By VICTORIA ELIZABETH
Based on the iconic stage musical, originally written by Joseph Stein and composed by Jerry Bock, “Fiddler on the Roof” is brought to life by the visionaries behind the Alliance Theatre and the Atlanta Opera.
The Alliance Theatre, Atlanta’s acclaimed national theatre, which features a vast array of world class house productions, major plays, and even acting workshops, hosts many of the Atlanta Opera’s productions that don’t adhere specifically to the “opera” genre.
I was afforded the exclusive opportunity to spotlight the closing performance of this brilliant production, which enjoyed a successful run Sept 4-Oct 12.
The legendary, nearly 3.5 hour musical, kicks off with an introduction to the ensemble cast, which performs a rousing rendition of the show’s opening number, “Tradition”, arguably one of the most instantly recognizable numbers in the musical that details how the Orthodox Jewish community of Anatevka uses tradition to maintain social order and balance in a changing world, among the “Pappas, Mammas, Daughters, and Sons.”
We are introduced to our lovable protagonist Tevye, the patriarch of the family and his supportive, albeit, no-nonsense wife, Golde. They are struggling to make ends meet while rearing their five daughters: Tzeitel, Hodel, Chava, Shprintze, and Bielke.
During the intensely patriarchal and rigidly traditional times of Imperial Russia in 1905, the best hope a young woman could have for a decent life is being arranged to marry an eligible and financially stable man, typically an arrangement facilitated by the patriarch of the family and a matchmaker.
The forceful local matchmaker, Yente, is determined to match the graceful and beautiful eldest daughter, Tzeitel, with the much older, relatively wealthy widower, Lazar Wolfe. The young girl’s mother, apathetic to the staggering age difference and pleased by the thought of a more comfortable life for her first-born promises Yente that she will arrange her husband to meet with Wolfe, the town’s wealthy butcher.
Meanwhile, Hodel and Chava express excitement at the idea of being matched with their potential husbands in the number, “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” while the eldest sibling Tzeitel introduces a hint of reality to their unrealistically optimistic hopes and by the end, all three sisters express newfound fears and a desire for more agency and autotomy in choosing their partners.
Struggling as a poor milkman, Tevye laments that his life would be much more enjoyable for himself and those closest to him in the song “If I Were A Rich Man.”
Additional instantly recognizable, stand out numbers within the first half of the production include “Sabbath Prayer” and “To Life.”
Once she hears of the dreadful news that she is betrothed to marry Lazar, Tzeitel tearfully confesses to her father that she would rather dig ditches than do so, and that her heart has already been pledged to her life-long love, the poor, yet kind-mannered Motel, the town tailor.
During the poignant “Tevye’s Monologue,” the character grapples with the challenges of tradition versus change in his life.
Perhaps one of the most whimsical and wildly memorable moments of the show is “The Dream” in which Tevye concocts a completely fabricated and wildly imaginative story that he had a horrifying nightmare, during which he proclaims that Goldie’s late grandmother appeared to him in a dream, stating that the match between Tzeitel and the wealthy town butcher will result in Tzeitel’s death at the hands of the butcher’s first wife, Fruma-Sarah. Absolutely horrified at this bombastic and totally fabricated revelation, Golde agrees with her husband that Tzeitel should marry her true love, Motel in order to evade such misfortune.
The family and ensemble gather for a beautiful white wedding, celebrating the union of the two, during with the emotionally charged “Sunrise, Sunset,” which reflects upon the inevitable passage of time, leading to “The Wedding,” which is interrupted by a stark warning followed by an attack from antisemitic Russian soldiers.
Act 2 kicks off to stellar start with “Entr’acte by the Orchestra.”
Perchik, an open minded, radically spirited revolutionary student from Kiev, and Hodel have proclaimed their love for each other through the song “Now I Have Everything,” and once again, obliterating the barriers of tradition, ask Tevye for his blessing in their plans of matrimony. The father, disgruntled by the rapidly changing times, yet wanting to see his daughter happy, reluctantly consents and accepts the fact that if the world is changing, he must change with it in the ballad “Tevye’s Rebuttal.”
Ruminating upon his daughters’ propensitities toward marrying for love as opposed to tradition and societal norms, Tevye asks Golde if she indeed loves him after 25 years of an arranged marriage in the number “Do You Love Me.”
Tevye’s woes are multiplied tenfold when his daughter Chava proclaims her love for Fyedka, a Russian Christian who shares Chava’s love for reading and is outraged by the persecution of the Jews. Since Fyedka is not Jewish, Tevye cannot provide his blessing to the marriage and much to his daughter’s dismay, he proclaims that she is dead to him.
Hodel, torn between her loyalty to family and her ardent devotion to her activist husband expresses heartache and dismay in having to leave her loved ones behind in “Far from the Home I Love”, while The Russian Constable, acting under the direct orders of the Tsar proclaims to Tevye and the villages that they must immediately evict their beloved homes in Anatevka.
Heartbroken, the weary, yet tenacious and resilient Jewish people, packed their belongings, made tearful final goodbyes, and set out to America and beyond, in search of a better life.
Emotionally charged, powerful, culturally relevant, and beautifully performed, “Fiddler on the Roof” is truly a remarkable production which will remain with you long after the curtain has drawn.
Special thanks to Greg and entire Atlanta Opera Team for arranging our visit for this spotlight feature.
WEBSITE: https://www.atlantaopera.org
PHONE NUMBER: (404) 881-8801
INSTAGRAM @theatlantaopera
WEBSITE: https://www.alliancetheatre.org
