Beantown rags to riches: Boston Lyric Opera’s Cenerentola an unalloyed delight

A fanciful rendering of the State House gate frames the stage, the Seal of the City of Boston replacing the central lantern. Dawn M Simmons' production of La Cenerentola for Boston Lyric Opera is far from Salerno. In fact, we are practically next door as the curtain rises on the floor to ceiling windows of a swanky condo in Boston’s new Seaport district, a neighborhood of gleaming high-rises sprouting out of a previously industrialized enclave along the harbor. The social strata in play here won’t be nobility and commoner but new money, old money and no money. Don Magnifico straddles the worlds of new and no and aspires to wed his daughters to the old, the family wealth of the Beacon Hill Brahmins personified by Ramiro and his friends and represented onstage by the red brick and wrought iron of his characteristic pocket garden.

Other touches further anchor the action in the present: Alidoro appearing as an Amazon delivery driver and being served Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and munchkins by Angelica; the stepsisters primping and preening in front of their ring light-mounted phones live-streaming and instagramming throughout the first scene; Don Magnifico constantly posing, taking selfies, as eager for clout as his daughters. However, this Magnifico is a wrist-flapping flâneur with the fashion sense of a 1970s blaxploitation pimp and who, like Baron Ochs, consistently puts the wrong foot forward (even if he does turn a mean cartwheel). Brandon Cedel imbues him with an endearing goofiness which softens the edge of his boorish bullying. Like his character, Cedel could be charged with grand larceny, nearly stealing the show (remaining in character even for the curtain calls) but for the other roles being as strongly cast and sung.

All the singers performed with agility, precision and flair. Cecelia Hall used the lower part of her range for dramatic and comic effect and to convey her character’s spunk. Though her stepfamily remains unworthy, her mezzo’s warm glow and her convincing acting made her forgiveness completely plausible. Levy Sekgapane (close your eyes and you’d think you were listening to Juan Diego Flórez) and Levi Hernandez interact with such ease and familiarity as Ramiro and Dandini that you could well assume they have performed these roles together countless time instead of just for this short run. “Si, ritrovarla, io giuro” and “Come un ape” were amongst several of the vocal highlights of the afternoon. 

James Demler’s  Alidoro was an avuncular tutor, delivering his Act 2 recitatives holding note cards and from behind a lectern in the front left balcony box as if he were giving a class. Alexis Peary and Dana Lynne Varga cattily vied for attention – and Dandini – as Tisbe and Clorinda. The ensemble work of the entire company was impeccable with crisp rhythms, clear diction and masterful dynamics the hallmarks. The same could be said of David Angus and the orchestra’s contribution.

Under local theater stalwart Simmons’ direction, every aspect of the overall concept avoided distortion and melded seamlessly with the spirit of the music and the action, resulting in the whole company gifting the audience with an afternoon of unalloyed delight. This is Simmons’ first foray into opera. Let’s hope it’s not her last.