Opera Review: Mozart, Occupied

New York Opera Exchange opens a Così on Wall St.
by Paul Pelkonen

Mozart: 18th century anarchist.
Photoshopped by the author.

The New York Opera Exchange is the latest example of a recent surge of small community opera companies that provide a venue for young conservatory singers on the way up. On Sunday evening at the Church of the Covenant, the NYOX offered the fourth and final performance of its first full opera production: Mozart's Così fan tutte.

Director Cameron Marcotte presented a reworked and updated version of this comedy, moving the action to Wall Street, specifically in the year 2011 as the canyons of lower Manhattan echoed with the clatter of percussion and the crunch of police batons. Here, the whole cast become employees of Don Alfonso, whose cynical nature fits his new role as a Wall Street CEO.

In Mr. Marcotte's update. Ferrando (Jeffery Taveras) and Gugliemo (Joseph Beckwith) are would-be masters of the universe, junior analysts at Don Alfonso's corporation. The Don (Jason Cox) sexually harasses Despina and thinks that all of his employees are idiots.

He might be right.

The Occupation of Lincoln Center

This is what a guy with a sign looks like.'

I'm not actually at Lincoln Center tonight--am home after seeing Avanti! perform at Carnegie Hall. But since I'm home and on WiFi, I'm following the story on Twitter. I thought it would be interesting to share what's going on.

This is what the death of freedom looks like. Photo by Lauren Flanigan.

So the police have barricaded off Josie Robertson Plaza (that's the main plaza with the fountain. The New York Philharmonic let out around 10:30 and attendees were asked to leave quickly and ushered off the plaza.

This is what the end of free speech looks like.

There has been one arrest, a man who was holding up copies of the Occupied Wall Street Journal. There he is surrounded by a swarm of cops.

This is what freedom to assemble looks like.

With the Plaza blocked off, protestors have lined up along Broadway. Composer Philip Glass, whose opera Satyagraha is being played tonight for the final time this season, read a prepared statement:

Philip Glass, reading a statement. Photo by Michael Kink.

Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed also addressed the crowd. Here's a transcript of Mr. Reed's statement from the mic check:

"I'm a musician in New York. I've played all over. I was born in Brooklyn. But I've never been more ashamed than to see the barricades tonight. The police are our army. I want to be friends with them I want to Occupy Wall Street. I support it in each and every way. I'm proud to be part of this. Thank you."
--Lou Reed, addressing the General Assembly at #OccupyLincolnCenter.