In this Shakespearean comedy, a middle-aged knight (played by John Gladen), tries to improve his financial situation by courting two married women at once (Taylor Hulett, at left, and Ava Price, at right). The ladies decide to teach him a lesson, setting off a series of high jinks. (Photo by So-Min Kang)
IN EARLY MARCH 2020, the cast of Portland State Opera’s production of Otto Nicolai’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” was deep in music rehearsals, preparing for an April opening. Students were thrilled to be a part of a fully staged opera—a high point of their academic careers.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the production to a swift halt on March 13, 2020. The cancellation came as a blow.
“To be honest, it was really crushing,” recalls Reid Duhrkoop, a senior playing the role of Fenton. “There were so many hours of practicing and rehearsal that we had put in, and in a matter of a few hours one day, it was all gone. I think out of frustration, I actually threw away my music, because it was hard to look at.”
Like so many, the students found it to be a bewildering time.
“I was disappointed because I had worked so hard on the role and felt like I was finally finding my footing when the show got shut down,” says Ava Price, a master’s student in vocal performance playing Meg Page.
After the cancellation, classes in the School of Music and Theater continued online, with instructors meeting with vocal students via Zoom—not an ideal method for teaching such a physical art.
“One of the things I work hardest on in my lessons is my posture,” Price says, “and to not have my professor physically present to correct it was very difficult.”
Practicing opera at home presented other challenges, too, like worries that full-throated singing might disturb the neighbors.
But PSU’s return to in-person classes in fall 2021 paved the way for a triumphant reboot of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” in April 2022, with some unexpected benefits.
John Gladen as the fun-loving Falstaff in the “The Merry Wives of Windsor” (Photo by So-Min Kang).“Despite its various challenges and disappointments, the hiatus has allowed many of our singers to grow into their roles,” says Harry Baechtel, voice area coordinator. For example, the role of Falstaff was originally assigned to professional opera singer Richard Zeller in 2020, but two years later, student Wyatt Jackson—a bass-baritone who shares the role with John Gladen—had developed enough vocal maturity to pull off the role. Other students, including Duhrkoop and Price, are also better positioned for success, he says. “Our audiences will get to hear the fruits of their patience and diligent work.”
Though students experienced a roller coaster of anticipation, disappointment and delay, they came back ready to take the stage. “We have a truly fantastic, eager, talented and resilient group of singers in this cast,” Baechtel says.
Under the direction of William Mouat, the PSU production promises to be a fun-filled romp. Set in the Elizabethan era, it unfolds over one full day. “The moon will set and the sun will rise at the very beginning of the show,” Baechtel says. “The audience will be able to follow its progressive track back to the same position by the end.”
The comedy leans not only on Shakespeare’s brilliant story, but also on the immensely entertaining Italian comedic tradition of commedia dell’arte, featuring a familiar set of archetypal characters and stock scenarios—the late-Renaissance equivalent of the sitcom. Audiences can expect broad physical comedy, hilarious misunderstandings and romance.
Beyond the current production, big changes are afoot with the PSU program itself. After 15 years of building the acclaimed opera program known for giving undergraduate students performance opportunities in fully staged productions—a rarity in collegiate opera programs—Christine Meadows ’83, voice and opera program director, retired in 2021.
Her retirement is bittersweet, Baechtel says. The sweet part is her ongoing mentoring of students, including those preparing for their “Merry Wives” roles. Many of them started the production with her before it was canceled. “We are so grateful that she continues to be such a wonderful colleague and that she has left the program in a better place than she found it,” he says. The production leadership, artistic team and performers have approached “The Merry Wives of Windsor” as a labor of love to bring Meadows’ last opera at PSU to completion.
At press time, the search for her replacement was nearing an end. “There are many challenges ahead, but we seek to move the needle in terms of equity and inclusion in this art form,” Baechtel says. Changes in curriculum intend to elevate the work of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, as well as women. Th e program is also collaborating with PSU’s Queer Opera and bringing in diverse scholars and performers. “PSU Opera is invested in committing our hearts, minds and hard work toward finding a thoughtful balance as we pass on this genre to our students and future audiences,” he says.
Portland State Opera’s production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” runs April 22 through May 1. Get tickets.