<\/a>Perusing the program notes before the production, I stumbled onto Garnett Bruce<\/a>\u2019s (Stage Director) thoughtfully written introduction. Bruce challenges the audience to accept the surrealism and search out the lessons in both Poulenc\u2019s Les mamelles de Tir\u00e9sias<\/a><\/em> and Ravel\u2019s L\u2019enfant et les sortil\u00e8ges<\/em>. He further dares us to look beyond the absurdity into the complex layers of harmony, timbre, and human characterization. He even writes, \u201cPuppets and animation could do better justice to angry clocks and dangerous fire, to wacky gamblers and pompous policemen, but the inherent human element of both of these pieces must never be lost.\u201d Which led me to wonder — are we able to accept surrealist opera performed by humans in our Disney animation-dominated world?<\/p>\n

Bruce\u2019s notes weren\u2019t even the most provocative in the program. Eileen Cornett (Musical Coach) wrote poignantly about trying to find meaning in the strange and sometimes illogical text of the French poet, Apollinaire. She made an interesting modern connection between \u201cDon\u2019t Ask, Don\u2019t Tell\u201d and Poulenc\/Apollinaire\u2019s exploration of sexual identity. As the orchestra tuned, I heard the sweet undergrads next to me quietly confess to one another that this was their first opera. I only wish that I could have asked them if they made the same associations and bonded with the human surrealism suggested in the program notes.<\/p>\n

I was pleasantly surprised to see the wonderful Dr. Seuss<\/a>-like sets and costumes. Peabody\u2019s co-production agreement with Temple University<\/a> is certainly paying-off there. The primary indoor setting turned 180\u02da on its platform to reveal a unique street scene that the characters would pass through in seamless transitions. In Les mamelles de Tir\u00e9sias<\/em>, Amber Schwarzrock sang Th\u00e9r\u00e8se\/Tir\u00e9sias with exuberance. Her shimmering top notes soared over the orchestra. She also elicited genuine laughter from the audience with each silly gender shtick. Christian Waugh and Tyler Lee were in strong Laurel and Hardy form with their comical singing and acting. Jayson Greenberg sang the beleaguered husband with aplomb. His lovely bright timbre suited the language when he wasn\u2019t being covered up by the orchestra (the fault here is with the orchestra.)<\/p>\n