\u201cDoubt\u201d at Opera Parall\u00e8le<\/p>\n
Carol Benet<\/p>\n
One of the highlights of classical music in the San Francisco Bay is Nicole Paiement\u2019s Opera Parall\u00e8le that since 2007 has created brilliant operas complete with orchestras, minimal sets, lighting, sound \u2014 all the attributes of the grand opera but in smaller venues.\u00a0 <\/span>Opera Parall\u00e8le is dedicated to new and exciting works.<\/p>\n Their production that appeared the last three days of May 2026 at the beautiful Presidio Theatre was \u201cDoubt\u201d a reimagining of the original Broadway hit play that became a movie and a grand opera.\u00a0 <\/span>It was to have taken place in 1964 in a Catholic school with \u201cdoubts\u201d about what really happened between a priest and the school\u2019s only black student. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With only four characters for the chamber opera with libretto written by John Patrick Shanley, each one has their opinions about the facts and only \u201cdoubt\u201d remains as the conclusion.\u00a0 <\/span>The date predates all the publicity about abuses within the church that have filled the news and closed parishes worldwide ever since.\u00a0 <\/span>So the current audience has that news in mind when witnessing this work making it even more complex.<\/p>\n The composer Douglas J. Cuomo, well-known for his concert, theater, opera, television and film scores, writes a gorgeous work with a nod to jazz rhythms at times but is mainly\u00a0 <\/span>contemporary classical music.\u00a0 <\/span>It is interesting that among OP\u2019s Honorary Board Members are Philip Glass and Jake Heggie, two\u00a0 <\/span>masters contemporary opera.\u00a0 <\/span>An\u00a0 <\/span>excellent\u00a0 <\/span>orchestra of 13 qualified musicians in this performance are placed on the stage to the right of of the action with Nicole Paiement as conductor.<\/p>\n The concept for the set was conceived by the director Brian Staufenbiel.\u00a0 <\/span>It represents the interior of a church with gothic framed windows from which the characters enter and from which Father Flynn (Matthew Worth) gives his sermons.\u00a0 <\/span>We, the audience are meant to be seated in the nave of the church and with clever execution of video slides portraying the church interior, the offices, surrounding buildings, birds and ocean.\u00a0 <\/span>Floating feathers highlight one of Father Flynn\u2019s parables about the dangers of gossiping that becomes like feathers that can not be put back into the slashed pillow from which they come. The audience feels as if there are in the middle of the action, something that Staufenbiel\u2019s production wants to achieve so that we all have our \u201cdoubts\u201d during and even after the play.<\/p>\n A rigid Sister Aloysius (Roslyn Jones, former Adler Fellow of the San Francisco Opera) has imagined a scenario where Father Flynn has given the school\u2019s only black student some wine from his chalice and who knows what happens after that.\u00a0 <\/span>All doubtful scenarios are part of the sister\u2019s imagination.<\/p>\n Sister James (Naomi Steele) listens to her diatribes and does not agree but\u00a0 <\/span>is afraid to challenge her authority.\u00a0 <\/span>An interview with Father Flynn becomes fiery and the music fits all occasions.\u00a0 <\/span>The boy\u2019s mother (Deborah Nansteel) comes and begs that he not be expelled for\u00a0 <\/span>there are only a few months to the end of the school year for if ihe is her\u00a0 <\/span>violent husband might kill the boy. \u00a0 <\/span>In 10 short scenes the intrigue evolves and Father Flynn\u2019s eventual placement is described.\u00a0 <\/span>Yet we all are left with \u201cdoubts\u201d.<\/p>\n Nicole Paiement conducts the fine orchestra.\u00a0 <\/span>She is the genius behind the entire Opera Parall\u00e8le.\u00a0 <\/span>The 2026-2027 season has been announced\u00a0 <\/span>with premiers of \u201cSalt & Sea\u201d November 14-21, 2026:\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly, March 11-14. 2027; \u201cTaking Up Serpents\u201d, May 2027.<\/p>\n For more information go to Operaparallele.org<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cDoubt\u201d at Opera Parall\u00e8le Carol Benet One of the highlights of classical music in the San Francisco Bay is Nicole Paiement\u2019s Opera Parall\u00e8le that since 2007 has created brilliant operas…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":111,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":4.6,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[726],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-carol-benet"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"