Disclosure: Dr. Chris takes voice lessons from one of the cast members of this production.

The Real Housewives of Sparta was the first production of the newly formed Seattle Modern Opera Company (SMOC). In this bawdy and farcical tale adapted and updated from Jacques Offenbach’s La Belle Helene, Paris plots to go behind the back of Menelaus to have his way with the beautiful Helen of Troy.

Brandon Higa, Sammie Gorham, and Anthony James. Seattle Modern Opera Company.

SMOC’s mission is to create a new generation of opera goers by performing modern operas and condensed, modernized adaptations of older works in non-traditional spaces. The small, minimalist set and tiny venue (4 rows of seats) for The Real Housewives of Sparta was a far cry from the grand halls usually associated with opera productions. Opera is generally perceived as one of the most pretentious and stuffy of art forms, and many performers and aficionados tend to reinforce that stereotype. Bucking that perception is a worthwhile goal.

Goals and aspirations are nice, but how good was the show? The Real Housewives of Sparta turned out to be a rollicking good time. The entire cast – Sammie Gorham, Anthony James, Darrell J. Jordan, Brandon Higa, Eliza Woodyard, Erica Convery, and Joseph Muriello – seemed to be enjoying their roles. It was clearly meant to be a farce from the start, with hammy overacting and comically minimal props driving a general sense of fun.

Anthony James and Darrell J. Jordan. Seattle Modern Opera Company.

Unfortunately, the venue’s acoustics were lackluster. Music reflects off the walls and ceiling of a well-designed room and gives the sensation of being surrounded by sound. That was missing here. The singers all had lovely voices, but the room robbed them of some of the richness and complexity one might expect from an operatic performance. On the other hand, the intimacy of the venue compensated to a considerable degree for the acoustics, and a newcomer to opera might find the experience less intimidating and more “accessible” than listening to booming voices in a grand hall. This production would make an excellent introduction for someone curious about opera but hesitant to give it a try. For those with more opera experience, it’s an entertaining and highly enjoyable new way to experience the art.

This kind of show doesn’t really lend itself to a numerical rating, so I’m just going to say I had a great time. If you live in the Seattle area, you should check out SMOC’s future productions.