In the Arizona Opera Company's version of Handel's Baroque opera "Semele," the title character wears fishnet stockings with a hole in the knee, a miniskirt and poofy hair.
She's Madonna circa "Material Girl"; you half expect her to smack bubblegum and belt out "Uh, oh my gawd."
That's intentional; the Arizona Opera Company, in a wholly original production of "Semele" — the company's first-ever foray into Baroque opera — sets the 18th-century piece in the 21st century. It makes sense: The story's about vanity and excess, and we're arguably even more vain and greedy now than they were then.
Instead of being set in the stuffy 18th century, the story unfolds in what appears to be the 1980s. Sisters Semele — played by the stunning soprano Lisa Saffer — and Ino — sung breathtakingly beautifully by mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, who also sings the role of Juno — are at odds over a man, Athamas (countertenor David Walker). Semele has him and doesn't want him, and Ino wants him but can't have him.
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So Semele seeks refuge in the arms of Jupiter (played by tenor Scott Ramsay), which really tweaks Juno's nerves. So she cons Semele into forcing her new lover to make her immortal like him. He warns her it will hurt, but she insists and Semele goes up in a puff of smoke.
That clears the way for Ino to tell Athamas that she loves him. Reluctantly, he loves her, too, so they kiss, get the blessing from Jupiter and learn from him that his and Semele's union will produce a new god, Bacchus.
The Arizona Opera Company brought in the triple-threat talents of director Chas Rader-Shieber, set and costume designer David Zinn and lighting designer Lenore Doxsee, all making their Arizona debuts. The three, who have worked together 25 years, the last year on this production, dished up Handel in dinnerware designed by Andy Warhol.
The sets featured large War-holesque paintings of eyes, gawdy pink couches, gigantic painted flowers and a living room set in black, gray and white stripes and dots — all designed to bring home our greed for fame, fortune and the trappings.
Baroque purists will have a fit with this production, but fans of more modern opera will delight in the humor brought on by the contemporary take. They will see our lust for celebrity in Semele's desire at all costs to be more godlike, even if it means her own demise — think Botox, fad diets. They'll appreciate the irony in seeing Jupiter's not-so-perfect chest bared through purple silk pajamas he is wearing to seduce Semele. And they'll laugh out loud as Semele dances around a troupe of eight tuxedo-clad young servants holding mirrors before her so she can gaze lovingly at herself.
This is a wonderful production that will make you forget it's based on an opera hundreds of years old.
Review
● Arizona Opera Company's production of "Semele" Friday night at Tucson Music Hall. The production repeats at 2 p.m. today at the Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave., Downtown.
