The New York City Opera kicks off its fall season with the classic Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta, 'Patience.' This comedy spoof about the aesthetic excess of Victorian culture is still poignant today, despite often being overwhelmingly silly.
Michael Ball as Reginald Bunthorne
When the story opens 20 lovesick maidens are fawning and sighing over Reginald Bunthorne (Michael Ball), a flamboyant poet whose flowery words of love and depression capture their hearts. Bunthorne however, reserves his affections for the plain milkmaid, Patience (Tonna Miller) who has no interest in him or love. Meanwhile, the 'Officers of the Regiment of Dragoon Guards' lead by Colonel Calverly (Timothy Nolen) return to the village to recapture the maidens' hearts only to discover that their smart red uniforms are suddenly out of style; purple velvet coats and feather boas are now the height of masculine fashion. When Patience is reacquainted with her childhood love, Archibald Grovesnor, played by Kevin Berdette, the whole village is turned upside down.
Michael Ball jumps the musical theatre ship (The Woman in White and the original London casts of Les Miserables, Passion, and Aspects of Love) to steal the show in his City Opera debut as Reginald Bunthorne, the primary object of the lovesick maidens' affections. Although his impressive tenor does not fit the traditional opera mold, his undeniable stage presence and remarkable comic timing upstages nearly every other member of the cast.
20 Lovesick Maidens for Archibald Grovesnor
Patience, who believes that pure love must be a sacrifice and therefore make you miserable, is played by Tonna Miller whose soprano is perfection, however her acting falls flat next to her male counterparts. Patience's playful naivete and ignorance about life and love is executed by Miller lacking the sense of irony it needs to make her character likable and relatable.
While my favorite number in the show is the duet 'When I go out of door' (No. 18 of 20) between Archibald and Reginald, it takes that long for Kevin Burdette to shine as the second aesthetic poet. From his entrance at the end of the first act till the duet, Burdette comes off as a weak imitation of Michael Ball's character even though Burdette's powerful bass is a better fit for operatic undertakings. Unfortunately, only during this rowdy duet does he shine with equal strength.
Standing ovations go to Timothy Nolen (Colonel Calvery) and Myrna Paris (Lady Jane) whose knacks for comedy and powerful voices make them a delight to watch. Nolen's hysterical dancing and Paris's deadpan self depreciation are particular scene stealers. A final nod must go to the brilliant and indulgent costuming which not only acts as an unbilled player but the set itself.
All in all, Patience is an operatic joy, a definite must see for Gilbert and Sullivan fans. Since its first New York City production in 1881 nothing has really changed, the journey to love is still screwed up by games, power plays and aesthetic obsession. Both modern and classic, a night with Patience is a guarantee for beautiful voices as well as a sore stomach from laughing aloud for two hours straight.
For tickets and other information go to www.nycopera.com
Photographs by Carol Rosegg
