McNally's new play "Golden Age"

[Guest alanm]

Sunday afternoon was only the third preview of "Golden Age" by Terrence McNally at the Philadelphia Theater Company in its world premier engagement. McNally has written many plays with gay themes, like "Love Valour Compassion."

 

The play takes place backstage at the world premier of Vincenzo Bellini's "I Puritani" in Paris in January 1835. Bellini, his male lover, and the cast of the opera (when not on stage) talk, gossip and listen to the performance. The glorious Maria Callas version of the opera is heard throughout in the background.

 

In fact, the opera and Callas' voice dominate Act One. I assume that McNally wants to establish that "I Puritani" is a great opera, worthy of our full attention. If so, he succeeds, but at the expense of the backstage story.

 

The thirty-three year old Bellini (beautiful Jeffrey Carlson) has most of the lines, but as yet he is not a fully formed, interesting character until late in the play when the elderly composer Rossini arrives. One realizes that the great Rossini is more healthy than Bellini. Carlson really makes this scene work. This was Bellini's last opera. He died less than a year later.

 

I saw "I Puritani" at the Met in New York with Anna Netrebko in 2007.

 

Although she is not a true bel canto singer, Netrebko is an excellent singer and actress. McNally may help sell many CDs and DVDs of this excellent opera, but if anyone is looking for gay content, it's pretty slim. And one should not have to know an opera to enjoy a play.

 

In fact, it's been a while since I really enjoyed a McNally play. I like opera, so this one was fun. Perhaps McNally should slow down a little. One new play every year is not working for him.