Buffalo Music: Opera promises to bring together Sotto Voce, Avanti orchestra and some surprises at Asbury Hall

By Gabrielle Dubreville
(Photo in image above by Alex Huddleston)

Beethoven’s only opera is coming to Asbury Hall, but don’t expect a traditional performance; this Fidelio blends live orchestral music with immersive film scenes shot right here in Buffalo.

This particular show has been described as “opera as you’ve never seen it before” by Alex Huddleston, the stage and film director of Sotto Voce. The group is partnering with the Avanti Festival Orchestra on the production.

Launched in 2024, Avanti’s Beethoven festival is in its third season and is bringing Fidelio to Buffalo on Friday (Aug. 14) and Sunday (Aug. 16) at 7 p.m. at Asbury Hall. 

As the first opera to grace Asbury Hall in over 20 years, this production is about more than just reclaiming the space it’s about embracing the emotional intensity that Sotto Voce’s board member Louis Bryant calls “truly life out loud.” While Buffalo Opera Unlimited previously performed here when the building was known as The Church, this return marks a fresh, vibrant chapter for the venue.

The festival, partnering with Sotto Voce, a collectively run opera company based in Buffalo, is sure to bring local creative juices to ensure an elevated musical experience.

While Beethoven is mostly known for his symphonic works, his one opera is an important piece of work that has inspired many other opera composers after him, according to Mason Cancilla, the founder and music director of Avanti. “Musically speaking, it’s a big step into the direction of leaving classical opera and going into romantic opera,” he said.

Showcasing Sotto Voce and the Avanti Festival Orchestra, this production marks Sotto Voce’s third collaboration with conductor Mason Cancilla.

“A partnership,” according to Bryant, “that has been designed in trust.”

Bryant went on to say, “There’s a strong respect for what we’re each trying to bring to the Buffalo music and performing arts communities, both together and separate. Both sets of our artistic leaders are very energetic and want to provide Buffalo with opportunities unlike anything they’ve seen before.”

The traditional theatrical setting made this venue stand out, according to Bryant, offering them the uniqueness they sought and space to accommodate a nearly 50-person orchestra. 

Under the creative direction of Huddleston, the production features a stellar cast led by soprano Amanda Santos as Leonore, who disguises herself as the title character, Fidelio. She is joined by tenor Danny Leclerc in the role of her imprisoned husband, Florestan, and bass Tim Flynn as the jailer, Rocco. Rounding out the ensemble are soprano Jessie Downs as Rocco’s daughter, Marzelline, and tenor Robert Flora as her persistent suitor, Jaquino.

The opera is a tale focusing on love, heroism and risk-taking. Bryant describes it as “A tale of love, of justice, and of taking risks at all costs for those that you love.”

This performance will include original film scenes, directed by Huddleston. Audiences will experience a blend of opera and film, and see Buffalo’s architecture in a new light.

There are a total of three filmed sequences, which will be spread out over the course of the show. 

“This is a cinematic production where these scenes are woven seamlessly into the live music,” Huddleston explained. 

Bryant emphasizes that this interdisciplinary approach is essential to the production’s immersive power, saying it weaves “many different types of art forms into the production. It’s not just singing and orchestration, but it’s also visual arts and design, film and architecture coming together to build the world around the opera.”

Some of the architecture filmed includes the Darwin Martin House, the Buffalo City Court and the Unitarian Universalist Church.

They filmed inside the Darwin Martin House by Frank Lloyd Wright, which is highly unusual. The sets on stage will recreate some of the interior of the house. 

Bryant says, “We have some pretty bold design inspirations that have come to light with this production.”

The domineering and foreboding angle of the Buffalo City Court on Niagara Square perfectly represents the jail where Florestan is being held.

You can see the concrete fortress that is the courthouse yourself from Asbury Hall, if you leave from the main doors and look south on Delaware.

Another interesting aspect of the filmed sequences is the catacombs found underneath the Unitarian Universalist Church.

Huddleston dives into the filmed sequences, describing how you can see a close-up of the actors. “It creates an opportunity to really connect with who the character is.”

As it is Beethoven’s sole opera, Sotto Voce was determined to feature it in its third annual Beethoven Festival, making it the natural choice for their contribution.

The festival has grown over the years. Cancilla said it started as “a way to get people to play with the orchestra who weren’t available during the regular season.” 

Over the years, the festival has grown in performances, as the first year only had one concert. But this year, it’s a two-week festival for the orchestra. “Because it’s an opera, there’s so much music we had to rehearse for two weeks.” 

This is Sotto Voce’s first time working with a full orchestra, and in turn Avanti’s first time with a full orchestra doing an opera.

According to Cancilla, since Avanti is mostly volunteers, the orchestra is a mix of professionals and amateurs, so it’s people from all walks of life coming together.” 

Cancilla describes it as “A really exciting experience.”

Integrating a live orchestra with filmed sequences is a complex undertaking, but Huddleston believes they have found the right balance.

“Screening these films alongside a live orchestra is tricky to pull off,” Huddleston explains, “but Mason and I have developed a methodology that is highly effective—it’s truly the best of both worlds.”

The inclusion of a full live orchestra provides a distinct and indispensable value to the production. Beyond simply accompanying the singers, the ensemble adds a profound depth and volume to the experience. As Bryant notes, “The orchestra brings a stronger volume to the show. The swell of sound that’s created by live orchestral accompaniment only helps the voices rise higher,” underscoring how the live instrumentation elevates the vocal performances to new emotional heights.

Building upon the orchestra’s indispensable role in setting the tone, Cancilla is particularly eager for the audience to experience the villain’s aria. He describes the piece as having a “very dark aura; it’s clearly a villain’s song, and people are going to like that.”

Huddleston teases that “There are some surprises in terms of production that I have never seen done on stage before. I think there are so many moments that I can’t wait to share with the audience.”

Additionally, the finale to Act 2, the finale of the whole piece, “the principal singers come together, and they start singing in what builds up to a quintet, adding one voice at a time, until everybody’s singing together,” Cancilla says.

“The finale is really when all the forces are at play together. It’s really the big moments in the show where everybody’s playing together that are going to be really musically exciting,” says Cancilla.

Huddleston further describes the finale, “In rehearsal, everybody is so happy and excited by the music. I’ve never experienced anything like it in a production, where nobody is holding anything back.” 

While the show is sung in the original German, there will be English subtitles above the stage, and written interludes in English.

Bryant says, “If someone has not seen opera before, recognize that they can put their toe in the pool and feel very welcome, accepted, and understanding of what’s going on.” 

Cancilla describes the interludes as “a great entry point opera for people, because of those speaking parts.”

For those still hesitant about the art form, Bryant views opera as a vital resource for exploring the complexities of the human condition through song. He also suggests that while the drama unfolds for characters on stage, the underlying themes allow audiences to relate to one another and reflect on their shared societal experiences.

Cancilla puts minds at ease by saying, “This is a good appetizer for larger operas. Some people like musical theater because of the music, and the opera is just even more music.”

Bryant said, “We’re hoping that we’re trying to continue to respect its classic form, but also make it accessible and relevant.”

Building on this idea of shared connection, Bryant envisions a future where the genre serves as a bridge rather than a barrier.

“I hope to continue to build opera as, not a divisive or exclusive, but a unifying art form,” Bryant said, “that has the potential to allow community to come together and share an emotional experience.”

Bryant describes the overall hope for the future of opera in Buffalo, “Although the art form feels classic, there’s still opportunity to make it speak to today’s audiences in a very relevant way.”

Additionally, Bryant says, “We try to take opera out of the box, not just in terms of how we do productions, but also the places that we choose to present.”

Cancilla addressed Avanti’s and Sotto Voce’s futures: “Avanti’s partnership with Sotto Voce has been going on the up. We’re just going to keep checking operas off our list.” 

Huddleston says, “I want to think of us as a good entertainment company. I think we’re doing pretty remarkable things with the size of audience that we’re getting and the number of donors.”

As they continue to check ambitious projects off their list, the partnership between these two organizations serves as a powerful reminder that the best art doesn’t just entertain; it unifies, bringing performers and audiences together to share an experience that is uniquely their own.