Original image by There Stands the Glass.
“Oh, the pleasure of the plains!” The exuberance of the opening line of George Frideric Handel’s “Acis and Galatea” possessed special resonance for me at White Recital Hall on Thursday, November 4. The UMKC Conservatory presentation was my first in-person post-Covid opera experience. I loved every minute of the amusingly frisky and refreshingly irreverent production.
Two unfortunate elements failed to derail the integrity of the performance. Rather than the sumptuous orchestral accompaniment that helps make “Acis and Galatea” delightful, the vocalists were supported solely by piano. The performers also wore masks. While commendable, the hindrance obscured their voices. The same couldn’t be said for the dullards in the audience of about 100 who pulled down their masks when the house lights were dimmed.
Forgiving the inappropriate applause that followed several energetic arias was easier. In spite of the minimalist set, the outstanding stage direction of Mo Zhou resembled a series of Spike Jonze pop music videos more than the conventional operatic stagings associated with Franco Zeffirelli. The cast’s vocals were good; their acting was even better. Single-camera footage of the pleasure of the plains has already been uploaded to YouTube.