Even after 50 years, 'Baby Doe' remains a charmer

Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

If there is a "house opera" at the Central City Opera House, it is certainly Douglas Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe.

Which makes sense, considering that the real-life action takes place in Leadville and the work was first presented in Central City in 1956.

Unlike so many American operas, Moore's story has lost little of its charm since its premiere 50 years ago. There's plenty of drama - bordering on melodrama - but nothing too nasty or too complicated. The tunes are also easy to swallow.

There are weaknesses: The silver- vs.-gold thing gets old quickly, and Horace's final flashback scene is too long and heavy-handed (and here awkwardly staged).

That said, it takes a hardened soul to be unmoved by the last scene: Snow gently falling around Baby Doe as she sings a hymn of devotion to her late husband.

Who can resist the sheer likability of Baby Doe and its cast of actual turn-of-the-century Colorado characters? Not me. And not those who filled the Opera House on Saturday.

Yes, we have seen a lot of this tale (it's been staged in '81, '88 and '96), but you can't blame the company for dusting off Michael Anania's sets (which replaced the originals by Donald Oenslager 10 years ago) and returning Baby Doe to the stage - particularly for its 50th anniversary.

Not that this year's version is a museum-piece display. Not with the superb cast that director Michael Ehrman was fortunate to inherit.

The eternal triangle of Baby Doe and Horace and Augusta Tabor was brought to vivid life by Joanna Mongiardo, Timothy Noble and Joyce Castle. Under Ehrman's crisp direction, these three sailed over the occasional dips in the story and music.

Mongiardo, a former Central City apprentice, lit up the stage from the moment she set foot on it. Blessed with a warm smile and high cheekbones, Mongiardo proved equally ravishing in song. There was a subtle sweetness in her first aria, the Willow Song, and a magical mix of tragic pathos and inspiring conviction in that final tribute to her husband, Always through the changing.

Her vocal and physical beauty proved the perfect flip-side of the engaging Augusta created by Castle. Last seen here as Queen Elizabeth in Britten's Gloriana, this brilliant mezzo brought a rare blend of uptight propriety and unexpected humanity to Horace's spurned wife.

There was fury, of course, but also an elegance and, in the end, an admirable kindness in her characterization. In the opera, Augusta is depicted as an unattractive creature but one who is nonetheless unfairly jilted. This is a challenge for any actress, and a tough role vocally, since the singing must underscore the contrast with the opera's semi-angelic title character. Yet, Castle brought a welcome musicality to her outbursts.

The originally scheduled Jake Gardner was too ill to perform Saturday, so Noble had to step in (with only a week's notice) as Horace. A noble performance it was.

Citizen Kane-like in his unshakable hubris, Tabor is depicted by Moore (and his brilliant librettist John Latouche) as a man-child, hopelessly smitten by the silver he's mined in Colorado and by the lovely young creature who rekindles long-dormant passions. Noble displayed a fine baritone, along with a depth and a believable sense of youthful naivete.

Central City Opera is lucky to have this solid singing actor to pinch-hit. (Gardner reportedly will join the production on Friday.)

Supporting roles were handled solidly by Victoria Livengood (a fine comic turn as Mama McCourt), Timothy Lefebvre (a strong-voiced William Jennings Bryan) and Jean Broekhuizen (in a vignette as the Tabors' tragic daughter, Silver Dollar).

Adding immeasurably to the production was the chorus of apprentices. First-rate in every corner.

In the pit, John Moriarty brought an obvious affection and thorough knowledge to the exemplary orchestral accompaniment.

The Ballad of Baby Doe

• Grade: A-

• When and where: Running repertory through Aug. 6 at the Central City Opera House

• Information: 303-292-6700

Shulgoldm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5296