This innovative production served to emphasize the strengths in the Kearns professional repertoire: broad range and ability, vocal technique, versatility, stage presence, and charisma. He is able to work effectively with a strong, talented leading lady, earning not only praise from his audience, but her respect and that of the entire company. His beautiful, talented Juliet, Heather Buck, is quoted: “It was great working with Anthony, and wonderful to have such a manly leading man.”
There can be no doubt, the duo of Anthony Kearns and Heather Buck has the ability to grab an audience’s attention and keep it enthralled from opening to final curtain; it was the perfect casting for this ground-breaking, modern production of an ages old theme.
I send my heartfelt congratulations to Steffanie Pearce for her vision and her dedication to Opera Naples. It can only flourish under her direction. Ms Pearce is quoted as saying that Anthony's high notes "were thrilling and virile...he was a joy to work with."
Upon reflection:
As I sat in the venue in anticipation of the second performance of the amazing production Romeo & Juliet: Then and Now, an idea began to form in my mind … perhaps Anthony's fans who were unable to attend might enjoy reading a detailed description of the performance from a front row perspective.
The more I thought about it, the more the idea intrigued me. So I pulled out my pad and pen and began to jot notes. I hope that you take pleasure from this exercise of mine on your behalf.
Romeo and Juliet: Then and Now
February 20 - 21, 2010
A synopsis
Written for the website by Webmaster:
Lynnette Crouse
Story photos by Pat Shapiro
Flying Colors of Naples, for Opera Naples
NOTE: as more photos from Opera Naples arrive, more illustrations will be added to this page.
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Anthony and Heather Buck:
Romeo/Tony and Juliet/Maria
Romeo & Juliet
The Concert Master tunes his orchestra. On the dot of 3PM, I glance up to the very top floor to see the choir, all in black formalwear and in somber procession, arrive and take their seats.
2nd Balcony
First Balcony
3rd Balcony
4th Balcony
Screen/Subtitles
Orchestra Pit
Choir
Stage
As you read my descriptions of staging, you can refer to the above.
Photo by C. Tsui
Photo by C. Tsui
There are four landings to the beautiful staircase in the venue. On the third landing, high above the audience, Capulet welcomes everyone to the ball.
Juliet enters the staircase at the first landing; Romeo glances up and sees her; they are immediately smitten. They let their masks slip, they cannot take their eyes off one another; they smile, they draw nearer to each other in utter fascination with their mutual discovery: love at first sight. As Capulet draws near, Romeo re-masks.
Capulet and Juliet's intended move to the second landing and invite everyone to dance - Juliet's fiancé reaches for her, she hesitates and turns away. Capulet and her affianced move away.
Juliet stands on the first landing; as she sings of her infatuation - her treasure - she moves up to the second.
As the revelers dance, Romeo and his friends enter the stage. Mercutio attempts to convince Romeo to stay at the ball; but Montague thinks they should leave before they are discovered. Romeo sings of his dream of love.
His friends mock him, teasing him with a song about Queen Mab, Queen of the Fairies. Romeo listens, but eventually tires of their teasing. They exit the stage to the left.
The orchestra plays sweetly as Romeo appears on stage in the garden below Juliet's window.
Two beautiful soliloquies follow: He sings of his love for her "Ah arise the sun, turn pale the stars…." He sits on the stage step.
Juliet appears on the second landing above him singing of her love for him. He hears her - he turns. He sings "Is it true?!"
"Are you Romeo?" she inquires. He proclaims that to win her love, he would deny his name! They sing a lovely duet together pledging their love … their hands stretch to touch, but alas, not quite … a noise frightens them.
Romeo departs the stage … only to reappear as he climbs to her balcony. They embrace, they passionately kiss.
Romeo sings "Oh divine night …." Juliet entreats him "Come to me tomorrow if you wish to wed me." Romeo: "I adore you!"
Juliet's nurse calls to her. She entreats Romeo, "Speak softly" as he implores her "Don't go yet, don’t flee again!" "But someone might come," she fears. They sing a brief farewell, "Parting is such sweet sorrow;" they embrace and kiss goodnight.
They part; Romeo from below her window sings "rest well, may the night breeze bear you this kiss."
Stephano, Romeo's friend (sung by the wonderful mezzo Leah Summers) sings a raucous song to rouse the temper of the Capulets. A sword fight ensues, presented in silhouette behind the screen. Mercutio is slain by Tybalt; Romeo avenges his friend and kills Tybalt. The choir sings of the murder and banishment: Montague must be exiled.
Romeo enters the stage from the right. He sings his remorse for killing Tybalt and his grief over his banishment … "The hopes and desires of my heart lie in a pool of blood. My heart breaks with sorrow." He is prostrate on the stage in profound grief, sobbing. "I'll die without her" he professes, and he runs from the stage.
Before the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, Romeo and Juliet had secretly wed. Romeo enters Juliet's bedchamber to bid farewell to his bride. Some of the most eloquent and passionate music of the opera takes place at this time.
As he kneels in grief, Juliet comforts him, stroking his hair, "Away with sorrow, I love you." "Ah, say it again, that word so sweet," Romeo pleads, "O Bridal night, sweet night of love, destiny binds me to you forever."
Juliet unclasps Romeo's cape; as she caresses him, she removes it. They recline on the marriage bed in passionate embraces and fervent kisses. Soon Romeo arises; he hears a lark signaling morning. Juliet pleads, "No, it isn't day; it is just the nightingale. Stay!"
Romeo, despite the possible danger, happily relents: "Come then death - I'll stay!" Joyously embracing her and kissing her passionately, he lifts her, swings her around, and once again they recline.
Juliet then sadly admits it is the lark; it is day. "Alas, you must go. Tear yourself from this passionate joy." "Farewell my Juliet. I am yours forever." They ardently kiss and Romeo runs off stage.
Juliet intones: "Angels in heaven, I entrust him to you" as she departs the stage.
The audience had been so enraptured by this scene that many are in tears from the beauty of this lovely parting duet, completely drawn in by the lovers’ torment at their upcoming separation.
The final act is effectively done in pantomime in this production. Friar Lawrence enters the stage. He and Juliet have a plan … Juliet will take a sleeping potion to appear dead. She hesitates, then drinks. She becomes dizzy, she swoons; the Friar helps her to her bed. As she succumbs, he covers her with a cloth and departs.
Romeo comes down the center aisle, he climbs the stairs to the stage. He hesitates, he slowly walks to the bed and lifts the cover from his beautiful Juliet's face. He collapses to his knees and kisses her dead mouth. He lays across her body in grief.
Romeo rises to his knees once more and takes a vial from round his neck; he drinks the poison and falls prostrate to the floor. Juliet awakens to see her lover; she reaches for him, but at the sight of his weak, extended hand, she realizes that something is dreadfully wrong!
She arises and goes to him, kneeling over his body. He attempts to rise to her, but alas, as she gently kisses him, he dies. She embraces him, caressing him in profound grief.
Juliet pulls his dagger from its sheath and rises. She walks away from him, looks back at Romeo's still, lifeless body and plunges his dagger into her heart.
She falls but longs to be with him. Juliet pulls herself toward him …. reaching out to her beloved; as her hand touches her lover's hand, she dies.
Moments pass as the audience digests this beautiful tragedy, and then they rise in ovation shouting enthusiastic bravos. The lovers arise to bow to their audience and exit.
West Side Story
As the trumpets announce the beginning of the second half, the audience takes their seats and quiets.
The wonderful overture begins with the prose of Shakespeare's own Romeo & Juliet flashing on the screen.
I glance up to the top floor and see Anthony in a black leather jacket and it is immediately clear: the transformation from Romeo to Tony is absolute.
I sense movement, it is the Jets coming to the stage to perform the "Jet's Song." Here I wish to mention two baritones who were absolutely marvelous in both R&J and West Side Story: Christopher Holloway and Stephen Mumbert. I particularly enjoyed their work in W.S.S. From the front row vantage point during the "Jet's Song," I found them to be extremely effective; totally in sync with the modern day verbiage and costume. These gentlemen are terrific.
As the "Jet's Song" ends, the audience begins to sway with the next music as Puerto Rican girls take the stage to belt out "America."
As the applause dies down, Anthony begins to descend the staircase in jeans, open necked and un-tucked shirt over a black T-shirt; the ensemble is completed by a black leather jacket, collar turned up: every inch the Jet's Tony. He stops at the second landing and begins the beautiful love song, "Maria." The emotion expressed is unmistakable, the presentation perfect ~ it is quite simply spectacular. At the final, incredible note, the audience erupts in genuine appreciation of what they've just experienced. Tony continues down the stairs and exits.
We see above us, Maria, dressed in virginal white, her long blond hair moving about her shoulders. As she prepares for a meeting with Tony, she begins to walk down the stairs singing "I Feel Pretty." Her friends enter the stage below teasing Maria, but she is unmoved ~ she '"is loved by a pretty wonderful guy!"
She finishes her song on the second landing. Tony ascends to the first landing, Maria comes to meet him. They kiss and her head falls to his strong shoulder. He tenderly begins "There's a place for us…." and she joins him in song. Their voices are a perfect blend as they sing the beautiful duet: "Somewhere." They gently embrace and softly kiss as they part.
This segment begins with Tony and Riff (Christopher Holloway) arguing that as their leader, Tony must be with the Jets that night to fight the Puerto Rican Sharks. Tony is against it, but finally - angrily – relents. A thunderous "Tonight" erupts, sung by the entire company utilizing all four balconies in front of the audience. It is an effective use of the beautiful space provided in this venue ~ Opera Naples has chosen this venue wisely!
Anthony is at the second balcony, Maria at the first. Their voices soar over the company's as they sing their own beautiful words in "Tonight" … as it ends, both the lead voices are clearly heard, a powerful blend. Anthony's commanding voice is stunningly evident as the astonishing final note hangs in the air throughout the venue creating a breathtaking moment.
The audience erupts and arises. Applause and Brovos ring out as the performers take their bows, over and over again.
At a signal from Anthony, they begin the final stanza of "Tonight" in encore.
Once again the audience is on their feet cheering. Each artist has his bow, the final is the brilliant conductor, Cal Stewart-Kellogg, also of the San Francisco Opera, as he ascends to the first landing.
Flowers are presented. The troupe joins hands once again, bows deeply and begins to descend the stairs. Tony bows to his Maria so she can precede him down the stairs, and the evening ends.
Enraptured, enthralled, excited, the audience begins to move toward the back of the house in preparation for the Champaign reception at which they can greet the performers. The artists arrive in about 30-45 minutes, refreshed and charming, for many publicity shots and gracious acknowledgements of the glorious weekend.
Naples Opera General and Artistic Director Steffanie Pearce comes to the first balcony to welcome the crowd to this semi-staged opera.
Trumpeters announce that the performance is about to commence.
The celebrated conductor, Cal Stewart-Kellogg, takes the podium and the overture begins.
Dancers come down the center aisle and climb the two steps to the stage signaling the ball at the Capulet villa in Verona has begun.
To the right of the stage, at floor level, we see two of Romeo Montague’s friends arrive in masks. After observing the dancing, they run behind stage to sneak Montague, also masked, into the ball. Anthony enters the stage as Romeo. Mercutio and Romeo whisper between themselves as the dancing takes place and the revelry continues.
