“Florencia en el Amazonas” reviewed by Jacob Davis

Highly Recommended ***** If you didn’t know music can sound humid, you will after Florencia en el Amazonas. The 1996 opera by Daniel Catán makes its Amazon setting the central aspect of a plot that is original but inspired by the mystical literary style of Gabriel Garcia Márquez. It’s easily one of the most popular modern operas, and now it has become the first Spanish-language opera to be given a full production as part of the Lyric’s main season. Set on a riverboat in the early twentieth century, the show is a character study of the small band of passengers and crew, each of whom are lost in their own way until being transformed in the steamy waters.

The world-renowned soprano Florencia Grimaldi (Ana María Martínez) has never performed in her hometown of Manaus until now. The crewman Riolobo (Ethan Vincent) comments that the remote Brazilian city hasn’t had much going on at its opera house, and that most of the people on the boat are going to Manaus for the treat of hearing Florencia reopen it. Rosalba (Gabriella Reyes), who has succeeded as an independent woman so far by living on her writing skills, hopes to gain material for a biography of the notoriously reclusive diva. Paula (Deborah Nansteel) and Alvaro (Levi Hernandez), a middle-aged couple, do nothing but bicker and hope Florencia’s voice will restore some beauty to their lives. Arcadio (Mario Rojas), the captain’s nephew, despairs of wasting his youth piloting what is basically a glorified bus, no matter how much his uncle (Raymond Aceto) might like to act like an Age-of-Sail adventurer. As for Florencia, who is traveling under a false name, she hopes to reconcile with Cristobál, her lover and music teacher, whom she surpassed and left to become a star while he stayed in the Amazon. She hadn’t meant to stay away for so long, but eventually it become more awkward to return than not to, and now, twenty years have gone by since they last saw each other. He may not even still be alive.

If Catán’s Amazon is less hostile than Werner Herzog’s, it’s no less of an underworld. River spirits played by ballet dancers frolic around the boat. Mostly they’re mischievous and occasionally helpful, but they can also become dangerous for no apparent reason. Catán’s orchestrations, conducted by Jordan de Souza in a Lyric debut, include marimbas and frequent uses of timpani, painting a lush image of a powerful, murky river. Director Francesca Zambello has assembled an outstanding design team for this original production including set designer Peter J. Davidson, whose rotatable steamboat is in constant interplay with the dancers. The lights by Mark McCullough are just as beautiful and occasionally sinister as the music, and another timely reminder of the unique capacities of live theatre.

Although Florencia’s creators use the term “magical realism” to describe its genre, another one of its significant traits is psychological realism. On that front, it’s hard to imagine a better cast of singing actors. Vincent’s Riolobo clearly knows he’s overdramatic and plays it up to charm the guests; Nansteel and Hernandez’s aging couple can’t help taking jibes at each other over everything from whose idea the boat trip was to what wine goes with reptiles. Martínez, who has matured into playing Florencia since having played Rosalba during the early years of this opera, seems almost made for the role. Her Florencia is no less human for her tremendous talents and having the aspirations of the other travelers projected onto her, and though she is ambivalent about her fame, she remains as enraptured as ever by the act of singing. During her interactions with Reyes’ Rosalba she even seems like a mother who is still amazed and surprised by her daughter. Florencia en el Amazonas is a show that is filled with dramatic irony, wistfulness, and humor. It is also one that stands out for warmth of feeling.

Florencia en el Amazonas will continue at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago, thru November 28, with the following showtimes:
November 21 2:00 pm
November 26 7:00 pm
November 28 2:00 pm

Running time is two hours and five minutes with one intermission.
Performances are in Spanish with English supertitles.

The Lyric offers parking deals with Poetry Garage at 201 W Madison St. if inquired about in advance.

Tickets start at $39; to order, visit LyricOpera.org or call 321-827-5600.
To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Florencia en el Amazonas.”