Review of Dreamkeepers

Dreamkeepers---Utah Opera---World Premiere, 13 January 1996 Music----------David Carlson* Libretto-------Aden Ross* Conductor------Stewart Robertson Director-------Anne Ewers Set Design-----Michael Downs* Costumes-------Susan Memmot Allred & Fabian Jenks* Lighting-------Nicholas Cavallaro Choreography---Roland McCook* & Paul Andrews* Chorus Master--David Berger* Cast: Ela Colorow----Juliana Gondek* Grandmother----Debria Brown* Adam-----------Tonio di Paolo Sloane---------Brian Montgomery* *-Utah Opera Debut

While the general population of Utah does not seem terribly enthusiastic about this year's statehood centennial, the arts organizations of the state are participating wholeheartedly. For this special occasion, Utah Opera commissioned its first-ever new opera, Dreamkeepers, composed by David Carlson, with libretto by playwright Aden Ross. The creators of this work stated that rather than dealing with pioneer stories of Utah's past, they would rather write a work dealing with the Native Americans of the state, and their relationship with the rest of today's society.

Dreamkeepers is the story of Ela Colorow, a Ute woman who has returned to the reservation of her childhood from the city. She is told by her grandmother, a mystical healing woman, that she has the same powerful medicine. An anglo doctor, Adam, a former lover of Ela's, examines the ailing grandmother, and tries to rekindle his relationship with Ela. Their conversation is cut short by the arrival of a villainous government agent, Sloane, who tenders his affections to Ela with all the subtlety of Senator Bob Packwood. Suddenly, Ela's grandmother has a vision of Adam badly hurt. He has been in an automobile accident in a distant canyon. Ela is told that she must go to the spirit world and rescue him. Her grandmother then dies.

The second act occurs in the spirit world, where Ela faces various obstacles, her own doubt, the denigration of Ute culture, the imposition of anglo education, all personified by the sinister Sloane. Eventually, she triumphs over these obstacles and reunites with Adam, and the opera ends with a Ute dance of victory.

Before going to the performance, I had feelings of foreboding. My principal worry was that the opera seemed far too didactic and politically fashionable. Once again, we were going to learn how the terrible European culture repressed the native Americans (and in the context of an opera, the acme of European culture--how novel!). After the performance, however, I must say that the opera better than the scenario I gave above sounds. But not much better.

Probably the greatest failing of the work was a lack of dramatic thrust. Since the whole opera is just short of ninety minutes long, it may have been advisable to run it straight through without an intermission, instead of splitting it into two acts: the real world and the spirit world. Since there is no scene change during the intermission, there does not seem to be any obstacle to the work's restructuring. This would strengthen the second act of the work, which is considerably weaker than the first act, which ends with the dramatic death of Ela's grandmother (reminding me vaguely of the death scene of Madame de Croissy in Dialogues des Carmelites). The second act is somewhat like the final act of Frau ohne Schatten, but not as dramatically compelling. This is a fatal error, since of all things, opera must be dramatically compelling.

As a non-musician, I can not speak technically about Carlson's score, but I found it interesting and colorful, especially the use of native American instruments. Perhaps a greater use of these instruments would have helped the opera even more. The music was generally conservative. Carlson refers to his musical idiom as "extended tonality," which seems to mean, flirting with, but never quite crossing over into atonality. Conductor Stewart Robertson (of Glimmerglass) birthed the score honorably.

The members of the cast were all capable. Ela, originally to be sung by Ann Panagulias (there was no reason given for her substitution), was strongly sung by Juliana Gondek. Brian Montgomery was quite good as Sloane, if not as charismatic as the embodiment of evil must be. Tonio di Paolo sounded pinched in the higher-lying sections of his role, but acted well. Best of all was Debria Brown, whose dark, oracular sound made her an ideal Grandmother.

Ann Ewers, General Director of Utah Opera, directed the intimate scenes of the work quite capably, but had difficulty with the crowd scenes. The chorus movements were unconvincing, and sometimes (when the chorus were dressed as monks, singing the requiem) downright silly. Michael Downs' set was very effective, as were the costumes of Susan Memmot Allred.

What does the future hold for Dreamkeepers? Tulsa Opera has planned a revival of the piece in the 97-98 season, and Utah Opera has hinted that they will bring it back some time in the future. The piece was enthusiastically received (there was a standing ovation), but were the people cheering the opera, or the opera company for having the chutzpah to present a new opera? With so many new operas being presented these days, the future of American opera seems bright. However, many of these works never receive a second production. Utah Opera can be applauded for commissioning a new work, but its survival is doubtful at best.

Next season, Utah Opera is expanding from three to four productions per season. Next years repertory (it is rumored) will be Carmen, Don Giovanni, Fliegende Hollaender, and Turn of the Screw. Even if the new opera does not survive, the opera company is thriving.

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