When I previewed the first-ever performance by the fledgling Marble City Opera in a Metro Pulse article in 2013, the concept of a chamber opera company that performed in mostly non-theatrical spaces seemed to be just the thing to fill a niche in Knoxville’s art scene. Fueled by audiences with eclectic tastes, that scene was then ripe for low-budget experimentation that masqueraded as a musical night out, always complete with adult beverages. Interestingly though, no one, including the MCO founders Kathryn Frady and Kevin Doherty, had any great expectations that such a niche organization would be able to continue, especially if success and enthusiasm waned and support proved to be ephemeral. However, as it has turned out for Marble City Opera, an old saying applies: “Be careful what you wish for—you just might get it…”
This weekend’s current production of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca by Marble City Opera represents a quantum leap in artistry, complexity, and sophistication from where the company began eight years ago. Nevertheless, one of its core principles of using alternative venues remains. With vaccinations easing the serious pandemic precaution limitations, this Tosca has been staged in downtown Knoxville’s St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, its three acts taking place in three locations within the church—the nave, the assembly hall, and the outside courtyard. Of course, with only a little creative license, these are intended to correspond with Puccini’s actual (and existing) Rome locations: a church interior, a private apartment, and the roof of a prison.
Before going any further, it is worth stipulating that performing without the benefits of an equipped theatre environment changes the whole dynamic experience for both performers and audiences. Singers and instrumental ensembles are at the mercy of existing acoustics, balance challenges, and constrained spaces, while extra scenery, lighting, and props are necessarily minimal. Staged action is dictated by the natural features of that space. Audience members, too, may find themselves either delightfully enlightened, or uncomfortably dismayed, by the dramatic impact of close-up storytelling in which they are eavesdroppers by default.
That said, this was a fabulous Tosca. With stage direction by Marya Barry and the instrumental ensemble conducted by Brian Holman, the St. John’s spaces wrapped the audience in a blanket of sound and melodramatic realism, allowing the dramatic performances and Puccini score to fluidly unfold. An unfortunate side to the clarity of realism, though, was that there was no practical way to project English subtitles to prop up comprehension for those in the audience less familiar with the details of the dramatic storyline.
Of course, the title role of Tosca is a dream role for all dramatic sopranos, not just for those with the range and power, but also for those with the dramatic ability to float believably between passion, arrogance, jealousy, and physical determination. Fulfilling that dream in this production was Kathryn Frady, Marble City Opera’s executive artistic director. In addition to having those requisite vocal and dramatic qualities that make for great melodrama, Frady, appropriately costumed and coiffed, simply looked and sounded like the Tosca that one carries around in their mind’s eye. Deliciously, too, Frady brought romance to Act I and aced the Act II test of delivering a luscious and lyrical ‘Vissi d’arte” immediately after suffering the harsh dramatic physicality of Scarpia’s aggression toward her and his sadistic treatment of her lover Cavaradossi.
An obvious, but ineffable romantic chemistry between Tosca and Cavaradossi is an important element for a successful Tosca, one that was happily accomplished here by Frady and tenor Brandon Evans. Evans’ clean, beautiful lyricism, and stoic portrayal of the manipulated painter was a perfect balance for Tosca and his interaction with Scarpia and his henchmen.
Jacob Lassetter sang the role of the evil Baron Scarpia with a delicious solidity. This was a captivating performance that took the character not just toward the usual quasi-Fascist lecherousness, but even further, suggesting an interestingly quirky, sadistic perversion. Sporting a claw-like ring gave his hand movements a devil’s dance-like quality.
Fussing about the Act I nave, setting the scene with humorous frustration over the less-than-weighty demands placed on him, was baritone Daniel Spiotta in the role of the Sacristan of the Sant’Andrea della Valle basilica. In the smaller role of the escaped Cesare Angelotti was the powerful voice of notable bass David Crawford, who used that voice to portray the terror and fear of his situation. Maurice Hendricks as Sciarrone and Breyon Ewing as Spoletta gave Scarpia’s henchmen some solid vocal moments and beautifully melodramatic characters. Act III’s Shepherd Boy was sung with a beautiful lyrical lightness by Kayla Beard.
Kudos go to conductor Holman for a miraculous instrumental ensemble balance and to Barry for weaving touches of romance and evil into characters and movement within the St. John’s space.
For many audience members, this may have been their first live attendance at a theatrical event since the pandemic precautions shutdown performances last spring. In many ways, a breath of fresh air, this marvelous Tosca by Marble City Opera was a welcome return to some degree of normalcy.
