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It’s fitting that “Corpus Evita” begins with that legendary image of Evita, the president’s dying wife in the balcony, raising her arms in that idiosyncratic way while saying farewell to her people. Created by composer Carlos Franzetti, with a libretto by West Bay Opera general director Jose Luis Moscovich, the opera is largely concerned with image, and if you whispered the name “Evita” to the average American, this is exactly the image that would come to mind.
The bulk of the opera’s action begins much later, in 1973, as Juan Perón returns from a 17-year exile in Spain to run for re-election. Evita’s corpse, spirited away by the military in 1955, is returned and put on display to a mourning, adoring public. Juan wins the election, tries to sell his third wife and vice president Isabel as a new version of Evita, and dies a year later.
But “Corpus Evita,” which debuted in San Francisco in 2000, is less a standard narrative than an exploration of the Argentine soul, with an emphasis on mythology and cults of personality. The real meat of the conflict arises as Isabel, not really prepared for governance, grapples with her duties under the heavy-handed guidance of her husband’s right-hand man, José López Rega, referred to in the opera simply as Ministro. Ministro gives a lot of lip service to “the cause,” ostensibly the policies created from Juan Perón’s right-wing populism, but he seems to be much more interested in consolidating and expanding his power. He coerces Isabel into unleashing the military on a growing uprising of communists, which results in 30,000 deaths. The military also engages in a ruthless program of slaughtering young couples and giving their babies to couples with more Perónist views.
The opera is a wild trip filled with magical realist devices. Isabel, who in reality is 93 and still exiled in Spain, is brought home to Argentina to answer for her sins. Ministro then uses his occult powers to bring in the younger Juan and Evita for a conference, or perhaps it’s more of a trial.
Composer Franzetti, who is well-versed in jazz and tango idioms, created a rhythmically propulsive score, at times moody and haunting, but always prepared to go off in bursts of musical gunfire. Moscovich and his orchestra handle the resultant challenges beautifully, notably percussionist Sohrab Bazargannia and timpanist Neal Goggans.
The vocal style is straightforward and declamatory, making use of modern intervals but always in service to the discourse. Soprano Jessica Sandidge handles the role of Evita with grace and an even, clear tone, even though playing a goddess can be an unrewarding job. Casey Germain’s bass tone is gorgeous, lending a calm presence to Juan that is quite a contrast to his impassioned cohorts.
Tenor Patrick Bessenbacher is an edgy treat as the Rasputinesque Ministro. His spinto tone provides just the right measure of danger, and no one’s really surprised when he resorts to the dark arts.
The bulk of the conflict settles on the shoulders of soprano Sara LeMesh, whose performance of Isabel is a superb example of vocal acting. A particularly powerful scene comes in a trio with Juan and Ministro, both of whom seem relatively untroubled by 30,000 dead people, while Isabel is ripping out her hair at the hell she has unwittingly unleashed.
The stage direction designed by Jose Maria Condemi is balanced and effective, many times resembling the creation of living portraits upon the stage. The torture scene, in which a young couple is killed, their baby wrestled away for “reassignment,” is particularly brutal and chilling. Done with their jobs, the soldiers file offstage, receiving bank notes from Ministro as they leave. Another tableau brings veiled desaparecidos (the disappeared), holding candles and framed pictures of their missing children; they later transform into happy citizens, basking in the glow of Evita’s image.
Franzetti’s chorus parts are beautifully simple, a great contrast to the roiling dramatic scenes, and well handled by chorus master Bruce Olstad’s charges. Peter Crompton’s set design is flexible enough to handle the ever-shifting realities, while his projections are helpful in offering enlightening bits of propaganda and newspaper clippings. A striking departure is the projection used to portray the interior of Isabel’s apartment, which is magically realistic.
In my desire to see things in a fresh way, I make a habit of never reading the program before a performance. In the case of “Corpus Evita,” I would recommend that you read Moscovich’s notes beforehand. It’s best to get a quick refresher on your Argentine politics, and it also gives a striking account of Mosocovich’s childhood in Argentina.
Feb. 24-25, 2 p.m., Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. $43-$115. 650-424-9999, wbopera.org
