Opera Review: Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s Roméo et Juliette at Muriel Kauffman Theatre

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

The last vestiges of skepticism left my mind during the fourth act of Charles Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” on Sunday, March 17. Only then was I willing to acknowledge that I was taking in a very good production. 

Even from my $39 seat in the back row of Muriel Kauffman Theatre I was moved by the chemistry between Ben Bliss and Andriana Chuchman. Most of the voices successfully traversed the vast space between the stage and my remote location. 

Compelling visuals were complemented by conspicuous direction that allowed me to track the action without opera glasses. And The Kansas City Symphony sounded more than serviceable.

I’ve misspent my time and money on a few disappointing nights with Lyric Opera of Kansas City. It may not have been particularly fashionable or fresh, but the production of “Roméo et Juliette” was grand opera done right.

Radio Operator: Inside the Making of an Audio Feature

Original image of Barnaby Bright by There Stands the Glass.

My work with KCUR resumed with a feature about the Folk Alliance International Conference told through the perspective of the locally based band Barnaby Bright.  A few additional details and insights related to the construction of the story follow.

*The text and the audio components of the feature are distinct items. I encourage you to consume both elements.

*The principal characters in the story were uncommonly accommodating.  They’re lovely people.

*Longtime readers of There Stands the Glass understand that I’m not particularly fond of pop-tinged folk.  Yet I can’t get Barnaby Bright’s hook-laden songs out of my head.

*Fun bit of trivia: the notable operatic tenor Ben Bliss is the brother of Barnaby Bright’s Becky Bliss.

*I hadn’t previously realized that Barnaby Bright’s Nathan Bliss is an astounding musician.

*More bands would benefit from the addition of harmoniums.

*Carlos Moreno’s excellent images compensate for my incompetence as a photographer.

*Partly because I was required to self-isolate this week due to illness, KCUR editor Luke Martin did almost all of the heavy lifting.