Rumpelstiltskin
Navona, 2021
8/10
The exceptional composer Marti Epstein turns this classic fairytale into a sympathetic opera, where 6 scenes unfold with Aliana de la Guardia (soprano) as Rumpelstiltskin, Britt Brown (mezzo soprano) as Gretchen, Emily Thorner (soprano) as Miller, and Brian Church (baritone) as King.
“Scene I” opens the listen with the soaring soprano against tense strings as a very striking mood is cultivated with a bit of a haunting quality, and “Scene II” follows with an expressive baritone and equally alluring soprano amid the precise string interaction.
"Scene III” and “Scene IV” occupy the middle portion, where the former is pretty and atmospheric, and the latter showcases playful percussion amid a pair of voices telling a very eloquent story. “Scene VI” exits the listen, and is a more bare offering of hypnotic and mesmerizing song craft that fades out with a strategic finish.
On the instrumentation side, Lilit Hartunian plays violin, Stephen Marotto handles cello, Philipp A. Stäudlin brings saxophone, and Mike Williams contributes percussion. Together, they put an exciting twist on the story with evolving harmonic palettes and unpredictable rhythmic pulses that illustrate the depth of Epstein’s vision.
Travels well with: Adrienne Elisha- Anthelion: The Music Of Adrienne Elisha; Trio Casals- Moto Finale