So, should we see it?

New York Times Critical Defense: "An Opera for a Crowd Unfamiliar with Opera" by Steve Smith (Tuesday January 22, 2008)

Link to review: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/arts/music/22dica.html?ref=music

For a tale as old as time, it does not cease in being brought to life again and again. First published in 1740 by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, the story of “Beauty and the Beast” has been told for hundreds years, starting with the written word and then being adapted for film, stage and now performed as an opera. In his review of this opera, Steve Smith opens by describing the audience attending such a show as his title implies that this opera is for those who do not know opera. Based on the audience, he could not be more accurate as he describes “few appeared to have reached their 10^th birthdays.” This was an opera designed for children and while the audience was fairly attentive, Smith neither seemed blown away by the show nor thoroughly disgusted by it. This indifferent attitude is carried throughout the review, leaving the reader with muddled impression of his overall opinion.

After giving background information on the composer of this opera, Vittorio Giannini, and the origin of his opera, Smith continues by commenting on the score of the opera as clever and well-paced though, at times, too many syllables are crammed into some of the lines. Moreover, for someone that does not know operas (like the children), the music resembled popular Disney songs thus leaving one to potentially interpret that there is something child-like about this opera. As a music critic, Smith draws authority but then again, for something that is designed for a younger audience, this music score would be appropriate as the audience can more easily connect with it.

In response to the performances, Smith again was not very opinionated. As he describes, the Beast, played by Michael Boley, was pitchy at times but enthusiastic and Beauty, portrayed by Maija Lisa Currie, was promising as an actress and singer. Throughout the review, Smith’s choice of words was not very convincing in giving the reader an accurate picture of the overall performance. Though he claims that the diction in the show was excellent, his diction is not. The lede is strong and captivating but the kicker, while connecting back to the lede in its reference to the audience of children, does not give the reader a sense of whether this tale is worth going to see.