This Sunday, the Long Beach Opera will present the West Coast Premiere of The Fall of the House of Usher, with music by Philip Glass and lyrics by Arthur Yorinks, at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro. In the starring role of Madeline Usher is Suzan Hanson, a familiar face to LBO regulars. She’s appeared in many other productions over the years, performing as Polly in the Threepenny Opera, Bruenhilde in the Ring Cycle, Pat Nixon in Nixon in China, and the leading role in last season’s Medea.
Hanson is no stranger to the role of Madeline and, in fact, it holds a special meaning for her.
“It’s rather a favorite of mine,” she said. “Interestingly, the role of Madeline was my first professional singing job. I premiered to the piece, so of course it’s close to my heart!
“This production is exciting, not only because I’m revisiting the piece and character, but because [stage director] Ken Cazan has a new interpretation of the piece, and that is always exciting. Newness. Newness with something that one knows well. My colleagues are fabulous and, of course, I love working with Andreas and LBO.
“The Poe short story has many interpretations, and Poe leaves just enough enigma to engage the audience. Glass and Yorinks have also captured that enigmatic quality, and Ken continues it!”
Hanson feels that the divide between modern and classical music has become less significant for opera enthusiasts.
“The music for Usher is, of course minimalistic, since it’s Glass. Glass’ voice, as a composer, has become such a part of our world today that most people won’t find it too ‘new.’ His style of composition, as I said before, really helps create and sustain an eerie world that is so appropriate for Usher.
“As a performer, the music is very challenging, but not in an extreme vocalism kind of way. Not in the way that Verdi or Wagner can be difficult. Glass is rather like Mozart in the need for clean, pristine singing, but it demands even more concentration, since it is so repetitive. Maybe it demands a different kind of concentration. Yes. That is it. A different kind.
“I know the instrumentalists that play his music talk about getting into an almost zen state! Their job is the hardest I think. The orchestra for the work is small. It has just one viola, and that instrument plays almost non stop for the whole work. That’s hard.”
Hanson, freshly graduated from New York University’s MFA Acting program, was invited to audition for a production of Usher being directed by famed avant garde theater legend, Richard Foreman.
“I was thrilled to even be considered. I mean Glass and Foreman! The work was co-produced at ART and Kentucky Opera. We had two casts since we did back to back shows. Philip was there often. The piece was written before we started, but changes were made as we worked on it, which is normal. That production was set in the Victorian era, in a Foreman way. The LBO production is modern day Goth. Both productions address the psychological aspects of the story, but focus on different elements.
“I am enjoying the exploration of this new interpretation, and it is challenging. I’m on stage more than in the other productions I’ve done. In all of those, Madeline most often off stage. So, you see, I get to chew more scenery in this production. Always more satisfying! [laughs]
“Also, the relationship between Madeline and Roderick is very interesting. More of it is played out on stage than in past productions I’ve done. It’s more complex, or maybe more apparently complex. In this production Madeline is seen IN the relationship. In past productions she was even more enigmatic.”
Hanson recognizes that LBO being untethered to a specific performance venue plays a big part in the innovation they’re known for.
“The varying venues help shape the pieces we do, offering new insights, new challenges and, therefore, new solutions. Uniqueness is the hallmark of LBO: Rethinking the status quo, and finding new in the old.”
Still, Hanson trusts that audiences will connect with the production.
“Usher is very lyrical, very beautiful and haunting. Philip has a fantastic theatrical sense as well. I’ve had the good fortune to premier a number of Philip’s operas. Each is beautiful in its own way.”
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For more information about LBO’s boundary-pushing 2013 season, read our season preview here.
For tickets, and information about this and other Long Beach Opera productions, visit LongBeachOpera.org.
To learn more about Suzan, visit SuzanHanson.com.
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