OPERA REVIEW : ‘Semiramide,’ Unwisely, Unwell in Garden Grove

Fools rush in where. . . .

Oh, never mind. The good, ambitious, dedicated, hard-working, idealistic people who formed the Garden Grove Opera are not fools. But their introductory effort, an amateurish approximation of Rossini’s seldom-performed “Semiramide,” suggests that they might be a bit foolhardy.

There was a time, not so long ago, when any operatic endeavor in blighted Southern California deserved instant respect. Those were the dark ages, before serious and reasonably equipped companies materialized in San Diego, Costa Mesa, Long Beach and even Los Angeles.

In those dismal days, one might have looked at the Garden Grove effort with indulgence, if not with admiration. One might have wanted to ignore the embarrassment of two eminently professional singers surrounded by an inadequate supporting cast. One might have tried to overlook risible stage direction and a scrappy mini-orchestra led by a conductor afflicted with a leaden beat.

One might have wished to make excuses for a scraggly chorus planted at stage left where its members tried in vain to sight-read the score, leaving their theatrical duties to a bunch of eager mimes. This, after all, was an inventive case of mime over matter.

All need not not have been lost. Under certain conditions, shoestring opera still can make sense.

If Garden Grove had thought small, it might have had a chance of coming up at least with a small success. Unfortunately, the choice of “Semiramide” reflects elephantine thinking.

Rossini’s flawed masterpiece abounds in quaintly elaborate ancient-Babylonian rituals, ultra-ornate mock-dramatic trappings and, most crucial, massive bel-canto flights. The work exposes the weaknesses of even the grandest of grand opera companies.

The tiny audience at the reasonably cavernous Don Wash Memorial Auditorium on Friday had to find whatever consolation it could, wherever it could. Rex Heuschkel’s unit set, an all-purpose arrangement of steps, platforms and painted columns--looked attractive and sometimes proved functional. Karon Poston-Sullivan brought silvery tone and easy top notes to the great bravura challenge of the title role. Gail Dubinbaum, though not in resplendent voice, mustered appropriate agility and depth for the heroic Hosenrolle , Arsace.

James Sullivan conducted. Don Hayes served as stage director. The supporting cast included Paul Johnson, Richard Irving, Mel Whitehead, Steven Dunham, Nancy Bliss Estes and Stanley Jerman.

One of the most intriguing contributions to the presentation came, not incidentally, in the form of a slip in the credit booklet announcing “programme corrections.”

The public was duly informed that “no disrespect is intended by James Sullivans’ (sic) name being in 8 point Swiss Roman rather than 10 point Swiss Roman type. Opps (sic).”

Dutiful confession: Your faithful scribe fled sadly into the night after an hour and 45 minutes. Sometimes enough is too much.

Opps.