"The Tree" An Urbane Opera Will Melt Your Soul

"The Tree" an urbane opera, is the Los Angelesreality of the present day urbane mall sprawl, Jessisa
Theatre Center's last and final production before beingand Frank together, struggle for survival on many
transformed into The Latino Museum of History, Artlevels. To give away all the twists and turns of this plot
and Culture and The Latino Theatre. We are gratefulwould be unfair, but I do suggest reading the synopsis
for this transformation, to see the loss of a theater is ain the program before curtain, as with any opera or
punch in the gut to theater lovers. It is wonderful toshow to help prepare your mindset. From the moment
know that the Latino Arts Community is steppingI heard the dissonant overture with its' moving
forward to offer such a rich history to explore and achordage of acoustic piano and punchy percussion, I
renewed arts life shall emerge.knew I was in for an emotional ride. Funky, bold,
"The Tree" is a fantastically worthy farewell to thisoperatic, jazzy, Baroquey to Broadway influenced,
glorious but neglected theater house. "The Tree" isLinda Dowdell, would make every major musical
overall a magnificent production, with just a couple ofsongwriter and arranger proud. She is a powerhouse
suggestions here and there that prevent me from aof musical expression and uses her talents as a
total gush. Don't let the word "opera" pigeonhole yourserious playground of musical stylings, from
thoughts or preconceive your notions to scare youclassical-like, witty marches, sprawling waltzes, musical
away from a melting pot of creativity that draws youtheatre chattiness, and operatic ballads. Using rich,
into this poignant, poetic, clever, witty and movingcomplex, multi- harmonies and chordal modulations that
storyline. This production is as contemporary as theyknow how to manipulate an emotion, you will marvel at
come, with bejeweled and eclectic costuming bythe musical diversity.(Is there nothing this woman can't
Karen Kiisel, who adds a nutmeggy kind of visualitywrite?) Ms. Dowdell, a New York basedcomposer
that will delight and surprise. Feng Sheuish set designarranger/musical/director conductor, clearly is versatile
by Tanya Kovaleski, Max Hendler and Claire Keith willin many musical stylings. She is best known for her ten
tickle your imagination. Extravagant lush libretto writtenyears of performances with artists such as (too many
and directed by Peter Wing Healey, is nothing less thanto name) Yo -Yo Ma and Mikhail Baryhnikov, for The
stunningly brilliant. Mr. Wing Healey, a world renownedWhite Oak Dance Project, original pianist and musical
expressive, prophetic, distinctive, ballet/modern dancedirector, tenured pianist and musical director of the
master, choreographer/librettist/writer/ director/Mark Morris Dance Group and worked with The
visionary and founder of "The Mesopotamian OperaMesopotamian Opera with her 1991 opera "Norma" (
Company, whose operas have been performed inseems like Wing Healey and Dowdell were destined to
such venues as The R.A.P.P. Arts Center and Alicecreate something grand.) Dowdell is a recipient of
Tully Hall, (to name a few), has gotten much notice in"Performa" and "Meet The composer" grants, a
various prestigious theater publications, the dance,Tribecca Performing Arts Center Artist - in -
theater and opera world worldwide. His operas andResidence 2004-2005 (New York). If that doesn't grab
plays include "The Mummy" "Jane Heir" "Sunsetyou, meet the trees, who anthropomorphize, come
Salome" "The Ben Franklin Opera "Thyestes' Feast"alive, and express themselves through a combination
and now "The Tree''. Mr. Wing Healey, worked both asof lyrical and modern dance movement creating the
primary dancer and rehearsal director for the infamousmany moods and wittiness of these uprooted foliage.
Mark Morris Dance Group, known for their stunningThe cast, Superb magical voices! Soaring! Chill inspiring!
modern dance works and The White Oak ProjectMost of the actors played two and three roles, save
with legendary Mikhail Bayshnikov, as balletmaster, andfor the leads, Mathew Edwardsen, as the architect
on the John Adams/Peter Sellers opera "Nixon inand Lucia Lynn (sharing with Khorshed Dastoor) as the
China" at The Houston Grand Opera. (Need I saySpirit. The duets between Edwardsen and Lynn were
more.) His screenplay "Grand Central" was given abreathtaking. Mayra Bassaraba as the tree Tolorosa
rare reading and "Thyestes' Feast" was published (inDellaroyo is also to be singled out for her alto work.
part) after winning The Papotage Writer's Competition."THE TREE" spearheaded by Peter Wing Healey and
"The Tree"The re-telling of an important ancient ShintoLinda Dowell has also given "growth" to the
myth is the premise of this unusual show combinedcontinuation of collaboration between Ms. Dowdell and
with the Americans' view point of our present dayPeter Wing Healey. Their shared backgrounds in
,"gotta have more", "gotta have it now","nothing is everdance and opera, have inspired both of these virtuoso
good enough", egoist attitude, "The Tree" will surelycreatives towards a rhythmic, moving, modern
turn your thoughts inward as you feel the pathos forinnovation, theatrical extravaganza of a grand
the spirit of the tree, Jessica, an aging oak, rooted on astorytelling and a message that will melt your heart,
ridge, outside a small town. The soul of this wondrousopen your eyes and spirit to a world message of the
tree falls in love with a poetic young man Frank, anpossiblitiesof our future. This show has all the potential
architect (convenient?) trying to find their way in theof becoming a classic!