Anytime you pack away memories of the past it’s going to bring back feelings of nostalgia.
EC’s very own opera, The Trunk Show “Smoke and Mirrors”: The Alchemy of Desire was presented last Friday at the Marsee Auditorium.
The opera was extremely well presented. Besides the expensive screen, there are also luxurious looking curtains and some dividers in the back separating the seats, making it more intimate.
The show opens with Victoria Kirsch, pianist, and Timothy Loo, celloist playing to the audience and in doing so, they set the mood. Once the mood was set, that of curiosity to what the opera will pertain of is set. Then Dean Elzinga, lead actor and bass-baritone comes out and opens “the trunk of worms.”
Elzinga packs away particular heart felt items that pertained to an old departed flame. The items rekindle the flame inside of him that is long gone. They are things pertaining to his lost love were a gown, a cape, books, a glove, and a picture. It brought up memories once forgotten, like the commonalities in the books they enjoyed, the smell in the clothing articles and contemplates what could have been while he stares into the face in picture.
He agonizes over the items by going through some of the books, in which he finds a note from his lost lover. He reads it with a shot of booze to make it easier, though nothing helps and he ends up passing out with the books resting on top of him.
Once passed out form booze and the “alchemy of desire”, lead actress and soprano, Susan Hanson goes Elzinga in a dream in the form of a spirit, complete with smoke. She is dressed in a black cloak to show her coming to him in a dream or spirit. He pictures her playing with the articles long packed away with tenderness.
Throughout the play Elzinga, dreams, and wakes-up to the desire of his life. There is one very picturesque point in the opera when both lead actor and actress are singing and the soprano rests her head softly on the bass-baritones lap. At one point, day even turns into night and vice-versa.
All these nice additions and especially the play itself allow a feeling of fulfillment of a night at a very good opera. It definitely was an exceptional opera.
