Celebrated soprano Marnie Breckenridge discusses Tapestry Opera’s world premiere of “Jacqueline”

Tapestry Opera has been a leader in premiering boundary-pushing Canadian works for 40 years. This legacy continues this month with the world premiere of Jacqueline, an operatic duo-drama about renowned English cellist Jacqueline du Pré at the Betty Oliphant Theatre from February 19 – 23, 2020. Directed by Michael Hidetoshi Mori, the work was composed by Luna Pearl Woolf and Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Royce Vavrek. In it, acclaimed cellist Matt Haimovitz will play the role of du Pré’s constant companion – her cello – and celebrated American soprano Marnie Breckenridge will play Jacqueline herself. 

Considered among the finest musicians in the world, du Pré was a rare prodigy and role model for female soloists. When she began experiencing numbness in her fingers at age 24, her doctor dismissed it as psychological fatigue, until she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) nearly four years later. Jacqueline is a stark, darkly humorous, and sensitive exploration of what happens when such great talent is cut short. The work references Haimovitz’s personal memories of du Pré, who mentored him shortly before she died, despite the advanced stage of her MS. 

Woolf wrote the role specifically for Breckenridge as soprano soloist, and for cellist Matt Haimovitz, who is Woolf’s husband. Woolf wanted to write about Jacqueline du Pré because of her brief personal relationship with Haimovitz (whom Breckenridge deems a “wunderkind himself”). Woolf approached Breckenridge  to collaborate on the project after seeing her perform in Dog Days by David T. Little and Royce Vavrek – whom Breckenridge would then ask to write the libretto for Jacqueline. Once Vavrek was on board, the brainstorming began in earnest. 

“The tragic fact that du Pré died of MS at such a young age makes for an operatic story to be sure,” Breckenridge notes. Woolf “felt my energy reminded her of Jacqueline’s, so she had faith I could embody Jackie fully.” Breckenridge views opera as an ideal medium for storytelling because the “music itself does a lot to heighten emotions we universally experience where only words would simply not suffice. The vibrations caused by live music can penetrate below the surface of our skin, giving a visceral understanding of what a character’s story is conveying.” And since du Pré was a real person, she needed a real voice – beyond her cello recordings – to express her story. “And why not let it be this soprano?!”

Audiences of Jacqueline will be fortunate to hear Breckenridge, whose vast experience includes roles spanning the Baroque and bel canto to Modern. She is famed for her passionate interpretations of contemporary works, and made her Carnegie Hall debut singing the soprano solos in Mozart’s Coronation Mass last spring. She is a featured soloist on the 2012 New World Records’ album of Victor Herbert songs, and recently made her European and Asian debuts as Cunegonde in Prague State Opera’s Candide, and then in Robert Carsen’s production with the English National Opera in London and on tour in Japan. Despite being in such great demand, she is warm, approachable and forthcoming. 

Throughout the 2+ years of workshopping Jacqueline, she recalls that everything seemed to “just fit”. “Before Jacqueline came to fruition, I had the wonderful opportunity of performing a few of Luna’s beautiful works for soprano and cello with Matt in Washington DC, so I knew this project would be a great fit for me in every way. I love Luna’s music, Royce’s words, Matt’s playing, Michael Mori’s direction, and the bonus fact that these are all people I adore as friends, too!” she enthuses. “#Jackpot!”  Elaborating, Breckenridge describes Jacqueline as an individualized approach to modern opera: a “duo-drama filled with a heightened sense of Jacqueline’s internal and emotional journey”. Musically, the production will have a chamber music feel with two soloists – singer and cello – trading off the melody. Her voice will also at times mimic a cello in its leaps and use of glissandi: “As the Elgar concerto in E minor is a touch point for much of what brilliant composer Luna Pearl Woolf built the motives of the piece upon, it will be something familiar to listen for amidst the new and serialistic, and perhaps even – at times – slightly a-tonal (yet incredibly melodic) tones.” 

Formal preparations for portraying du Pré began with Breckenridge learning the music. Before the music existed, however, she spent hours with Woolf, Vavrek and Mori on FaceTime and email, determined to get to the “golden nugget” of what they wanted the story to be. They sought more than a simple chronology of du Pré’s life. And the “layered nuance of what Jackie was as a woman and artist . . . contributed to my approach in understanding how to ‘play’ her.” This meant utilizing YouTube to learn du Pré’s English accent, watching her speaking and interacting with others, and viewing other videos to learn how to embody her playing cello. Did Breckenridge watch the Hilary and Jackie movie that came out several years ago? No, as she didn’t want another actor’s portrayal to affect how du Pré emerges from her. However, one fun preparation she undertook was to take cello lessons with a neighbor, who happens to play in a local regional orchestra. “Even though I do not actually fully play cello in the opera, I needed to understand for myself how it feels to use the instrument and find its most beautiful impulses.” Haimovitz augmented these early lessons, and Breckenridge calls this “something I want to have remembered forever in my future biography!”

Her hope for this unique work is that audiences will feel that she and Haimovitz unite as one person. “We are telling someone’s personal story, and we hope the audience will have the curiosity and open mind to delve deeply with us into Jacqueline’s heart, mind and soul.” For those learning for the first time about du Pré, Breckenridge hopes that they will also take away awareness that the “present moment is crucial, that one’s talents and gifts can be cut short…so use every moment to LIVE FULLY. Also, I hope they’ll observe how it must have been difficult for Jacqueline to be so famous, preternaturally talented and beautiful, and prominent in a ‘man’s world’ of the 60’s and 70’s – and appreciate how (unbeknownst to Jackie even) there was progress being made for feminism.”

Perhaps surprisingly, the biggest challenge of all for this accomplished soprano has been getting used to the chamber feel of no conductor – “relying on the ‘give and take’ nature of chamber music with [Haimovitz]. It is rare to have cello and soprano only. And two people who are used to being ‘the soloist’. At times I feel quite naked and exposed, with no orchestra or other singers to work in tandem with.” This challenge includes “a tour-de-force ‘a capella’ aria towards the end of the opera, where Jacqueline lets it all out – a challenge to stay on pitch as we switch back and forth between many key signatures- sometimes within the same bar even!”  

With its unique premise and music, Jacqueline promises to be a worthy successor to Tapestry Opera’s lineage of experimentation. And the team is unrelenting in their quest to get it right. “As is customary with new works, there will surely be a few more staging changes and perhaps even a word or note edit here or there, as we continue to find even deeper discoveries and revelations to share right up until the curtain opens on February 19th! And what a wonderful pleasure that will be!”

2 More with Marnie Breckenridge 

1.Just as du Pré is well known in the music world, so are you highly respected in the opera and operetta world. What’s been a career highlight for you?  

Without a doubt, one of the biggest career highlights has been the Robert Carsen production of Candide with English National Opera in London and on tour in Japan. I sang the role of Cunegonde in a multi-faceted range of characters as we left Westphalia and toured the brave new world updated beyond Voltaire’s imagination. It is such a clever rendering of an often problematic opera to stage because of the ‘round-the-world’ nature of the libretto. 

The highlight, a Marilyn Monroe version of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” complete with hot pink dress, diamonds, and dancing men swirling around me (as can be seen on my website marniebreckenridge.com) while singing the eponymous “Glitter and Be Gay” will go down in my personal history as one of the most challenging and exuberant times I’ve experienced on stage. The whole show required me to dance in several scenes and become various versions of a stereotyped female (schoolgirl, suburban housewife, film star, burlesque dancer, gold-digger, reformed sister-wife, etc.). 

 2.You have performed with some of the finest artists in the industry. Have you ever been starstruck?

I wouldn’t say I’ve ever been completely starstruck. I think being a performer has made me identify with other performers innately knowing we are all humans just trying to deliver our best quality work. That said, I was a bit starstruck when I met Renée Flemming the first time. I had just sung a concert of Villa-Lobos and Schubert songs with a conductor she had been dating (13+ years ago)…she had watched his videotape of our performance, apparently, because she shook my hand and totally turned the tables on me telling me she thought I was a “wonderful singer”!  It completely floored me. Before I had a chance to gush on her, she complimented ME! It was shocking yet affirming (and speaks once again to the class act that La Flemming truly is).

I had spent a good amount of my early career believing in insecure and perfectionist ideas that I would never be good enough, always looking to others to give me cues on whether or not I was “ready” or “okay”. Ugh. Wasted time. But to hear from one of the greatest of the greats that she appreciated what I did, this was a highlight/wake-up call for sure.

News You Can Use

What: Jacqueline: A Portrait of Virtuosity | Libretto by Royce Vavrek | Music by Luna Pearl Woolf | Dramaturgy and Direction by Michael Hidetoshi Mori
Cast: Marnie Breckenridge, Soprano and Matt Haimovitz, Cello 

When: February 19 – 23, 2020

Where: Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St, Toronto, ON

Info and Tickets: Tapestryopera.com 

© Arpita Ghosal, Sesaya / SesayArts Magazine, 2020