FringeNYC 2013: The Magic Mirror

Based on Pushkin's version of the Snow White story, The Magic Mirror, a new opera, presents a contemporary twist on this timeless tale. Something for people of all ages--opera novices and connoisseurs alike!

Official production website
Show details/ticketing at FringeNYC

Venue: CSV Flamboyan, 107 Suffolk Street

Review by Julie Congress · August 21, 2013

The Magic Mirror, an opera with 14 singers and a live orchestra of seven (plus a conductor!), has a sound of a magnitude unlike any other FringeNYC show. Yet while an auditory powerhouse, the theatrical elements (staging, acting, etc.) do not live up to the music.

Based on Pushkin’s retelling of Snow White, the story is familiar, yet has a distinctly Russian folk tale flair: The Princess is the daughter of a Tsar, the Sun, Moon and Wind are personified, being fair of complexion is the most desirable form of beauty and the Princess is sheltered by seven knights instead of dwarves. Unequivocally darker in tone than the Disney version, the Evil Queen dominates the story with her manic desire to be the fairest in the land.

The score, with music and libretto (in Russian) by Polina Nazaykinskaya and musically directed by Lidiya Yankovskaya, is full in sound, dramatic and wrought with emotion. Some of my favorite moments were when one character was onstage and the rest of the ensemble would sing from offstage, behind the audience, embracing us in sound.

Red-haired and elegant in a black evening gown, Jennifer Weiman captures the beautiful malevolence of the Evil Queen. Erin Anderson is delicate and lovely as the Princess, her clear soprano voice rising effortlessly in volume and pitch. As a theatre critic, I lack sufficient operatic vocabulary, but suffice it to say that everyone in the cast sounds GREAT. Roland Mills, a member of the ensemble and one of the seven knights, is a particular stand out, bringing a playfulness and presence to everything he does.

Yet the emotion, inherent in the vocals, does not translate into the performers’ physicality. Highly charged moments are undercut by Stage Director Erin Huelskamp’s reliance on broad, cliché gestures and in the few moments when the cast is called upon to do a simple dance, you feel their discomfort and in fact see various members of the ensemble glancing at each others’ feet. Opera is typically done in a large space with an orchestra dividing the audience from the performers, but the immediate proximity of this venue calls for a subtlety and genuineness presently missing from the production.

The festival blurb for The Magic Mirror says this new opera “presents a contemporary twist on this timeless tale.” At present, what makes it contemporary is unclear. I hope that Nazaykinskaya, born in 1987 and clearly a very talented composer, and her team continue to develop this ambitious project – the score is there, now it just needs that true love’s kiss to awaken it to its true potential.

Preview: Interviews with Artists from The Magic Mirror

We're asking artists from each show to answer questions about themselves and their work to help our readers get a detailed advance picture of the festival:

The Five W's · Lidiya Yankovskaya (Director)

Who are your favorite directors?
Since this is an opera and I'm the Music Director/Conductor, I'll name my favorite conductors. This answer depends on the composer and the style of music, but lately, I've been a big fan of Haitink. As for stage directors, I am currently observing Dmitri Tcherniakov's preparation at The Met for his new production of Prince Igor and I think he's absolutely brilliant!
What's your favorite pastime when you’re not working on a play?
I really love to be outdoors whenever possible--I waterski and snow ski, sail, kayak, and I love to hike! When time is more limited, I bike from place to place in the city and go running in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Where did you get your training in theater?
I started conducting when I was still in high school and was lucky to have phenomenal support while an undergraduate at Vassar. However, I really found my love for opera while living and studying in Boston. In my four years in this city, I had opportunities to work on as many as 10+ productions per year. I worked in all kinds of companies, on repertoire that covered the whole stylistic gamut. It was the best experience possible, covering all areas of opera in every way imaginable, and working with all kinds of incredibly talented people!
When did you know you wanted to work in the theater, and why?
As I neared the end of my undergraduate studies, I debated whether to go on and pursue a graduate degree in philosophy, or a conducting career. However, as I thought back on my past choices, the decision seemed easy--whenever faced with the option of spending my time on music or on anything else, I had always choses music... I simply could not live without it. Through college, I was trained as a pianist and singer, and on violin as a secondary instrument. I have also always loved learning new languages and working collaboratively with other artists. Opera was the natural choice--allowing me to combine my musical experiences with my intellectual interests and love of collaboration.
Why did you want to direct this show?
A few years ago, I had an opportunity to perform Polina Nazaykinskaya's music when she submitted one of her pieces to Juventas' bi-annual Call for Scores. I was incredibly impressed and asked her for more. When she told me about the opera she was interested in writing, I was hooked! We commissioned The Magic Mirror from her the next season and are thrilled to present it for a second time in NYC!!

Read more The Five W's previews!

Journey to FringeNYC · Yelena Dudochkin (Other)

What are some of your previous theater credits? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
My career started in performing a principal role, Podtochina's Daughter, with Opera Boston in Shostakovich’s The Nose. I have also played Violetta in La Traviata, Snow Maiden in Rimsky Korsakov's Snow Maiden, Marfa in Tsar’s Bride, Brigitta in Iolanta, the title role in Manon, Liora in the world premier of King Matzush I, Gilda in Rigoletto among many others.
If this is your first appearance in FringeNYC -- why did you want to be part of this festival? If you have appeared in FringeNYC before, tell us what show(s) you have done here previously. What about your prior experience led you back to this festival?
Yes it is. I am quite excited to be a part of FringeNYC. This is a fantastic platform with broad recognition, and it is a fantastic venue to premier the newest aria added to the Magic Mirror for my character Chernyafka for the Fringe!
Have you seen a lot of fringe shows in the past, and what have you learned from them to help with this show?
This is a forum unlike others, and it is important to remember that. The size of the venue makes it intimate, yet expansive, and one has to perform to both at the same time.
What was the most memorable/funny/unusual thing that has happened during the development and rehearsal process for this show?
I was quite honored when the composer added a new aria for my character during the production. First, it is great to be performing a piece of a living composer, and it is truly unique to have been able to interface with that creative process.
Which cartoon character would most like this show – Bugs Bunny, Marge Simpson, Charlie Brown, or Casper the Friendly Ghost?
Bugs Bunny, as he has a strong affinity for opera

All About My Show · Jennifer Weiman (Actor)

Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
is a one act Russian opera (with English subtitles) based on Pushkin's Snow White AND has an all female creative team!
Tell us about the character or characters that you portray in this show.
I have the thrilling task of playing the Evil Queen in our version of a Snow White story. She is repugnant, sensual, and primarily driven by jealousy and greed. She will stop at nothing to become the fairest of them all.
What moment or section in this show do you really love to perform? Without giving away surprises, what happens in that moment and why do you love it?
After Snow is thought to be dead I realize through the help of my mirror that she is still alive. My final emotional meltdown, deciding to reach for the apple, and *spoiler* poisoning the Princess is my favorite scene!
Which school or system of acting has been most useful to you in your career, and why (examples: The Method, Uta Hagen, Viewpoints, etc.)?
Learning the basics of mime while at my university has been the most helpful tool in my performing. It taught me how to use my body in an effective way not to retell the story but to be the story.
What's your favorite pastime when you’re not working on a play?
Watching dramatic television shows, reading spooky novels and playing with my pup Sadie!

Read more All About My Show previews!

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