This beautiful Wednesday evening has me headed south to the town of Schroon Lake and the Seagle Music Colony—easy to get to but tucked away in the woods. Tonight is opening night for "Little Women."
I have been to this venue once several years ago for the company's production of "Crazy for You" but the Seagle Music Colony is celebrating its 97th season and I regret not having made it to more shows in Schroon Lake. I have seen several of the shows on tour at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts over the years and while I was checking out the details on this show, I noticed that the Seagle Music Colony is touring the opera, "Little Red Riding Hood" and will be bringing it to Lake Placid on August 1. The Seagle Colony has extended its summer season into the fall and, as a result, this opera is also available to bring to North Country schools. I believe Keene Central School (where my son attends) will be one of the schools presenting it to students, through the sponsorship of the not-for-profit East Branch Friends of the Arts. (But I digress.)
I arrive about 50 minutes before curtain time and General Director Tony Kostecki informs us that there is a lecture going on in the adjacent building. My friend and I scurry over and are pleased to catch some of Director Richard Kagey's talk about the origins of this opera and how much author Louisa May Alcott drew from her own life for the novel of the same name. We learn quite a bit about the author's feminist leanings and transcendentalism. The room is packed and the audience is eager to hear the real-life parallels between the two.
The production director states that some of the opera is extremely tuneful, and some is not. "It is very text driven," Kagey says. He goes on to explain that although this opera is in English, there will be "super titles" displayed. In fact, he warns that there is a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the "super titles" in the lyrics in Act II of the opera, which Kagey makes clear is strictly the invention of the man who wrote the opera, Mark Adamo, and has nothing to do with Alcott's work. The director shares his enthusiasm for the opera and his company, "The cast has done a great job with it. They're the right age. For me it's been a really interesting journey." Even though this is the second time he has directed this piece, he is still finding new things the second time around and that it is "wonderful to revisit the piece."
The room we are seated in for the lecture is obviously a rehearsal hall for the cast who Kagey has referred to as: "young." But don't confuse young for inexperienced because the cast that vocalizes "Little Women" for us tonight is nothing less than professional and each one is extremely talented, as evidenced by substantial biographical program notes.
The opera opens with Jo at home in the Marsh attic and Laurie, Jo's long-time male friend and neighbor, bursting in to explain his marriage to Jo's youngest sister, Amy. Not the way most "Little Women" scenarios unfold but a clever way to begin and it works. Jo then relates her narrative through flashback. The opera focuses on Jo, her desire not to grow up, the love stories that she struggles against, and how these love stories engulf her.
The two hours go by quickly and the director is correct, some of it is tuneful, some of it is not. In fact, there is a number in Act II sung by Aunt Marsh and Jo that reminds me very much of Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods."
"Little Women" at Seagle Music Colony will be over by the time you read this, but upcoming shows include Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd." Some of the company members will be presenting "Hooray for Hollywoood: A Revue of Music from the Movies" and "Little Red Riding Hood" at various venues in the Adirondacks.
To get dates and times and learn more about the magic of Seagle Music Colony, click through to the web site. For more on the wide-ranging arts events in the Adirondacks this summer go to the Events page.
Kathleen Recchia has been enjoying the arts in the Adirondacks for about 20 years—both as observer and participant (acting, directing, and producing). She also enjoys cross-country skiing, juggling, and hosting visitors to the area at her bed & breakfast in Jay.
