The Pigeon Keeper
Opera Parallele's World Premiere of a Timely Fable
By: Victor Cordell - Mar 08, 2025
A poor Mediterranean island suffers drought and a scarcity of fish. Subsistence fisherman Thalasso and his 12-year-old daughter Orsia suffer a hapless day without a catch, but they do reel in a young boy of a different ethnic group who does not speak their language.
So begins the action of the world premiere of The Pigeon Keeper, composed by David Hanlon with libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann, originally a commission by Santa Fe Opera. Stipulations came with this grant for a chamber opera – that it be written to reach the broadest of audiences and that it require no more than four principal singers.
The artistic creators accomplish the task with a wonderfully appealing under-90-minute musical work of magical realism that depicts joy and pathos in an emotionally touching piece with great relevance to our time. Opera Parallèle’s production could not be more fitting and effective with superb singing and musical support by the Nicole Paiement conducted eight-musician orchestra as well as Brian Staufenbiel’s clever and appealing creative design.
Orsia, the key role, is portrayed brilliantly by Angela Yam, conveying the compassion of the character with bright, clear, and accurate vocalization. She also looks and acts the part with great conviction. As the young girl, she wants to keep the mystery boy at least long enough to find him a home but meets with great resistance from her father. The story focuses on this quest. Her widowed father, Thalasso, is played with grim countenance by purposeful Craig Irvin whose commanding, barrel-chested baritone voice thunders with resonance and authority, notably in his “We get by” aria.
Since Thalasso and Orsia must scavenge for drought-resistant greens to produce a paltry meal, we understand the father’s wherewithal concerns. However, he says of the boy “He’s not one of us.” The pigeon keeper, who Thalasso won’t allow Orsia to talk to, is also an immigrant. Thalasso’s reiteration of his bias and the unwillingness of village folk to help out suggest deep-seated bigotry that is not only relevant today but which underscores many governmental and institutional acts in this country taken under other guises.
Discrimination constitutes the central thematic issue, particularly in the context of immigration and treatment of minorities. It also covers neutral and positive ground such as love, family, acceptance, rebirth, community, language as a barrier to communication, what needs to happen for humanity to overcome bias, and more.
The opera’s authors are able to meet the restriction on the number of principals by writing three roles in the same voice type. The answer is gregarious actor, the vocally versatile and mellifluous tenor Bernard Holcomb, who fills the bill by portraying both genders as the pigeon keeper, the widow grocer, and the shopkeeper. The final star in the show is the San Francisco Girls Chorus who sing large as a Greek chorus; a consort imitating bird sounds; and a clapping and singing ensemble à la a ‘60s girl group like The Angels singing “My Boyfriend’s Back.”
Hanlon’s eclectic music which defies categorization takes advantage of the casting and is melodious for a modern score. The small orchestra fits the intimacy of the narrative. Delicate solos and pizzicato add appeal to the musical effect. What is surprisingly effective are the poignant pauses, which quiet the audience and intensify the already considerable emotion and drama. The music and libretto make great use of the girls’ chorus as does the staging. While they occasionally move about the stage representing various groups or forces, most appearances are behind Jacquelyn Scott’s deceptively simple yet stunning set. Two building facades with around a dozen shuttered windows comprise the fixed set, and the girls sing mostly from the windows. Striking lighting & projection design by Jessica Drayton and equally attractive costume, hair, & makeup design by Y. Sharon Peng fill out the beautiful look of the staging.
Though Fleischmann’s libretto is direct, concise, and moving, minor questions about the work relate to the narrative. One could argue that the plotline is too simple, even though so many moral issues are implied. The counter is that the trim plot makes it more accessible to school-aged audience members, and it is in keeping with the idiom of fables that tell simple moral stories with very few characters. Also, some viewers may be confused by the beginning. Without introduction, a character, whom we much later learn is the pigeon keeper, sings in a foreign tongue with no translation. Is it a foreigner, a bird, or something or someone else? Finally, the title is a bit of a misnomer. While the pigeon keeper is vitally connected to the plot, he is a minor character.
The Pigeon Keeper, a world premiere composed by David Hanlon with libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann, was commissioned by Santa Fe Opera with co-commissions by Opera Parallèle and Opera Omaha, is produced by Opera Parallèle and plays at Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd., San Francisco, CA through March 9, 2025.