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Nic Gotham, directed by Baņuta Rubess

Tapestry New Opera Works, Fermenting Cellar, Distillery District, Toronto

May 7-15, 2005

As part of its 25th anniversary season, Tapestry New Opera Works brings back its acclaimed hour-long “operatic thriller” Nigredo Hotel.  Its 1992 premiere was a breakthrough not just for Tapestry itself, but for the concept of modern Canadian opera as theatre--fresh, challenging and exciting, only sung.

Back in 1992 librettist Ann-Marie MacDonald was best known for her play Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet).  Nigredo Hotel is in many ways a companion piece to that play.  In both the central figure undergoes period of confusion and seduction that leads to the recovery of identity.  In both, MacDonald uses Jung’s analysis of alchemy for the imagery of “refining” the soul beginning at the “nigredo” or low point of despair.  Where Constance Ledbelly in Goodnight Desdemona had Shakespearean characters for guides, Raymond (Alexander Dobson), the distressed neurosurgeon in Nigredo Hotel, has the allegorical Sophie (Patricia O’Callaghan), who first turns up as the slatternly proprietress of the fleabag hotel where he has sought refuge.  After many metamorphoses, she finally appears in a far more alluring guise.

MacDonald’s wise and witty libretto is well matched by Nic Gotham’s score and Banuta Rubess’s clever direction.  Gotham’s music has a jazzy, film noir feel that rises to lyric heights in the beautiful duet “For Love is strong as Death”.  Dobson  and O’Callaghan both have clear, strong voices but seem to be trying too hard--Dobson better at wistfulness than angst, O’Callaghan better as siren than frump. 

The seedy hotel room as a locus for dream or delusion is wonderfully realized by Jerrard Smith and Diana Smith where nothing is what it seems and surprises lurk everywhere.  Paul Mathiesen’s lighting adds to the hallucinogenic effect.  Sophie sings, “Blessed are the lost for theirs is the kingdom of wonder.”  Nigredo Hotel delightfully opens a door to that very kingdom. 

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2005-05-12.

Photo: Alexander Dobson and Patricia O’Callaghan. ©Michael Cooper.