It’s an afternoon of some “interesting” relationships on this week’s Sunday Opera (6/1 3:00 p.m.) with Ivar Hallstrom’s “Duke Magnus and the Mermaid” and Louis Spohr’s treatment of “Beauty and the Beast” (“Azore et Zamire”).
“Duke Magnus and the Mermaid” centers on Magnus who believes he hears a mermaid calling him to his death which he welcomes since his lost his daughter. Through the events of the opera, there are two happy couples, a restored daughter, and sanity regained, so it’s a very happy ending.
The cast is headed by Lars Johansson as the Duke, and he’s joined by Johan Rydh, Mattias Ermdahl, Staffan Alveteg, Ea Markland, Ingel Bohlin, Emelie Sigelius, and Jonas Olofsson. Niklas Willen conducts the Vadstena Academy Choir and the Norrkoping Symphony Orchestra.
The libretto for Spohr’s treatment of “Beauty and the Beast” is pretty much the story everyone knows with only a few changes of location and characters. (Sorry. There’s no Mrs. Potts here.)
Azor (The Beast) is sung by Matthew Pena, Zemire (Beauty) is Shiree Kidron, and Robert Stafford is Sandor, Zemire’s father. Her two sisters are performed by Rachel Calloway and Marissa Famiglietti, and Ali is Paul Shikany. They’re joined by the Manhattan School of Music Opera Theatre Orchestra and vocal ensemble conducted Christopher Larkin.
Once again, we’re pleased to bring you some excellent works that are well performed with which you just might be unfamiliar.
