The lowdown on Mahagonny

I came to the LA Opera's production of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny with two concerns, which I embraced after researching the production. First, that it was sung in English. I didn't expect this to work for me. Second, in an interview with the director I learned that he saw the action moving from 1929 Germany to 1950s Las Vegas to contemporary Wall Street. I worried that his directing would not trust the material to establish its own relevance, that he'd be too heavy-handed. My fears were 90% unfounded.

Here are what I consider to be the highlights of this outstanding production:

• The cast. Outstanding top to bottom. The best ensemble cast I've ever seen perform or sing. The principals were especially strong: Audra McDonald (Jenny), Patti LaPone (Begbick), Anthony Dean Griffey (Jimmy).
• Michael Feingold's English translation. The surprise and joy of the production. Lyrical, natural, far less clunky than Auden's and other translations that probably are more literally connected to the German. This should become the standard English translation. Poetic, clear, lyrical. An outstanding job and the real surprise for me.
• The stagecraft. Magical. Breath-taking. From the stark desert opening the story, on which an old truck is stalled, through the neon glitz of the eating-fucking-boxing-drinking section (50s Las Vegas), to the electronic CNN and tabloid reporting of Jimmy's trial, to the messages of protest flashed on an electronic ticker tape of the kind usually used for stock market results, everything was of a piece, organic, natural to the progression of the story. But here, too, was the single thing in the production that didn't work for me, that seemed forced and out of place: after Jimmy's death, a folded American flag is given to his friend Billy. This atttempt to connect to the war in Iraq did not come out of the material, but it was the only thing that didn't. This production was brilliantly conceived and, with the noted exception, directed and executed to perfection. There was moments of stagecraft that were original and magical: the boxing match was a choreographed dance, with the fighters standing about fifteen feet apart. When someone died in the story, they slowly marched toward a strong off-stage light. There were many moments like this, a certain prop, a stage image, that was both natural, perfect and brilliant. Thomas C. Hase, the lighting designer, was an especially effective magician. I don't believe I've ever seen a theatrical performance in which the lighting was so effective and contributed so much to the drama.

In other words, I came out delighted, overwhelmed. Unfortunately, or perhaps not, I may have been the only one to give this show a standing ovation. At any rate, in the areas of the auditorium visible from my seat, I was the only one standing, enthusiastically applauding through the entire curtain call. I suspect most would describe the opera as "interesting." Applause had that kind of feel to it, polite but not overwhelming -- except for me.

So now I've seen my favorite opera, my favorite work of narrative art, and I've seen it in a production almost as good as it can get. This show is far superior at every level to the Strasburg festival production I have on tape. I think I still prefer it in German. An ideal show might be in German with Feingold's lyrical translation flashed on the screen.

Afterwards, we visited good friends for dinner and, as we usually do, ended up singing some folk songs from the old days. But my heart was still with Mahagonny. I was still glowing in the wonder of this outstanding and moving production, this unique work of art.

Today, breakfast with a friend of Harriet's. Then we're going to hang out in Venice for a while. We have to return the car at 3 but our flight is a bit later, so we'll have time to read at the airport.

This has been a fantastic trip. What a fine production of Mahagonny. Bravo! BRAVO!