The world premiere of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" at the Jacobs School of Music kicked off to a chorus of praise, with operagoers calling it "profound" and "unique."
Operagoers said that and more about the world premiere and second night of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” an opera by renowned composer Mason Bates and librettist Gene Scheer in coproduction with one of the world’s premier operatic institutions, The Metropolitan Opera. The premiere on Friday night kicked off one of four performances on the stage of the Jacobs School of Music’s Musical Arts Center. The opera featured a double cast of 29 students spanning two nights, 17 student actors and dancers, an opera chorus of 40 students, and The Music School’s Philharmonic Orchestra.
“This is an opportunity for (The Jacobs School of Music) to step into the limelight on a national and international scale and make the university proud,” Jacobs Dean Abra Bush said.
The opera, set in the early days of World War II, tells the story of a refugee and artist named Josef leaving his family behind in what is soon to become German- occupied Prague, with the intention to make money in America and help bring his family out of occupation as well. Josef makes a life with his cousin Sam in New York, where they begin to write comic books together. Along the way, Josef and Sam meet other lead roles like Rosa and Tracy. Split between three places — an occupied and war-torn Europe, a booming cultural scene of New York City, and a world of superheroes and comic books — the story explores the historical scene of the time in relation to concepts of deep connections and loss, persecution, love, and the journey of discovering one’s own identity. The opera also features lighter scenes, including a comical portrayal of 20th century artist Salvador Dalí.
Michael Varilla, a master’s student performing a lead role as Sam Clay on the second night, said he and his castmates have all aspired to work with the Metropolitan Opera.
“It’s been a dream come true,” Varilla said. “We got the opportunity at school to do that, which I never thought I’d get. That is IU, it’s just what we get here. It’s been amazing. I’ve learned a lot and just grown a lot.”
Bush told the IDS that the Metropolitan Opera staff were impressed with the students, both on the stage and in the pit.
The Metropolitan Opera and professional artists working with students spoke to the monumental nature of the premiere and the incredible cooperation between departments. Conductor Michael Christie said this is an opportunity that no other school has.
“(The Jacobs School) has all the fundamental departments and a volume of students in each department that can support all this kind of activity,” Christie said. “I think it’s truly remarkable.”
Librettist Gene Scheer, the author of the opera’s text, said the show was an incredible experience, saluting the students’ talent.
“We got a great sense of what this show is and what it could be,” he said. “Because it was performed so well, we have a really good understanding of what to fiddle with to make it better, but we’re very pleased with how it all went and gratitude for this incredible opportunity.”
Students also got to work with Production Director and Tony award-winner Bartlett Sher, hailed by The New York Times as one of the America’s “most original and exciting directors.” Sher spoke to the tight conditions that went into putting the production together while also praising the students while also praising the students
“([We)] were very tight in terms of time; I didn’t really know these kids at all,” Sher said. “But happily, and amazingly, the kids were incredible on every level, from singers and performers to production, and we pulled off an extraordinary thing for the conditions in which we work in opera, and the devotion, care and intelligence of the kids was amazing.”
The opera will be shown at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City next year.
The artistic staff of the Metropolitan Opera will return to the music school in January to hold a workshop of “In the Rush” by Carlos Simon, an African American composer and composer-in-residence at the Kennedy Center.
“The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” will have two more performances before Thanksgiving break, both at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21-22 at the IU Musical Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased online at the Jacobs School of Music website, over the phone or at the Musical Arts Center box office.
