Hansel and Gretel Opera Arrives at Flatbush Reformed Church

Beyond the occasional appearance on TV, opera is rarely seen or heard around these parts. It can seem opaque, off-putting and old to people of all ages. Thomas Lawrence Toscano, conductor and artist director at Opera OGGI New York, hopes to change that a few hours at a time.

On Tuesday night, almost a dozen people rehearsed Hansel and Gretel on Flatbush Avenue, preparing for shows throughout the holidays. In our neighborhood, a performance of the opera sung in English and supported by piano will take place in Flatbush Reform Church at 890 Flatbush Avenue at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 8th. You can buy tickets here.

Opera OGGI New York is theatrical from the start. Steps from the loud intersection of Church and Flatbush, one must walk through the Flatbush Reformed Church’s eerily beautiful cemetery to find the somewhat hidden church house. It’s a bright, warm and expansive setting for the practice and staging of the show.

Thomas Lawrence Toscano is the man in charge. His bushy grey-black hair pushed back fits the part of conductor exactly. If that isn’t enough, he’s supremely operatic himself.

“This is a show that runs on miracles,” says Thomas.

This particular story began several years ago. After the successful staging of a Polish opera in Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Williamsburg, the company had to leave the church. They were offered space in the Greenpoint Reform Church but what might’ve been their stage was filled with potatoes and onions to feed the homeless. The company was then referred to Flatbush where they now make their home.

As he tells the story, Thomas is demonstrative and emotive as if he’s on stage.

The company receives very little outside money, explains Thomas. The money keeping the operation afloat comes almost entirely from the audience —  that means it’s not always very much at all. Six people might show up one day and 200 the next.

Thomas’ career spans the globe. He’s lived in Brazil and worked in Italy. Following 9/11, he wrote a show combining the 2001 Mount Etna eruption that destroyed his grandfather’s village in Itlay and the direct view from his Greenpoint loft of the Twin Towers burning. “Do you know what was left after the planes hit? A volcano.” The show premiered in Sicily and then in Cincinnati to what Thomas described as overwhelming applause.

Everything, on stage and off, is part of a grand theatrical story with Thomas. “I don’t believe in acting,” he says. “I believe in being.”

As he tells his story, the Hansel and Gretel singers practice arpeggios on their own and scenes with their co-stars. Soon, he’s up and directing.

This performance of Hansel and Gretel begins in a modern city, bringing the fear of lost children closer to home. Hansel (Allison Waggener) and Gretel (Jess Doolan and Allison Tynes alternate between shows) open the show with a celebratory scene. Quickly, the rehearsal is in full swing until the father (Michael McAvoy) and mother (Anne Jacobs and Anita Lyons) are on wondering where their children have run off to.

Thomas is correcting timing, tone and everything in between. To Michael McAvoy’s apparently momentarily lackluster singing (he sounded good to these ears), Thomas explains that he must not lose confidence.

“You’re the Greek god of  tra-la-la!” With the church house’s acoustics, every word booms.

The performers all have day jobs but, Thomas says, it’s a high level performance nonetheless. He insists that some of these singers will go on to big careers within the industry.

The language of opera is difficult. It’s not like other sounds most of us know and so it can be difficult or impossible to follow every word sung. However, It’s never difficult to understand what’s taking place. Most importantly, it’s very easy to appreciate the talent at work on stage and off.

As the show goes on, Thomas explains to the performers how to really occupy a room, how to handle items and food in your hands, how to play the piano more gently and on and on.

The company hopes to establish a tradition of holiday shows beginning with this year’s Hansel and Gretel.

“We make the audience a part of it,” says Thomas. “They make the opera with us. The intention of the composer is to take energy of the performers and the audience and make it.”

In rehearsal, the singers hop off the stage and engage an audience not yet present. It seems strange to think that they can’t be sure they’ll have a much bigger audience on the day of the show. The church is charming and the fledgling nature of the company is endearing but there is no doubt they deserve something more sure.

Until then, the neighborhood has lucked into a unique performance in a beautiful space.