By Bart Greenberg***The delightful supper club Feinstein’s/54 Below may not be the first place you expect to encounter an opera. And make no mistake, The Pleasing Recollection is indeed an opera, albeit a contemporary one for two performers, with a constant sprinkling of musical references to the works of Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland—all of who figure into the narrative. Indeed it requires more than one hearing to catch on to all of the musical quotes and jokes in this piece. The music 
itself, by Martin Hennessy, is of the new fashion of overflowing in melodious phrases but very little melody. With a witty libretto by Stephen Kitsakos, the seemingly autobiographical text tells of a young gay man’s adventures, mostly sexual, in the wicked New York City theatrical world of the 1970s and 80s. Unfortunately, it is more a series of anecdotes than a story that builds in a dramatic way to a satisfying climax; in fact, what should be the resolution of the tale is brushed off in a few lines lacking any details.
Framed by the recollections of an older version of the character, a clever and subtle transition to the past via a simple costume alteration (one of many excellent touches by director Murphy Davis) launches the stories of a the protagonist, a neo-Candide from the distant land of Staten Island, discovering the wonders of the Lincoln Center Performing Library’s collection of recordings and sheet music, and launching a journey from Oscar Hammerstein to Jule Styne to Leonard Bernstein. Running out of “Steins”, he moved on to Sondheim. But his education was not limited to musical comedy; at a 
recording studio he encountered Larry Kert (“Larry Kert was a flirt”); at a Greenwich Village gay bar he was seduced by Charles Ludlam (he was confused by being a gay man falling for a man dressed as a woman, albeit a hairy woman); in a theater restroom relieving himself, wherein the urinal next to him was occupied by a exhibitionistic Leonard Bernstein; and on a weekend in the country (yes, the music goes there) where the compassionate Aaron Copland teaches him how to enjoy an artichoke. Much of this was amusing but without much resonance or impact.
What made the evening worthwhile was the power of the two performers on stage. Running a full hour with almost no pauses (the program does list 17 numbers, but the majority blended into the next with only a few stops for applause). A few scattered spoken words with underscoring offered no relief for either pianist nor vocalist. Bénédicte Jourdois served as both music director and pianist—as well as providing occasional vocal support—with a seamless assurance and thrilling musicality. She built a relationship on understanding smiles and compassionate nods with the leading man t
hat far exceeded her musical responsibilities.
As to the leading man, baritone Michael Kelly offered up a resonant and truly controlled classically-trained voice, superb diction, and a witty acting style with surprising depth (he is also quite attractive, making his youthful desirability quite understandable). His background in both opera and musical comedy was in full display as he communicated shifting moods and attitudes—often within a few moments as demanded by the compact material—with surprising details. He also portrayed the character’s shifting ages through body language. It was simply a flawless performance of problematic material, and deserved his standing ovation at the end of the evening.
The Pleasing Recollection will have another outing on Sunday, May 29 on Fire Island. More information here.
Photos by Chantal Jourdois
