A Turbulent Transition

Play’s faults overshadow opera’s majestic score

William O’Donnell

My latest trips to the theatre have been plagued by technical errors, it would seem. This was evident in my review of Hardsell, appearing in the previous issue, and now in this one. I was fully aware that I was attending a dress rehearsal and not an official presentation of Transit of Venus and that stoppages and other such disturbances might be made. But I could not help but be taken aback when the entire backdrop turned from a lovely starlit night to a giant computer system error during a particularly dramatic song, or when the spotlights blinked confusedly over how to shine on the actors.

I would not let these sorts of things excuse my reaction to this show; therefore, I do not want them fully considered, as I lay out my disappointment with this production that is opening Manitoba Opera’s 35th season.

The show is an interpretation of the story of astronomer Le Gentil, who attempted to measure the transit of Venus (a time where the planet crosses the path of the sun before Earth) as well as keep the woman, Celeste, whom he loves. This opera is based on a play of the same name by local playwright Maureen Hunter, who composed to Libretto for this production.

I am rather inexperienced with opera (largely just CBC radio, actually), but I still feel I can recognize when something suffers and loses something during its transition from one medium to another. Actually, it was not so much that the show lost something, but that both the best parts and the worst parts of the original play all came together in the transition.

Many of the opera’s scenes seem better suited for a play, for the language is far more conversational than it is lyrical. The characters go back and forth and do not seem to know how to end the scene without risking loss of interest from the audience. This seems to be the sort of problem Hunter’s play would have had initially, yet it followed along into this new format. I desired something more concise while watching and listening, becoming frustrated when I did not receive it.

The show does escape this mundane banter when the performers bring themselves to more standard levels of theatrical showmanship, with a great chorus and the odd, poetic lyric spliced together in wonderful voice. The voices were good, but only well featured from the latter part of the second act on, where the story takes more serious dramatic turns that better suit the style.

When given the chance, Russell Braun and Jean Stilwell (Le Gentil and his fiancé, respectively) can be very rich in their tone and had some striking moments (despite the crowd being warned that the actors may only sing at half-voice for the rehearsal).

The story follows themes of astronomy and romantic visions of infinity coupled with numerous allusions to God and divine creation; they are envisioned nicely in the well-crafted set and captured by the excellent score by Victor Davies. But the whimsy of it all is lost in much of the voices, until the grabbing dramatics enter the fray. When said score and the voices match together, one cannot help but get caught up in its power; sadly these moments are not throughout.

Transit of Venus seemed too unbalanced between the boisterously dramatic and the irritatingly tedious. Overall, the experience can be a very good one, though I feel one should not need to weigh the pros and cons when witnessing something so grand in its presentation. Take this journey mindful that it bares faults and treasures, and hopefully the latter will find you most.