Folk Tales, Forgery, and Falsetto: Calgary Opera’s 2025 Double Feature
By Ilana van der Merwe, April 7 2025—
I sat in complete silence, holding my breath with 2,500 others. It was not until applause started nearly half a minute later that I remembered I was in the Jubilee Auditorium and not in Bluebeard’s castle.
From April 6th, 9th, and 11th, Calgary Opera presents a curated double feature: Bluebeard’s Castle followed by Gianni Schicchi. The selected works compliment each other through opposing thematic elements. Bluebeard’s Castle by Bartók and Balázs follow the folk tale by Charles Perrault. A story that comments on existential and inevitable loneliness, Bluebeard’s Castle is dark and isolated. Gianni Schicchi is a story centering around familial and romantic love. This story questions the similarly influential nature of love and property as assets, and looks to poke fun at unconventional families who do the same.
It takes a certain artistic excellency to capture a viewer so completely in immersion as to delay applause and to follow this performance with a piece so comedic as to evoke constant waves of laughs from a previously silent audience. Calgary Opera toys with its audiences, reminding them that opera is a diverse experience, as well as an underestimated artform.
This telling of Bluebeard’s Castle follows the interaction of Bluebeard and his new lover, Judith, as they test the boundaries of their relationship. Judith, a symbol of light and hope, suffers in the dark and damp walls of Bluebeard’s castle. As the door closes, Judith turns to the seven arches, asking for the keys to explore the castle. Time after time, Judith convinces Bluebeard to provide her the key to each of these caverns, revealing both marvels and horrors. The orchestrations of this piece are surreal and transportive. The rich vocals of Giuseppe Altomare as Bluebeard are soul-stirring, and the execution of this character is so convincing as to elicit empathy from audiences. Judith is both an expository character and love interest, and is the probing action for the development of this story. As the audience connects to this character, the ending of this becomes increasingly hopeless. Sara Gartland’s Judith is naive and loveable, and pleads for light on behalf of the audience. The partner work of Altomare and Gartland plays perfect homage to the original tale, while also transforming this work through personal interpretations.
Bluebeard’s Castle sets the tone of the night. Curtains open to a magnificent set. From floor to inches away from the ceiling are seven, stone imitation gothic arches. Each arch leads to a black abyss, ominous and dark. As Bluebeard walks onto the set, the slimmest beam of light illuminates his face, but leaves the stage in shadow. Even in a theatre full of audience and orchestra it is almost uncomfortable how alone you feel looking at this set.
However, I am of the opinion that this is the championing tool for the atmosphere of this opera Lighting. Scott Reid as set, projection and lightning designer bends imagination to illuminate this story — just as any good storyteller would. I have never been so absolutely immersed in a set which was never dressed with more than five artists, and I attribute this to the meticulous and imaginative use of lighting. The last visual of this Opera was striking. Leaving the set completely dark, enough to hide all seven arches, a single sharp light illuminates the face of Bluebeard, allowing the audience to truly experience Bluebeard’s haunting stare.
After a short intermission, the curtains rise on a 1920s mansion. The set change is unbelievable. Dressed with detailed wallpapers, pink tinted windows and a cast dressed in mourning coats, the energy of Bluebeard’s castle has been entirely altered. With hanky in hand, the feigned snorts and crocodile tears of this cast show audiences that it is okay to laugh. This was especially useful considering the aforementioned tragedy of Bluebeard’s Castle. This plot is charming and the characters are charismatic. After a great uncle leaves his wealth to a local monastery, a family invites Gianni Schicchi in hopes of securing these assets through forgery. This work is comedic and colourful, which serves as a complimentary flavour to the dark and somber atmosphere of Bluebeard’s Castle. The famous ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’ was gracefully performed by Kirsten LeBlanc and was rewarded with much applause and whistles from the audience throughout. Hearing a masterpiece like this live was a fantastic experience, and I would recommend attending this Opera for this performance alone. The sweet nature of the love songs strung throughout this Opera make for a hopeful conclusion to this double-bill event.
For more information on Calgary Opera’s 2025-2026 season or for tickets, be sure to access their website.