Classic opera from the past

What a pleasure it was to hear Gioacchino Rossini’s famous opera, “The Barber of Seville,” in Portland’s Merrill Auditorium. The production, by PORTopera was given July 25 and 27 at 7:30 p.m., and July 29, at 7 p.m. An afternoon performance, which I attended, is so much easier for my family and others who do not enjoy night driving and parking. That performance was very well attended.

PORTopera’s artistic director, Dona D. Vaughn, wrote a one-page account of this opera on the front page of the excellent program booklet, which included pictures and brief biographies of the cast.

She wrote that “Il Barbiere di Seviglia” is based on the first play in the Figaro trilogy by Beaumarchais, the 18th-century French inventor, arms dealer and revolutionary. Rossini reportedly dashed off the work in 13 days through a combination of all-nighters and the liberal recycling of material from his previous works (and allegedly, other composers’ works as well).

“The Barber of Seville” ranks among the most popular and approachable operas ever written.

An article on Rossini in my “Metropolitan Opera Guide,” 1939, says that he was born in 1792 in Pesaro, Italy, son of the town trumpeter and his wife, a provincial opera singer. Young Rossini studied at the Bologna Conservatory until, at 18, he turned to opera and composed five works in 12 months.

As musical director of the Naples Opera, he was required to write two operas a year. In 1821 he visited Venice, where his personal triumphs equaled his stage successes. Later, he went to Paris as director of Italian Opera and inspector general of singing in France. Here, he finally produced his masterpiece, “Guillaume Tell,” in French. He closed his dramatic career at the age of 38.

He lived in Bologna in retirement. In 1853 he returned to his large circle of Parisian admirers, and died in Ruelle, France, in 1868.

In the PORTopera brochure’s synopsis we read that “the plot covers Count Almaviva’s (also in disguise known as Lindoro and Don Alonzo) wooing of Rosina, who is the ward of the elderly, cranky and greedy Dr. Bartolo. Figaro is engaged by the Count to assist him in gaining access to Rosina and in winning her hand. Dr. Bartolo wishes the young Rosina for himself, primarily to get her considerable dowry. There follow the extraordinary ruses, deceptions, comical situations and characters framed in Rossini’s brilliant music that make this one of the world’s most popular operas.”

PORTopera engages top-notch professional singer/actors from auditions in Maine, New York and Boston. The cast was excellent. In order of appearance, they were: Daniel Cyr, Fiorello; Victor Ryan Robertson, Il Conte D’Almaviva; Lucas Meachem, Figaro (the barber); Lauren McNeese, Rosina; Jan Opalach, Dr. Bartolo; Alizon Hull, Berta; and Craig Hart, Don Basilio.

The conductor, Giovanni Reggioli, was a pleasure to watch, too. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School in New York City. From 1995 to 2001, he served as assistant conductor of the Metropolitan Opera under James Levine. The orchestra numbered about 40 professionals, many of whom play with the Portland Symphony.

The opera was sung in the original Italian, with English translation (printed above the stage).

There was great applause after several arias, and after each act, and especially when the complete cast was on the stage at the end of the opera. It included the soldiers in their white uniforms and red trim. I felt as though the performers were people we really knew after that enjoyable performance.

Back to the past

Woman’s Literary Union members enjoyed the Aug. 4 visit to Scribner’s Mill, Harrison, called “Back to the Past.”

The brochure we received called it a celebration of old-time logging and sawmill operations. There were numerous mill buildings to be explored. It was an opportunity to travel back in time to witness rural life activities of the 1800s. This two-day program, Aug. 4 and 5, was produced by volunteers of Scribner’s Mill Preservation Inc. The campus includes 4 acres.

We arrived at 2 p.m. and first visited the first floor of the homestead. In the kitchen was a very large cookstove, a wooden refrigerator, an early toaster on a shelf on the stove, and a large wooden butter churn. In the dining room was a wood stove, old china on the table and in china closets, and a piano, labeled Baumeister, New York, and the title, “Orchestral Grand,” although it was an upright piano. In the next room, the living room, was another woodstove (the owners were busy filling all these stoves in winter), and a Morris chair, a low couch, a desk, chairs with caned seats and handsome cabinets. The huge and handsome grandfather clock was marked Hoadley, Plymouth.

We walked through several of the old mill buildings, and volunteers were demonstrating several machines. In another building were many pictures of lumbering in early days. They included pictures of logs floating down the river, and men cutting down trees, etc. A lady was busy making a basket. There was a weaving machine set up, too, and old sewing machines were exhibited.

We watched a man outside the buildings, cutting pieces of wood by machine, to shingle size. Nearby, I noticed an old Ford truck, with a license plate saying Maine, 1929. The headlights on the front were enormous, and as I looked inside the open driver’s section, I noticed the very long black brake and steering gear. In back was the long truck section.

The 5 p.m. Pig Roast included small, tender and delicious pieces of the meat, baked kidney beans, cole slaw, soft rolls, beverages, and for dessert, chocolate or white cake. It was an excellent meal. We sat outside at tables near the food counter, where we were served.

It was a pleasant drive up to the Otisfield-Harrison area, too, with miles of woods, still undeveloped.

Past favorite

Today’s recipe is one I found among clippings I have saved. It was in the American Journal, under Food Favorites in Oct. 20, 1971. I wrote then that it came from a friend of my mother, and was on a hand-written card in her file box.

PECAN CRISPS

1/2 cup Spry or Crisco

1/2 cup butter (or margarine)

2 beaten eggs

2-1/2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed

2 cups flour, sifted with 1/3 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon soda baking soda

1 cup pecans, chopped.

Cream together shortening. Add sugar, eggs, then dry ingredients. Fold in the nuts. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake in moderate oven (325 to 350) for 10 minutes.

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