Music warmed the chilly weather with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at The Fox and Il Trovatore, Giuseppe Verdi’s surprisingly buoyant revenge opera at Winter Opera Saint Louis. Let’s face it, the book for Beautiful is clunky and predictable, and the plot often seems manipulated. But the music, oh, the music! Some people may not know that Carole King and her husband wrote songs that were made famous by The Shirelles, The Drifters and Little Eva long before they divorced and she broke out to sing her own songs. For women of a certain age, the music of Beautiful inspires the same joy and nostalgia as Mamma Mia, and it’s enjoyed best in the company of your favorite gal pal.
A delightful Abby Mueller played Carole King with strength and an indomitable spirit. Best friend, fellow composer and sometimes nemesis Cynthia Weil, played with great theatrical flair by Becky Gulsvig, strengthened the story. The entire show had a polish to it, especially the costumes and changes, which were flashy and stylish and so much fun!
The magic continued over at Winter Opera with Il Trovatore, an Italian opera that has been popular for more than 160 years. The plot is fantastical with gypsy curses, switched babies and poisoned lovers, but again, the music! A commanding Antoine Hodge as Ferrando led the opening number by a group of soldiers. Verdi’s opening, in which Ferrando tells of the gypsy curse, was almost jaunty in tone, which gave the opening a satisfying tension.
The set and costumes were wonderful. Lighting designer Sean Savoie set the mood with a simple change of light colors on a backdrop of clouds. It was gorgeous. Designer JC Krajicek did the same with the costumes, setting status with fabric choices and accessories.
Maria Kanyova as Leonora had a lovely, exciting voice. Neil Nelson’s Count di Luna was silkyvoiced and a good actor to boot. In Act II, he sang a riveting song about his great passion for Leonora. Jorge Pita Carreras, whom I enjoyed so much in last season’s L’Amico Fritz, was a strong and brave Manrico. If I had one quibble, it is that there needed to be more acting from the soldiers. Take the third act opening, where they are preparing for battle—it simply was not very menacing. But the songs and show, overall, were magical.
on the marquee
» BRIEFS | April 8 – 10 | Centene Center for the Arts
Joan Lipkin and That Uppity Theatre Company present the fifth annual BRIEFS: A Festival of Short LGBTQ Plays. BRIEFS is a unique venture in St. Louis that brings together numerous directors and theatrical artists to showcase the work of eight different playwrights all under one roof. The festival presents theatrical work that addresses the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning people. It is targeted to a diverse and mature audience that appreciates good theater in unique settings. Tickets and more information can be found at briefs.eventbrite.com.
Pictured: Antoine Hodge as Ferrando in Il Trovatore
Photo: Riq Dilly