WASHINGTON, DC-In a unique opening, composer Mason Bates strikes the perfect complement to the characters using saxophone, guitar and the electronika from Apple equipment to represent the major characters – electric guitar for Steve Jobs, saxophone for Steve “Woz” Wozniak, and wind-like instrumentation for Jobs’ spiritual mentor Kōbun Chino Otogawa. Against a backdrop of several dozen video monitors to reflect his life and times the story, set in 17 separate scenes, begins to unfold. It’s Bates’ first opera and it’s a stunner. And so is the cast! I was captivated by baritone John Moore’s portrayal of Jobs, though you may see it during its short run with John Patton in the role.
Presented by the Washington National Opera, Mark Campbell’s libretto takes us through Jobs’ life as a child circa 1965 inspired by his father’s encouragement to build something mechanical; through his collaboration with Woz (Jonathan Burton or Nicholas Huff), the technological genius; his free spirit lover, Chrisann Brennan (Kresley Figeroa or Anneliese Klenetsky); his relationship to a spiritual life with Otogawa (Wei Wu); and his marriage to his beloved Laurene Powell Jobs (Winona Martin).
Jobs and Woz considered themselves radicals of the period, anti-establishment, anti-capitalist members of the counterculture that had its beginnings in California. Working together in a family garage in Cupertino, Woz creates new technology that allowed for free phone calls, by copying the telephone tones of Ma Bell and ye olde rotary phone. This revolutionary tactic cemented the beginning of their odyssey together and Jobs’ eventual power mad mania to create the ultimate device – the smart phone.
Set in 2007 in a large convention center, Jobs launches his product to a sea of adoring acolytes. “Never trust a computer you can’t fit in your pocket,” he famously told the young techies. “Type, type, type… swipe!” he commands.
When Jobs devolves into a self-centered egomaniac, Woz quits, “You’ve become one of the people we hated – a Goliath!” Laurene begs him to slow down, to rest. They know by now of his disease and the cancer that will take his life at 56 years old. Along the way the zigs and zags of his life are reflected by the intensity of the music (Jobs was a huge fan of Bach and saw music in mathematics) and the poetry of Campbell’s libretto that transcends the ordinariness of a life steeped in technology to reflect the drama of a visionary genius who reached supersonic status and changed the entire world as we knew it.
This modern opera has all the dramatic elements of a tragedy plus love story backgrounded by the thrill of a massive revolution in technology through the invention of a product that brings us together as readily as it can tear us apart. As composer and Virginia native, Mason Bates, puts it, “The story of Steve Jobs is the stuff of opera. It’s got obsession, betrayal, passion and ultimate betrayal and death that might have been able to be avoided had Steve Jobs been a little more willing to cede control of his health to others.”
With the Washington National Opera Orchestra and Washington National Opera Chorus conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya alternately Micah Gleason; Production and Staging by Tomer Zvulun; Scenery and Costume Designer Jacob Climer; Projection Design by S. Katy Tucker; Lighting Design by Robert Wierzel; Sound Design by Rick Jacobsohn.
Highly recommended!
Through May 10th at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F Street, Washington, DC 20566. For tickets and information call the box office at 202-467-4600 or visit www.Kennedy-Center.org.
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