<<  -- 3 --  Maria Nockin    VOCALLY AND VISUALLY SPECTACULAR

Another character whose appearance seemed Ring-related was Unferth, the would-be hero played to the hilt by Jay Hunter Morris. Blonde and muscular, he looked like he could defeat the monster but his character lacked adequate courage and ran away when a laughing Grendel pelted him with fruit. Unferth may not be Siegfried, but Morris, who sang Eric in Arizona Opera's The Flying Dutchman, is a fine tenor who is quite capable of singing Wagner as well as Goldenthal.

As The Shaper, a troubadour who put a pro-human, pro-mechanization slant on the news, Richard Croft's lines were more lyrical than most. With its honeyed sound, his light voice was an effective contrast to the bass tones of Grendel and the King. Appearing only in Act II, Laura Claycomb as Queen Wealtheow flooded the hall with her radiant beauty and exquisite high notes. Beowulf was portrayed by dancer Desmond Richardson as an enormously courageous super-hero. He grasped Grendel by the arm and smashed his head, causing the monster to hurl himself into the abyss.

The well trained chorus of William Vendice helped bring to life the power of this piece while Goldenthal's unusual orchestration was underscored by the rhythmically alert conducting of Steven Sloane. Art is not always pretty or melodic and this piece is neither, but it certainly does command the attention of a serious audience.