Production: I Pagliacci and Leonard Bernstein’s ”Trouble in Tahiti” were being staged as a pair of one-act operas at Connecticut Opera in Hartford and then on tour. They were directed by famous ballet choreographer Michael Uthoff, making his directorial debut.
Scenic design solution: In order to make the operas work for the choreographer’s contemporary and fresh sensibility, Designscape’s creative director, Don Warshaw designed the scenery to be conducted and choreographed instead of traditional static scenery; this gave a physicality and movement to the staging to complement the director’s sense of movement. This was perceived as a fresh and exciting way to present both operas, and was fundamentally different from the expectations of the reviewers and audience. It was very well received and extensively reviewed.
