Lyric Opera revives flawed gem 'Carousel' in stellar fashion
With its magnificent revival of "Carousel," Lyric Opera of Chicago has accomplished what few other theaters ever will, which is to showcase the grand and glorious score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein with a full complement of strings, woodwinds and brass most theatergoers are unlikely to hear outside an opera house or symphony hall.
The 37-piece orchestra, masterfully conducted by David Chase, is one of the great pleasures of this production, the third in Lyric's ongoing American Musical Theater Initiative showcasing Rodgers and Hammerstein shows.
There are other delights as well, beginning with Steven Pasquale's moody, charismatic carousel barker Billy Bigelow and Laura Osnes' comely millworker Julie Jordan, a young woman wise beyond her years whose slender frame contradicts her enormous inner strength.
Their unlikely romance animates the 1945 tale of love and loss, repentance and redemption inspired by Ferenc Molnar's early 20th-century play, "Liliom." One of the first tragic musicals, "Carousel" addresses poverty, class and domestic violence, which - because it is so easily dismissed - remains this classic musical's most troubling element.
The suggestion from one character that "it's possible that someone can beat you and beat you and beat you and not hurt you at all" is unpardonable. As abhorrent today as it was 70 years ago, it's the reason why, in good conscience, I cannot give "Carousel" a perfect review.
That said, director/choreographer Rob Ashford's seductive, unsentimental yet darkly compelling production - set during the Depression - comes about as close to perfect as it gets. Ashford lures us in during the splendid "Carousel Waltz" where a ringmaster entices the residents of a small New England town to the traveling carnival. They follow unblinking, enchanted by the strongman, the juggler, the dancers and. of course, the carousel, owned by Mrs. Mullins (the terrific Charlotte D'Amboise) and operated by Billy. He's a rogue with a reputation for taking advantage of naive young women, whose budding interest in Julie plays out during the opening pantomime.
The more I contemplated Ashford's staging and his intriguing, equine-inspired choreography, the more it impressed me. And if some of the choral numbers felt a bit static, the sparks generated during Billy and Julie's extended duet "If I Loved You" - perhaps theater's most seamless pairing of song and spoken word - and the extraordinary ballet (featuring exquisite dancing by Abigail Simon and Martin Harvey) compensated for it.
Also impressive is the beguiling set - a dreamy work of art seemingly inspired by 19th-century Europe - by Italian artist Paolo Ventura in his theatrical debut.
Then there are the performances. Pasquale, who has a voice as powerful as he is handsome, is superb as the casually cruel Billy, who overcomes his self-loathing to save the child he never met. His impassioned, showstopping "Soliloquy" warranted every bit of the sustained applause.
The lovely voiced Osnes appears delicate, but appearances deceive. Her Julie is no pushover. She knows her own mind and accepts the consequences of her actions. Brava.
Equally determined is Jenn Gambatese's ever-loyal Carrie, Julie's best friend, who is engaged to the upwardly mobile Enoch Snow (Matthew Hydzik, a fine singer who brings nuance to what would otherwise be a caricature). From her soaring vocals to her canny comic timing, Gambatese is a delight.
Jarrod Emick brings a cool criminality to the sailor turned thief Jigger Craigin. And film and Broadway veteran Tony Roberts delivers a homespun wisdom to his cameo as The Starkeeper, who grants Billy one day to make right the wrongs he's done.
In a production with a cast of Broadway and opera veterans - all of whom possess indisputably gorgeous voices - one performer stands apart: opera singer Denyce Graves as Julie's cousin Nettie Fowler. The power of Graves' luxurious mezzo-soprano is unmatched, and her rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" - that sobering testament to faith and perseverance - sends a chill up the spine. It is one of the many remarkable moments that define this stellar revival of a flawed gem.
“Carousel”
★ ★ ★ ½
Location: Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, (312) 827-5600 or
Showtimes: Various times and dates through May 3
Running time: About three hours, with intermission
Tickets: Start at $29
Parking: Nearby pay parking garages and metered street parking
Rating: For teens and older; contains mature subject matter, some violence