Search - Lawrence Rapchak, Patrice Michaels Bedi, Joyce Castle :: Gian Carlo Menotti: The Medium

An American opera with memorable moments

F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 01/12/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A recent review of the new opera "The Great Gatsby" compared it favorably against other essays in the field that were either "trendy" and devoid of any musical interest to most audiences or both. Although Menotti's short opera has a few (but very few) moments of vocal sterility--although the orchestra always has something interesting to offer us--there are many passages of great lyricism (so lacking in later "operas"). Listen to the haunting duet that ends the first act and try to find anything like it in (say) "Streetcar" or "Lizzie Borden." We have a very striking recording of this work on Cedille label (CDR 90000 034) with Lawrence Rapchak conducting a top-notch group of five soloists (and one ghost) in what is meant to be (we are told in the notes) a "radio broadcast" version of the work. Alas, one of the great drawbacks is the omnipresence of young Toby who is a mute and therefore invisible on any sound recording; but if you can listen to the "Aida" Triumphal March without seeing the processions, here you can let your imagination supply the boy. Patrice Michaels Bedi might not catch the last bit of essence of Monica's character; but Joyce Castle certainly comes near to the perfection (though not quite completely matching it) of the original "Baba" of Marie Powers, who can be heard on a soundtrack recording taken from the film version. Not all the sound effects work perfectly: the doorbell should be much more jarring for one thing. And now and then the microphone placement seems too far from the singers. But the power is there and Cedille is to be thanked for an up to date version of this tale of the charlatan medium who may or may not have made actual contact with the supernatural. Cedille thoughtfully provides the complete text that is preceded by a list of very generous cut numbers, making it very easy to get to just that part of the opera you wish. However you will not find those numbers in the margins of the text itself, a curious omission."