‘Song of the Lark’ Wobbles Despite Its Fine Plumage

The de-Anglicizing of PBS drama moves forward tonight with “The Song of the Lark,” an adaptation of American novelist Willa Cather’s story about a gifted young woman driven by her passion for music to flee her provincial Colorado home town en route to a career as an opera diva.

Verdict? Bring back the Brits.

It’s the 1890s, and Thea Kronborg’s musical quest, first as a pianist, takes her to Chicago, where her voice ultimately becomes her ticket to fame, just as Cather herself emerged from Red Cloud, Neb., early last century to become a celebrated writer known for presenting characters with simplicity and sincerity.

“The Song of the Lark” arrives on PBS as part of the network’s “Masterpiece Theatre American Collection,” yet offers no challenge to English preeminence in TV costume drama.

Its primary strength here is Alison Elliott’s fresh, vibrant Kronborg. Elliott melts you with her joyousness, whether responding to all things musical as a raw talent in Moonstone, Colo., or later lip-syncing arias (sung by Lori Stinson). In addition, you’re rewarded by handsome filming while Kronborg, starting in her hometown, benefits from a series of mentors who include her piano teacher, Herr Wunsch (Maximilian Schell), and a Dr. Archie (Arliss Howard), before jumping to the big city.

Nonetheless, this production is one of those beauties that can’t hit high C. With Karen Arthur directing and Joseph Maurer providing the teleplay, it moves at an excruciating pace, and is encumbered at times by some very turgid dialogue. Much of it (“No one cares as I care”) thickens like paste in the mouth of amorous Fred Ottenburg, Kronborg’s wealthy Chicago suitor played woodenly by Tony Goldwyn.

The most interesting supporting character here is not Ottenburg but Wunsch. When he leaves Moonstone early on and heads west, much of the story goes south.

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* “Masterpiece Theatre’s American Collection: Song of the Lark” airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. on KCET and KVCR. It will repeat May 6 at 9 p.m. The network has rated it TV-PG (maybe unsuitable for young children).