On Friday, May 11, and Sunday, May 13, the Brooklyn College Opera Theatre, under the direction of Matthew Patrick Morris, presented a semi-staged production of W.A. Mozart’s Lucio Silla, a seldom-performed early opera seria that foreshadows the composer’s later mastery. Laced with elegantly melodic arias and themes, the work dramatizes the complicated reign of an imperious Roman emperor bent on wooing the apparent widow of one of his fallen rivals, only to be exposed for his deceit and, ultimately, redeemed by his conversion to a more judicious rule. Morris was able, with minimal stagecraft, to allow the opera and its glorious music to shine through in an vibrant two-hour 45-minute presentation that featured the fine performances of an all-female cast and the Conservatory Orchestra, conducted by George Rothman, in what is essentially a dance studio in Brooklyn College’s West Quad Building, while the Conservatory awaits the opening of the much-anticipated Tow Performing Arts Center. The production was well-reviewed, with special commendation for its inventive use of the minimalist space, lighting, and props.
