Yes, More!
by BLC ©2008
Richard Danielpour: Margaret Garner. Libretto by Toni Morrison. With Tracie Luck (Margaret), Timothy Mix (Edward), Lisa Daltrius (Cilla), Gregg Baker (Robert), Maureen McKay (Caroline). New York City Opera, George Manahan, conductor. Directed by Tazewell Thompson. State Theater, Lincoln Center, September 18 & 22. (NY premiere)
Since there seems to be so much uncertainty as to where the contemporary opera derby is headed, we can take heart that Margaret Garner appears to be emerging as a winning entry. This first opera by the 51-year old Danielpour was begun in 1997 and no doubt propelled by the promise of an extraordinary collaboration with Ms. Morrison. And that it is, with the libretto its driving force. Among the many challenges Morrison had to overcome was to reframe her Pulitzer-winning novel Beloved, since its pages, inspired by real-life events, are replete with characters and dialogue too complex for opera. She chose to give her text overtones of Shakespearian and Greek tragedy, but still with enough content that is relevant to today. There are those who will carp that Black slaves did not speak in verse, with fine rhymes and correct syntax. But the Bard gave poetic utterance to some of his lowliest characters, and few question his judgment. One can read Beloved if one needs proof of Morrison’s ear for dialect. Here, if not absolutely foolproof—what is?—her libretto appears the right stuff for an enduring work of art, one built around well-delineated characters, particularly the women, most particularly the heroine.
Most of the action takes place in Kentucky shortly before the Civil War and centers on the conflict between a slave owner’s property rights and those of a slave woman to have a say in the destiny of her loved ones. Master Edward, a widower, uses Margaret as both servant and concubine until she and her mate, Robert, attempt to escape, are arrested and brought back for trial after her Medea-like double infanticide, performed in defiance of her obligation to surrender her children’s lives to slavery. Caroline, Edward’s daughter and a non-conformist who sees Margaret as a human being, uses her father’s love for her to free Margaret. But Margaret has other ideas and the story ends in unflinchingly operatic fashion. The climax is metaphoric, stately and very, very spiritual.
Mr. Danielpour chose to write a score that does service to the words. The vocal music carries the day, with several big arias made up of darkly expressed ideas brilliantly illuminated. The orchestral line is always meant to underscore the action, with some fine moments of contrapuntal choral writing, especially in the opening scene in which slaves utter the line, “Please God no more,” words to be heard again and again. No, it is not Wagner and certainly not Stockhausen, but music that is careful not to risk detachment from the pulse of the poetry. If one sees it as safe music, one should not discount the fact that the score has many good moments going for it.
If there is a problem it is one of tempo in the two scenes in the slaves’ quarters. Act I serves to introduce Margaret’s family, her new infant, her husband Robert and mother-in-law Cilia. It’s a bit overlong. The scene in Act II definitely lacks needed tension as the family prepares to escape. The leisurely tempo of the recitative continues even when Robert kills the hated Casey, Edward’s foreman. We feel some revisions by composer and librettist are needed here.
This was Tracie Luck’s operatic debut, and a memorable one, especially considering the pitfalls of the role. Critics seemed to downplay her singing at the earlier performance. Perhaps it was simply a matter of gaining command of the role. We cannot know how she compares with Denyce Graves who played Margaret in the Detroit world premiere. Nor do we know how much Mr. Thompson’s new production differs from the premiere.
Ms. Luck had a worthy antagonist in Mr. Mix, a tenor with a good vocal range and the right amount of theatricality. One should not expect the opportunity when they are on stage alone to yield a duet—they are far apart in every way at the time. Instead, Margaret expresses her most private feelings about love, which she would not share with Edward’s now departed guests despite Caroline’s urging. Edward, who has been hiding behind a column, has no sympathy for her privacy and drags her off to be raped. The act merely confirms his bringing Margaret into his house typically to be used rather than any true respect for her natural gifts and intelligence. It is a moment of exposition rather than dramatic thrust.
Ms. McKay also has some pivotal opportunities to show off her spinto soprano, but the opera does not ever reveal how she came to accept Margaret as more than just a house servant to her. One can only fill in the blanks hypothetically.
Gregg Baker, as Robert, is a new voice to relish, a strong and often subtle baritone. With Cilia, who serves as a one-woman Greek chorus, so well done by Lisa Daltrius, three major new roles have now been given to African American singers, an inarguable blessing for the operatic scene. Let us chant, “Yes, More!” Margaret Garner is sure to have a life of its own and become less and less measured against Porgy and Bess and Treemonisha, which, by comparison, may fall into the category of “musicals,” though Anthony Davis’ X and Amistad should not be allowed to fall into oblivion.
Something revealing about audience reaction occurred during the final bows. Mr. Baker, Ms. McKay and Ms. Daltrius had received deservedly positive responses, but when Mr. Mix followed, the applause suddenly dropped, whereupon he picked up his arms as if to ask, “Hey, what about me?” The applause picked up but with some noticeable boos heard amid the noise, boos which were surely not meant to criticize his performance, if anything, endorse it. When Ms. Luck came on the response was thunderous and led to a long standing ovation.