I stumbled upon HGO’s unusual production during a recent business trip to the Lone Star state. Having run the gamut of NASA, bars, smokehouses, and even the all-famous rodeo, I found myself looking for something new to do and was recommended to check out city opera. With a reputation of cowboy boots, sprawling land, and ten-lane highways, Houston seemed like an unlikely place to indulge my high-brow hobbies.
This harrowing tale, originally a Baroque period narrative concert piece, makes its North American stage debut at HGO. This modern stage adaption, a product of Australian mastermind, Barrie Kosky, made waves back in 2015 at the British Glyndebourne Festival and continues to move its American counterparts with its provocative and unique approach to reinventing a conventional genre for the modern audience.
Kosky’s decision to bring Handel’s oratorio to stage reflects the challenges innate to the operatic tradition in the 21st century. Like classical music, opera is loved by many for its existing repertoire, which presents directors the appreciably difficult task of constantly revamping age-old works in novel ways. While you can mold Madama Butterfly to fully acknowledge its racial issues or transport Rigoletto to modern-day Las Vegas, reviving Handel’s Saul is akin to resurrecting Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Allegro. Have you heard of Allegro? You get the point. Selecting seldom-heard pieces means both breathing new life into an outdated work while also creating it anew in a memorable way.
This is very much the case with Saul, which historically was never meant for the stage. Kosky’s production does an excellent job of balancing the heart of the source material- the music and the singing- with new, added elements- such as visuals and staging. While one may not agree with all Kosky’s choices (I certainly did not), his creative liberties are undoubtedly courageous and make for an interesting theatrical experience. Over the course of the opera’s three hour run time, I found myself laughing, shocked, confused, and even pleasantly surprised.
Saul’s greatest strength lies in Handel’s music and its execution by a phenomenal cast. The music is quintessentially Baroque with all of its ornamental and contrapuntal goodness. The intricacies of Handel’s orchestral prowess are highlighted in the opera’s overture, which could easily stand alone as a concert piece. Handel wrote spectacularly for the voice and this is evident in every choral section, which rings full of harmony. The only downfall of the score is its occasional disconnect with the emotional drama on stage (ie. major key for seemingly sad/tense moments). Yet, this is likely characteristic of the Baroque era, which is not known for its emotional elevation.
The voices behind the music are equally as impressive as the music itself. The cast is incredibly talented from the principal players to the ensemble, who get extra points for running and dancing across a severely raked stage. Baritone, Christopher Purves is haunting in the lead role and demonstrates great vocal versatility. He not only manages to project with the power and force worthy of a king, but also captures the vulnerability and weakness of a man strapped with fear and paranoia. Pureum Jo and Andriana Chuchman, the two sopranos playing Saul’s daughters, have lovely voices that soar to filling the lofty theater. They were both wonderful in their portrayals of their characters- Jo as the haughty, stubborn Merab and Chuchman as the playful, somewhat-ditzy Michal. However, the star of the evening was countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, who stunned as David. As countertenors are few and far between, it was a treat to be able to hear one in an operatic role. Singing effortlessly in a range that could match the leading ladies, Cohen is prodigious and has a voice as smooth and rich as butter.
As for the less preferred aspects of Kosky’s design, we have the costumes, which look as if they were ripped out of Broadway’s Hamilton, and make up that belongs in a Moliere play. Merab and Michal are even dressed in their own Peggy and Eliza dresses respectively! While the outfits are possibly befitting of the Baroque era, they are definitely not fitting for the time of the plot. The contemporary choreography is another a baffling decision. While executed well and somewhat entertaining, the dancing felt like an easy way of filling long orchestral interludes and added little value to the story.
Ultimately, my main criticism of Kosky’s production is that it intentionally or unintentionally creates an issue with the opera’s tone. Emerging from its hibernation, this Saul is not sure what it wants to be. The story is a tragic psychological drama, but the audience is often left laughing rather than crying. More serious moments are ruined by an unexpected dance move. Purves’ superb acting is soiled by some poor directorial choices (why is madness only depicted as hurling items across the room or shoving people to the ground?).
All in all, Saul is as crazy as they come with fleeting moments of sanity. While Saul may not have been the opera I expected to see, it did help me discover this amazing opera company which will now be a mandatory stop on my next trip to Houston