Kathy Miller – Analog Artist Digital World

I went to the final dress rehearsal for Florida Opera Theater‘s production of Gianni Schicchi at the home of Kathy and Steve Miller in Winter Park. The rehearsal had been moved to 8PM but when I arrived, the circular drive was already full of parked cars. Light glowed warmly from inside the mansion. The sunken living room offered a perfect set for the opera.

The actors, in costume, stood around Robin Stamper on the piano in the beginning, going over the songs. This is a very accessible opera since all the lyrics are in English. Stage director, Eric Pinder, then had the cast rehearse their final bows. Eric was very gracious about letting me sit in and sketch the rehearsal. He informed me that I had once sketched him at one of Mark Baratelli‘s early food truck gatherings.

Gene Tate sat on the bed as the cast got ready to do a full run through. He then got under the covers. I didn’t realize that he had perhaps the easiest role in Giacomo Puccini‘s comic opera, playing Buoso Donati, who has just died. Relatives of Buoso sit around the bed lamenting his death and more importantly yearning to find out the contents of his will. They savagely search everywhere for the document, throwing papers everywhere. When it is found, they are mortified to discover that everything had been left to a monastery. They then truly cry and lament their loss.

Gianni Schicci is asked to help find some loop hole and he advises them to pretend that Buoso is still alive long enough to get a new will drafted. The dead man is treated like a puppet as Gianni throws his voice, trying to convince a visiting doctor that he is alive. Gianni himself gets under the sheets to dictate the new will in which he takes everything in order to unite his daughter with her true love, Rinuccio, played by Austin Hallock. The aria, Oh my dear papa, sung by Lauretta, Gianni’s daughter, played by Shannon Jennings, is one of Puccini’s most well known, and one of the most popular arias in opera. Opera is still alive in Orlando.

When: December 8th, 7:30 p.m., December 9th, 2 p.m.

Venue: Bishop Moore High School, 3109 Edgewater Drive, Orlando FL

Phone: (407) 718-4365

Web Site: http://www.floperatheatre.org
Tags: opera
Price: $30

All performances will be followed by a reception.

I returned to the spacious mansion in Winter Park to see the dress rehearsal for Gian Carlo Menotti’s, “The Medium.” Robin Stamper, the pianist asked actress Susan Neves how she felt. “I feel comfortable.” she said. “I’ll do the best I can at this point in time and if there is a mistake, I’ll be able to fix it for Saturday’s performance.” Frank McClain, the director, on the other hand was nervous. There were thousands of infinite details that had to fall into place to make the performances perfect. This was to be the first run through with all the lighting and props.

Frank let me know that six people had bid on and won the chance to see the dress rehearsal at a fundraiser. When the door bell rang, Frank shouted out, “Places everyone!” The six winners entered and Frank spoke with them for a while. Kathy Miller was a warm inviting hostess offering wine and cheese. None of the women had seen an opera before. Frank let them know that they were in for a treat. Frank warned the small audience that there was one gun shot in the show and no one could be hurt. I knew as I started the sketch that I wanted to catch Shannon Jennings singing “Old Black Swan.” Her performance was mesmerizing. When the seance began, I couldn’t resist sketching that as well. Unfortunately Brent Reilly Turner as Mr. Gobineau is mysteriously missing from the sketch. I had already painted the black piano which made it impossible to sketch his face. The only solution was to leave his chair empty.

In the final act, Susan as Baba grabbed the gun from a dresser drawer when she was startled awake by David Grindrod as Toby. She waved the gun around as if aiming at ghosts. Several audience members flinched. The gun fired with tragic consequences. When the actors each came out to bow after the show, Susan Neves got the loudest applause. Of course with such a small audience, the applause felt polite rather than thunderous. I absolutely loved the production. Something about the intimate setting gave it added punch.

Frank gave the cast his notes. Regarding makeup, he felt Susan looked too beautiful in the final act. Susan didn’t fully agree with the premise that Baba was a heavy drinker. In one scene she forgot to bring her bottle of liquor with her. She was supposed to take a heavy swig from the bottle. She added, “You didn’t read clause 451A in my contract which states, ‘I must be the most beautiful one 0f all‘”. Frank and the cast laughed. Bobbie Demme San-Filippo doing make up agreed to add darker rings under Susan’s eyes. There were many more subtle staging notes but, as an audience member seeing the show for the first time, the production seemed flawless. After two years of darkness, opera is back in Orlando!

The show will be staged at the Orlando Repertory Theater on December 3rd at 7:30pm and December 4th at 2:30pm. You can get tickets at floperatheater.org or call 407 718-4365.