Opera Review | 'Dialogues des Carmélites' 

[
      {
        "name": "500x250 Ad",
        "insertPoint": "5",
        "component": "15667920",
        "parentWrapperClass": "",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
      }
    ]

Twentieth-century composer Francis Poulenc’s towering “Dialogues des Carmélites” is a rare opera. All the major plot points are clearly telegraphed — nothing new for an art form in which the synopsis is provided to theatergoers beforehand — and yet, the conclusion never ceases to pull at the heartstrings. It's contemplative and cerebral up until the end, when the fate of the nuns of Compiègne during the French Revolution makes for a visceral masterpiece of musical drama.

But for all the emotion and pathos, the success of the opera hinges on the believability of the soprano tasked with portraying Blanche de la Force: the timid, aimless young woman who finds purpose and courage in the most dangerous of circumstances.

Darby Schmidt’s portrayal of the novice nun battling a paralyzing fear was a convincing one. She was more than effective in depicting someone struggling to contend with others questioning the strength of her convictions and threatening to undermine her through subtle manipulation.

Schmidt’s vocal tone was unforced and melodious, a stark musical contrast to her character’s cryptic, fatalistic approach to life. As a counterbalance, soprano Carolina Sullivan’s decidedly more self-assured Sister Constance was light and buoyant — even if the character’s embrace of death was unsettling.

But by the final act, Eastman Opera Theatre’s performance as a whole began to lose steam. Artistic and music director Timothy Long’s pacing from the podium — which had been measured but steady — felt ponderous and lacking in energy. It was as if the musical accompaniment was unable to keep pace with the urgency of Blanche’s inner turmoil.

Stage director Pat Diamond’s approach was conservative; lacking the fresh perspective Eastman Opera’s productions often have. Although the set design was minimalistic (and fittingly so), it was undercut by a confusing, anachronistic costume design.

Some of the chorus members playing citizens were dressed in modern attire or in a halfhearted suggestion of 18th-century style. This choice was not consistent with costuming for the rest of the cast, which was clearly of the period. The clash was especially confounding during two separate scenes where individual citizens spied on the nuns in private conversation without any obvious explanation.

While the production is ultimately faithful to Poulenc’s operatic vision, “Dialogues des Carmélites” fails to live up to the promise of EOT’s recent output.

“Dialogues des Carmélites” continues at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre through April 7. In French, with English supertitles. $20. More information and tickets here.

Daniel J. Kushner is an arts writer at CITY. He can be reached at [email protected].