Chicago Opera TH THE LIFE AND DEATH(S) OF ALAN TURING

By the time of this dramatic juncture in the opera, we are firmly bonded to the famed mathematician Alan Turing, brought to life by baritone Jonathan Michie. In this writer’s opinion, Michie’s considerable vocal talent is more than matched by his acting chops and especially his body awareness at all times. He knows how to use his lanky frame to telegraph Turing’s teen awkward years or hunch over in his mad-scientist-at-work experiment fury. Although you too might agree that choosing to start the opera with his death scene was one of many unfortunate script choices, it did indeed give Michie the chance to do a 2.0 update of an opera dying scene more than once—showcasing his physical acting prowess.

There are quite a few cast members who match Michie’s magnetism and compelling vocal performance, in this reviewer’s opinion. Most of the score highlights come via duets and trios, and the two tenor counterpoints to Michie’s baritone are especially engaging. These are tenor Joseph Leppek as Michie’s first love and soul mate, and Justin Berkowitz as Arnold, the male prostitute in search of a warm bed and meal who triggers the chain of events that bring about Turing’s demise. Librettist David Simpatico and composer Justine F. Chen especially give Berkowitz a lot to work with—a different voice, in all senses, giving our ears an oasis to renew interest in both the music and plot line.

You too might agree that it is the murmuring chorus sitting atop the action, somewhat reminding of a muffled Balinese Monkey chant, that does the most to make The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing a unique and memorable addition to the opera canon. Positioned like a Greek Chorus to observe most of the action, their commentary often comes in gurgles, partnering in and out with a moving word cloud reel (Projection Designer: Anthony Churchill). Bits, byte, homosexual, zeroes, ones, enigma code, chat and more—it sometimes fades into a vibrating static reminding of oldie TV stations when they ended their broadcasts for the day.

Chicago Opera Theater Commitment to New Works

On opening night, the audience was thick with appreciative enthusiasts for this milestone production, which COT helped to nurture to its current form. Unfortunately, this reviewer was not similarly impressed—finding this later iteration of the music clinging to a narrower band than the earlier workshop, and the telling of Turing’s tale relatively de-fanged from its real-world drama by choosing to preach instead of show, save the aforementioned court scene and choice of a grossly indecent hypodermic needle prop to say without saying.