‘DIE FLEDERMAUS’ SPARKLES IN BYU PRODUCTION

DIE FLEDERMAUS, de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center, Brigham Young University, Oct. 25; additional performance Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m., tickets at 801-422-4322 or www.byuarts.com.  

Die Fledermaus is simply one of the most deliciously entertaining works written by the master of the waltz, Johann Strauss the Younger, and it’s without question the most popular of his many operettas. It transports its audience to a world where nothing is taken too seriously and a devil may care attitude prevails. As such it’s fluffy and frivolous, but utterly captivating. It’s entertainment in the purest sense of the word.

It’s also Brigham Young University’s fall offering, and the school has a wonderful cast of singers who bring this delightful work to life. The production is double cast and Friday’s performance featured Rebecca Pedersen in the role of Rosalinde.

Pedersen, one of the winners at this year’s Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, certainly has the vocal chops to pull off this large role. She has a powerful and resonant voice that enabled her to give a commanding account of the Czardas in the second act. There is also a lot of expression and finely shaded lyricism to her singing that let’s her blend in well in ensemble numbers. Pedersen’s acting is equally impressive and she has remarkable stage presence.

As her husband Gabriel, BYU professor Mark Ammons was wonderful in the role. His voice is well modulated and lyrical and he brought wit and humor to his characterization, particularly in his duet with Rosalinde, “Dieser Anstand so manierlich,” in which he tries to seduce her not knowing she is his wife.

Angela LeBaron as the maid and aspiring actress Adele, was a delight. Her acting and singing were top notch and she, too, portrayed her character with conviction. Her aria, “Spiel ich die Unschuld vom Lande,” in which she shows off her range of acting, was absolutely charming.

As Prince Orlofsky, Elise Read made the most out of her character. She obviously had fun with her exaggerated Russian accent and bored aristocratic demeanor. Vocally, she was also in top form; her “Ich lade mir gern Gäste ein” (“Chacun a son goût”) was especially well done.

Ben Kramer as Gabriel’s friend Dr. Falke, and Andrew Neumeyer as prison director Frank, also gave strong performances, as did Ben Hess in the speaking role of Frosch, the jailer.

Ben Bird as Alfred, Rosalinde’s former lover, and Devan Wexlar as the incompetent attorney Dr. Blind, were also well cast in their respective roles, as was Kalie Martin in the small role of Ida, Adele’s sister.

The chorus was exceptional and the BYU Philharmonic, under conductor Kory Katseanes, played with cleanly defined articulation and execution. Lawrence Vincent’s stage direction was taut and well paced and moved the story along at a nice clip.

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About Edward Reichel

Edward Reichel, author, writer and composer, has been covering the classical music scene in Utah since 1997. For many years he served as the primary music critic for the Deseret News. He has also written for a number of publications, including Chamber Music Magazine, OPERA Magazine, 15 Bytes, Park City Magazine and Salt Lake Magazine. He holds a Ph.D. in composition from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He can be reached at ed.reichel@gmail.com. Reichel Recommends is also on Twitter @ReichelArts.

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