"The acting is impressive on all fronts...I couldn't help feeling that the opera didn't really jibe with the rest of the play. This wasn't because the singers couldn't pull it off but, for whatever reason, the production felt a little disjointed, and the transitions to opera from the script seemed a little awkward. That being said, this sense of disjointedness was the only serious flaw I found in the play, as the acting, singing, and staging were all exceptionally well done."
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"It is painful to see brilliant text landing flat due to bad direction...Fusion Theatre’s production uses ultra-minimalistic scenic design and mostly modern-day clothing, which seems more like the product of a lazy mind than an artistic decision, and it is ultimately a lost opportunity to make a statement...Even though the arias might seem a bit too long and heavy in the relation to the spoken text and are there are no supertitles, these numbers are the gems of the production."
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"The impact is powerful...The sympathetic Creon brings us to a high point of this production: Groen...What an experience, to hear this full, operatic bass not in a vast opera house but in the intimate setting of, yes, Off-Broadway...If there were no other reason to see this play–and there are many others–Groen’s 'Ella Giammai' would be of itself worth all...The acting is for the most part of high caliber...The operatic music was thought-provoking, enriching and a pleasure to hear."
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"Fusion Theatre’s mission is to merge classical theatre with opera...The technique works very well...O’Dea gives a superb performance as Antigone...Groen, as well, gives a marvelous, complex performance as Creon. In fact, the entire cast is first-rate. O’Dea directs the show, and she keeps it sharp and focused throughout...The staging strips drama to bare truth. She eschews theatricality and gives us a direct honesty...This production is excellent, exquisite, a great success."
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