"A Little Night Music" At Miami University

By Ellen Kahle

Miami University journalism student

Stephen Sondheim is considered one of the greats of modern musical theater and Oxford residents and Miami University students were recently able to take in the master's work.

Miami's Department of Music recently staged Sondheim's "A Little Night Music." Performances took place Feb. 23 through 25 in the Wilks Theater on Miami's Oxford campus.

"Sondheim's score utilizes the style of Viennese operetta, in particular the alt, to capture elegant, turn-of-the century Sweden," says Director of Miami Opera Benjamin Smolder. "Sondheim, a great lover of puzzles, highlights the tripe meter with recurring motifs of three; three smiles of the summer night, three generations of the Amrfeldt family, and three love triangles."

A Tangled Web

The first act sets up all of the relationships between the characters. A teenage Anne married to a middle age Fredrik Egerman frustrated with the fact that the two have not consummated their marriage. Fredrik's son, Henrik, a seminary student, develops feelings for Anne. Because of Fredrik's frustrations, he goes to an old lover, Broadway star Desirée Armfeldt, initially to talk but eventually to rekindle their past relations. In the midst of their encounter, another lover of Desirée, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, drops by Desirée's apartment to find Fredrik in his robe.

Becoming insanely jealous the Count goes back to his wife, Charlotte, who just happens to be one of Anne's old school friends and tells her about Fredrik's infidelity. As all of this is happening, Desirée's daughter, Fredrika, is learning how to be a respectable and respectful young lady from Desirée's dying mother, Madame Armfeldt.

The first act closes with Anne and Charlotte chatting as Anne receives an invitation for her family to visit Desirée's family estate for a weekend in the country. Charlotte relays this information to her husband and he decides that they will go to Desirée's also, invited or not.

"I was not expecting to actually kind of like this show," says Miami student Austin Snyder. "My friends dragged me here but there was actually a lot of really funny jokes and plot lines."

Affairs Exposed

The second act picks up with all of the characters in Madame Armfeldt's country home. Things escalate quickly as each person at this gathering has an agenda of their own. Desirée is beyond shocked when the Count and Charlotte show up on her doorstep. Fredrik is trying to keep his secret rendezvous hidden from Anne, who loves Desirée as a Broadway star.

When everyone sits down to dinner, the tension is palpable. Hendrik decides he cannot stand it anymore, smashes a glass, and storms out to the woods. He finds Fredrika and tells her about his deep love for Anne. When she comes looking for him, she finds Fredrika instead and she reveals Hendrik's secret. The pair set off in search for him and find him about to hang himself. Anne sends Fredrika away and the two talk things through, ultimately resulting in the loss of Anne's virginity.

At the same time, Desirée tells Fredik how unhappy she is and the pair talk about getting together but decide not to. The Count then barges into Desirée's room and and forces himself on her. Through a window, Carl-Magnus spots what he thinks is Fredrik and Charlotte in a compromising position so he challenges Fredrik to a game of Russian roulette. Fredrik loses and ends up wounded in Desirée's arms.

The plays end with Fredrika asking Madame Armfeldt what type of smile the evening had procured, her answering, and her death.

"My granddaughter is actually one of the characters in the play so of course I'm here to support her," says Susan Ritcher. "I wish there was less sex but I completely understand how it pertains to the lives of young people, even today."

Miami's production of "A Little Night Music" was made possible by the William E. Schmidt Foundation.

Photo: The name "A Little Night Music" is the literal English translation of the title of Mozart's string serenade "Eine kleine Nachtmusik." Sondheim's musical includes the song "Send in the Clowns." -- Photo by Ellen Kahle