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Pittsburgh Opera Stages Haydn's Armida for the First Time

Erik Nordstrom as Ubaldo, Fran Daniel Laucerica and Lauryn Davis as Armida Credit all photos to David Backman Photography for Pittsburgh Opera

 Last evening I attended my very first Haydn opera titled "Armida." Sure, I was curious to hear what an opera by this Austrian composer might sound like, but the fact that it's now rarely staged gave me even more reason the catch the Pittsburgh Opera production at the CAPA School in Downtown Pittsburgh. I found the music very much in the vein of Mozart, who actually considered Haydn a friend and mentor.

Haydn, who spent much of his time as court musician for the Eszterhazy family in Hungary was a prolific composer who wrote 68 string quartets, 50 piano trios, more than 100 symphonies, 14 masses and 20 operas.

The narrative centers around the mutual love of the sorceress Armida and her lover, Rinaldo, a knight fighting to capture Jerusalem during the First Crusade. Armida was sent by The Prince of Darkness to enchant Rinaldo to impede his military endeavors, but she too falls in love with him as strongly as he does with her. The two lovers undergo mental anguish that conflicts their ideas of personal duty with their passion and romantic attachment.

Two of Rinaldo's knights try to pry him away from Armida and eventually succeed. The opera ends with a gorgeous trio in Act 3 that certainly made me remark to my opera chum that Haydn really knew how to close with a piece of thrilling music.

I sat on the edge of my seat much of the performance all agog with the magnificent, powerful and sensuous voice of Lauryn Davis, who made her Pittsburgh Opera debut. Both me and my opera chum believe that the soprano has a great future in opera. Not only does her voice enchant, but she's a talented actress as well. As Rinaldo, Fran Daniel Laucerica handled some of the works vocal pyrotechnics with ease and a beautiful voice that made the Act One duet with Amida shine and sparkle with excitement.
Fran Daniel Laucerica and Lauryn Davis as Armida


Erik Nordstrom as Ubaldo, Rinaldo's friend and fellow crusader, sported an earnest voice that had both clarity and strength.

The rest of the cast was solid and praiseworthy. As Zermila Shannon Crowley lit up the stage with an Act III aria. Bass Matthew Soibelman was a commanding presence, both vocally and dramatically as the King. Audrey Welsh was convincing in her "pants role" of another of Rinaldo's knight warriors.
Costume designer, Yinxue Wang's costumes were elegantly colorful and opulent, while set designer, Keja Yu's layered setting was eerily evocative and appropriate for a narrative that focuses on a sorceress with a pair of dark and brooding myrtle trees at the top of a rise that sheltered a mysterious portal.

Idreno (Matthew Soibelman) has a nymph (Melissa Burke, courtesy of Attack Theatre) remove Clotarca (Audrey Welsh) from his presence

Three dancers from the Attack Theatre – Melissa Burke, Anya Epstein and Olivia Nellis – reinforced the narrative with expressive movement and choreography that mimicked the mood of each particular scene.

Stage director Haley Stamats had a few tricks of her own up her sleeve. (I found especially effective the use of scarlet ribbons of fabric that spun down from the top of the stage in Act 3 along the staircase that both suggested the blood bath of war and passionate love of the plays two main characters).
Fran Daniel Laucerica and Lauryn Davis as Armida
Handling the conductor's baton for this Pittsburgh performance was Anthony Walker, who made Haydn's music from the classical era ring with contemporality.

Credit artistic director Christopher for bringing this opera first performed in 1784 to the attention of a modern Pittsburgh, and I might add, appreciative audience.
A final performance of Armida will take place tomorrow, Sunday, Feb.2 at 2 p.m. at the CAPA Theater School in Downtown Pittsburgh. For tickets and more information, visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

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