Santiago Pardo Sanchez

Assorted thoughts on the Boston Lyric Opera’s The Seasons.

• I think, by definition, art about climate change is bad art. It’s too preachy and geared to an audience that already agrees, it thinks it’s more clever than it is, and it’s boring and predictable. This production was interesting because it was the first post-climate change work I’ve seen. It’s about the world after we missed our climate goals and how life goes on, but also how our lives are framed by the effects of climate change. I’m curious how this would have landed had Kamala won, because it felt like the first true Trump II cultural artifact. 
• Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was fresh. It was perfectly paced. It was modern. It was a great time. 
• On language
  • English does great with Vivaldi’s baroque music. The very modern, crisp, and concise libretto fits perfectly with Vivaldi, because the Anglo-Saxon words gives the music room to bloom.
  • The blending of Italian and Latin was good, but Vivaldi got lost when the aria would include an Italian/Latin verse since the words blended so well with the music.
• Twink sex scene was too indulgent but that’s because I knew something I shouldn’t have. Ahem.
• Old people didn’t like it, very much geared to a younger crowd. All the people over 50 in my row did not return from intermission. This is a huge compliment. 
• Staging / choreography
  • Staging was really simple but I loved it
  • The lighting of certain scenes made the surtitles disappear. This usually would have been fine with an opera sung in English, but the surtitles provided unsung narration that the audiences missed. 
  • Staging of the second act was blinding and a net negative. I could see (metaphorically) what they were trying to do, but it’s been forty minutes since the show and my eyes still hurt from it. I think this was a real detriment. 
  • The “headless” dancing was a clever usage of the lights
  • Lots of ballet, 90% was good
• Overall choices
  • I did not expect the twink love story to be centered so prominently. This was pretty mid.
  • The performance artist (Whitney Morrison) should have been featured more, they kept her on reserve and it was a shame because she was the best singer.
  • Painter twink (Kangmin Justin Kim) and the choreographer (Alexis Peart) were technically part of the cast but ended up being totally forgettable. 
  • Weather man (Brandon Cedel) stole the show
  • The flood scene gave me permanent eye damage 
  • The final chorus with the secret children’s choir was a trip and sadly everyone’s retinas were burned off from the flood to appreciate it fully.
• To repeat myself: Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was fresh. It was perfectly paced. It was modern. It was a great time.