 |
 |
 |
 |
Don Pasquale, by Gaetano Donizetti
For an irresistible romantic comedy, take a wealthy, old bachelor, mix well with a lovesick nephew, a young widow, and a scheming doctor, and then top with a false notary.
Cast:
Lewis Freeman, Don Pasquale
Katherine Osborne, Norina
John Dooley, Dr. Malatesta
Keith Hudspeth, Ernesto
Don Bicoy, Notary
John Edward Niles, Artistic Director/Conductor
David Toulson, Stage Director
Ensemble: Adriana Gonzales, Kathy Hankins, Ronnie Hardcastle, Daniele Lorio, and Benny Robles.
Special guest appearance by Senior Judge Loren A. Smith, U.S. Court of Federal Claims in the part of Major Domo.
The following review appeared in the Washington Post on May 22, 2007.
Think of a really funny musical comedy, with pratfalls, plots and counterplots, doddering servants and fast-paced ensemble numbers in which everyone goes off on a different tangent. It tells a well-worn story: Young lovers, kept apart by an unreasonable old man who thinks himself sprightlier than he is, get their revenge and are eventually united. It's in English, and is a sort of reverse "Taming of the Shrew," with a pleasant young woman turning witchy -- call it "The Shrewing of the Tame."
Or just call it "Don Pasquale," as performed Sunday by Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre, in Arlington. The music of Donizetti's 1843 opera looks back to Mozart while moving with some of the clockwork precision that Gilbert and Sullivan later perfected. Under Artistic Director John Edward Niles's sure hand, this production was all fun, all the time -- though the nine-member chamber group he conducted was thin for this music.
As Pasquale, Lewis Freeman combined a strong, solid baritone with fine vocal and physical acting. John Dooley was smoothly urbane as the manipulative Malatesta, hatcher of the plot to bring Pasquale down a notch or three.
Katherine Osborne was charming as Norina, although her sweet, clear soprano became a little screechy at the top. Keith Hudspeth as her lover, Ernesto, was passionate but often strained, his voice too breathy and rather thin. Loren Smith, senior judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, was a scene stealer as a silent, slowly shuffling factotum. Everyone else constantly raced hither and thither -- and will do so again tomorrow at 8 p.m.