I went to the New York Premiere of "Margaret Garner" tonight at City Opera. They're doing a season long promotion where every Monday at 10am they sell "front orchestra" tickets for the week for $25 each. And obviously I couldn't resists. I don't know if the seats will be the same for all of the production, but they have me first row orchestra, just off center (so I wasn't blocked by the conductor). I think I would only do this for operas in English (and actually, the only other opera I was planning on seeing there is "Vanessa" which IS in English, lucky me...) because otherwise you'll probably get a stiff neck from trying to look up at the supertitles. Of course when opera singers sing in English, it's a crap shoot whether you'll actually be able to understand what they say - I found I looked at the supertitles every now and then, but I was able to get enough of the gist of the words to figure out what was going on.
Enough of that, on to the opera. I have to say this is an opera that is well suited to first row viewing. The performers all sang AND acted beautifully throughout. Sitting in the heavens, you can't really tell what sort if anyone is acting, but up close there's no hiding. As for the music, surprise surprise - it's a modern opera with accessible, melodic, tonal music. I didn't think they wrote those anymore. In fact, I could almost imagine that if they cut down on the size of the chorus, and re-cast it with Broadway instead of opera singers, it could actually work on Broadway. When "An American Tragedy" premiered at the Met, the critics all complained that it was 'too Broadway.' I think that means it's too audience friendly and isn't only accessible to those with doctorates in Music. I expect similar criticism here.
The big downfall of the opera, is its absolutely abysmal libretto by Toni Morrison. Maybe this would have worked as a novel... oh wait, it did... "Beloved." Well, actually this was the true story that inspired "Beloved," but close enough. Basically, Margaret Garner was a slave who escaped and when she was re-captured, murdered her children so they wouldn't have to go back into slavery. Then she was prosecuted for theft, instead of murder because her children were considered property and not human. Sounds like juicy tear jerking material for an opera, no? Well, maybe in more capable hands, but this libretto has just far too many scenes that are either totally unnecessary (for example, the entire first act) or just drag on for far too long. And then there are the lyrics that I guess, because they are 'poetry,' don't need to make sense. Like in the trial scenes, when Margaret sings something like "You have no authority over me. You are you and I am me." (that's not exact, but it's pretty close). Um, that makes sense, how? It's strange, but the scenes that I would have though would have been the most interesting - the murder and the trial/hanging were some of the least interesting. Totally random scenes would be so well acted and musically gorgeous that they would be riveting, and others that should have easily worked, totally flopped. And then there was the whole ended, which was totally misconceived, not just from Ms. Morrison but from the creative team as well. Margaret Garner is about to be hanged, she steps away from the gallows to sing an aria, as she's singing the noose goes down through the floor, and the after she finishes singing, up pops a dummy Margaret Garner. Oh so corny, oh so unintentionally funny, and of so ill-conceived. I mean, I understand that they wanted her ghost to be able to walk through the crowd, but hanging dummies is not just a crime dummy-kind, but a crime against the audience. And then for some bizarre reason, the whole chorus - both whites and blacks - sing about how they're sad she's dead. Um... don't the whites not really care that she died other than that she was lost money? I don't buy it. The little things do count too, you know.
So basically, I would probably pick up a copy of the recording (preferably highlights) should it every be released because I really did like the music, but as an opera it really doesn't work. Then again, if you have free time and can snag a front row seat, there is some first-class acting going on onstage, and there are some really moving moments. But I know no one ever has any free time, so there you go.
