Montana’s River Is Awash with Superlative Talent

It is cause for nationwide rejoicing that Opera Montana has commissioned and produced a nigh unto flawless World Premiere of a soulful, spirited and soaring operatic treatment of A River Runs Through It. The lean, compact writing of Norman Maclean’s story, considered the unofficial state novel, was masterfully adapted, nay, downright elevated by Matt Foss and Kelley Rourke. From Mclean’s atmospheric prose and homey interactions, the pair have wrought a framework that vacillates effortlessly between chatty dialogue, crackling wit, and poetic majesty. There is an underlying leitmotif running through it like an emotional river, promoting the philosophy that everyone and everything, every soul and every element, are unshakably intertwined. That underpinning elevates the story from a region specific tale to a universal truth. Complementing their considerable efforts, composer Zach Redler has contributed an eclectic score that draws on many worthy influences and easily blends them and bends them to his virtuosic will. Reder’s hybrid approach recalls such stage works as Adam Guettel’s The Light in the Piazza, or Frank Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella. There are major stretches of beautiful, pure operatic singing to be sure, but they were effectively balanced by haute-Broadway passages, and even country-flavored licks that are so infectious that Dolly Parton must have been smiling down on them. As a team, these skilled creators have fashioned a highly effective piece of lyric theatre that is at once sassily entertaining, endearingly heart-warming, and profoundly moving. The fact that it is also accomplished with great economy of means (small cast, chamber orchestra, suggested scenery) bodes well for A River Runs Through It becoming an instant classic, capable of being performed by opera companies and regional theatres alike. Co-librettist Foss also served as the expert director, who devised an admirably spare staging that nurtured an awesome depth of character development, a stunning honesty of interactions, and a fluidity of movement that was natural as well as practical as the cast moved furniture and set pieces in well-choregraphed set changes. Kristin Elliot’s picture perfect scenic and video direction was an essential element in the visual success, notably for the all-important projection of the river, a central character in the story. The way that she and Foss created and coordinated the key fly fishing scenes was a brilliant achievement. Stacey Hostetter created a spot-on costume design, making us immediately aware of who these characters were. Lighting designer Stephen Sakowski contributed moody, brooding lighting for the interior scenes, balanced by luminous effects that summoned up the vastness of the great outdoors. His isolated specials also pointed up key dramatic moments. The cast could not have been bettered and featured several singers with cross-over experience who perform equally well in opera and musical theatre. Schyler Vargas was a strapping physical presence, and skillfully deployed a pliable bari-tenor, that was rich and ringing in its delivery. As Norman’s brother Paul, Michael Kuhn was a wiry, edgy actor, with a clear, poised tenor that easily encompassed the searing writing above the staff. Christine Taylor Price was just lovely as Norman’s young wife Jessie, her crystalline, limpid soprano floated with complete ease of delivery. Ryan Bryce Johnson’s gawkiness was a perfect fit (and foil) as Jessie’s brother Neal, an estranged Montanan who has forgotten his roots, a role on which he successfully unleashes his focused, meaty tenor. Petite mezzo-soprano Megan Marino was an unbounded delight as the bar prostitute “Rawhide” (Heidi), uninhibitedly embracing the flirtatious character, all the while merging her polished, dusky instrument with a folk-style delivery that was a model of C/W styling. In this uniformly excellent ensemble, pride of place must go to two seasoned pros, that showed they can still knock it out of the park. The sublime Phyllis Pancella anchored the wife and mother Clara with a serenity of vocalizing that revealed her warm, vibrant mezzo-soprano has lost none of its communicative power. Similarly, David Pittsinger’s paterfamilias, John, was overpowering as he let loose with stunningly affecting phrasings encompassed by his controlled, orotund, undiminished, gorgeous bass-baritone. In the pit, Michale Sakir conducted with consummate skill and meticulous control, inspiring his talented musicians in a radiant reading that communicated the palpable effect that this was a unified labor of love. Maestro Sakir partnered exceedingly well with his onstage cast and nurtured a fruitful partnership between orchestra and stage. Every single instrumentalist met their moment to shine, but special mention should go to the colorful work from Nate Deuel (tenor saxophone), Michael Videon (guitar/mandolin), and Kyle Naig (piano). During the vociferous, enthusiastic curtain call, Sakir beamed like a proud father. And well he should have, for with A River Runs Through It, Opera Montana has birthed a scintillating new American opera that has the legs to become part of the canon. James Sohre A River Runs Through It Music by Zach Redler Libretto by Matt Foss and Kelley Rourke Based on the novel by Norman Maclean Cast and Production Staff: Paul: Michael Kuhn; Norman: Schyler Vargas; Jessie: Christine Taylor Price; John: David Pittsinger; Clara: Phyllis Pancella; Heidi: Megan Marino; Neal: Ryan Bryce-Johnson. Conductor: Michael Sakir; Director: Matt Foss; Scenic and Video Director: Kristin Ellert; Lighting Designer: Stephen Sakowski; Costume Designer: Stacy Hostetter Top image: Paul (Michael Kuhn, center) is described as an artist at fly fishing by his brother Norman (Schyler Vargas, left). All photos by Nile Scott Studios