by Patrick White
You will have to move quick and stealthily to catch Robin Hood, this year’s Youth Opera on the Glimmerglass Festival main stage in the Alice Busch Opera Theatre. There is nothing more uplifting than seeing a very talented cast of 28 young people lavished with the attention, support and creative assistance of this premiere opera company.
The opera with music by Ben Moore and book by Kelly Rourke tells the familiar tale of an authoritarian power, the greedy Sheriff of Nottingham, and the grass roots resistance which rises up in Sherwood Forest in the shape of a charming outlaw named Robin Hood who builds consensus with his socialist tendencies. You know, taking from the rich to give to the poor.
The Sheriff of Nottingham played by Noah Mond (from the Resident Artists Program) makes the first striking impression, as villains always do, resplendent in a shiny light blue, dress military uniform. He is armed with a fly swatter, epaulets and shorts. He’s going to rule Sherwood Forest in style, provided by costume designer Sophie Schneider. It’s an original comic creation whose first big number subjugates the crowd to “Law and Order” before he storms off in a huff.
Robin Hood, Neptune Burgher from Oneonta, is counseled by Scarlet, a bird who lives in the trees played beautifully by the other Resident Artists Program cast member, Lauren Torrey. Maid Marion is played by Mackenzie Colby and she and Robin have a fun, humble deference to each other, trying to convince the other to lead in “No, You.”
Director Eric Sean Fogel makes great use of the large cast and they are totally committed to their group numbers whether as one of the Sheriff’s deputies or Robin’s Merrie Band. The stolid Victor A Vasilev shows up (finally!) in the deus ex machina role of King Richard but the biggest thief of the night would have to be Giovanni Priola who is a natural clown and seems incapable of entering a scene or committing the smallest gesture without eliciting laughs.
Glimmerglass has gone all out on a beautiful set which earned a hearty round of applause at its reveal. It was designed by James Rotondo with three towering green trees and a huge backdrop of a tree’s golden cross section upstage, centering the action.
Conductor Kimberly-Ann Bartczak conducted the pianos of Tongyao Li & Maeve Berry which provided a full, rousing evening of Moore’s score.
Kelly Rourke’s, Glimmerglass’s dramaturg, libretto has what has unfortunately become a pointedly political libretto which urges Robin to “lead with love, that’s the only way to battle fear and hate.” It asks that Robin join the resistance and that we love every leaf and treat every stranger as a friend. Marion asks that we “hear her roar” and we are treated to the inevitable rhyme of Sheriff and tariff.
When the children rise up and celebrate Robin Hood’s victory over meanness, corruption and destruction, it’s impossible not to leap to your feet with a full throated Huzzah!
The Glimmerglass Festival presents “Robin Hood”, music by Ben Moore, book by Kelly Rourke, directed by Eric Sean Fogel, August 2-7 in the Alice Busch Opera Theatre, Cooperstown NY. Conductor Kimberly-Ann Bartczak, pianists Tongyao Li & Maeve Berry. CAST: Noad Mond as the Sheriff, Lauren Torey as Scarlet, Neptune Burgher as Robin Hood, Mackenzie Colby as Marion, Giovanni Priola as Scout, Lily Tolbert as Jackie the Janitor, Celia Begin as Ronnie the Riveter, Cordelia Dziuban as Sam the Scribe, Myles Rouggly as Jo the Jailor, Victor A. Vasilev as King Richard. ENSEMBLE: Arianne Ajakh, Francesca Anderson, Maddox Bennett, Leo Burr, Nadia Buttermann, Bella Collis, Ruby Cotton, Tobias Frederickson, Kian Grady, Cate Speed Leinhart, Owen Holsonbake Lowe, Daniella Rivera-Litz, Anais Summers Robbins, Elizabeth Shaver, Ella Swift, Levi Tracy, Eleanor Walker, Carter Whiteman. CREATIVE TEAM: Set Designer James Rotondo, Costume Designer Sophie Schneider, Lighting Designer Bridget Williams, Projected Titles Nick Richardson, Hair & Makeup Designer Charlotte Seidensticker. https://glimmerglass.org/
Presented in English with English projected titles
Approx. Running Time: 1 hour (no intermission)
Thanks to generous sponsorship, tickets to the youth opera are free for children 12 and under.