Washington Nationwide Opera's West Facet Story: A Dancing and Musical Feast

As a longtime fan of Washington Nationwide Opera, there have been many aspect points on my thoughts as I made the sluggish trek from Tysons to the Music Heart at Strathmore in Bethesda, most notably, WNO’s departure from the Kennedy Heart right into a nomadic existence, its final opera of the season being a musical, and that being semi-staged for the Strathmore performances.  Extra on that additional down, and no, West Facet Story had not been became an opera, although its composer, Leonard Bernstein was a classical composer who felt that the most effective components of the musical had been operatic.   Even carried out by Washington Nationwide Opera, the singers wore hidden microphones and sang the vocals in a Broadway model.  What was totally different? Primarily, by using operatic scale, primarily within the variety of performers on stage and the variety of orchestra members, WCO’s Creative Director Francesca Zambello, who created and directed this manufacturing, has given this Broadway musical the operatic therapy.  Consider the distinction between mother’s regular full Sunday dinner and a Thanksgiving feast.  My core impression of Francesca Zambello’s productions has by no means wavered: this creative director offers good present.  And Thursday evening’s efficiency was a dancing and musical feast.

You might be most likely aware of the story of West Facet Story, which was based mostly on the ill-fated love story in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.  The staged manufacturing premiered in DC earlier than its transfer to Broadway in 1957, and a follow-up movie in 1961; there was a remake in 2021 directed by Steven Spielberg.  The staged manufacturing was a wildly fashionable hit, and the unique movie gained 4 Academy Awards, together with Finest Image; the remake gained one Academy Award and was nominated for six.  The music and present tunes have been staples of America’s fashionable music repertoire.  Whereas I might nearly sing alongside on each tune, I’ve youthful kinfolk who’ve by no means seen the staged or the filmed variations.  WNO’s manufacturing has doubtless launched WSS to new, youthful audiences in addition to its opera devoted. 

West Facet Story was created by titans of the business: conceived by Jerome Robbins, based mostly on a ebook by Arthur Laurents, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Leonard Bernstein, and choreography by Jerome Robbins.  The group selected a setting very a lot within the information within the 1950’s, violence perpetrated by road gangs.  On this case, the Jets as a white gang in NYC are opposing the doorway of the Sharks, a gang of Puerto Rican immigrants, into their territory.  As they’re planning a rumble, Tony within the Jet camp and Maria within the Sharks fall in love and decide to being collectively regardless of the disapproval of their households (aka, the Montagues and Capulets).  Lethal violence ensues with Tony killing Maria’s brother and Chino, her family-approved suitor, killing Tony.  Maria is left grief-stricken, calling out each gangs for his or her weaponized hatred.  Like opera, the music clarifies and intensifies the feelings being felt by all.  This manufacturing stays true to the sequence of musical numbers within the stage model. (Personally, I appreciated the motion of the Officer Krupke quantity to earlier than the rumble within the movie model; I didn’t desire a comedy routine proper after seeing lethal knife fights.)

WNO opened their run of WSS as absolutely staged performances in Baltimore’s Lyric Theatre earlier than shifting to the Music Heart at Strathmore.  The stage in Strathmore’s live performance corridor has wonderful acoustics for musical performances however lacks an orchestra pit and the services to provide absolutely staged musical theater.  WNO’s semi-staged efficiency had the orchestra seated in the back of the stage, and whereas costumes, props, and lighting results had been employed, the surroundings that contributes to the curiosity, magnificence, and setting for an opera-style rendering was omitted.  For me, the one distracting aspect was seeing the orchestra behind the performers, attracting my consideration away from the efficiency in entrance of them; I’ve attended many live performance operas at Strathmore the place the orchestra was on the stage and loved seeing the conductor and orchestra taking part in, however then the singers had been primarily standing behind music stands and singing.  Although in equity, I’ll report that my spouse insists it was not a difficulty for her.  (Notice: the images are from the absolutely staged manufacturing wherein components of the surroundings could be seen.)

WNO assembled a terrific forged of 34 performers for this manufacturing, too many to single out in a short report.  The principal singers for the roles of Maria, Tony, Anita, Riff, and Bernardo are established performers with spectacular credentials, together with Broadway expertise.  Shereen Pimentel match the position of Maria nicely, performing convincingly. I believed she wanted a few numbers to get warmed up.  Her efficiency within the second act was excellent, straightforward to see why she was chosen for the position, and her performing within the ultimate scene was excellent.  Ryan McCartan, who performed Tony, is a crooner; he delivered stunning vocals all through. If he had been on American Idol when singing “Maria” he would have been complimented for making the music his personal. The numerous duets between Maria and Tony had been emotionally efficient and had been musically fairly pleasing.  Amando Castro performed the position of Anita with verve and appeal; her performing, singing, and dancing drew consideration to each scene she was in.  The roles of Biff and Bernardo had been nicely performed by Taylor Harley and Yurel Echezarreta; each sang fantastically, a brooding Riff and a Bernardo having a twinkle in his eye, hiding his lethal intent.  It was like that they had stepped proper out of the film.  I believed that Wynn Harmon, as Doc, in a non-singing position, was particularly efficient at speaking the gravity of the scenario in his appeals to the Jets to have some sense.

Director Zambello preserved the Jerome Robbins’ choreography and its spectacular dance sequences. Maybe as a result of I used to be so aware of the nice and plentiful tunes and music in West Facet Story, I believed the dancers had been additionally principal stars of the present.  As a bunch, they introduced vitality and spectacular physicality to the roles; their capacity to bounce in unison appeared flawless, and their management was spectacular, dancing on what appeared like not rather more than half the stage.  This group was thrilling every time on stage with a number of members being spectacular in singing assignments as nicely.  The dancers/singers’ rendition of “Cool” was a spotlight of the opera for me.  Tip of the hat to Choreographer Joshua Bergasse.  Add on kudos to Affiliate Choreographer Kiira Schmidt Carpenter, Costume Designer Jessica Jahn whose costumes helped deliver the story to life, and to Lighting Designer A.J, Guban, whose results helped us focus our consideration to the best spot.

The Washington Nationwide Opera Orchestra performed Bernstein’s rating nicely, protecting tempo with a narrative having a whole lot of fast-moving motion.  From the place I sat, I believed the microphones for Tony and Maria had been just a little too sizzling for my ears, inflicting the vocals to push the music too far into the background for some numbers.  I most appreciated the music when few performers had been on stage and the vocals had been shared.  When the orchestra was the centerpiece, they shone. Maybe my response was influenced by opera the place, if there’s a sound imbalance, it’s the orchestra overshadowing the singers.  Curiously, my spouse, whereas not sharing my opinion, did say at intermission that the singing reminded her of how a lot she enjoys the direct, pure, unamplified sound of voices we hear attending opera.

WNO’s semi-staged manufacturing nonetheless deserved a ‘to not be missed’ rating, and the viewers concurred by giving the performers an enthusiastic standing ovation.  Even with out the surroundings, the remainder of the feast was intact and importantly, the efficiency was extremely partaking and efficient in delivering WSS’s and WNO’s messages.  Maria’s ending admonition as she brandished Gino’s handgun rings in my ears even now as she declared that she beloved either side, however now she had discovered to hate.  Given the divisiveness of our instances, Director Zambello needed to remind audiences viscerally the place unrestrained prejudices could lead on, with the hope “that we are able to problem ourselves to assume broadly about methods wherein we arbitrarily dismiss the experiences and opinions of those that aren’t like us”.  In a fantastic assertion in this system, Jamie Bernstein mentioned her father needed the listeners to resolve if a greater world was attainable.

As for my private ruminations, I’m reminded that Brother Dave, a comic I loved a few years in the past, had a phrase he repeated typically: “It’s all in the way you have a look at it”.  In that vein, I might stay devastated by WNO being pushed out of the previous Kennedy Heart and the lack of opera performances within the Opera Home…or…be impressed with how WNO has not solely survived however flourished with an outpouring of help from their followers.  I might be depressed at WNO’s going through a nomadic existence, or I might marvel on the methods the corporate has used this as a chance to succeed in out to and serve a wider group; Creative Director Francesca Zambello, Normal Director Timothy O’Leary, and Music Director Robert Spano have been wonderful in setting a course and navigating this new starting.  I might bemoan the truth that I didn’t get to see an actual opera as WNO’s final manufacturing of a season centered on American operas, or I might enjoy attending to see one in all America’s actually nice musicals dwell, introduced as a feast by a significant opera firm.  By way of this upsetting upheaval, one factor has remained fixed: Washington Nationwide Opera’s creative director offers good present.  After this 12 months’s Crucible, Treemonisha, and West Facet Story, I’m upgrading my declare: Francesca Zambello offers nice present, whereas constantly reminding us that a greater world is feasible.  It’s as much as us.

The Fan Expertise: Washington Nationwide Opera scheduled absolutely staged performances of West Facet Story on Could 8, 9, 10, and 11 in The Lyric in Baltimore and semi-staged performances on Could 14 and 15 within the Music Heart at Strathmore in Bethesda.  The performances had been primarily in English with supertitles proven overhead and lasted about 2.5 hours with a 25-minute intermission.  WNO’s model of WWS was a co-production with Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Pageant, and Lyric Opera of Chicago, performances have appeared in any respect three venues beforehand.

And the not too long ago introduced 2026-2027 season reveals that Washington Nationwide Opera has not misplaced a step. The season is tagged as “Daring. Ahead. Collectively”, an apt description, starting with Madama Butterfly at DAR Structure Corridor in November. Hmmm…Creative Director Zambello selected to go together with the Italian Madama as a substitute of the English Madame; what may that imply?

The Strathmore live performance corridor is a fantastic construction that has excellent acoustics for live performance performances.  Strathmore is conveniently positioned close to the Grosvenor Metro Cease on the Rockville Pike.  Use of the parking deck is free on evenings and weekends.  I’ve discovered parking there to be straightforward in and simple out, although the exit from the parking deck is single lane and exit instances fluctuate considerably relying on the extent the place you might be parked.  Refreshments and a money bar can be found.