The mood was set as the audience walked into a drawing room that could have existed in the sixteen hundreds. To add to the atmosphere, Melissa Foge and Angela Girvan on double bass and flute, respectively, were playing softly.
These musicians were joined by the cast of young girls with exceptional voices. Because of the intimacy of the room, each voice was clear and bell-like. I was impressed by the alto standing in front of me. If I read my program correctly, she was 15 year old Michaella Francis. She was just the beginning of what turned into an exciting evening.
The small venue made the audience feel as if they were being entertained in the parlor of the orphanage and were given an opportunity to meet the head violin instructor, the students, and the three women who took care of them.
It is hard to get everyone into this review and I was so impressed with everyone. Elaine C. Meder - Wilgus played Maestra Teresa and has to be mentioned. Her role was rather large and I really appreciated how easily understood she is as an actress.
Grace McDill, the voice student Serafina, had several solos that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. The picture of her standing in her period gown in front of a formal window will stay with me for a long time.
Araellia Lopatic played Gabriella as a young girl and Lissa Ramirez was the young adult Gabriella. This was the orphan violinist that the story revolved around. The poise of these two young actresses is astonishing. Ms Ramirez has great stage presence; her fire and personality made it possible to understand how she would feel confined by the cloistered life.
The real credit for the evening goes first of all to Mary Rohrer - Dann for writing such a touching series of poems. The women were not only women of their time but timeless in their concerns. To take us back to baroque Venice and make us feel at home shows talent - and homework.
As important to the evening was the direction of Cynthia Mazzant. Ms Mazzant took the poems, turned them into a verse play and found a cast that could speak the lines with a naturalness that was beautiful. I also loved the use of the acting area, even “back stage” felt natural. It really did feel as if we were being entertained in a drawing room in Venice in 1700.
Because of the intimacy of the room, and because the show had a very limited run, many of you had to miss the performance…each night was sold out. I can only hope that there are plans to repeat the experience. This is local theatre at its best.
