by Kevin T McEneaney
In the MasterVoices Series under the baton of Artistic Director Ted Sperling, the New York Premiere of the opera Blind Injustice was performed at Lincoln Center to long-standing audience ovations this past Monday and Tuesday nights. The opera was based on the casework of the Ohio Innocence Project (at the University of Cincinnati College of Law) with book by Mark Godsey, libretto by David Cote, stage direction by Robin Guarino, and music by Scott Davenport Richards. The opera recounts the true story of six men and women falsely convicted and imprisoned for many years.
The theme that justice can be blind is an ancient trope. Too often, innocent people are convicted out of prejudice, the desire to eliminate political opponents, or even from sheer incompetence by ambitious prosecutors who want to close an enigmatic case to get the case off their shoulders. This has happened in every judicial system ever invented.
The musical Prelude in the Pit opens with an exciting, anarchic, Dionysian theme of reversal. (The first are last, and the last are first offers the central theme of Greek drama.) This opera centers on the process of dehumanization in the lives of innocent victims.
The plot masterfully highlights four cases (one case is a trio) and weaves all six innocents into a compelling tapestry. Bass-baritone Christian Purcell delivered a commanding and convincing portrait of a blindly ambitious careerist prosecutor with impressive power and a frighteningly memorable voice. As the villain, he was appropriately insensitive and self-righteous.
Tenor Joshua Dennis, as Defense Attorney, was suitably amiable and humble as he sought the truth. Soprano Nancy Smith as Reilly Nelson, a school bus driver, offered shocked innocence, bewilderment, and saintly patience during her fifteen-year stint in prison, based upon inane rumored lies.
Baritone Eric Shane Heatly as Ricky Jackson, who spent 39 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, progressed from deep anger to mild resignation with dramatic panache.
Tenor Orson Van Gay II as Laurese Glover, the nominal leader of the East Cleveland Three, was outstanding with sulky and silky grievance, as well as humiliating resignation to his absurd fate. Bass-baritone Miles Wilson-Toliver ably anchored the trio. Mezzo-soprano Briana Hunter was stunning, especially in devotion and lamentation for her falsely convicted son, played with dignity by baritone Derrick Wheatt; Hunter’s voice and performance delivered peak dramatic angst and pathos.
Victoria Okafor, who created the role of Alesha, offered tangible and effective sympathy in her sublime arias.
Tenor Thomas Capobianco as Clarence Elkins, who was wrongly and egregiously convicted of murdering both his mother-in-law and young granddaughter but was eventually declared innocent through DNA evidence, projected convincing innocence with smooth and clear diction tinged with confused bewilderment while his hardened criminal cellmate Joseph Parrish provided a deathly, menacing baritone.
Protean baritone Marc Kudisch managed to perform several roles that showcased his voice.
Sung and spoken dialogue were seamlessly woven into a magic garment. The hundred-voiced choir delivered a transcendent, aesthetic thrill. While music lines varied from classical to pop and hip-hop, this was a successful and compelling Jacob’s robe.
This was a landmark ninety minute production by a host of talented artists. I hope this production will be performed in every major city of this country and then transformed into a PBS broadcast special for the nation to hear.
P.S. I have recently written a book review of a remarkable book by an innocent man who spent seven years in jail in a case similar to that of Reilly Nelson. The book is Conviction by Michael Kelsey. You can read that review by clicking here.
