A Review of ‘Human Resources’ presented by Nashville Story Garden and OZ Arts Nashville
As a trailblazer that continues its commitment in supporting the out-of-the-box local and international theatrical expression, OZ Arts Nashville doesn’t seem to shy away from transforming itself to accommodate the needs of the artists it hosts.
For Human Resources, written by Nate Eppler (award winning playwright and director of Playground writing incubator), directed by Lauren Shouse (award winning director, currently Assistant Professor of Theatre Directing at Middle Tennessee State University) and devised and developed by Nashville Story Garden, the stage is turned into an arena, one of the more common formats of contemporary experimental theater. Following Geoff Sobelle’s Food, this is the second time I experienced a performance at OZ Arts Nashville in this format. It is very fitting for a performance that aims to expose an exaggerated portrait of corporal dynamics, its hierarchies, and the meaning(lessness) of the concept of work and work-life in today’s success-driven positivist warp.
Human Resources is a purposefully fractured theatrical experience, delving into the idle work lives of the manufacturers of a pharmaceutical corporation whose external image is an inverted facade of the values it promotes. The staging has an immersive nature, and it invites the audience to a thoroughly curated encounter. A somewhat participatory experience with orchestrated transitions in perspective that may pose a challenge for those with mobility issues, which is why the promotion of the performance should have advised this feature. The performance handout states the nature of audience participation; however, the handouts are only given out once someone is entering the stage and has already committed to experiencing this show.
The tone is set at the foyer or behind the limits of what has been taken in as a stage: filing cabinets, folded computer parts, screens where Dr. Goodapple (Geoff Davin), the representative of Liminal, promotes the ten tenets of Liminal Corporation, under impersonal jazz tunes. A commercial promoting Zealiva, a drug that improves productivity at work and helps workers fulfill Liminal’s tenets, occasionally takes over the screens, reminding us of the unconsented commercials to products we are exposed to in our everyday lives. There’s a witty wordplay happening right there: ‘liminal’, or in between, which gets further opened during the performance and ‘zealiva’, a drug that activates zeal and pushes workers to feel alive, when they are actually feeling demotivated because they hate their jobs!
In the waiting room, the audience is also offered signature “9 to 5 Collins drinks”, promoted as fully utilizing citrus fruits. Unmistakably, a reference to the feminist comedy Nine to Five directed by Colin Higgins, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman, Elizabeth Wilson, and Sterling Hayden.
The Liminal staff, apropos, the actors of the play are promoted on a company poster, and at another corner, a tribute is paid to the deceased worker Judy, whose values have been calculated in percentiles within the scale of the company, while later, the reaction to her death on her work desk during her weekend overtime has been memorized by the workers and is robotically replayed with a mimicked gesture and the wording: “So sad, so sad!”.
The set design (Diana DeGarmo), props design (Madeleine Hicks) and lighting design (Phillip Franck) turn the OZ Arts Nashville stage arena into a floor of the Liminal Pharmaceuticals’ headquarters. The branding of the office materials including the Liminal logo (designed by Chris Ammons) looks so genuine, it pushes one to question whether we should believe in the legitimacy of anything that has a brand design. Boxes of Zealiva are spread all over and we can see the staff arriving and saluting the logo of the company with militaristic gestures (Is this what one could call Corporate Patriotism?), before they disappear into their cubicles, performing motorized and repetitive movements. A worker’s chair has its nylon wrapper still on, a signifier of the sterility, discomfort, and the detachment of the workers from their working space.
Every few minutes, a Squid Gameish sound (sound design by Tasha AF Lemley) announces ideological breaks to remind the workers of the tenets of the corporation. This is pleasingly choreographed and is a testament to Nashville Story Garden’s dedication to extensive teamwork in devising their works and their emphasis on incorporating physicality to storytelling on stage.
The fourth wall in this performance is broken when the audience members are addressed as “external stakeholders” alias consumers. This also alludes to the awareness that the actors are being watched, another reference to George Orwell’s 1984, although they don’t hesitate to go through their full arch which is ardent and rocky.
The simulation of utilitarianism is broken when Harper (Lauren Berst, also co-director of Nashville Story Garden) comes in to address an HR issue: an anonymous complaint of a worker from this particular floor. While the complaint boxes are available, based on how the rest of the storyline develops, complaints not only seem to not lead to the improvement of the work environment, to the contrary, they may cause even more harm and might backfire. Harper’s language and behavior are an exact portrayal of an HR representative, and this produces a lot of humor when heard on stage and accompanied by exaggerated grotesque acting. The play is filled with sparkling farcical punchlines such as “empty seats disrupt focus”, “check the pulse”, or “Jargon will not save you!” (- Andie, played by Meggan Utech) that are familiar to the audience and burst them into laughter, same as when Dr.Goodapple wears a VR set, to enter the “profit envisioning center”.
As we rotate our seats, we get to experience the work life of those in the cubicles. Other critical commentaries on corporate work life such as workers not fully knowing their jobs because of their partial training, as in the case of Beenz (Tamara Todres, also co-director of Nashville Story Garden) or Blake (Joe Mobley), the only one who knows how to do a certain job of handling cables, speak to the absurdity of bureaucracy that recalls Franz Kafka’s remarks on the establishment. While we can partially hear the drama on the other side of the cubicles, we can’t see it nor are able to fully focus on what’s happening in front of us, so we’re curious, distracted, disturbed and anxious because we are missing out! This fragmented perception intends to pose the crucial question that the production team of this performance wants the audience to ask themselves: How can we relate to anything if we’re constantly being fed with fractured experiences?
A significant breaking point occurs with the empowerment of the janitor Loggs (Bakari King) when he breaks his observational silence and expands his role to what others at this office envy: that his life extends beyond the walls of Liminal. Thus, the play also becomes a reflection on loneliness and the meaninglessness of the life-work split which undoubtedly made many audience members whisper the name of the TV series Severance.
The performance ends in a rather depressing point. Andie’s declaration: “There’s always one more step that keeps them where they are and us where we are” is backed up by the immediate replacement of the holder of the leather chair, while the lower ranked workers will go back to their everyday routine.
Human Resources, is undoubtedly one of the most experimental and poignant theater pieces developed and staged in Nashville in the past few years. The impressive focus on details and the hard work of the performance team was clearly visible. The mobility issue was skillfully managed by the OZ Arts staff, but a mobility warning would have been needed for this performance.
An Afternoon of Chamber Music with ALIAS
Versión en español aquí
In the heart of Nashville, between the bustle of honky-tonk bars and party buses, ALIAS, a Nashville-based chamber ensemble, is working to provide a voice for the extensive repertoire of chamber music in multiple ways. Whether it be coaching young high school musicians, founding a love for classical music at elementary schools, or providing a diverse program for formerly incarcerated people, ALIAS knows that the world of classical chamber music deserves a place in our hearts. It was my pleasure to experience their musicianship in concert on March 16th at W.O. Smith Music School.
It was a diverse program, with several string duets, a string quartet, as well as string trio works, ranging from the romantic era to contemporary, with both male and female composers featured. It began with Mary Howe’s Elegy. Written for her son, Elegy is a sweet, but mournful organ work and one of the few organ compositions Howe wrote. ALIAS members Alessandra Volpi (piano), Christopher Stenstrom (cello), and Alison Gooding Hoffman (violin) performed this piece as a piano trio, and it was an incredible beginning to the evening. Volpi’s serious, yet colorful interpretation of the first lines of the piece set a sorrowful canvas, which is only expanded upon by Stenstrom and Hoffman’s playing. The trio continues into the next piece, Saans by Reena Esmail. Stenstrom’s brief introduction of the piece explains that it is based on two Hindustani ragas and was written for the wedding of a close friend. Esmail’s writing effortlessly combines the raga style with the contemporary chamber sound to create a deeply emotional piece of music. It was an incredibly moving performance, where each musician soars, individually, but creates and develops a story of resilience and undisturbed beauty, together.
The third piece on the program was Kicho by Astor Piazzolla, performed by Matthew Abramo (bass) and Megan Gale (piano). Piazzolla wrote this work as a tribute to Enrique “Kicho” Díaz, the double bassist of his first Quinteto. A tango, Kicho is full of Argentinean dance rhythms and extended bass techniques – it begins with a bass cadenza! – making for a very enjoyable performance. Abramo’s stellar attention to detail, coupled with Gale’s technique make for moments where each part accentuates the other. Though a lighter work, it showcased the virtuosity that lies in this ensemble extremely well.
My most anticipated performance, Six Winslow Homers for String Quartet by Robert Bennett was the fourth piece on the program. I enjoy listening to string quartets, and when I learned that this work was composed by a local composer (who attended the concert), I was excited to hear it performed! Robert Bennett is a living composer who has had the opportunity to write for different TV series and films. He wrote this piece over a few weeks as a way to reconnect with his classical composition side; it is inspired by six Winslow Homer paintings. This performance included Likai He (violin), Alison Gooding Hoffman (violin), Christopher Lowrey (viola), and Sari Reist (cello). A 6-movement minimalist piece, the quartet illustrates the world of Winslow Homer with often quaint, but impactful themes. He’s effortless playing serves as a powerful lead to the quartet, often the principal guide for interpretation as the 1st violin player. Following this piece was a brief intermission. It was at this point in the concert when I realized how special this ensemble is. These are world-class musicians, many of which have conservatory education, who all chose Nashville as the place to come together and make chamber music. Outside of this ensemble, many perform with different symphonies, namely the Nashville Symphony, so these are people who are active within the local music community.
Mel Bonis’ Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 67 was the fifth piece on the program. Megan Gale (piano) explains how Melanie “Mel” Bonis was a late-Romantic female composer who wrote under the pen name “Mel” to avoid being identified as a woman and to have her works published. As with most careers, music composition was not considered a suitable endeavor for any woman; Bonis went on to write hundreds of works, though she is not as widely performed as she should be, which is why this performance was important. As a student at the Paris Conservatoire, under the study of Cesar Franck, it is no surprise her writing exudes a rawness that Nicholas Gold (cello) takes total advantage of with his expressive rubato and deliberate articulation. The writing is truly beautiful, and I am glad that I was able to hear such talented musicians perform it.
The final piece on the program was Fantaisie for Violin and Harp Op. 124 by Camille Saint-Saëns. As with any piece that features the harp, Saint-Saëns’ writing is totally luscious, passionate, and carefree, here. Alison Gooding Hoffman (violin) and Licia Jaskunas (harp) are a wonderful duo. Separated into four sections, the work explores differing themes of clarity through its constant shift in mood, tonally and rhythmically. Jaskunas’ arpeggiation and accentuation of the melody compliments the lyrical, sometimes aggressive or ambitious writing in the violin part, before returning to the opening melody and accompaniment at the close of the piece.
It was a fulfilling experience to hear chamber music being performed by such extraordinary musicians, and it is my hope that the music-loving people of Nashville will attend ALIAS concerts, in the future. Thank you, ALIAS, for the wonderful concert!
La Tarde de Música de Cámara con ALIAS
Version in English Here
En el corazón de Nashville, entre el bullicio de los bares de honky-tonk y los autobuses de fiesta, ALIAS, un conjunto de cámara con sede en Nashville, está trabajando para proporcionar una voz para el extenso repertorio de música de cámara de múltiples maneras. Ya sea entrenando a jóvenes músicos de secundaria, fundando el amor por la música clásica en las escuelas primarias o proporcionando un programa diverso para personas anteriormente encarceladas, ALIAS sabe que el mundo de la música de cámara clásica merece un lugar en nuestros corazones. Fue un placer para mí experimentar su musicalidad en concierto el 16 de marzo en la Escuela de Música W.O. Smith.
Fue un programa diverso, con varios duetos de cuerda, un cuarteto de cuerdas, así como obras para trío de cuerdas, que van desde la época romántica hasta la contemporánea, por compositores masculinos y femeninos. El concierto comenzó con la Elegía de Mary Howe. Escrita para su hijo, Elegía es una dulce, pero triste obra y una de las pocas composiciones para órgano que Howe escribió. Los miembros de ALIAS Alessandra Volpi (piano), Christopher Stenstrom (violonchelo) y Alison Gooding Hoffman (violín) interpretaron una versión para trío de piano; fue un comienzo increíble para la noche. La interpretación seria pero colorida de Volpi de las primeras líneas de la obra establece un lienzo triste, que solo se amplía con la interpretación de Stenstrom y Hoffman. El trío continúa en la siguiente obra, Saans de Reena Esmail. La breve introducción de Stenstrom de la obra explica que está basada en dos ragas indostaníes y que fue escrita para la boda de un amigo cercano. La escritura de Esmail combina sin esfuerzo el estilo raga con el sonido de cámara contemporáneo para crear una composición musical profundamente emocional. Fue una actuación increíblemente conmovedora, en la que cada músico se eleva, individualmente, pero crea y desarrolla una historia de resiliencia y belleza imperturbable en conjunto.
La tercera pieza del programa fue Kicho de Astor Piazzolla, interpretada por Matthew Abramo (bajo) y Megan Gale (piano). Piazzolla escribió esta obra como homenaje a Enrique “Kicho” Díaz, el contrabajista de su primer Quinteto. Un tango, Kicho está lleno de ritmos de baile argentinos y técnicas de bajo extendidas: ¡comienza con una cadenza de bajo! – Lo que hace que la actuación sea muy agradable. La atención estelar de Abramo a los detalles, junto con la técnica de Gale, crean momentos en los que cada parte acentúa a la otra. Aunque se trata de una obra más ligera, muestra muy bien el virtuosismo que reside en este conjunto.
Mi actuación más esperada, Six Winslow Homers for String Quartet de Robert Bennett, fue la cuarta pieza del programa. Disfruto escuchando cuartetos de cuerda, y cuando me enteré de que esta obra fue compuesta por un compositor local (que asistió al concierto), ¡me emocioné al escucharla en vivo! Robert Bennett es un compositor vivo que ha tenido la oportunidad de escribir para diferentes series de televisión y películas. Escribió esta pieza a lo largo de unas semanas como una forma de reconectar con su faceta de composición clásica; está inspirado en seis pinturas de Winslow Homer. Esta actuación incluyó a Likai He (violín), Alison Gooding Hoffman (violín), Christopher Lowrey (viola) y Sari Reist (violonchelo). Una pieza minimalista de 6 movimientos, el cuarteto ilustra el mundo de Winslow Homer con temas a menudo pintorescos, pero impactantes. Su forma de tocar sin esfuerzo sirve como un poderoso solista para el cuarteto, a menudo la principal guía para la interpretación como el primer violinista. Después de esta pieza hubo un breve intermedio. Fue en este punto del concierto cuando me di cuenta de lo especial que es este conjunto. Se trata de músicos de renombre, muchos de los cuales tienen educación en conservatorios, y que eligieron Nashville como el lugar para reunirse y hacer música de cámara. Fuera de este conjunto, muchos actúan con diferentes orquestras sinfónicas, como la Sinfónica de Nashville, por lo que se trata de personas activas dentro de la comunidad musical local.
Cello Sonata in F. Major, Op. 67 de Mel Bonis fue la quinta pieza del programa. Megan Gale (piano) explica cómo Melanie “Mel” Bonis fue una compositora romántica tardía que escribió bajo el seudónimo de “Mel” para evitar ser identificada como mujer y para que sus obras fueran publicadas. Al igual que con la mayoría de las carreras, la composición musical no se consideraba un esfuerzo adecuado para ninguna mujer; Bonis llegó a escribir cientos de obras, aunque no es tan ampliamente interpretada como debería, por lo que esta actuación fue importante. Como estudiante en el Conservatorio de París, bajo la tutela de Cesar Franck, no es de extrañar que su escritura exuda una crudeza que Nicholas Gold (violonchelo) aprovecha al máximo con su rubato expresivo y su deliberada articulación. La escritura es realmente hermosa, y me alegro de haber podido escuchar a músicos tan talentosos interpretarla.
La última pieza del programa fue Fantaisie for Violin and Harp, Op. 124 de Camille Saint-Saëns. Al igual que con cualquier pieza que incluya el arpa, la escritura de Saint-Saëns es totalmente deliciosa, apasionada y despreocupada. Alison Gooding Hoffman (violín) y Licia Jaskunas (arpa) son un dúo maravilloso. Separada en cuatro secciones, la obra explora diferentes temas de claridad a través de su constante cambio de humor, tonal y rítmico. El arpegio y la acentuación de la melodía de Jaskunas complementan la escritura lírica, a veces agresiva o ambiciosa, en la parte del violín, antes de volver a la melodía de apertura y el acompañamiento al final de la pieza.
Fue una experiencia gratificante escuchar música de cámara interpretada por músicos tan extraordinarios, y espero que la gente amante de la música de Nashville asista a los conciertos de ALIAS en el futuro. ¡Gracias, ALIAS, ¡por el maravilloso concierto!
Tiny Beautiful Things This Weekend
Based on the best-selling book by Cheryl Strayed (author of the memoir Wild), Tiny Beautiful Things is a celebration of the simple beauty of being human. This funny and deeply touching play is based on Cheryl Strayed’s journey as Sugar, a beloved anonymous advice columnist. Over the years, thousands of people turned to her for wisdom, compassion, and hope. At first unsure of herself, she finds a way to weave her own difficult life experiences together with the yearning and heartrending questions from her readers. This play is adapted from the bestselling book and hit TV show for the stage by Nia Vardalos, the Academy Award-nominated writer of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Recommended for ages 15+ due to mature themes and language.
Tiny Beautiful Things will be at the Darkhorse Theater March 28-29. For tickets and more information, see https://www.witnashville.org/events/tiny-beautiful-things-2025-03-28-19-30.
The MCR Interview
Soprano Rainelle Krause on Nashville’s Lucia di Lammermoor, the Queen of the Night, and other things!
Ahead of her upcoming appearance in Nashville Opera’s production of Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor on April 3rd and 5th, Journalist Sarah Featherston speaks with Soprano Rainelle Krause on the role, the character, and her performances as the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Magic Flute.
Norma y la Reinvención de la Tragedia: Reflexiones desde Florencia
Version in English Here
En la cuna del humanismo cada dimensión del ser se erige en un fascinante balance entre el pasado y la contemporaneidad. La introspección espiritual resuena en acústicas esferas impregnadas de pigmentos y de ambición. La estética se sobrepone a la dicotomía moral y los obstinados lapsos de ingenio desprenden un aroma que distrae a la conciencia. Aunque ajena a la abstracción florentina, la esencia de Norma alberga intricados desafíos internos en su efigie de perfección.
Los días 9,11,16 y 18 de marzo, el Teatro Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (antiguo Teatro Comunale) recibe por sexta vez el montaje de la ópera Norma de Vincenzo Bellini. La moderna maquinaria escénica dio libertad a las vanguardistas aspiraciones del director de escena Andrea De Rosa para que la experiencia visual acentuara las particularidades de la historia. El diseño circular semi inclinado de madera ámbar del auditorio, se integró perfectamente con la representación en bronce de la casta diva cuyo esplendor cubrió al público durante gran parte de la obra. El reloj marcaba las 8 P.M. en punto cuando el espíritu marcial de la obertura se abrió paso en una sólida interpretación de la Orquesta del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. El telón se levantó revelando a un grupo de soldados camuflados con tan solo sus ojos descubiertos que sometían a los guerreros galos halándolos de sus extensos cabellos. A partir de este momento el entendimiento se separó de la escucha para tratar de descifrar la tan ecléctica representación. El atuendo de las milicias causó estupor; en la incapacidad de comprender inmediatamente esta alegoría, mi subconsciente se sobrecogió ante lo que puede suponer un inminente peligro de deshumanización. Conforme la escena iba avanzando fue posible distinguir que los largos cabellos rubios de las guerreras y guerreros se sujetaban de sus cubrecabezas y de la armadura, respectivamente.
Andrea de Rosa argumenta que su estilo teatral se enfoca en “observar la actualidad desde otros ángulos” y confirma que los soldados modernos representan la ferocidad de milicias como el ejército estadounidense perpetrando torturas en la prisión iraquí de Abu Ghrab. Esta visión contemporánea se combina con rituales arcaicos en una escena siguiente, en la que, vigilados por el enemigo, los galos a través de la danza sumergieron, sacudieron y golpearon los mechones de cabello contra el agua de un pozo que se erigió como altar ceremonial en medio del escenario. La instalación de claroscuro recreó la atmósfera justa para la mítica aria insignia del bel canto, “Casta Diva.” La soprano australiana Jessica Pratt, reconocida por su maestría en este exigente estilo, articuló cada figura con una frescura y propiedad tales que resultaba difícil creer que este fuera su debut como Norma. El público no logró contenerse e irrumpió la exhalación final con un estruendoso aplauso.
Bellini parece entregar muy pronto la joya de su composición; no obstante, la suprema pericia en el desarrollo melódico, donde cada nota está cuidadosamente pensada para potenciar la prosodia del texto, da lugar a una sucesión de arias, duetos y tríos, que son una fábula para los sentidos. El director Michele Spotti complementa esta opinión con que la “música misma es la palabra” y que a través de la conexión instrumental entre cada escena “el drama fluye en una corriente de emociones y sensaciones que mantienen siempre vivo el discurso musical.” En efecto, ese laberinto de pensamientos que atraviesan Norma, Adalgisa y Pollione, contribuye a que la composición se estimule con repentinas transiciones anímicas. Un ejemplo puntual es el recitativo confesional de Pollione (Mert Süngü) y Flavio (Yaozhou Hou) “Svanir Le Voci.” El estilo declamatorio de Bellini suele tener una articulación más versátil para dar variedad a las prolongadas líneas que dedica a Pollione.
Si el desprendimiento de la pesada cubierta del pozo que en su lento ascenso fue encarnando la sustancia del satélite natural, parecía ser el efecto más impactante del montaje, el inicio de la séptima escena fue aún más insospechado. El escenario se eleva hasta la mitad, revelando en las profundidades la habitación de un búnker amoblado y protegido con dos puertas de seguridad a los lados. Dos columnas dividen el espacio en tres secciones, separando las distintas secuencias teatrales y musicales que ocurren simultáneamente. En el primer cuadrante, un camarote alberga a una niña y un niño en pijama, que retozan y duermen. Norma, ahora luciendo un atuendo doméstico, reafirma la coexistencia de dos universos. El personaje de Clotilde (Elizaveta Shuvalova) está enteramente comprometido con proteger a los infantes del caos familiar y no pierde oportunidad para estrecharlos y acariciarlos. Un exceso de afecto que roza lo empalagoso. Sin embargo, los niños buscan este contacto, extendiendo sus abrazos a cada personaje presente.
Andrea de Rosa recrea este sobrecogedor lienzo para evidenciar que, independientemente de la época, los niños han sido víctimas de crisis intrafamiliares y de la guerra, condenados al aislamiento y al encierro. Fue desgastante presenciar en segundo plano a dos criaturas atrapadas en la monotonía, cuyos altibajos emocionales reflejaban los dilemas de su madre. A pesar de la zozobra, Bellini entrega duetos inspiradores como “Mira o Norma.” La elaborada y cristalina homofonía entre Norma y Adalgisa (Maria Laura Lacobellis) desplegó un resplandor prismático en medio del lúgubre recinto. Posteriormente Pollione encara su falta y se une a la discusión femenil en complicidad melódica con la orquesta.
La introducción al segundo acto ya no tiene un tono marcial, y la sentida melodía de los cellos vaticina una despedida. El escenario regresa al universo de los galos, pero la cuántica introduce un nuevo elemento surrealista: un arsenal de pistolas y fusiles para enfrentar a las milicias. Norma también reemplaza la daga de la historia por un arma de fuego. Sin embargo, no aparece con ella en el búnker con la intención de apagar la vida de sus hijos, un detalle que humaniza aún más al personaje en esta versión. El altar se transforma en una hoguera abstracta, y los mechones de cabello vuelven a participar como símbolo ceremonial antes de convertirse en lazos que amordazan a Norma y Pollione en su sacrificio mortal. La monumental polifonía del final en la que las líneas de Oroveso (Riccardo Zanellato) y el coro se entrelazan suplicantes soportadas por el contundente anuncio de los cornos y la percusión, nos gratifica con la última sorpresa teatral. El escenario se eleva nuevamente y las paredes del búnker están recubiertas de ansiosos garabatos infantiles y palabras como “casa” y “mamma.” Recostada sobre este elocuente muro, yace la niña en un deseo infructuoso de liberarse y a unos pasos su hermano, en conjunto estado de locura.
Un público familiarizado con la pureza del repertorio italiano estalló en ovaciones para el reparto, el coro y la orquesta. La atemporalidad del montaje y la creatividad en la escenografía y el vestuario, se tradujeron en una exhibición de impecable diseño. Michele Spotti custodió cada nota para que la esencia romántica permaneciera impoluta, y la orquesta encauzó cada dinámica y cada fraseo en amplia excelencia.
From Our Far-flung Correspondents Series:
Norma and the Reinvention of Tragedy: Reflections from Florence
Versión en español aquí
In the cradle of humanism, every dimension of being erects in a fascinating balance between the past and contemporaneity. Spiritual introspection resonates within acoustic spheres infused with pigments and ambition. Aesthetics overlap the moral dichotomy, and obstinate lapses of ingenuity release an aroma that distracts the conscience. Though foreign to Florentine abstraction, Norma‘s essence harbors intricate internal challenges in its effigy of perfection.
On March 9, 11, 16, and 18, the Teatro Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (formerly Teatro Comunale) welcomes the sixth staging of Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma. The modern stage machinery granted free rein to the avant-garde aspirations of stage director Andrea De Rosa, ensuring that the visual experience heightened the nuances of the story. The auditorium’s semi-inclined circular design, crafted from amber-toned wood, blended seamlessly with the bronze representation of the casta diva, whose splendor enveloped the audience for much of the performance. At precisely 8:00 p.m., the martial spirit of the overture emerged in a solid performance by the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. The curtain rose, revealing a group of soldiers, their faces concealed except for their eyes, subjugating the Gaul warriors by yanking their long hair. From that moment, comprehension detached itself from listening, seeking to decipher this eclectic representation. The attire of the militia provoked astonishment; in the immediate inability to grasp this allegory, my subconscious was overwhelmed by the looming specter of dehumanization. As the scene unfolded, it became clear that the warriors’ long blonde hair was secured to their helmets and armor.
Andrea De Rosa asserts that his theatrical approach focuses on “observing the present from other angles” and confirms that the modern soldiers symbolize the brutality of military forces, such as the U.S. army perpetrating torture in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison. This contemporary vision merges with archaic rituals in a subsequent scene, where under the enemy’s watchful gaze, the Gauls, through dance, submerge, shake, and strike their locks against the water of a well—an altar-like centerpiece on stage. The chiaroscuro installation conjured the perfect atmosphere for the mythical bel canto signature aria, “Casta Diva”. Australian soprano Jessica Pratt, renowned for her mastery of this demanding style, articulated each figure with such freshness and precision that it was hard to believe this was her Norma debut. The audience could not restrain themselves and interrupted the final exhalation with thunderous applause.
Bellini seems to present the jewel of his composition quite early; however, his supreme skill in melodic development—where each note is meticulously crafted to enhance the text’s prosody—gives way to a succession of arias, duets, and trios that become a fable for the senses. Conductor Michele Spotti complements this idea, asserting that “the music itself is the word” and that through the instrumental connection between each scene, “the drama flows in a current of emotions and sensations that keep the musical discourse perpetually alive.” Indeed, the labyrinth of thoughts traversing Norma, Adalgisa, and Pollione fuels the composition’s emotional transitions. A prime example is the confessional recitative between Pollione (Mert Süngü) and Flavio (Yaozhou Hou), “Svanir Le Voci.” Bellini’s declamatory style often displays a more versatile articulation, offering variety to the extended lines he dedicates to Pollione.
If the slow ascent of the well’s heavy cover—gradually embodying the substance of the natural satellite—seemed to be the most striking stage effect, the start of the seventh scene was even more unexpected. The stage rose halfway, unveiling the depths of a furnished bunker-like room protected by two security doors on either side. Two columns divided the space into three sections, separating the simultaneous theatrical and musical sequences. In the first quadrant, a bunk bed housed a girl and a boy in pajamas, frolicking and sleeping. Norma, now dressed in domestic attire, reaffirmed the coexistence of two worlds. The character of Clotilde (Elizaveta Shuvalova) was entirely devoted to shielding the children from familial chaos, seizing every opportunity to embrace and caress them—an excess of affection bordering on saccharine. Yet, the children sought this closeness, extending their arms to every character present.
Andrea De Rosa paints this shocking tableau to illustrate that, regardless of the era, children have been victims of both domestic crises and war, condemned to isolation and confinement. It was exhausting to witness two little beings trapped in monotony in the background, their emotional fluctuations mirroring the mother’s turmoil. Despite this anguish, Bellini delivers stirring duets like “Mira o Norma.” The elaborate and crystalline homophony between Norma and Adalgisa (Maria Laura Lacobellis) cast a prismatic glow amid the somber setting. Later, Pollione confronts his transgressions and joins the female discourse in melodic complicity with the orchestra.
The introduction to the second act sheds its martial tone, and the cellos’ poignant melody foreshadows a farewell. The stage returns to the Gaul universe, but quantum dimensions introduce a surreal element: an arsenal of pistols and rifles to face the militia. Norma also replaces the historical dagger with a firearm. However, she does not wield it in the bunker with the intention of extinguishing her children’s lives—an alteration that further humanizes her character in this rendition. The altar morphs into an abstract pyre, and the locks of hair once again serve as ceremonial symbols before transforming into bindings that tether Norma and Pollione to their mortal sacrifice. The monumental polyphony of the finale in which the lines of Oroveso (Riccardo Zanellato) and the choir intertwine, pleadingly supported by the forceful announcement of the horns and percussion, gratifies us with the last theatrical surprise. The stage rises once more, revealing the bunker’s walls covered in anxious children’s doodles and words like casa (home) and mamma. Resting against this eloquent mural, the girl lies in a futile yearning for freedom while her brother, a few steps away, is lost in a state of madness.
An audience well-versed in the purity of the Italian repertoire erupted in ovations for the cast, the choir, and the orchestra. The timelessness of the staging and the creativity of the scenery and costumes resulted in an impeccably design exhibition. Michele Spotti safeguarded each note to ensure the romantic essence remained pristine while the orchestra channeled every dynamic and phrasing with boundless excellence.
Companion Exhibitions at the Frist
David C. Driskell and Friends; Kindred Spirits: Creativity, Collaboration and Friendship
Most people, including the artists themselves, see visual arts as a solitary profession. Dancers move in companies or corps, musicians play in bands or orchestras, actors perform in ensembles or troupes. But painters, sculptors, and most photographers work alone. This is what makes the life and legacy of world-renowned artist David Driskell so unusual, and heartening. He worked with, consulted, mentored, and was mentored by scores of visual artists at all stages in his career, and theirs.
Like Kamala Harris, Driskell earned his undergraduate degree at the famed historically black university (HBCU), Howard University. He then earned his MFA at Catholic University. Throughout his career, he paired academia and art, curating and collaborating. While teaching at Talladega College, Howard University, and our own Fisk University (three other HBCUs), promoted the art of other artists as well as his own. He ended his teaching career at the University of Maryland, which has honored his heritage in 2001 with the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora.
In his first major project since taking on the role of Associate Curator at the Frist Museum, Fisk alumnus Michael J. Ewing worked with curatorial colleagues to assemble an impressive array of photographs; paintings in oil, watercolors, and gouache; collages; and drawings in pencil and charcoal. Following in Driskell’s footsteps, Ewing collaborated with Dr. Sheila Bergman of the University of California-Riverside, Professor Heather Sincavage of Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, and Jamaal B. Sheats of Fisk University, all of whom spoke during the well-organized walking preview of the exhibit. Also involved in the collaboration, but not present during the tour, Curlee Raven Holton, past director of the Driskell Center. This exhibition was organized after Driskell’s death and led by Raven who invited Bergman and Sincavage. Jamaal Sheats, Director and Curator of Fisk University Galleries, is co-curator of the companion show Kindred Spirits on view at the Frist and Fisk University.
The first exhibition—David C. Driskell & Friends: Creativity, Collaboration, and Friendship— features photographs of Driskell with notable artists like Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence alongside compelling lithographs by Margo Humphrey and watercolors by Sam Middleton. We also see that in his own art, Driskell collaborated between media with his “strip collages,” paintings, and photographs.
Humphrey’s “Black Madonna” a 2013 work depicting the tragic death of Trayvon Martin with the logo of skittles, making a black power sign was particularly moving.
The companion exhibition—Kindred Spirits: Intergenerational Forms of Expression, 1966–1999— highlights the influence Driskell had on artists associated with Fisk as faculty and visiting or exhibiting artists. This exhibition is split between the Frist and Fisk University’s Carl Van Vechten Gallery.
Keith Anthony Morrison’s “Calendar” was an eye-catching blast of color beautifully complementing more muted works like Elizabeth Catlett’s dark lithograph, “These Two Generations.” This tour of Kindred Spirits was co-led by Ewing by Fisk curator Jamaal Sheats, who told an inspirational anecdote about Fisk President James Raymond Lawson, the first Fisk alumnus to serve in that role.
Lawson discovered a ceramic artist in his local barbershop, Craighead’s Barbershop. The barber, James Miles, had a piece of his own art in the shop. Impressed, Lawson was later able to offer him a scholarship, which provided Miles’ the opportunity to study at Fisk under Earl J. Hooks and Greg Ridley. Barbershops across the country still display his art. Recognizing the talents of two of its own, in 1980 Fisk commissioned Miles to create a sculpture of Fisk alumnus and co-founder of the NAACP, WEB DuBois, which was completed in 1982.
I was not able to attend the second half of this multi-location opening held at Fisk’s Carl Van Vechten Gallery. However, my coverage of African Modernism in America and Dikenga: Four Faces of the Sun gives every confidence that this fabled American university, forged in prior times of adversity, continues its legacy of respect for the past while moving with finesse and determination toward the future. In fact, one of the works featured in the African Modernism exhibit is also featured in this homage to Driskell—South African artist Peter Clarke’s striking, “That Evening Sun Goes Down.” Painted in 1960, this work of gouache on paper is part of the Fisk Galleries collection. After meeting Driskell in Africa, Clarke was offered a residency at Fisk in 1976 as a visiting poet during the era of South African apartheid, which didn’t end until 1990. As Driskell sagely noted about Clarke and his depiction of a caste structure seen in the homelands of both artists, “his art is greater than the cast artificially made for him.”
This inspiring event was organized by The Driskell Center with support from the Teiger Foundation, the Sandra Schatten Foundation, and Joanne and Joan Whitney Payson. The exhibit will remain in the Frist upper galleries and the Carl Van Vechten gallery at Fisk March 14–June 1, 2025.
At the Schermerhorn
SPECULATION, MANIFESTATION, AND A LITTLE CONTROVERSY: THE NSO Performs SCHUBERT, WILLIAMS, GOLIJOV, AND STRAUSS II
“Speculation, Manifestation, and a Little Controversy,” aptly describes the Nashville Symphony Orchestra’s program on March 14th and 15th. First, Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony” remains a subject of musicological speculation as to why it was left unfinished. Second, the NSO, like several other orchestras in recent years, manifested Mary Lou Williams’s Zodiac Suite, breathing new life into the work. And third, Golijov’s Sidereus (2010) carries a controversy involving allegation of plagiarism. Specifically, I am reviewing the NSO’s Saturday (15th) performance, led by David Danzmeyr.
Despite the stormy Saturday night, the Schermerhorn’s Laura Turner Hall was fairly well attended, and the audience clearly connected with the evening’s music. Notably, there was a number of younger attendees who appeared genuinely engaged throughout the performance. For the audience, their expressions displayed a clear appreciation for the repertoire.
Osvaldo Golijov’s Sidereus, inspired by Galileo’s Sidereus Nuncius, opened the evening with a performance that highlighted the piece’s intricate texture and the NSO’s technical skill. The work, commissioned to honor Henry Fogel—former leader of the League of American Orchestras—sparked controversy due to its significant overlap with Michael Ward-Bergeman’s work for accordian Barbeich (2009).[1] Golijov clarified that this overlap resulted from a pre-agreed repurposing of unused material from their collaborative film score for Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro (2009). While not plagiarism, this situation ignited a debate regarding originality in contemporary composition.[2]
Musically, Sidereus features a layered texture: the foundational harmonic support—from low brass, low winds, double basses, and timpani—is overlaid with tremolo and bariolage figures in the violins and cellos, creating airy timbres. The NSO’s string section demonstrated exceptional proficiency in the demanding bariolage technique. A third textural element, rhythmically elongated pitches in the upper voices, completed the soundscape.
Golijov’s inspiration from Galileo’s astronomical observations is reflected in the composition’s structure, with harmonic and melodic elements mirroring the methodical exploration of celestial bodies. The deliberate simplicity of Sidereus serves to make the piece accessible, inviting listeners to engage with its subtle nuances and draw parallels between Galileo’s focused lunar observations and the composition’s restrained complexity.[3]
Mary Lou Williams’s Zodiac Suite (1945), a twelve-part astrological character piece, stands as a testament to her pioneering role in jazz and her highly innovative compositional approach. A versatile musician—the first woman and African American woman to have a career in jazz by the 1920s—who traversed blues, boogie-woogie, swing, bebop, and third stream, Williams significantly influenced jazz figures like Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk.[4]
Zodiac Suite, considered by Williams a major artistic achievement, initially faced challenges with compromised recordings and lost master tapes. Nevertheless, the suite’s complex structure, reflecting Williams’s deep engagement with early 20th-century classical composers such as Hindemith, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg, remained apparent. While not directly emulating their styles, she adopted their disciplined approach to compositional structure. [5]
Pianist Aaron Diehl has revitalized Mary Lou Williams’s Zodiac Suite, a testament to her innovative fusion of classical music with jazz harmonies and rhythms. Diehl’s meticulous study and recent recordings, including this performance with our NSO, highlight Williams’s unique approach, which extends beyond the efforts of her predecessors like William Grant Still and George Gershwin. While they explored similar cross-genre fusions, Williams distinctively integrated the sounds of the African diaspora into classical frameworks in a more personal and unique manner. Her Zodiac Suite, dedicated to astrological signs and musician friends under those signs. The suite’s diverse moods and intricate architecture, as showcased by the NSO’s performance, with Diehl [along with bassist David Wong and percussionist Aaron Kimmel], underscore Williams’s enduring legacy as a composer who forged a truly individual musical language.
Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony” [Symphony No. 8] stands as a captivating enigma in classical music. Unlike Mozart’s Requiem, Schubert’s death wasn’t the cause of its incompleteness. Composed contemporaneously with Beethoven’s late works, Schubert’s symphony diverges sharply, prioritizing lyrical melodies and harmonic color over Beethoven’s dramatic, motivic development. Schubert’s approach, focusing on emotional precision and a more intimate, subjective expression, marks a kind of departure from the prevailing symphonic style, making the first movement a testament to his distinct creative power.
The Classical Series of the Nashville Symphony returns at the end of the month with a program entitled John Williams and Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony. Tickets are available at www.nashvillesymphony.org
Works cited
[1] Alex Ross, “The Golijov Issue: Borrowed Music of Stolen?,” The New Yorker, February 21, 2012, http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-golijov-issue-borrowed-music-or-stolen. Accessed: March 16, 2025.
[2] “Composer Golijov explains use of borrowed music in ‘Sidereus’,” Symphony: from the League of American Orchestras, March 9, 2012, https://symphony.org/composer-golijov-explains-use-of- borrowed-music-in-sidereus/. Accessed: March 16, 2025.
[3] Tanit Sakakini, “Osvaldo Golijov on Sidereus, Henry Fogel Commissioning Consortium,” Boosey and Hawks, October 2010, https://www.boosey.com/cr/news/osvaldo-Golijov-on-sidereus-Henry-Fogel-Commissioning-Consortium/. Accessed: March 17, 2025.
[4] Editors, “Mary Lou Williams: American musician, composer and educator,” Britannica, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Lou-Williams. Accessed: March 17, 2025.
[5] Rusty Aceves, “On the Record: Mary Lou Williams’ ‘Zodiac Suite’,” The SFJazz Magazine, January 21, 2025, https://www.sfjazz.org/onthecorner/articles/on-the-record-mary-lou-williams-zodiac-suite/. Accessed: March 17, 2025.
Mamma Mia!
A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is told through the timeless hits of ABBA. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited decades ago. For nearly 25 years, people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story, and the music that make Mamma Mia!
At the time this preview is posted, most of the shows are sold out and there are less than five seats remaining in total. For tickets and more information, see Mamma Mia! | Tennessee Performing Arts Center or Mamma Mia Tour dates.
