Big personalities, star-crossed lovers and an exotic location — these classic ingredients for a dramatic musical comedy combined wonderfully in the Syracuse Opera Theater’s production of ‘The Gondoliers.’

The operetta, a short opera with spoken dialogue, was presented Jan. 27-29 in Rose and Jules R. Setnor Auditorium by an enthusiastic cast of Syracuse University students. They had worked on the show since September 2011, said Jackie Dickson, the show’s public relations director.

Those months of preparation certainly paid off. The performers brought the operetta to life with great comedic timing and passionate singing, seeming as happy as their characters.

The show tells the story of two Venetian gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe, who find their lives suddenly complicated by the events of their past.

The two have just married their young wives when the Spanish Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro arrive in Venice with shocking news. One of the gondoliers was married as a baby to their daughter and is actually the King of Barataria. To further complicate the matter, it is revealed that the Grand Inquisitor of Spain Don Alhambra abducted the infant king and brought him to Venice. But Alhambra, who has not seen him in years, is unsure of which gondolier is the king.

The gondoliers depart for Barataria to rule together, leaving their new wives in Venice. Meanwhile, Luiz departs to fetch his mother, Inez, who can verify his identity. Inez, who was the prince’s nursemaid, arrives. She reveals that to protect the infant prince from abduction, she swapped her own baby son with the prince and raised him as her own. Luiz, everyone realizes, is the prince.

Played by Anthony Beattie and Tevin Habeebullah, the gondolier duo appeared a bit unbalanced. Habeebullah seemed more comfortable onstage, and Beattie’s singing occasionally sounded strained. But in general, the cast was wonderfully at ease throughout the show, even during the well-choreographed dance numbers.

Supporting these singers was a pared-down ensemble of musicians from the SU Symphony Orchestra. Led by James Welsch, the pit orchestra stirred up drama and exhilaration at important moments in the story. The show’s overture featured a masterful solo by oboist Philomena Duffy, and the string section’s tension-filled tremolos amplified the dramatic moment when Luiz’s true identity was revealed.

Joining the student cast were SU alumna Shannon Garvey as the Duchess of Plaza-Toro and faculty guest artists Eric Johnson as Don Alhambra and Carolyn Weber as Inez. Johnson’s booming baritone and dominant stage presence suited his powerful character well. And although Weber appeared onstage for barely five minutes, her singing in the operetta’s pivotal scene kept the audience transfixed.

The production fell short in some ways, probably a result of it being put on by students with minimal resources. Messily painted flats composed the majority of the set, and the show’s lighting, though effective at times, was poorly timed. In addition, the skill of the singers varied. This fact was most evident in duet sections, when out-of-tune harmonies distracted from the song’s effect.

But such shortcomings are to be expected from a student production, and the cast’s overall enthusiasm throughout made the show a success. It was evident that every performer was happy to be onstage, and that joy was communicated to the audience.

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Published on January 29, 2012 at 12:00 pm

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