Aesopera

Where else can you find actors who turn into frogs? At the Hollywood Fringe Festival's dynamic production of AESOPERA at the Open Fist Theatre.,of course. Five fables by Aesop are wonderfully transformed into a combination of opera, drama and just plain slapstick with a talented cast that brings together all the skills that theater is made of. With music by the amazing Jonathan Price and libretto by Jeff Goode and Jan Michael Alejandro, AESOPERA is a delicious piece of entertainment,,,not to be missed. I also have to send kudos to cast member Kyle Hester who was a drama student of mine in middle-school. Kyle, you've come a long way. Loved it all.... full review

Having had the pleasure of working with a few people in the production before, I knew I was walking into a quality show. I was not in the least bit disappointed either. Such beautiful, operatic voices, and how clever to have adapted some of Aesop's fables into opera! Well done, cast and crew!... full review

I enjoyed this show so much! I thought the music was beautiful and the libretti touching, clever and meaningful. I was really impressed with not only the singer's voices...but,their acting too! ... full review

Superb, Fun & Clever! I attended the June 25th performance. While I originally attended to see the outstanding soprano Tania Solomon perform- I thought the entire cast was wonderful & i thoroughly enjoyed all 5 acts. Both the singing AND acting was top notch. Hope to see these artists perform together again! Best show I've seen at Hollywood Fringe!!... full review

If you are someone like me who is a bit intimidated by the term "opera", you needn't be in this case. Aesopera is presented in English by an extremely talented cast of singers. The tableaus they create on stage with their voices and bodies is striking. I tip my hat to the director for bringing opera to what was once a Fringe Festival devoid of it. ... full review

Aesopera is a delight! The music and acting are fabulously entertaining. The five "skits" are well played by all. I would recommend it...... full review

Opera Lovers should appreciate this unique and daring show. Though I must confess Grand Opera is not my thing, yet I could see - and certainly hear - the talent in this company. Drawing loosely from a number of lesser-known Aesop’s Fables, this truly bravura ensemble engages us in a series of life-lessons. My definite favorite was the man who wants to create a flying machine and goes to the Oracle who asks him three questions about life. When he answers them correctly, she gives him the secret of flight. However, by pondering these enigmatic questions he realizes his invention can be used in war and, when his own son marches off seeking glory, the man wisely destroys his invention. Other parables were often difficult to follow as, sadly, muc... full review

What a treat! A massively talented cast, a clever and delightful series of compositions. It's a family-friendly; funny-bone-tickling; heart-wrenching; surprisingly topical yet, classically timeless must-see.... full review

If you like historic fables, really entertaining performances, and beautiful intelligent music you will really enjoy this opera. The six actor/singers play multiple parts each and do a wonderful job of wisking the audience away into a world of historic moral dilemmas!... full review

Silly me. Here I went into “Ǽsopera” expecting a wild and wacky parody of an opera, and what I got, well was opera. Five tales by Aesop the ancient Greek fabulist are presented here as operettas. Some like “The Frogs Who Desired a King” are delivered as the fables themselves. Others like “The Dog and its Reflection” seem to have been adapted with the intention of posing a more modern moral to the audience. Composer & librettist Jonathan Price in partnership with librettists Jeff Goode and Jan Michael Alejandro have done solid work in presenting pieces that are both entertaining and assessable to even an “Opera-lite” audience (of which I count myself) Directors Kirk Arnold-Smith and Alison Eliel Kalmus serve the evening splendidly as ... full review