Director plays many roles

In his third year at the Conservatory, Director of Opera Theater Jonathon Field has worked diligently to improve the opera department..With last spring's opera Cosi fan Tutte, Field expanded the traditional casting system, creating three complete casts for the performance. The audience, however, only saw two different casts, as the third cast was made up entirely of understudies. Field said, "It turned out to be a good decision because a lot of the third cast, who were understudies last year, are now leads [in Manon, this semester's production]." In addition to giving more people a chance to learn a full role, Field has secured other changes, such as performing works in their original language and adding supertitles "for a more exact portrayal.". He notes that having supertitles not only allows the audience to follow the on-stage action, but it also motivates the performers to act for the informed audience.

Field's greatest asset to the Opera Department is his continuous energy. Manon is no exception The opera is the tale of a young woman, Manon. While out traveling, she meets and falls in love with a young man, Des Grieux. Manon then decides to carry on the journey with him. Des Grieux and Manon settle themselves in Paris, where Manon finds herself courted by wealthy aristocrats. Manon is forced to decide between Des Grieux and her new suitors. She chooses the wealth that the new suitors offer. Months later, as the toast of Paris, she finds out that Des Grieux is about to take holy orders and renounce a worldly life. Realizing that she still loves him, the heroine seeks him out in the cathedral and seduces him, forcing him to forsake his vows and run off with her. Their life continues on a downward spiral until she is arrested, imprisoned and finally released to the arms of Des Grieux, where she dies.

Field said, "I chose to do Manon for several reasons. One, it has really great roles for students. Two, it forces students to sing and speak in French, in addition to having to really think in French - it expands your language abilities. Three, this is the largest opera we've done here, which means more costumes, more sets, more people than any other production. As well, it's a great story line."

In this production, as in the past, there are two casts. "There are enough talented students to allow for it. ...It has everything to do with what students can learn as performers." Manon is as much about the performers learning the historical and dramatic significance of their actions as the audience's understanding of their presentation. The cast in Manon is forced to learn how to move in costumes from 1750, including how to perform certain bows; they must learn the correct movement of a hand-held fan and a snuffbox. The opera director said, "All of this is a great training vehicle for young opera singers."

Improvement is a theme that runs solidly through Field's career. He said, "One of the reasons I came [to Oberlin] was to grab stability in my professional life. I saw that I could actually improve and change the opera program here." After working for the San Francisco Opera, he and his wife moved to Chicago. Field's wife performed with the Second City Improv Troupe, as well as doing other theater work. Field's work was sporadic, but included freelance work for the prestigious Lyric Opera of Chicago. "I was continually hustling up work and it was taxing." Field was on the road eight months of the year. "It wasn't the ideal marriage situation, either."

Coming to Oberlin," Field said, "turned our life around. We don't see each other more, but we're more in each other's presence." While Oberlin certainly cannot compare to Chicago or San Francisco, Field noted that "Oberlin is a literate and artistically-oriented community, and that has been an inspiration in itself."

Certainly Field has already taken advantage of Oberlin's resources, and he encourages his students to do the same. Field speaks proudly when he mentions the student-initiated creation of an opera directing major. Oberlin has put on a couple of student composed operas. Field said, "I'm always trying to encourage students to submit operas to me. I'm always willing to get out there and do student works."

A large part of Field's success seems to stem from his willingness to accommodate students of all operatic ability. He acknowledges that while top level students "are always very good," one of his goals is to "take middle level students and make them better." Field's aspirations for the department are no less daunting: he wants "this program to be the best [undergraduate] educational opera program in the state of Ohio." If Manon proves to be a success, Field will be well on his way to achieving his goal.

The opera director hopes that Manon will attract both the opera connoisseur and the average concert goer. Field said, "The opera buff will appreciate the little details, while the average student will be blown away. It's a powerful, moving piece."

Manon opens on Wed. Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. in Hall Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased through Central Ticket Services.

Expanding the stage: Opera director Jonathon Field presents his latest project with his staging of Manon. The opera opens November 17 at Hall Auditorium (photo courtesy of Jonathon Field)