John Adams Delivers Jam-Packed Journey into Empire

by Jennifer Ann Charron

Commissioned for San Francisco Opera’s Centennial Season, John Adams goes above and beyond with “Antony and Cleopatra”—an ambitious work of art with a world-renowned cast, a complicated and brilliant score, and the world-class staging that SF Opera does best.

While Adams’ new work rings artful bells of craftsmanship, with a run time of 3 hours and 20 minutes, I was more exhausted than tickled when it was done. This is a prime example of less is more.

Adams adapted his complicated libretto from Shakespeare’s play—a story of political intrigue, complex battles, and a classic love-affair from Roman and Egyptian history. Each and every component of this opera hits the mark, individually; but as a comprehensive work, I find it just too long and drawn out to be enjoyable.

High praise goes to one of my favorite artists at SF Opera—Music Director and Conductor Eun Sun Kim. She grabs control of this most complicated score and celebrates the intensity and subtleties of every note. Sun Kim conducts the orchestra, chorus, and cast to the height of their celebrated talents.

The stand-out cast meets the moment, led by Egyptian soprano Amina Eris, who lives up to Cleopatra’s intense power and legendary sex appeal. Adams’ frequent collaborators bass-baritone Gerald Finley as Antony and tenor Paul Appleby as Caesar round out the big three.

Mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven as Charmian and bass-baritone Alfred Walker as Enobarbus give emotional performances that showcase both their acting and singing abilities.

SF Opera delivers rich and technically advanced set design spanning three countries and 72 cast members. A large, expanding and contracting wall moves in and out to highlight unique private moments as well as large action scenes. However, the set is as complicated as the production.

While bouncing between battles and tender love scenes, Set Designer Mimi Lien blends an additional element—a 1930s glamor projected through various layers of 30’s newsreels. The result is super cool, but it adds another element to this crowded production and complicated libretto.

“Antony and Cleopatra” –composed by John Adams, libretto by John Adams from Shakespeare, directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer, conducted by Eun Sun Kim, at San Francisco Opera. Info: SFOpera.com – to Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

Cast: Amina Edris, Gerald Finley, Taylor Raven, Brenton Ryan, Alfred Walker, Paul Appleby, Hadleigh Adams, Philip Skinner, Elizabeth DeShong, Timothy Murray, Gabrielle Beteag, and Patrick Blackwell.

Banner photo: Taylor Raven (Charmian), Gabrielle Beteag (Iras), & Amina Edris (Cleopatra). Photos: Cory Weaver/SF Opera