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The Dicator's Wife at WNO | reviewed by Karren LaLonde Alenier | Scene4 Magazine | February 2017 |  www.scene4.com

Karren LaLonde Alenier

Thirty-four years of marriage 

We may not share our dreams, 

We have different visions for the country, 

But we share the same bathroom. 

 

Washington National Opera under its American Opera Initiative Festival commissioned and premiered The Dictator’s Wife with music by Mohammed Fairouz and libretto by Mohammed Hanif. Directed by Ethan McSweeney and under the baton of conductor Nicole Paiement, this one-hour opera is a current day satire featured in two performances in the Kennedy Center’s Family Theater. This reviewer saw the final show January 15, 2017.

 

What stood out was the libretto and the vocal and acting performance by mezzo-soprano Allegra De Vita as The First Lady (also known as Herself in conjunction with the dictator who only is referred to as Himself). The story takes place on the First Couple’s wedding anniversary while protesters are assembled outside their residence and The Dictator has locked himself in the john. The audience only sees his suit and never sees or hears him on stage.

 

The-Dictators-Wife-2--cr

 

The Mrs. throws roses around the stage, exasperated that her husband has sent her 5,000 flowers. She is aware of the poverty and discontent among his subjects. Eventually she invites them into their living quarters. These characters are known as I-Will-Sell-My-Children Mom (soprano Leah Hawkins), Give-Me -Cheap-Petrol Protestor (tenor Rexford Tester), and Death Row Dad (bass Timothy J. Bruno). The First Lady’s allies—Ms. Holy (soprano Ariana Wehr) and Aide-de-camp/ADC (baritone Hunter Enoch)—do what they can to comfort her but she knows about the plastic briefcase containing the “ultimate deterrent” that leads to blowing people up. And this box is intimately related to why the dictator is taking Me time on the toilet.

 

The-Dictators-Wife-1-cr---p

 

First Lady 

When you’re forced to bugger two hundred million people, 

You need time to recover 

After you have rigged the elections 

After all your positive actions, 

You need a few moments of self reflection. 

That’s when you need some Me time

 

Ms. Holy 

Why did I do this? 

And Why’d I do that? 

Was the carpet bombing really necessary? 

Or was it Wednesday? 

A very slow news day? 

Had I needed a headline

After all of that, don’t you think I need some Me time… 

 

At story end, Herself has pulled off a coup with her scissors. It’s her “surprise gift” to her husband and she takes over his position reinforcing what he started. The Dictator’s Wife is a dose of over-the-top reality and no one in Family Theater was laughing.

 

McSweeny’s direction both on and off the stage worked well. The cast was spot on for precision of movement and sound. Fairouz’s music is accessible and pleasant but not cohesive in a way that the individual compositions form a recognizable character. It seems like the words drove the style of music which could be suggestive of a ticking minimalism, a squonky riff for brass instruments, an easy-on-the-ears pop soundscape, etc.

 

Photos - Scott Suchman

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Scene4 Magazine — Karren Alenier

Karren LaLonde Alenier's most recent book is
The Steiny Road to Operadom: The Making of American Operas. She is a Senior Writer for Scene4.
Read her Blog.
For her other commentary and articles,
check the Archives.

©2017 Karren LaLonde Alenier
©2017 Publication Scene4 Magazine

 

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February 2017

Volume 17 Issue 9

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