Bits of shattered ceramic flew across the stage like shrapnel, the closest audience members jerking back in surprise at the violence of the opera’s destructive climax.
At Pittsburgh Opera, the disenfranchised working class had just smashed the tyranny of the federal government through sheer industrial might. Symbolically, at least.
“The Last American Hammer,” music by Peter Hilliard and libretto by Matt Boresi, premiered in Washington, D.C., in 2018 and satirically distills the frustration of someone who fell through the proverbial cracks. Conspiracy theorist and former hammer factory worker (baritone Timothy Mix) stages a standoff in the “uniquely positioned” national Toby Jug museum, venting his rage to the museum’s curator (soprano Caitlin Gotimer). After securing the interest of the FBI, he verbally spars with a rookie agent (mezzo-soprano Antonia Botti-Lodovico) over tea and cookies.
Pittsburgh Opera has produced and mounted the second staging of the opera with director Matthew Haney in its own headquarters in the Strip, which hosts a small, intimate theater space, dressed up with various pedestals and jugs for the week. The cast comprises members and a graduate of the opera’s Resident Artist program, a two-year intensive training program for emerging artists.
Mr. Hilliard’s music alternates between Appalachian-tinged folk strains and longer, more ethereal winding phrases that cut the sparkle and momentum of the dialogue. Conductor Glenn Lewis kept a small orchestra, just a string quintet bolstered by banjo and mandolin, tightly in sync with the cast on Saturday’s opening night. The libretto demonstrates wit and wisdom, with inventive symbolism and spectacularly quotable sound bites peppered in throughout, snappy bits like, “when you’re holding the last American hammer, everything looks like a nail,” or the more droll “I’m a terrorist, dear.”
The opera is a thought-provoking rumination, and the bizarro situation offers plenty of humor. But the dramatic impact is hamstrung by a lack of focus and pacing issues.
A majority of the dialogue is quippy exposition that dives down symbolic tangents, and while the climax is exciting, it doesn’t land its swing on an emotional level. Mr. Mix gave a studied performance as the conspiracy theorist, complete with a touch of a drawl and some off-putting facial tics. But winning as he is in the role, the libretto makes it impossible to take his ravings seriously or feel for him at all. His plight is real and widespread. He’s been laid off. His wife and daughter have abandoned him. His faith in his country hasn’t been rewarded, quite the opposite. But he’s a walking cliché — a militia man worried about the government droning him down before his message gets out. A more three-dimensional explanation for his radicalization would be pertinent.
Ms. Gotimer as the curator gave an enchantingly whimsical performance, but her youthful appearance and portrayal seemed mismatched to the character of a retired domestic agitator reflecting on her efforts. Playing the irascible FBI agent, Ms. Botti-Lodovico is the audience stand-in, rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness of the pair of political protesters along with listeners. While her acting was a bit one-dimensional — a consistent look of disgust carried her from entrance to exit — her voice brimmed with passion and her sense of nuance in her lower range suited the room’s acoustics beautifully. A touch more visual empathy might bring out more depth; simple character moments shone in the production, including, for example, when she offers a hand to Mr. Mix to help him up.
Each character had a couple musical moments to shine (the “Sauerkraut balls” duet was a delightful, warm bit of small-town pride), but this isn’t enough in a roughly 100-minute, one-act production. The dialogue was compelling at the outset but seemed unfocused and didn’t successfully build toward its final emotional outburst. This work has high potential. Given the style of the banter, it might be more compelling as a straight play with accompanying musicians to provide to sense of rural twang.
This production repeats Tuesday at 7 pm., Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $23-$45 at pittsburghopera.org.
Jeremy Reynolds: jreynolds@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1634; twitter: @Reynolds_PG. Mr. Reynolds' work at the Post-Gazette is supported by a grant from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Getty Foundation and Rubin Institute.
First Published: February 23, 2020, 8:49 p.m.
