Amateur Opera Critic Meets Diva

Reprinted from Manybooks.net, story by Naomi Bolton. Free download of Operaville the novel at Amazon.com.

Michael J. Vaughn is the author of 22 novels, including Mascot and The Popcorn Girl. He is a thirty-year opera critic, a jazz singer, and plays drums for the San Francisco rock band Exit Wonderland. For Gabriella's Voice, the predecessor to Operaville, Vaughn was awarded a $3,000 fellowship from Arts Council Silicon Valley. As our Author of the Day, he tells us about his latest opera novel, Operaville.

Please give us a short introduction to what Operaville is about.

Mickey Siskel is a survivor of a traumatic divorce who sort of klutzes into opera as a form of therapy. He discovers a great ruse for getting free tickets - just start a blog and figure out how to write reviews. He gets unexpectedly good and attracts the attention of a world-class diva, Maddalena Hart, who meets with him and finds herself smitten. It's a bit like "Notting Hill" (which I saw AFTER I wrote Operaville, please note).

What inspired you to write about an amateur opera critic who finds himself in an affair with an opera diva?

I am a long-time opera critic, but after I quit my newspaper jobs to focus on fiction I still wanted the free tickets so I could continue seeing opera. So I started a blog called Operaville. But somewhere along the line, I thought, Hmmm, interesting device for a novel. As for the diva, I've had the good fortune of befriending quite a few opera singers and I find them to be delightful, fascinating creatures.

Your first opera novel, Gabriella's Voice earned you a fellowship from the Arts Council in Silicon Valley. Tell us more about this.

That award was very important; it gave me a sense of legitimacy early in my career. Authors really need those! Gabriella actually makes an appearance in Operaville.

You are an opera critic yourself. How much of your own experiences have you incorporated in the book?

Lots! I have learned so much through my reviews. When it comes to opera, it's easy to fall into stupid cliches (the fat lady with the horns). The real world of opera is so much more interesting. And also I'm able to write about the music in a deep, thoughtful way, and hopefully translate these concepts and descriptions to the lay reader.

Tell us more about Maddalena. What makes her so exceptional?

She's at the very top of her game and yet she never stops learning. Some of this is based on Renee Fleming. She wrote a book on singing in which she said she never stops re-evaluating a role, even if she's performed it a hundred times. I think this endless seeking is indicative of the most successful people in all fields. Also, Maddie is very sexual, which is the thing that perhaps people don't know about opera singers. I always want to say, But look at all these shenanigans they get to onstage? Don't you think that has an effect?

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I came from a musical Disneyland called Peterson High School in Sunnyvale. We had 120 guys in the men's glee and used to tour other schools, encouraging boys to sing. From there I went to San Jose State, where the choir performed with the local professional orchestra. My own singing continues with jazz (Sinatra a specialty) and rock; I'm a drummer/vocalist with a classic rock cover band, ECRB. Not surprisingly, music plays an active part in most of my novels.

Was there a single defining moment or event where you suddenly thought, 'Now I'm an Author,' as in—this is now my career?"

I've always been self-powered, but there was one moment. I graduated with a journalism degree and immediately realized, Who am I kidding? And got a day job so I could start writing novels.

How do you force yourself to finish what you're doing before starting the next project when the new idea is nagging at you?

I have actually begun a new project while finishing an old one. It didn't seem to bother me. Though I usually do enjoy a month or two of "brewing" between books.

Among the wealth of characters in Operaville, who was the most difficult to create?

The ex-wife kept shifting on me! I really wanted to indulge in an old-fashioned nasty villain, but she insisted on being human and showing all these redeeming insecurities. In the end, she might be the most intriguing character in the book. I always preach a certain lack of control to beginning writers, because you never know when a character will raise her hand and say, I think you're wrong about me.

If you could choose one character from your book to spend a day with, who would it be? And where would you take them?

Oh, Maddalena, naturally. I'd like to take that 4th of July cruise into Seattle for the fireworks show. What fun!

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to combat it?

I really don't because I don't push myself to write when I'm not feeling inspired, but I do keep a sketchbook around for doodling. I actually wrote a story about this for Writer's Digest; visual play has a way of re-energizing those parts of the brain used for writing. And sometimes I get a page or two when I wasn't expecting it.

What are you working on right now?

I did a rather unusual thing to start my new novel. Without any preliminary theme, I simply put a character in a certain place and wrote my way out. I ended up with a speculative novel about post-flood California (a climate-change Handmaid's Tale), which is unlike anything I've ever done. So perhaps this is a good way to push one's boundaries and find out what your subconscious is up to.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

I have an author page on Amazon (22 titles), and a page on Facebook. Also, my blog is at operaville.blogspot.com, and I continue to write opera reviews.

Extra notes:

The sex scenes In Operaville are pretty candid. Prudes, please note. Inspired by authors like Kundera and Tom Robbins, I tend to write about sex as if it were a normal part of life. Although you won't find godawful erotica tropes like "throbbing" and "perky."

The opera descriptions get pretty technical sometimes but never fear. They're not essential to the plot.

The cover photo is a selfie! Taken by a soprano friend, Isabella Ivy, before going onstage in a Mozart opera. I'm so grateful that she let me use this extraordinary shot.

A Glittering Bat

Brian James Myer as Dr. Falke. Photos by Pat Kirk.

Opera San Jose
Strauss's Die Fledermaus
September 14, 2019

Opera San Jose opened its 36th season with a rousing, enjoyably chaotic rendition of Strauss's goofy classic, making the most of its infectious music without missing any comic chances.

Elena Galvan as Adele.

The cast was vocally tasty, beginning with moment one, Elena Galvan releasing a cascade of glistening notes as housemaid Adele receives a Cinderellish invitation to the ball. Galvan's coloratura is a fine dessert throughout, particularly in the Laughing Song.

OSJ has the laudable habit of drawing on its alumni, and Alexander Boyer is a perfect fit as Alfredo, the amorous Italian tenor whose singing drops Rosalinde to her knees like a marionette whose strings have been cut. Boyer's pipes have always been golden, so I'd count this as typecasting. I also enjoyed the way his "La donna mobile" was choked off by the jailer Frosch.

Maria Natale as Rosalinde, Eugene Brancoveanu as Eisenstein.

Maria Natale gives Rosalinde just the right level of corruptible elegance, with the help of some stunning gowns: the green concoction of Act I, the copper shimmer of Act 3 (Cathleen Edwards, costume designer).

Eugene Brancoveanu lends his robust baritone to von Eisenstein, along with a delightful level of party-boy energy. He joins with Galvan and Natale to derive the utmost hilarity from their Act I trio, "O Gott, wie rührt mich dies!", all three pretending sadness at their parting while secretly relishing their impending nights out. The little Bob Fosse dance moves are a nice touch.

As serious professional/secret mischiefmaker Dr. Falke, baritone Brian Jones Myer brought out the beauty of the Champagne Song's introduction. It's a warm moment, underlined by brotherhood. Another warm presence is bass-baritone Nathan Stark as the warden Frank. In the fun Act 3 hangover scene, he falls asleep at work, his cigar burning a hole through his newspaper.

Stephanie Sanchez as Prince Orlofsky.

Stephanie Sanchez's mezzo is superb, but her speech as Prince Orlofsky needs to be bigger, even cartoonish. It's a challenge, because the truly cliche Russian accent almost demands a baritone.

Tenor Mason Gates continues his run through the great comic roles as Dr. Blind, a beautiful mess of a lawyer (Eisenstein's conviction for insider trading is sadly topical). The role of Frosch, often given to a non-singing actor, went to OSJ alum Jesse Merlin. Merlin's hyper-droll delivery is excellent (a bit reminiscent of a character named Fenton from That '70s Show) and his tightly ordered marches in and out of the jail are a nice undercover joke.

Stage director Marc Jacobs trod a fine line between fun and chaos, his Orlofsky ball reminding me of something from the Marx Bros. The dance scenes (choreographer Robyn Tribuzi) made good use of some athletic professionals, but retained the ad hoc feel of a genuine party. Charlie Smith's set uses a backdrop of finely detailed window-work for the Eisenstein villa, the Orlofsky estate and the jail, and draws a nice echo from Orlofsky's rusted archway to the jail's rusted entrance. The orchestra made the most of Strauss's breezy score under Michael Morgan's graceful conducting.

Through Sept. 29 at California Theatre, 345 S. First Street, San Jose. operasj.org, 408/437-4450.

Michael J. Vaughn is the author of the novels Gabriella's Voice and Operaville. His most recent title, A Painting Called Sylvia, is available for free download at Amazon.

SFO's Vigorous, Violent Carmen

San Francisco Opera
Bizet's Carmen
June 29, 2019

J'Nai Bridges as Carmen. Photos by Cory Weaver.

The ascribing of credit for directorial work, especially when dealing with an influential force like Francesca Zambello, is a tricky business. At times, I have attributed some astute move to a stage director only to learn that a singer brought it to the company from a previous production. That said, I can guess two things about Zambello's Carmen. One is her absolute mastery at creating tableaux - that is, a stage scenario that would make an excellent painting. My inner eye goes immediately to the finish of the Toreador scene, the matador Escamillo rising on a table like a god on a cloud of his adoring followers. It's a pretty spectacular vision.

One could also guess that she made certain of the production's physical, rough edge. Rather than have the cigarette girls narrate the fight that had just happened, for instance, she brought Carmen and her rival out to throw each other around as the girls did a sort of play-by-play. The fight between Don Jose and Escamillo is also superb (fight coach Dave Maier). The final confrontation between Jose and Carmen escalates into a wrestling match before an excellent stabbing. I get the feeling that this cast often went home nursing real bruises, and I applaud their commitment.

Kyle Ketelson as Escamillo.

Theatrically, the cast is wonderful, with just a couple of vocal disappointments. J'Nai Bridges captures the Carmenesque blend of sexuality and attitude, but her vocal tone is unnecessarily covered - a seeming Carmen tradition that I don't buy into.

Matthew Polenzani delivers the full range of Don Jose's psychological journey, from disinterested boy scout to impassioned lover to obsessed ex-boyfriend. His final scene is a vivid study of desperation strategies: tender forgiveness, pleading, begging, threatening, and finally violence. Vocally, Polenzani's lyric tenor is a gift from the heavens, an absolute pleasure. His Flower Song may be the best I've ever heard, ending with heartbreaking high pianissimos.

Matthew Polenzani as Don Jose.

As Escamillo, Kyle Ketelson is sublime. He's got the alpha-male swag down, all smoothness and ego, and his baritone is rich and strong throughout. Here, one thinks, is the logical match for Carmen.

As Micaela, Anita Hartig delivered a touching presence, but she missed a chance to convey her character's undercover strength and passion. Both her acting and singing lack a certain charisma, particularly in the aria "Je dis que rien me n'epouvante." There's an easy notion that Micaela is the good girl next door, but her courage in climbing the mountains and facing down a band of smugglers in order to save her boyfriend say otherwise.

Kyle Ketelson as Escamillo, J'Nai Bridges as Carmen.

I also enjoyed tenor Christopher Oglesby, who lent the head smuggler, Dancairo, a sense of authority that altered my perception of him. Tanya McCallin's set, a series of artfully curving village walls, served well for the opening act, but I'm disappointed they used it for the smugglers' encampment. All the libretto's references to the freedom of the mountains seem hollow when it appears they're camping on an abandoned opera set.

Conductor Michelle Merrill led a spirited, punchy performance that brought out Bizet's radical percussion innovations. The Act 3 entr'acte gets more lovely each time I hear it, this time featuring Julie McKenzie on flute.

This was the final performance. SFO's fall season includes Romeo and Juliet, Billy Budd, a Placido Domingo gala, The Marriage of Figaro, Puccini's Manon Lescaut, and Hansel and Gretel. sfopera.com, 415-864-3330.

Michael J. Vaughn is the author of 22 novels, including his most recent, A Painting Called Sylvia.

Princess Kebabs, Anyone?

Eimi Taormini, Natasha Drena, Marissa Rudd, Colette Froehlich,
Theresa Swain and Shannon Gugenheim.

Disenchanted!

Dennis T. Giacino

Guggenheim Entertainment

June 22, 2019

If anything ever needed a good healthy skewering, it’s the Disney princess complex. The good news is, the ladies of Guggenheim Entertainment are doing just that, with Dennis T. Giacino’s biting, bawdy sendup of everything princessy.

The evening is hosted by Snow White (Colette Froehlich) a sort of head cheerleader/Gloria Steinem hybrid who’s ready to lead a revolution against The Mouse. She develops a fun repartee with a ditzy Cinderella (Theresa Swain) and a socially awkward Sleeping Beauty (Natasha Drena). The company has a grand time with general commentaries; “Big Tits,” for instance, takes on nerdy animators who give their teenage heroines curiously healthy racks. The number ends with a hooter parade, featuring actual headlights, honkers, and… pumpkins?

Colette Froehlich as Snow White.

The real points, however, are scored with the individual testimonials. Two of the best fell to Eimi Taormini. In “Without the Guy,” Mulan wonders if perhaps she didn’t end up with a prince because maybe she prefers princesses? In “Honestly,” Pocahontas keeps looking at her pornstar bod and asking why the story of the real, normal-looking Pocahontas wasn’t enough. (“And also, why do these leaves keep following me around?”) Both pieces deliver unexpected moments of poignancy, and also show off Taormini’s impressive pipes.

On the daffier side, there’s nothing like the casual chaos wreaked by Shannon Guggenheim. “Insane!” features Belle, strapped to a chair and beset by facial tics after years of talking to furniture. Later, she appears as a John Waters dominatrix version of Marlene Dietrich for Rapunzel’s “Not V’One Red Cent,” a protest of overmerchandising. Later, as The Little Mermaid, she abandons the anorexic “All I Wanna Do is Eat” to head for the concession stand, complaining all the way up the aisle - and then, naturally, returning with snacks for everyone. (Apparently, the whole stunt was improvised during rehearsals.)

Marissa Rudd appears in “Finally” to actually approve of a Disney move, the introduction of a black princess in The Princess Who Kissed the Frog. The most laughter-inducing piece was “A Happy Tune?,” in which Snow, Cin and Sleepy tell off their happily-ever-after hubbies, using a duck call and a triangle to bleep out the obscenities. It’s a standard sort of shtick, but it goes to filthy, hilarious extremes.

Natasha Dena as Sleeping Beauty

The regular luxury at Guggenheim shows is vocal strength all the way through the cast, which makes it so much easier to relax and enjoy the evening. This one also has a rockin’ little trio of piano, bass and drums.

Through July 21, 3Below Theaters, 288 S. Second Street, San Jose. 408/404-7711, 3belowtheaters.com

Michael J. Vaughn is an award-winning novelist and author of the plays Darcy Lamont and Café Phryque.

The Aria Comes to Life

Dvorak’s Rusalka

San Francisco Opera

June 21, 2019

Rachel Willis-Sorenson as Rusalka. All photos by Cory Weaver.

One of the more unique experiences of the opera aficionado is to fall in love with a particular aria, and then, perhaps years later, to finally see it in its theatrical context. I have been a fan of Dvorak’s Song to the Moon for a dozen years, owing largely to recordings by Renee Fleming and Barbara Divis. Only now, thanks to SFO, did I get it to see it in its proper context.

Kristinn Sigmundsson as the Water Goblin.

This level of attachment is a perilous thing. Boito’s “L’altra notte” is on that list, as well, and Patricia Racette did it no favors in SFO’s Mefistofele, drowning it in emotion. I’m happy to report that Rachel Willis-Sorenson fared much better with Song to the Moon, helped by an intensely lush approach from Eun Sun Kim and her orchestra (Olga Oretenberg-Rakitchenkov, harp). Willis-Sorenson possesses just the right broadness of tone and low-to-high range to pull it off. As she sang, pleading for a chance to become a mortal and meet her human lover, set designer John Macfarlane’s lakeside trees shifted aside to  reveal a gorgeously oversized full moon. The completeness of the experience was everything that I could have hoped for.

Sarah Cambidge as the foreign princess.

Willis-Sorenson continued her inspired vocalizing throughout the evening (except for the second act, when she was rudely required to be mute), and also captured the audience with her acting. Playing a water nymph completely out of sorts with her new human body, she radiated a painful physical anxiety.

Based on folk stories and works like Undine and Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, Kvapil’s libretto weaves these threads into a deeply conflicted view of interspecies love. There is always, he seems to say, a price to be paid. The intensity and suprising human-ness plays well with Dvorak, who, late in his great career, was creating from a full and fascinating palette. The opera incorporates turn-of-the-century features like through-composing, the use of folk songs and Wagnerian liet-motifs. (Bits of Song to the Moon, in fact, reappear regularly as Rusalka’s motif.)

Brandon Jovanovich as the Prince.

The players here are exceptionally strong. Rusalka’s father, the Water Goblin, is performed by Kristinn Sigmundsson, who delivers a stout bass and a domineering stage presence. He is forever scaring audience and characters alike with his surprising ascents through the stage floor. Tenor Brandon Jovanovich is his usual excellent self, lending a necessary charisma to the Prince. The audience has to care enough to resent his fickleness but pity his gradual madness.

Jamie Barton as Jezibaba.

One of Jezibaba's crows.

Mezzo Jamie Barton brings to Jezibaba (who grants Rusalka’s wish) a sense of cantankerous fun mixed with bits of sadism. As the jealous foreign princess, Sarah Cambidge has just the right level of bright sharpness (both tonally and actorly) to be amiably vicious.

Dvorak is such a masterful, inventive musician, it’s almost no surprise that he sometimes bogs down the stage action, but director Leah Hausman does a genius job of creating memorable stage visions. She is helped greatly by her dancers, who perform playful wood-nymph antics and beautiful ballets, as well as water-nymph lamentations for their lost sister that possess the sublime eccentricity of a Martha Graham work (choreography by Andrew George). As for Jezibaba’s crows, they nearly steal the opera.

Macfarlane’s royal hall is stunning, seemingly a mile long, and masterfully shadowed by David Finn’s lighting design. Moritz Junge’s costumes are endlessly inventive.

Through June 28, War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness, 415/864-3330, www.sfopera.com.

Michael J. Vaughn is the award-winning author of The Popcorn Girl and his latest work, A Painting Called Sylvia.

John Macfarlane's royal hall.

Beautiful Handel, Disappointing Story

Sasha Cooke as Orlando. Photos by Cory Weaver

Handel's Orlando
San Francisco Opera
June 15, 2019

It's got to be infuriating for a stage director to take on Handel. The pace is all directed to the music and the standards of the time, leaving tons of dead stage time, and the plot (at least this one) make very little sense.

Lord knows, Harry Fehr tried, and he came up with some viable ideas. In the wounded, mentally fragile warrior Orlando, he saw a prototype for PTSD, and placed the action in WWII England to make things more relevant. Then he turned the wizard Zoroastro into a wonder-working doctor and the shepherdess Dorinda into a nurse, and placed them in a clinic for soldiers.

Christian Van Horn as Zaroastro.

I like the ideas, but it doesn't make the action any less static or the plot more believable. People fall in love, out of love, and blame everything on either love or heartbreak. It's like an 18th century General Hospital. Clearly, plausible drama had not yet gained a foothold in the operatic zeitgeist. It could just be that Handel has the same effect on stagecraft as Wagner, creating music so big and magical that it leaves no room for theatrical demands.

And certainly there is wondrous music to be had. Playing Zoroastro, Christian Van Horn exhibits a thunderous bass-baritone and a dominating stage presence. Despite a virus limiting her power, mezzo Sasha Cooke played Orlando with tremendous vocal dexterity. The accuracy of her runs are priceless, and she gives a convincing account of her warrior's bursts of madness.

Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen possesses a hauntingly smooth countertenor, particularly moving in Medoro's aria "Verdi allori." The only disappointment is the generally excellent soprano Heidi Stober, who throws far too much emotion into her Angelica.

Christina Gansch as Dorinda.

The clear delight is Austrian soprano Christina Gansch, who is making her U.S. debut. Playing Dorinda, Gansch delivers an ebullient tone and presence, performing the coloratura aria "Amore e qual vento" with dazzle and fun. Her Dorinda has a lovely sense of humor, and works well as the eye of the clinic's hurricane.

The orchestra under Christopher Moulds is a treasure, featuring period instruments like recorders, a theorbo and two harpsichords. The feel is beautifully authentic. Yannis Thavoris's set is an agile wonder, quickly spinning into new rooms and angles. Andrzej Goulding's projections add a provocative visual dimension.

Through June 27 at War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue. sfopera.com, 415/864-3330, $26-$398.

Michael J. Vaughn is the author of 22 novels, including Gabriella's Voice and Operaville.

What Makes Mamma Mia! Such a Hit?

Allison F. Rich, Adrienne Herro and Jill Miller

San Jose Stage

Mamma Mia!
June 1, 2019

Now that the musical with the ninth-longest run in Broadway history has hit the age of twenty, it might be fun to consider its place in musical theater.

The idea of using already-popular songs to piece together a musical story is hardly new. The most famous example is John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, a 1728 concoction that added new lyrics to ballads, folk songs and hymns to create its narrative (the story would later be used for Brecht and Weill’s Threepenny Opera). The first four decades of the 20^th century were filled with American musicals that followed the same patched-together format.

But then came the mid-century invention of “the band” – a musical unit that both composed and performed its songs. And although The Who ventured into opera with Tommy, and Hollywood tried to paste together a film version of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, nothing clicked quite so well as when the Swedish hitmakers ABBA and book-writer Catherine Johnson created a musical with 23 ABBA songs. At the time, it probably seemed like a preposterous idea (and certainly, early critics were NOT impressed). But something obviously worked.

And what was that something? I’ve got some guesses. Number one, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus resisted the temptation to use only their biggest hits, often deploying lesser-known songs that better fit the story. Number two, Johnson’s book is quite clever in providing a plausible path for the biggest of those hits. A trio of baby boomers reminiscing about their wild youths? What better than “Dancing Queen”? A single mom scraping by as a resort manager in the Greek Isles? Sounds like she could use “Money, Money, Money.” That same woman running into her three potential babydaddies? “Mamma Mia!”

Number three is the generalized nature of ABBA’s songs. Like classic operatic arias, they don’t further the action so much as comment upon situations and feelings. Thus, “S.O.S.” fits any number of breakup scenarios, while “Take a Chance on Me” is an all-purpose flirtation-song.

Stage’s production delivers abundant energy, intensified by its cozy space. Keith Pinto’s choreography is endlessly inventive and sexy, and the band led by Martín Rojas Dietrich delivers a genuine ABBA sound.

The vocals are solid throughout, with a few definite standouts. Playing the lead “father candidate,” Noel Anthony displays a real talent for connecting song to character, particularly with “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” a bit of fatherly advice for his potential daughter. Adrienne Herro plays mother-of-the-bride Donna with a girl-next-door appeal (much preferable to Meryl Streep’s annoying glamour-pus) and hits an emotional peak with “The Winner Takes It All.” Both songs remind us that the ultimate Euro party band could also deliver real heartbreakers.

The comic highlights come from Donna’s gal-pals. Allison F. Rich invests Tanya with equal parts AbFab and Christine Baranski, playing the cougar to the hilt. As Rosie, Jill Miller has both the appearance and comic flair of Lisa Kudrow, taking a couple of small physical bits (padding her hotel bed like a kitty-cat) to the level of hilarity.

As director, Rich has a tremendous eye for detail. Even the furniture changes have their own little ballets. During the barely controlled chaos of the Dancing Queen scene, one could look anywhere on stage and find some little mini-drama – exactly like a typical night at a disco. It was also fun to watch the supporting cast in their Greek chorus mode – for example, in bride Sophie’s (Allison J. Parker’s) truly disturbing nightmare scene. Bethany Deal’s costumes were brilliant, particularly the ABBAriffic jumpsuits of the finale.

Through July 7, San Jose Stage, 490 S. First Street. 408/283-7142, thestage.org.

Michael J. Vaughn is the author of 21 novels, including the rock band comedy Slow Children.