One

VIRGIN CLASSICS
SUSANNAH
STUDER/RAMEY/HADLEY
2 CD 1994

Review
OperaOnline.us
Gather ‘round and draw near all those who can read these words and consider your salvation – and if not that, consider at least the salvation of poor misunderstood Susannah, as she struggles to defend her reputation against all kinds of villainy and overcome town gossip and innuendos spread by church elders’ wives to the townsfolk of backwoods New Hope, Tennessee.
And while you’re at it, sit back and enjoy this 1994 2-CD set from Virgin Classics of a simply wonderful American Opera by Carlisle Floyd that avoids all the pitfalls of Twentieth Century operas common among so many other modern composers who think that writing melody is pedantic and for the simple-minded.
This 2-CD set is alive and jumping with tuneful melodies and rich choral and orchestral accompaniment provided under the direction of Kent Nagen and the Orchestre de L’Opéra de Lyno. For those who enjoy opera and good musicals, this is the near perfect blending of the two, in parts reminiscent of Music Man Robert Preston’s calling out the flock of faithful to rally against pool tables and horse racing in River City.
Interestingly while this opera is about Susannah, the real vocal interest for this reviewer, at least, was the part of itinerant reverend Olin Blitch, sung by bass-baritone Samuel Ramey. The part of Blitch is more meaty, menacing, diabolical and sad, and make up some of the finer, humorous musical moments in this opera, particularly when he is singing with the chorus/congregation: “Are you saved from sin”, “Come sinner, tonight’s the night”, and “I am the Reverend Olin Blitch" It just doesn’t get any better, in a praise the Lord, Hallelujah, get down, jump and shout sort of way. If there's one tune you'll be humming when you turn off this CD or leave the theater, it will be the latter.
In this recording Cheryl Studer gives a fine and intense performance as the eighteen year old Susannah, and Jerry Hadley as her drunken outcast brother, Sam, matches her vigor and pleasing virtuosity. But the real star here is Blitch and it is his performance along with the music that makes this CD so enjoyable. If there is one downer it’s that the final “Hey there, little robin, I’m back again” runs eleven minutes and is almost bereft of melody, not completely bereft, but a disappointing ending given the healthy vitality of the rest of the score. Still, this is a CD worth adding to your opera collection and one definitely worth seeing performed when it comes your way. It is far superior to much of what is being paraded around now as the best of American opera, more melodic and enjoyable to listen to and emotionally evocative in every way.

By: Paul Joseph Walkowski
OperaOnline.us
When Michael Capasso of Dicapo Opera, pitched the idea of bringing his new production of Carlisle Floyd’s contemporary 1955 opera “Susannah” to New England, he had to sell the idea to the three companies that have been successfully hosting his productions for the past several years. It was not an easy sell.
It’s common knowledge that the Bible-belt, deep Southern, small townish feel of “Susannah” is not the musical equivalent of “La boheme”, not even close. But that’s not to say that Floyd's score is without passion, depth and melodic resonance capable of seducing its audience and elevating the libretto. Think “Music Man” and you’re closer to what you will get here. But because it isn't Italian, everyone is a little worried.
Nonetheless, Opera New England of Cape Cod (CC), Opera Worcester (OW) and Opera New Hampshire (ONH), remnants of a network of local companies that flourished in the days when legendary conductor and opera company domo Sarah Caldwell was the Grand Dame of anything opera in the northeast, have something of a symbiotic relationship with Capasso whom they trust implicitly and in whom they believe that whatever he brings to their stages will be special.
His production abilities are not the issue, however, at least not according to Mary Manning (CC), Peggy Sparks (OW) or Lara McGuire (ONH). The question all three ask and still wonder about is whether the opera “Susannah” will sell. It’s something they have been thinking about a lot lately, precisely because it's not your typical opera.

A STRONG UNDERLYING THEME OF SENSUALITY
The two act opera, not too different in its sultry theme from Arthur Miller’s 1953 play upon which the 1956 opera of the same name by Robert Ward, “The Crucible” was conceived, involves the sensual aura surrounding a young girl and the affect her innocent sensuality has on a town ripe with gossip and itching for scandal. Rumors of her lasciviousness and promiscuity spread and trouble brews when two church elders observe her bathing nude in a private pond, a pond being scouted by the church for Baptisms. All the elements are there for a steamy May evening for each of the three companies. Theoretically, this opera has the potential to surpass even Previn’s “Streetcar” for its raw, innocent sensuality.
Indeed, there is an untapped curiosity factor here, playing as it does on an underlying sexual theme that has titillated audiences in other productions to the delight of producers. Consider what a nude glimpse of Karita Mattila did for the Met’s 2004 revival of Strauss’s “Salome”– not that Strauss needed nude buttocks, but it certainly didn’t hurt the demand for Met tickets when word got out Mattila would be ending the infamous dance scene in the nude. While Capasso acknowledges that the bathing scene is important to the story, he says he won’t be moving his production in that direction, and when you listen to the music, it almost doesn’t matter.

BUT WILL IT SELL?
Ticket sales for “Susannah”, even though it has the same potential to draw a curious audience based on its highly charged theme and pleasant music, have been only average, at least in January when OperaOnline.us spoke with Capasso and spokespersons for three companies.
Things could improve, though. There’s plenty of time. The production might even sell out – and then again, maybe not. Maybe not even close.

It’s a gamble, given the opera audiences’ general reluctance to sign on to anything Twentieth Century that falls into the category of “contemporary” opera. And that may be a big mistake for opera lovers because this is not your typical contemporary opera. This opera doesn't grate as "Streetcar" or "The Crucible". The music here is actually musical.
Regarding advance sales Lara McGuire (ONH), said her company has had mixed responses. There’s been some dismay and some congratulations, she said in a teleconference interview with the other two companies and OperaOnline.us. “I have subscribers who have not renewed because they don’t want to see it,” she said, adding, “I have a group of fifty people that bought tickets because they are dying to see it. So, I’ve got all ranges.”
Peggy Sparks (OW), agreed, noting that advance ticket sales are slow in Worcester, too. “We haven’t had significant single ticket sales. We’ve had series sales. We only had to return nine because they absolutely didn’t want to see it. But we have people that are really excited that Opera Worcester is taking this thing on because they’ve never seen it and it’s rarely performed, even though it’s the second most popular American opera in the United States next to Porgy and Bess.”
Mary Manning (CC) believed the problem, if there is going to be one at all, may be with the music. “I think most people have heard only little snippets of it, but it’s something Michael wants to do and when Michael does something he does it great. When Michael puts on an opera that comes off his stage, it’s the best production you’re going to get. If we had chosen something else we would not have gotten the best that Michael would give us.”
Taken in context, it’s not as if Capasso said, ‘it’s this or nothing at all’, but the decision to do “Susannah” was definitely not the first choice of the opera companies interviewed here. They worry about their audiences.
“I think the way Michael presented it,” said Sparks (OW), “he was doing this production in New York; it’s the 50th Anniversary of the opera; he has the composer working with him for the staging, and I don’t think we had very many other choices.”
“Coming off two pretty big back-to-back operas,” McGuire added, “over the last couple of years, yeah, we felt a little cornered. But we have to go with what Michael is willing to bring us. He’s willing to bring us other things. But as we said, if he does it at his theater . . . we get a fabulous product. We felt it was a risk that we were willing to take.”
But if the story is solid, as it is -- it won the New York Critics Circle Award for best opera of the year in 1956 -- where’s the risk? Why is “Susannah” thought to be such a hard sell, such a gamble?