There are those illusive gems of music and theatre—performances and performers— that seem to exist only for audiences who know how to recognize their importance and artistic value when fate brings them together. In many ways, Knoxville’s Marble City Opera was born with that idea in mind, appealing to those that gravitate toward some manner of adventure in their arts experience. Just such a theatrical adventure was MCO’s opening production in the 2021-22 season this past weekend, staged at Flying Anvil Theatre: Lily – her life, his music, a one-woman show starring mezzo-soprano Audrey Babcock. Conceived, written, and performed by Babcock, Lily features music by German composer Kurt Weill that meanders through the story of a fictional German Jewish cabaret singer, Lily Weiss, as her existence moves from the cabarets of 1930s pre-war Berlin, to Paris, and eventually to California. The show consists, more or less, of 14 Weill numbers ranging from “Mack the Knife” (The Threepenny Opera) and “Alabama Song” from Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, to the superb “Lonely House” from Street Scene and “September Song” from Knickerbocker Holiday.
Babcock was unequivocally spellbinding, both vocally and dramatically, as Lily, calling up both specters of darkness and moments of optimism with a voice that can range from raw, guttural despair to powerful clarity with perfect, seemingly effortless diction. Dramatically, Babcock was able to paint her smoky, dark character with a controlled sense of physical desperation, but also with expressions of tenacity that defines such survivors existing in down-in-the-gutter hardship. Babcock’s performance was also a feast of subtle facial communications and body language, certainly made possible by the intimate theatre space.
The excellent pianist and music director for Lily, Ray Fellman, provided the structural underpinning and pacing, as well as offering the supportive visual angle of an appropriately propped and costumed cabaret pianist off stage right.
Stage direction was by Knoxville and UT Opera’s James Marvel. In addition to giving Babcock dramatic physical movement support, Marvel brought in video designer Katy Tucker for the kinetic, mysterious visuals and sound designer David Majzlin for background sounds to tie together the environment.
Although the last 18 months of Covid-19 interruptions to the arts world have taught us that nothing is for certain, one can’t help but speculate that Babcock’s Lily might have an additional life. In the meantime, those lucky Knoxvillians who managed to catch one of the performances can count themselves quite lucky.
