One of the highlights of the New York area's opera season was the presentation of two of Lee Hoiby's operas — specifically, the first professional production of his 1992 one-act This Is the Rill Speaking and the New York premiere of the latest revision of his 1986 grand opera, The Tempest. Both works were presented at SUNY Purchase in late April, under the aegis of the University and American Opera Projects. Subsequently, This Is the Rill Speaking was performed in New York City's Symphony Space. On April 26, both operas were performed, with a panel discussion occurring between performances.

Based on the play by Lanford Wilson, This Is the Rill Speaking is an opera without a traditional dramatic framework. It offers a series of vignettes of American small-town life as it was in the postwar era of the late 1940s and early '50s. Literary and dramatic touchstones would include Winesburg Ohio, Spoon River Anthology, Our Town and Under Milkwood. The music is precious and nostalgic without being cloying, lyrical and emotional without overstatement. Hoiby's light, exquisite scoring adds tremendously to the music's impact. The six cast members — Abigail Fischer, Andrew Garland, Malinda Haslett, Nicole Mitchell, William Ferguson and Justin Petersen — each performed in multiple short roles. To their credit, and that of director Ned Canty, the listener managed to retain a sense of which of their characters they were enacting. Each of these young singers deserves a paragraph of praise. Suffice it to say that we can expect further great performances from them, and that the future of American opera is in good hands. The performance space at Purchase was rather small. Fortunately, scene designer Glenn Reed and lighting designer Peter West were up to the challenge, making creative use of the entire stage. Benton Hess and the AOP Orchestra provided sensitive, assured accompaniment.

Since its 1986 premiere, The Tempest has undergone two revisions, each further streamlining the work to its essentials. This third version is perhaps the charm. The drama was taut without seeming truncated, and the musical flow seemed natural. This fine production featured a combination of professionals and SUNY Purchase students. Jacque Trussel, who created and performed the role of Caliban in the premiere performances, served quite well as director. Standouts in the large cast included Raymond Diaz as Prospero, Rachel Rose Farber as Ariel, Catherine Webber as Miranda, Jeffrey Taveras as Gonzalo and Eric Barry as Caliban. Diaz was outstanding in the final act, in which Prospero emerges from the background into a primary character. Farber has a superb coloratura voice, especially noted in Ariel's Act II aria "You three men of sin." Someday, she will make a fine Queen of the Night. Webber was particularly appealing in her Act III duet with Robert Balonek (Ferdinand), in which the lovers express their mutual devotion.

Taveras tended to dominate his scenes in a somewhat comic way. His Gonzalo seemed more court jester than aged counselor, but in this context that characterization worked well. Barry's portrayal of Caliban also emphasized the comic aspects of the character. However, he was able to retain the character's dignity and gave a moving rendition of "Be Not Affeard," the opera's most famous aria. At the end of this marathon day, Hoiby and librettist Mark Shulgasser received a tremendous, shared standing ovation. It is hoped that their Romeo and Juliet (2004) will soon receive its overdue world premiere.

ARLO MCKINNON

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