Streetcar leaves me to desire more...

This is going to be short because there isn't much to say really.  Sometimes shows that you had no expectation surprise you and other times they are just down right disappointing   

Sign outside Lyric Opera

We were able to take in Lyric Opera's very limited showing (only four total) of "Streetcar Named Desire" on Wednesday.  I've seen the movie, and it was pretty good, and Renee Fleming was playing the lead, so despite everything else going on we decided we couldn't pass this up. 

I suppose we could have though.  In short, Renee Fleming did not "wow" me the way that I expected.  I've never been able to see her live, though I've had many an album of hers that I listened to over and over again. As soon as she came out though, I was already a bit disappointed.  Were my expectations too high?  Perhaps.  But considering the hoop-la around this show and her, I think that's warranted.  

In short, Renee Fleming does not pull off a southern "voice" too well while being all operatic.  I was having flashbacks of Halle Berry playing Storm in the X-Men movies, and the viewer would raise an eyebrow on the occasional "oh that's right, I'm suppose to have an accent in this!" moment.  Or Renee is too classy a broad to pull it off!  The male lead, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, while nice to look at (bald, built, and tattoos!) made me cringe at several points.  I was excited when he walked out because he didn't seem the norm as far as opera singers, but again, left disappointed.  

The shining star in my opinion was Susanna Phillips playing Stella.  She was flawless, played the role well and I bought her as the character as opposed to the first two.  I wanted more of her instead of everyone else.  

In the end, I can now say "I saw Renee Fleming" but this show left me shrugging my shoulders and trying not to giggle at the "STELLA!!!" (sung, of course...) coming out of a bald man ripping his shirt off on stage.  Let's leave that to Marlon Brando, I think.