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    The Review Is In!

    The show must go on, even if Figaro falls flat on its face

    Theodore Bale
    Jan 24, 2016 | 2:00 pm

    There are a million reasons why Mozart's supremely elegant The Marriage of Figaro has become one of the world's most beloved operas. The overture alone has won centuries of fans. Understated yet bawdy, nuanced yet filled with show-stopping arias, this pleasing and poignant "opera buffa" is without doubt one of the primary pillars upon which all of the rest of opera perches.

    What a shame, then, that Houston Grand Opera's co-production with Glyndebourne Festival Opera is the first major flop in what has otherwise been a stellar season.

    I should have known that a failure was on the horizon when it was announced late Friday afternoon that Joshua Hopkins, who was supposed to sing the role of Count Almaviva, had canceled due to illness. Last-minute cancelations are a common occurrence in the opera world, especially during winter. The email I received stated that "...the role will be sung from the side by HGO Studio artist Ben Edquist, who has learned the part but did not have time to rehearse the intricate staging. The stage director Ian Rutherford will walk the part."

    Now, we've all heard that maxim about "walking the walk" and "talking the talk." You know, where the same person has to do both of those things in order to command respect? Yes, it applies in the opera world. You cannot perform a role just because you can walk through the paces of the "intricate staging" while half-heartedly lip syncing some parts of some of the arias and none of the recitative. While a young baritone in front of a music stand sings off to one side of the stage, I might add.

    With his strange bushy mustache and Groucho Marx gait, Rutherford seemed more as if he was trapped somewhere in between The Wizard from The Wizard of Oz and a haggard Walter White from Breaking Bad. This is a rather long opera in four acts. Rutherford's presence on stage, ridiculous at best, turned it into three-and-a-half hours of torture.

    Character-by-proxy?

    Having attended operas on several continents for more than four decades, one might think I had already encountered this character-by-proxy situation. I have not, and I have seen hundreds of productions. I have, however, endured numerous cancelations from some of my favorite stars. I'll never forget arriving once at Lincoln Center to see Jessye Norman in Ariadne auf Naxos, only to find hundreds of people selling their tickets for half-price on the street. Jessye had canceled, as she was known to do on many occasions. The Met had an understudy ready, and I sat through it and still enjoyed myself.

    Legend has it that Julia Migenes-Johnson was shopping in a New Jersey mall when she received a call to appear in Alban Berg's Lulu at the Metropolitan Opera. That same night! I saw her reign in that production, and she was unforgettable. It was a career-defining moment for the young soprano, and she did more than just step up to the plate.

    What were they thinking?

    What was Houston Grand Opera thinking? The paradox of this whole situation is that Edquist is an outstanding singer. He could have made a huge impression in the role if he hadn't been relegated to the side. With a score on the music stand in front of him, it seemed evident that Edquist hadn't yet committed the role to memory, but that's why most opera houses have prompters. The staging wasn't that intricate. In fact, it could use a great deal of editing. It's just too busy.

    Or better yet, couldn't Houston Grand Opera have found a proper understudy? In his pre-performance comments from the stage, managing director Perryn Leech blamed the weather, possibly (I think) for making Hopkins sick or for cancelling flights that might have brought a new Count to Houston. Either way, it's a bad excuse. The fact that Friday night's audience cheered the performance nonetheless suggests that members are either indifferent or they just have low expectations. The solution HGO used to meet another maxim, namely, "the show must go on," would never fly in a serious opera house.

    1970s aura doesn't work

    And here's another paradox: the production is awful, so another fly in the ointment doesn't really matter after all. The sets are something kind of Moorish-Moroccan yesteryear. The costumes are self-consciously American 1970s, with leisure suits and disco dresses, all mismatched and looking like thrift shop fare. If the anachronism has any basis in an original idea relating to The Marriage of Figaro, it is not evident. Such choices shouldn't be gratuitous. I love a good re-thinking of a classic, but this isn't what HGO has on its hands.

    Perhaps the worst decision was the one to hire Ben Wright as a movement director. He's provided stupid and largely inauthentic dances to evoke the 1970s disco sensibility. I know they are inauthentic-I was there-and I didn't see any of my favorite 1970s dances, such as the Bus Stop or Hustle. Every so often, a character gyrates while singing an aria. It's just horrible. People did not walk around gyrating in the 1970s, believe me.

    There was some good singing. Adam Plachetka is an admirable Figaro, despite his hokey acting. Heidi Stober is an appealing and confident Susanna, perhaps the one character who gave us something sophisticated to hold onto. Ailyn Perez sang the role of Countess Almaviva as if it were Lucia. Too heavy, too much chest voice, there is nothing in the least Mozartean about her and her intonation suffered greatly in the first half of the performance. Bass Peixin Chen was a stunning Doctor Bartolo, with a strong resonant voice that carried well over the orchestra. Just as importantly, he moves with a great theatricality. He is a singer to watch for in future seasons.

    British conductor Harry Bicket conducted with vigor and substance, at the least holding the orchestra together in the terrifying face of this unmitigated disaster.

    Heidi Stober as Susanna, Lauren Snouffer as Cherubino, Ailyn Pérez as Countess Almaviva.

    HGO Marriage of Figaro, Jan. 2016. Heidi Stober, Susanna; Lauren Snouffer, Cherubino; Ailyn P\u00e9rez, Countess Almaviva
      
    Photo by Lynn Lane
    Heidi Stober as Susanna, Lauren Snouffer as Cherubino, Ailyn Pérez as Countess Almaviva.
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    Start Me Up

    Immersive Houston art venue rocks out with new Rolling Stone experience

    Holly Beretto
    May 15, 2025 | 2:30 pm
    ​“Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified, The Immersive Rock Experience!”
    Photo courtesy of Artechouse
    “Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified, The Immersive Rock Experience!” opens at Artechouse in May.

    A new art exhibit puts viewers into the heart of rock and roll. Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified, The Immersive Rock Experience opens this Thursday, May 15 at Artechouse, the immersive art venue that opened last year in the Heights. With its 270-degree, floor-to-ceiling digital canvases in 18K-resolution and state-of-the-art surround sound, viewers will feel they’ve stepped into some of music’s most iconic moments.

    Narrated by Kevin Bacon, Amplified includes 1,000 photographs, 200 videos, 1,300 Rolling Stone covers, and features more than 300 artists whose music changed the world. Using sight, sound, and motion, this dynamic exhibit makes music history approachable and immediate for viewers. Here's a sneak peek:


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    Houstonians know our city has its own deep connections to genre-shaking music history. From The Beatles at the Sam Houston Coliseum, to Elvis at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Bob Dylan’s “Night of the Hurricane” in 1976, and being the hometown of Beyoncé, Bun B, ZZ Top, Megan Thee Stallion, and many more, Houston has cultivated and welcomed artists with choruses of boisterous cheers and applause.

    "Given Houston’s deep connection to the evolution of rock and pop music over the decades, we were thrilled to partner with Rolling Stone to bring Amplified to Houstonians and continue the city’s tradition of supporting and celebrating musical acts from around the world," says Sandro Kereselidze, co-founder of Artechouse. "This exhibit aligns perfectly with our mission to connect the public with cultural and artistic storytelling through cutting-edge technology. We’re excited for guests of all ages to experience the history of rock ‘n’ roll like never before."

    The show was originally produced by Illuminarium Experiences and created by Brand New World Studios in partnership with Rolling Stone. Viewers who attend the Artechouse experience can keep their immersive experience going at the venue’s Reality (XR) Bar, serving cocktails and mocktails that dovetail with the exhibit. Blending cutting-edge XR technology with craft mixology, drinks come to life through exclusive XR activations, which are accessible via Artechouse’s XR mobile app. Guests can downtown the app from the App Store or Google Play.

    “Music imagery is about experiences,” said Jodi Peckman, executive producer and former creative director of Rolling Stone. “It’s about the unbridled joy of concerts and our connection to our favorite artists. Every picture tells a story and Rolling Stone Presents: AMPLIFIED has hundreds of stories to tell.”

    Timed tickets are available online and at the venue, and advanced reservations are strongly encouraged. Admission starts at $39 plus fees for adults and $29 plus fees for children, ages 17 and under. Tickets are currently available through August 31.

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