Taylor Renée Horne
Martin Luther Clark, Alan Dunbar and David Flanders (from left) in "Candide."
Martin Luther Clark, left, Alan Dunbar and David Flanders in Madison Opera's ebullient 'Candide.'
When I think of traditional operatic season curation, I often color-code operas to encapsulate their essence: fiery reds like Tosca for passion and tragedy and somber blues like La Traviata for conflicted love. Red and blue operas often bookend a well-balanced season. But while Madison Opera started this season with red, it ended with a bright and energy-filled yellow, radiating optimism and wit with Leonard Bernstein's Candide — an unexpected choice that proves successful.
This Broadway-quality production showcases Madison Opera at its finest, a fusion of exceptional local talent and highly skilled professionals in lead roles. One more performance is scheduled on April 28 at 2:30 p.m. in Overture Hall at Overture Center for the Arts
Candide is a satirical operetta based on Voltaire's work of the same name. It follows the journey of its titular character, a naive young man expelled from his sheltered existence, who encounters war, natural disasters and personal tragedies. Despite facing immense suffering, Candide clings to the belief in the inherent goodness of the world, ultimately discovering resilience, love and personal growth.
Conductor John DeMain's profound understanding of Leonard Bernstein’s music shines through in his precise direction, seamlessly blending light and dark elements within the score. Under DeMain's baton, the members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra deliver an exceptional performance, from the overture's opening fanfare to the final beats of the finale — "Make Our Garden Grow." This is easily the best I have heard the MSO play.
While the musical score of Candide remains enduring, jokes that must have resonated in 1956 may not land with the same impact today. Director Brian Cowing navigates these challenges skillfully. Additionally, his ebullient choreography complements Bernstein's vibrant score at every turn, while Matt Taylor's exceptional lighting design enhances the set's transitions from an early beige-on-beige-on-beige set to colorful far off lands.
Candide, played by the velvet-voiced Martin Luther Clark, is suitably innocent and charming. His tenor is oaky yet shimmering. He possesses a voice that might be mistaken for a baritone if he weren't singing high Cs. His love interest, Cunégonde, is played by the radiant and charismatic Jeni Houser. Her high E flats in the jewel-of-a-jewel song "Glitter and Be Gay" are so easy it seems as if she could go even an octave higher. Her voice rings with limitless overtones.
Over the years, I have enjoyed baritone Alan Dunbar's performances in productions dating back to his 2012 Madison Opera debut as Alidoro in La Cenerentola. What can I say, I am a fan. Dunbar possesses a voice characterized by its ringing, radiant and flowing qualities, attributes any singer would aspire to. However, in his portrayal of Pangloss, while Dunbar's voice carries undeniable beauty, it lacks the profound depth and gravitas required for the role of Candide’s all-knowing, overly optimistic teacher. In contrast, Meredith Arwady's raucous rendition of the aria "I am so easily assimilated," by the one-buttocked Old Lady is wonderfully weighty.
The cast is rounded out by highly talented personnel. Robert Goderich's characterization of the Governor of Buenos Aires stands out. Luis Alejandro Orozco's Maximilian lilts and his portrayal is suitably vain, though it sometimes veers to the extreme. Hailey Cohen plays the maid Paquette with a provocative flair.
Madison Opera's Candide stands as a testament to the company's artistic vision and commitment to excellence, offering a blend of superb musicality, engaging storytelling, and top-notch performances.
Dan Koehn holds undergraduate and doctoral degrees in classical voice and opera from UW-Madison and a master's from the New England Conservatory of Music.
