Music Reviews

Jul 25, 2008 - Tolerance lessons in Reno with Hans Krasa's "Brundibar" and such poems from the Holocaust as "I Never Saw Another Butterfly"

By Jack Neal

Thirteen years after its inception, Reno is Artown comes of age with one of its most memorable events - performances of Hans Krasa’s entrancing children’s opera “Brundibar,” coupled with dramatized readings of poems written by children of the Holocaust called “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.”

Hats off to a list of collaborating arts organizations – Nevada Opera Youth Chorus, Reno Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, The Holland Project, Youth ArtWorks, Bruka Theatre – for making this poignant special event a genuine “ceremony of innocence” and a coming of age for Reno’s July Reno is Artown festival.

“Brundibar” and “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” combine to become an extraordinarily humanistic and triumphant achievement.

Krasa’s score, composed in a fairly straight-forward early twentieth century European tradition, is beautifully re-created by the gifted singers of Nevada Opera’s Youth Chorus, and the impressive instrumentalists of the Reno Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. As conducted by Kris Engstrom, a splendid musician who does inspired work with children, it’s my guess that the sweetness and naivete of “Brundibar” is as fully realized as Krasa and his librettist Adolf Hoffmeister could have imagined. (The English libretto heard in Reno is by Joza Karas.)

First performed in Prague in 1938, “Brundibar” was smuggled into Terezin, a notorious Nazi concentration camp used as a showpiece way station before refugees were sent to Auschwitz. At Terezin “Brundibar” was performed by the camp’s children. That “Brundibar” is an allegory about good triumphing over bullying made it a PR coo for Third Reich propaganda that masked the camp’s real purpose for visitors such as the Red Cross. How could visiting adults watch children in such an environment and be so fooled? Sometime in 1943 and 1944 at Auschwitz, Krasa and most of “Brundibar’s” Terezin cast were murdered.

Ela Weissberger, one of the survivors of the Terezin cast, is in Reno to comment about her experiences at Terezin. She sang the Cat in the camp’s presentation. Also in Reno to comment about the Holocaust at these performances is Stephen Nasser, an Auschwitz survivor. The power of the messages of what Reno’s young people have so skillfully re-created is movingly enhanced by Mrs. Weissberger’s and Mr. Nasser’s presence and comments.

“Brundibar” is about two children, Annette (Anna Scarbrough) and Little Joe (Aren Long), whose mother is ill and needs milk. The children have no money but notice an organ-grinder, Brundibar (Jenna Sims), making money from passers by. Brundibar is a bully and thinly-disguised fascist. Annette and Joe sing for the money they need, but are chased away by Brundibar.

Three animals come to their aid – Sparrow (Hannah Maxwell), Cat (Hannah Blayney) and Dog (Jill Engstrom). Annette and Joe call on the village’s other children, who join forces as a singing group to make money for milk. Now the tables are turned. The children chase Brundibar, who has stolen their money, and get their money back. Ice Cream Man (Roshan Izadi), Baker (Gracie Wood), Milkman (Riss Clopton), Policeman (CJ Hockenbury) flesh out the opera’s cast of principals.

All of the performances – principals, chorus, orchestra – are first-rate. And first-rate is especially important when the roles re-created were the last creative acts for virtually all of the children in the now legendary and historic (55 performances) Terezin cast. The music’s mood swings, from a rustic hymn to spring to an ode to milk in Yiddish musical style, are impressively brought off.

Androo Allen’s direction is disciplined (the children are very assured) and leans on the desperation of two sweet children surviving evil as grim as a Brothers Grimm fairytale. The set, with a fence that suggests incarceration and painted flats that suggest lost homes, captures both prison oppression and folk tale innocence.

“I Never Saw Another Butterfly” follows (after intermission) the 35-minute “Brundibar.” Played in front of projections and videos of war scenes and artwork from children imprisoned at Terezin with emotionally engaging musical underscoring, an excellent seven-member cast – Chris Branum, Maya Hatsubai, Sarah Collin, Sam O’Brian, Corey McDowell, David Rodriguez and Lanaie Kintzler – quote a collection of poetry, all of it written by the largely soon-to-be-exterminated children of Terezin.

Credit should go to many adults for teaming together for these very special presentations of “Brundibar” and “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” The principal driving force has been William “Bill” Russell, executive director of Nevada Opera. Bravo to him especially for this work of love. It is Nevada Opera’s finest contribution to the Reno is Artown festival. Unfortunately, Mr. Russell is leaving Nevada Opera. It’s fitting that his last endeavor for Nevada Opera and the arts in Reno is one of Northern Nevada’s most impressive performing arts achievements.

Bill Russell will be missed.

“Brundibar” and “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” can be experienced July 20 and 26 (2008) at 2 p.m., and July 22, 23, 24 (the performance reviewed), 25 (2008) at 5:30 p.m. at South Side School, 190 East Liberty Street, Reno, Nevada, and July 21 (2008) at 7 p.m. in Wingfield Park, at First and Arlington Streets, Reno, Nevada. For information and other Nevada Opera events call 775-786-4046. For other Reno is Artown events call 775-322-1538.