TeenTix KC member Mary Vassilevsky
There’s something special about the ferocity of women in opera. The bigness of the medium, all the lights and music and murder adds to the image of a woman who is almost divine in her nature. From Carmen to Tosca, a well-executed opera can make the audience feel as though they’re living the story themselves. I’m so glad TeenTix KC gives me the opportunity to attend them.
When I saw Turandot directed by Garnett Bruce, produced by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, I was stunned. The Kauffman Theater usually has high-quality performances, but the production I saw on May 4th was one of my favorites. Everything in the play showed how terrifying the Princess was. She was barely present in the first act, so when we saw her, it felt like an event. The lighting and costume design played into this perfectly. The royal court entered on stage one-by-one, each person grander than the last. The reveal felt agonizingly slow. I was thinking, “there’s no way anyone can get more fancy than this!” and then I was proven wrong by two more entourages. And then Turandot herself outshone all of them. With a story like this, it’s easy to fall into the pitfall of making it seem like the stupidest decision ever to even attempt to marry her, given the bloody consequences, but when I saw her on the stage, I understood right away. Me too, Calef.
One standout moment was right after Calef had guessed Turandot’s riddles. Everyone was shocked, the music soared, and Turandot hurled her scrolls on the floor in fury, like she was throwing a tantrum. She’s such a complex character, and the actress portrayed all her nuances perfectly – menacing, pitiful and childish.
All the leads were excellent. Calef’s performance was moving and his singing was really excellent. And of course, Liu was so sweet and tragic, and I wished so badly for Calef to listen to her! There was an implication that after Liu’s suicide, her vengeful spirit would eventually make everyone pay. It was an interesting parallel to Lou-Ling’s spirit being reborn in Turandot. Maybe in another hundred years, Liu will reincarnate into an equally bloodthirsty ruler?
The ensemble was a highlight, too. They made the kingdom feel big, the story feel all-encompassing. Their choreography complemented the leads very well – a flurry of hands, a congregation of uncertain and easily excitable people. Every scene with the ensemble was a favorite for me. Them, along with the stellar costume design, lights and music, made for the most dramatic opera experience I’ve ever had.
Reviewed by TeenTix KC member Mary Vassilevsky
TeenTix KC is a KC Studio initiative building a brighter future for our region by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, patrons and leaders. Any 13-19 year-old can become a TeenTix KC member by downloading a free pass which enables them to buy $5 tickets to participating arts venues across metro KC. Teens are encouraged to become critics and influencers by writing reviews and creating reels about the arts they experience using their TeenTix KC passes.
