This latest opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer had nice music, nice performances, and a blockbuster story instructed cleverly, with an impactful backside line…spectacular, so near being a terrific opera. Actually, two of the later scenes of the second act had been nice opera. This was such a wealthy story; I battle to clarify why I got here away feeling that it fell simply in need of greatness. As I feel extra in regards to the efficiency, I can’t escape the sensation that it wasn’t as affecting because it might have been. Let me report and attempt to clarify.
Mary Jane Bowser (Jacqueline Echols McCarley), slave, Civil Warfare spy, can learn, write, do math, and bear in mind every thing. Picture by Dave Pearson Pictures; courtesy of Virginia Opera.
The composer and librettist of Intelligence are two of probably the most revered opera luminaries working right now, already with lists of successes to their names. Virginia Opera has lately produced a number of glorious trendy operas with connections to the Commonwealth. Fellow Vacationers in 2023 comes instantly to thoughts, as does 2022’s manufacturing of Three Decembers by Heggie and Scheer, after which 2025’s world premiere of Loving v. Virginia. In simply the second manufacturing of Intelligence, Virginia Opera introduced the opera from Texas to Virginia, the place the story takes place, after premiering with Houston Grand Opera in 2023. I caught the ultimate efficiency of this opera’s run in Fairfax on Sunday afternoon, after it beforehand performed in Norfolk and Richmond, the precise metropolis of the story. I had posted a preview of this Richmond spy story in January.
Elizabeth (Ashley Dixon), chief of the spy ring, and her protege, Mary Jane (Jacqueline Echols McCarley), face worry collectively. Picture by Dave Pearson Pictures; courtesy of Virginia Opera.
(This report does have spoilers.) The opera’s plot tells an incredible story of a Richmond pro-Union white lady, Elizabeth Van Lew, and her black slave, Mary Jane Bowser, who labored collectively at nice danger to their lives throughout the Civil Warfare to supply essential intelligence to Normal Sherman, hastening the tip of the warfare. The Van Lews had been a rich, outstanding household in Virginia. Their slave Mary Jane had acquired particular therapy since beginning; she had been baptized and married within the Lew’s white church, was despatched north to be educated, and despatched to spend time in Africa. She might learn, write and do math, key parts for spying, and he or she might bear in mind every thing. Her blackness and slave standing offered cowl for her abilities – the white officers and troopers assumed she lacked the intelligence to learn and write, and simply ignored her as she labored as a maid within the Jefferson Davis dwelling. Historical past tells us that Elizabeth and Mary Jane, proprietor and slave, had been actual spies, who labored collectively throughout the Civil Warfare, although the story of their relationship within the opera is historic fiction. Three different characters within the opera are within the historical past books, Mary Jane’s husband Wilson, a slave runner for the spy community, Henry, the slave butler within the Jefferson mansion, and Callie, Elizabeth’s sister-in-law dwelling together with her. Fully fictional characters within the plot had been Travis, an amoral Accomplice House Guard attempting to catch the spies, and Lucinda, a ghost/spirit whom solely Mary Jane might see. A trio of dancers had been additionally vital to connecting Mary Jane to her ancestry.
Accomplice Home Guard Travis (Craig Irvin) meets Callie (Maureen McKay), Elizabeth’s sister-in-law. Picture by Dave Pearson Pictures; courtesy of Virginia Opera. 
VO assembled a forged for this manufacturing to make Virginia proud. Excellent soprano Mary Jane Bowser was performed by Jacqueline Echols McCarley. She has carried out with Washington Nationwide Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, and Metropolitan Opera, amongst others (if you’re googling her, using her married final identify in forged listings is latest). Listening to her sing was wonderful, like watching Tom Brady play soccer, a consummate skilled with excellent abilities; her voice has a ravishing timbre, and each phrase sung appeared to hold its personal colour. Mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon gave a portrayal of Elizabeth Van Lew that was tone good in singing and appearing. She has additionally appeared with established opera corporations throughout the US, and apparently for this manufacturing, she was the quilt for Elizabeth within the Houston Grand Opera efficiency of Intelligence. Younger mezzo-soprano Cierra Byrd performed Lucinda with such splendor vocally and appearing, it was exhausting to imagine she is a latest graduate of the Met Opera Younger Artist Improvement Program; she additionally lined the position for HGO. Soprano Maureen McKay, who’s headed to the Met Opera to play Papagena, was additionally glorious singing and appearing within the position of Callie.
Baritone Craig Irvin, additionally a longtime veteran in opera homes throughout the nation, performed Travis, giving us the villain and oppressor we like to hate in painfully convincing fashion, accentuated by well-sung threatening vocals. Bass Kevin Thompson performed the love struck butler Henry with a robust, expressive bass voice. Tenor Edward Graves sang two pretty arias as Mary Jane’s husband Wilson. He additionally was a canopy for the position with HGO. In non-singing roles, dancers Noelani Corey-Bar, Amaya Weston, and Christine C. Wyatt (who was additionally the choreographer) added magnificence and drama to the efficiency.
Mary Jane (Jacqueline Echols McCarley) confronts her heritage with Lucinda (Cierra Byrd) and dancers Noelani Corey-Barr, Amaya Weston, and Christine C. Wyatt. Picture by Dave Pearson Pictures; courtesy of Virginia Opera.
Guess which opera received greatest opera recording at this 12 months’s Grammy Awards. Yep, Jake Heggie’s Intelligence. It was deserved. The music was atmospheric in help of the scene, musically fascinating, and ingenious, with a minimal use of dissonance to disclose unstated parts in a scene, and a rating I instantly wished to listen to once more. This was a rating the place the percussion part bought a exercise, extremely rhythmic and altering, with completely different sections of the orchestra taking lead, violins, woodwinds, and even a piano. The music included a number of types, together with basic opera, jazz, and blues. Mr. Heggie’s music was fantastically performed and effectively finished, accompanying and adorning the vocals. Kudos to the Virginia Symphony Orchestra beneath the course of Brandon Eldredge.
Wilson (Edward Graves) as Mary Jane’s husband and spy runner. Picture by Dave Pearson Pictures; courtesy of Virginia Opera.
Due to smaller phases of the venues utilized by the Virginia Opera, the staging of the opera needed to be modified considerably. Veteran Director Kyle Lang, who has directed eleven operas for VO did one other advantageous job with the circulation of Intelligence on stage. The design was impressionistic and efficient with a big oak tree projected onto a scrim within the again and home windows hanging down to point a home, with aspect panels transferring out and in so as to add different options. The costumes by Costume Coordinator Pat Seyller and Wig and Make-up Designer Elysse Mesick had been fairly good, successfully inserting the characters of their roles. The least efficient staging was the fireplace scene; it was not clear what was occurring and the urgency of getting important intelligence to the sector bought misplaced.
Butler Henry (Kevin Thompson) reads to Mary Jane (Jacqueline Echols McCarley) who claims to be illiterate. Picture by Dave Pearson Pictures; courtesy of Virginia Opera.
With all that, what did I discover wanting that affected my general evaluation? Despite the fact that a number of extremely dramatic scenes had been introduced in Act 1, I used to be primarily engaged intellectually. Maybe as a result of there was a lot to inform in a short while. As I anticipated, the spy story in Act 1 additionally gave consideration to Mary Jane’s must know extra about the place she got here from and who she was as she was confronted by a ghost from the previous, a theme that exploded in Act 2 and landed with the best influence. The significance of the ladies’s efforts to win the Civil Warfare appeared to fade shortly in Act 2. Travis, the Accomplice soldier and image of oppression, added little to the spy pressure, extra feared for the man he was, together with his unrestrained lechery for Mary Jane. Subplots abounded. Did we actually want Edward the butler pursuing his love curiosity with Mary Jane, particularly within the dying scene? Simply me maybe, however I believed the spy story and its risks had been diluted an excessive amount of. Act 2 was way more partaking.
The confrontation between Elizabeth (Ashley Dixon) and Mary Jane (Jacqueline Echols McCarley) with Lucinda (Cierra Byrd) standing by. Picture by Dave Pearson Pictures; courtesy of Virginia Opera.
Massive spoilers lie forward. Return if you wish to see the story afresh.
Then again, let me deal with the 2 scenes I discovered nice. I believed one of many final scenes might win a Tony award. Callie discovers the useless Travis with {a partially} dug grave exterior by the previous oak tree. She struggles, on her knees, by the grave, whether or not to help the South by revealing what has occurred or to cowl it up by ending burying Travis to keep away from what the scandal would do to her household. On the similar time, unknown to her, Elizabeth stands shut by, pointing a pistol at her, torn between defending the trigger or her brother’s spouse. Each sing repeatedly, “If I do that, I might be chained to you without end”, to music that sounds just like the pleasing melodies we take dwelling with us from the most effective musicals and operas. Oh, I longed for extra of that, so clear, and with the music, so little spoken whereas a lot was mentioned.
The ultimate scene was additionally excellent. Mary Jane learns her fact. Elizabeth has lied to her. Her relationship with Elizabeth is damaged, and Mary Jane plans to maneuver on. She sings to Elizabeth with ardour crucial message within the opera: “You don’t management my story now”. This was highly effective, essential to understanding race relations as human relations – it’s human to wish to management your personal story. Don’t tread on me. I demand my inalienable rights. Let freedom ring for all. It’s what the attraction of America is about, is it not? It’s the essence of being human, is it not?
Kudos to all concerned on this manufacturing, and kudos to Virginia Opera for his or her present to the Commonwealth! We discovered about two meanings of intelligence. We discovered in regards to the significance of secrets and techniques in warfare and secrets and techniques in our private lives. And we had been entertained whereas we discovered. Not dangerous for a day, hey?
The Fan Expertise: Virginia Opera scheduled performances of Intelligence for Norfolk, January 30, February 1; Richmond, February 6, 8; and Fairfax, February 14, 15. The opera lasted round three hours together with one intermission. It was sung in English with projected English subtitles. As of this posting, the web program for Intelligence might be accessed at https://dpb-web.instantencore.com/program/50512/virginia-operabriintellig/web page/278875/dwelling?cid=5206347.
Virginia Opera’s subsequent manufacturing might be Aida, to be carried out in Norfolk on March 13, 15 and in Richmond on March 20, 22. OV’s web site states that the expense of transferring Aida to a different location was prohibitive, so this manufacturing is not going to journey to Fairfax. I’d additionally add that to make sure that future productions do seem in Fairfax, elevated attendance and beneficiant donations would assist.
