North Carolina Opera Presents FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS Review — Wiggling Chorus Steals the Show

Whomever coined the adage about not sharing the stage with a child or puppy didn’t think to include an Amazon River spirit—but they certainly should have!  

Wearing white hooded onesies that created perfect screens for the projections simulating water currents, each chorus member lies in a huddle crossing the front of the stage.  An arm or leg or two or three or four jut out from time to time.  Initially, when they sing, we can’t quite tell if it is really those squiggling random kicking worms that are singing.  When the libretto mentions piranha in the water, it re-frames our view of them.  When storms come, the manic gyrations of the chorus and projections of fast moving water on their bodies get more chaotic and dramatic.  

Bravo to Lighting and Video Designer Barry Steele and Stage Director John Homes who made our day! Bravo too to the chorus members all— and especially those that seemed to get a cardiac workout of bicycle moves in the air over the two hour+ course of the opera.

We join our cast of characters riding on a boat  on the Amazon River.  For those of us who have been on boats on the Amazon River the projections are spot on real—reminding EXACTLY of how close we were to shore and especially when you have to ditch a motor and hop into a canoe.  

The story follows an older couple on the outs with each other; a diva returning to Manaus Brazil to find her long lost love; a would-be biographer of said diva and the frustrated nephew of the ship’s captain who falls for this writer big time.  It’s only the captain who believes life is always moving forward—- the others, in different ways, are stuck looking over their shoulder at where they have been.

While it’s said to be evocative of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ oeuvre, don’t expect anything close to the recent Netflix One Hundred Years of Solitude series.  Yes, there is Love in the Time of Cholera, but not that story.  There is a magical realism wrap-up to the story that you too might expect.  This writer was reminded of Patchett’s Bel Canto as well. 

It doesn’t surprise to read in the program that composer Daniel Catán’s skillset includes TV and film scores as well.  Visually we get to see the percussion section, including a skillful marimba player, stage right. At times these percussionists are using the toolbox of radio play sound effects to make storm noises and such. 

For this writer, there weren't any stick-to-your-soul melodies.  While all of the performers have very pleasing voices, a few didn’t seem loud enough for the hall.  It may be one reason why bass-baritone power voice Richard Ollarsaba is a clear audience favorite.  Then again— no spoiler here— he also gets to wear the coolest costume of the night, maybe even better than the chorus’ projection-catching onesies.