{"id":19297,"date":"2015-06-22T19:14:08","date_gmt":"2015-06-23T02:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=19297"},"modified":"2015-06-22T19:46:23","modified_gmt":"2015-06-23T02:46:23","slug":"falstaff-by-giuseppe-verdi-cinnabar-theater-sebastopol-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/falstaff-by-giuseppe-verdi-cinnabar-theater-sebastopol-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi, Cinnabar Theater, Petaluma CA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo<\/strong><\/p>\n

Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Jo Vincent Parks<\/p><\/div>\n

Cinnabar\u2019s Production of \u201cFalstaff\u201d a Pleasure to See and Hear<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cFalstaff\u201d is Verdi\u2019s last opera, based upon Shakespeare\u2019s \u201cMerry Wives of Windsor\u201d with some snippets from \u201cHenry IV\u201d. It recounts the escapades of Sir John Falstaff, a well-upholstered knight all too fond of the pleasures of the table. It\u2019s a comic tale of romance, deception and how completely our egos can blind us to our limitations.<\/p>\n

Cinnabar\u2019s production offers a warm and endearing performance in the title role by Jo Vincent Parks<\/strong>, a good resonant baritone. His Falstaff is the kind of guy you\u2019d like to sit down and have a beer with. Falstaff, by all rights, should be seen as a scoundrel for scheming to get money by seducing married ladies. But since his chances of succeeding are just about zero due to his outsized girth, somehow his bad intentions seem only clownish, and thus, forgiven. Everybody knows this but him. He is defined by his big belly (\u201cmy paunch proclaims me\u201d) and even bigger ego. With Parks, he comes off more like a loveable, beer-swilling teddy bear than a swindler.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Aurelie Veruni and Scott Joiner<\/p><\/div>\n

The ladies he\u2019s pursuing are played with generous measures of charm by Eileen Morris<\/strong> as Alice and Kim Anderman<\/strong> as Meg. Their voices, both rich sopranos, are exquisite, as is their comic timing. There are other opportunities for showcasing some extraordinary vocal talent. Scott Joiner<\/strong> as Fenton, the one true love of Alice\u2019s own daughter Nannetta, reveals a beautiful tenor voice. Nannetta is performed by the wonderful Aurelie Veruni<\/strong>, who has great chemistry with Joiner. The giddy flower shop lady, Mrs., Quickly, is played with mad abandon by Krista Wigle<\/strong> in a delightful performance enhanced by her lovely voice. William Neely<\/strong> as Alice\u2019s sly and wary husband delivers a noteworthy performance.<\/p>\n

Under Elly Lichenstein\u2019s<\/strong>nimble stage direction, the setting is moved from Elizabethan times to the 1950s, a device used in the Metropolitan Opera\u2019s presentation a couple of years ago. It\u2019s a move that is not entirely as successful as Cinnabar\u2019s recent presentation of a jazz-age \u201cMarriage of Figaro\u201d. The costumes are fabulous with those gaudy neon colors, and there\u2019s a nod to the era when Falstaff\u2019s underlings come in with a case of \u2013 what else? – Falstaff beer. But In the first few scenes, the story is a bit hard to follow. Relationships and the characters\u2019 intentions are not established until later on. Some of the actors\u2019 performances lack the spontaneity that makes them believable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Eileen Morris<\/p><\/div>\n

Even so, the last scene and finale emerge as pure fairytale enchantment that could be right out of \u201cA Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream\u201d. The flawless music direction by the always-brilliant Mary Chun<\/strong> (an SFBATCC 2015 award-winner) guides a spot-on orchestra of twelve. Overall, this may not be not one of Cinnabar\u2019s better operas, but it\u2019s a very enjoyable and entertaining family production.<\/p>\n

When: Now through June 28, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

2 p.m. <\/strong><\/span>Sundays<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>Tickets: $25 to $40<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Location: Cinnabar Theater <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

3333 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma CA<\/strong><\/span>
\nPhone: <\/strong><\/span>707-763-8920<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Website: <\/strong><\/span>www.cinnabartheater.org<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Cinnabar\u2019s Production of \u201cFalstaff\u201d a Pleasure to See and Hear \u201cFalstaff\u201d is Verdi\u2019s last opera, based…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-19297","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-greg-suzanne-angeo"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"