'Little Women' translates well to the stage

"LITTLE WOMEN," Utah Lyric Opera Ensemble, Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah, April 23, additional performance April 25, 801-581-7100

Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" is wonderfully suited for an operatic treatment. But surprisingly it had to wait until 1998 to be turned into a stage work by Mark Adamo, who also wrote the libretto.

Adamo created a captivatingly dramatic work that captures the conflicts and tensions — and the strong bond — among the four March sisters. And in the manner in which he brought the story and these fascinating characters to life, it's no wonder that "Little Women" has been performed close to 60 times since its premiere at the Houston Grand Opera and is finding its way to becoming part of the standard operatic repertoire.

And now Adamo's opera has finally come to Utah.

Thanks to a collaboration between the University of Utah's Lyric Opera Ensemble and Utah Opera, the former group is staging it this weekend in Kingsbury Hall.

Over the years Utah Lyric Opera Ensemble has distinguished itself with its wonderful group of singers. They're the ones who carry the ensemble, and this is certainly the case once again with "Little Women." Robert Breault, who directs the opera program at the U., can definitely be proud of his young singers. They gave a tremendous performance Thursday that was charged with energy and vitality and brought out the best in them both as singers and actors.

Not to be outdone, the Utah Philharmonia, under the baton of Robert Baldwin, was equally impressive. This is a difficult and complex score, but both the musicians in the pit and the singers onstage proved they were up to the challenge. They didn't appear intimidated by the music; they played and sang superbly and brought a wonderful professionalism to the performance.

Thursday's cast (the production is double cast; this group will sing again Saturday) was impressive for the way it brought their characters to life. From Jo's imposing part to the smnallest roles, everyone outdid themselves. This is a production that does justice to the work.

Stephanie Sundine is the stage director. She has frequently worked with Utah Opera, but this is her first foray into a student production. She captured the nuances in the work and her pacing was on the mark.

Costumes were provided by Utah Opera and gave a nice sense of the period, as did the sets.

All in all, this is a production that should not be missed. The only negative thing about it is that it's run is too short. Adamo's "Little Women" is a work that can stand being seen more than once.

E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com