creatine Price at www.creatineprice.com

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