Edward Tulane - Minnesota Opera

photo: Cory Weaver

Opening night of the Opera season is always an exciting time. Getting dressed up, knowing you will be seeing an opera the company thinks is worthy of opening the season. Now imagine that it is not only opening the season, or even opening night, but also a World Premiere! That was how the stage was set when I saw Edward Tulane presented by the Minnesota Opera at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts. 

Edward Tulane is a new opera based on the 2006 book "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" written by Kate DiCamillo. The book was adapted for the stage with a libretto by Mark Campbell, and music by Paola Prestini, conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya, and directed for the MN Opera stage by Eric Simonson. I went in knowing nothing about the story, except that it was about a porcelain rabbit doll. Abilene (soprano Zulimar Lopez-Hernández) gets Edward (tenor Jack Swanson) as a Christmas present from her Grandmother (soprano Elisa Quagliata). The family goes on a trip to Europe (I assume) on the Queen Mary, and during that journey Edward is thrown overboard by some bullies. We then follow Edward through many owners - people who find him and take care of him for a while. Eventually he is found by Lucius Clarke (bass Zachary James), the owner of a Doll Shop. He is repaired, and put out for sale. 

While Edward's adventures are grand, the story is intimate. The story of love. After Abilene is given the doll and named him Edward, her Grandmother comes in to tell her a bedtime story. The story is about a Princess (mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali) who is the most beautiful princess in the world. The King (bass-baritone Nicholas Davis) wants her to marry but she refuses the Prince (tenor Christian Sanders) stating that she doesn't love him. She runs away and runs into a witch (as you do) who asks her who she loves? She states that she doesn't love anyone. The witch (also played by Zachary James) turns her into an animal who is then shot by the men looking for the Princess. At first I didn't really understand why this story was told but I realized that it started the process of showing how important it is to love others - not just to be loved as Abilene loves Edward, but to love back, to give love. One line that resonated was "Love Defies Time" - which sets up the theme for the evening. It is the story of how Edward discovers how to love. While he knew Abilene loved him, and I feel that he loved her in return, his adventures put him in situations where he was loved, and he did love - but also took the love for granted in some ways. I also saw the story as him being hurt by the constant loss of the loved ones until he shuts down and needed to be reminded to "Open your heart, someone will come for you." 

photo: Cory Weaver

The stage has a false proscenium - each side of the stage has cabinets filled with dolls, and this allows the set to be smaller and the action to be more focused toward the center of the stage. For an opera like this, it was perfect. The setting and scenery (Walt Spangler), costumes (Victoria [Vita] Tzykun), make-up (David Zimmerman), and lighting (Marcus Doshi) all of it make for a fantastic show. When Edward is dropped into the ocean he sinks to the bottom - the stage changes from a backdrop of the ocean, and a steamship railing across the front to a black backdrop, a stage size Edward (with the real singing Edward in front), and filled with some amazing jellyfish, and seaweed, and other bright creatures of the sea. The set is kept fairly simple through out, and clearly show where the story is taking place. There is a charming hut raised off the floor, a freight train, a diner, a junkyard, and eventually the doll shop. 

Originally this work was supposed to have played in the 2020 season. Due to the pandemic it was delayed. During that time, to keep interest, and to help keep the project alive a choral suite was adapted from the score and made into a short video. The full works has an amazing cast and chorus, all of whom sounded perfect. Edward is charming and has such a great voice and character. There are many wonderful moments through out the show but one that stuck with me was Abilene holding out a high note while lying down to sleep, and getting softer and softer. It was stunningly gorgeous. Honestly though, beyond that moment it is difficult to pick out any other musical moment as it was so good all the way through. I have a soft spot for the stunning and very moving choral piece at the end of Act One about finding a bright star to lead you home. There is also a charming choral piece towards the top of Act Two that reminded me of the opening of Act Two of Sweeney Todd. Patrons in a diner asking where their food was, wanting their bill, and filling the stage with action and music. 

The original book may have been written for kids, and the opera keeps that intent and opens it up for the whole family.  There are moving moments scattered through out the work, as well as some really funny ones as well. Edwards adventures are exciting for the whole family. I think it is the perfect family opera - easy to follow, great music, fantastic characters, and visually amazing. 

sidebar: I have also seen, and loved Paola Prestini's Aging Magician.