Review | Orchestra's "Mass" brings energy
At the end of a week marked by Pope Francis’ first visit to the United States, Louisville Orchestra’s performance of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” on Sunday at the Kentucky Center’s Whitney Hall held a mirror up to American culture and its continuing struggle to balance organized religion and personal. The performance also marked the orchestra’s season opening and its second season with music director Teddy Abrams, who last year mobilized a massive production of Carl Orff’s “Carmina burana.”
“Mass” — also titled “A Theater Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers” — poses many challenges in staging. Chief among them is balancing the multitude forms. There is orchestral, marching band, rock and choral music, melodies reflecting the American musical including Bernstein’s own music from “West Side Story” as well as a portion played with kazoos. All this develops as a spiritual leader finds his calling to nurture the love of God in the world and falls into frustration with the multitude of questions, criticisms and pain emanating from a swath of society.
Before any of the characters entered, “Mass” opened onto a stage swathed in a midnight blue backdrop against sparkling brass from the instruments. Throughout, touches like the backdrop by designer Nicolas Raubertas added minimal scenic elements to bind the story using striking visual elements.
Under the baton of conductor Abrams, who infused high energy into the performance with his own visible enthusiasm at the podium, and with Arvin Brown’s direction, “Mass” coherently integrated all the eclectic musical styles. It even worked when a marching band (members of the Louisville Male High School Marching Band) in traditional regalia entered via the Whitney Hall’s side doors, and Abrams donned a plume festooned shako hat that shook when he danced while leading the music.
Under Abrams’ and Brown’s vision, “Mass” also expertly weaved in the drama that begins with a joyful celebrant coming on stage to sing “A Simple Song,” Bernstein’s best-known piece form this massive work.
Singing that song was Jubilant Sykes, the leader or celebrant in the Louisville Orchestra’s production of the story of a mass that goes awry. Sykes superbly strikes a humble yet compelling character. In his role, he reveals great warmth and vocal range that adds depth and personalizes not only spiritual connection he feels but internalizes the conflicts he later faces.
Bernstein's 'Mass' opens orchestra's season
The celebrant’s deals with not only a congregation and hoi polloi made up of stunning solo vocalists, including soprano Morgan James and jazz singer Carly Johnson. Throughout “Mass” a massive chorus, that included the University of Louisville Collegiate Chorale and the Louisville Chamber Choir both let by Kent Hatteberg, stood on scaffolding occasionally illuminated in front of a scrim depicting paintings in the high renaissance style. That design element helped emphasize the extensive history of the organized religion — a weight the celebrant also bears. But the celebrant retains much of his hope from being with children, here illustrated via the performance of the Louisville Youth Choir and boy soprano Joseph Kingsbury, who masterfully brings the shimmer of innocence to the role and whose character reminds the celebrant of the simple ideas of God that led him down his current path..
Although many critics dismissed “Mass” after its 1971 premiere at the opening of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Louisville Orchestra’s production illuminated it as a significant work that reflects so much of our society that struggles with faith, religion and pain today.
Orchestra's 'Carmina Burana' starts soft, ends big
Reach reporter Elizabeth Kramer at (502) 582-4682 and ekramer@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter @arts_bureau and on Facebook at Elizabeth Kramer - Arts Writer.
