I went to Boston to see my friend, opera singer Amy Burton in a sold-out performance of "The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" at Opera Boston, a small, edgy, high-quality opera company dedicated to performing innovative repetoire and rarely seen works  This production was directed by the very gifted stage director Sam Helfrich. Burton in the role of Jenny was sublime.

The show seems to be having its moment with productions in Boston, Los Angeles, and Boston. With its libretto by Bertolt Brecht and a score by Kurt Weil, this strange and dark story of a city of pleasure overcome by a hurricane has prescent themes that resonate with our time.

I went with my friend, Pam Katz, who has written a novel published in Germany and yet to be published in the United States called "And Speaking of Love," a fictional account of the life of Lotte Lenya (who was married to Kurt Weil). To imagine this dark vision of humanity being performed in the early 1930’s in Berlin gives me chills. It was a gift to see this deeply striking show performed Boston on Tuesday night

Here’s an accurate eview by Keith Powers in the Boston Herald:

   

What happens in Mahagonny, stays in Mahagonny. Kurt Weill’s tragicomic and ironic opera “The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny,” with its trenchant libretto by Bertolt Brecht, was given a sensational opening performance by Opera Boston under the baton of Gil Rose Friday evening at the Cutler Majestic Theatre.
    Written in the late ’20s, “Mahagonny” tells the story of a city, similar to Vegas, on immoral steroids. Founded by three criminals on the lam, Mahagonny is a haven for decadence, where its residents give themselves over to whoring, gluttony, fighting and drinking.
    Sounds like fun, huh? Through the sardonic lens held up by the Weill/Brecht collaboration, the excesses explored in this mythical city – set in California – bring mostly misery to its residents. One man eats himself to death. A boxing match ends with the loser dying. The biggest crime – seemingly the only crime in Mahagonny – is failing to pay a bar bill, which also ends in death.
    Throughout it all, the music was rapturous, especially the ensemble pieces. And the stars, notably Daniel Snyder as Jimmy MacIntyre, the aforementioned deadbeat who gets executed, and Amy Burton as Jenny Smith, his high-priced hooker/girlfriend, sang with distinction. Boston regulars Stephen Salters (Bank Account Bill) and Frank Kelley (Fatty the Bookkeeper) also gave notable performances.
    But it truly was the scantily clad ensemble (this performance could easily double as a bachelor party) that stole the show. Weill has a gift for setting soloists against chorus, and this opera is full of riveting trios, quartets and even larger groupings.
    Rose had his hands full, with half a dozen soloists, a chorus of 20 and an orchestra that features unusual instrumentation (for an opera, at least) including a trio of saxophones and an accordion. He’s a skilled leader, and the opening-night performance was paced as smoothly as if it were the end of a long run. The single set, featuring Dumpsters and port-o-sans, added a comic flavor to the generally dark themes. Generally the acting and blocking were good, although at times the stage was overcrowded and emphasis was swallowed up by confusion.
    Opera Boston has done fine work in its few short seasons, filling a repertory void by presenting works on the fringes of standard opera. “Mahagonny” continues that fine tradition.

xan