With the first instantly recognizable notes of “West Side Story,” hearts begin to race, toes tap, anticipation builds.
Leonard Bernstein’s percussive, high-voltage score, with its kinetic Latin rhythms and jazzy flavorings, lies at the heart and soul of this timeless work, but it is just one in an almost miraculous confluence of ingredients that make it great.
Unlike many historical musicals that remain pleasantly diverting, “West Side Story,” which debuted on Broadway in 1957, has become an indelible, essential part of the American cultural psyche.
Central City Opera’s new production convincingly demonstrates again the musical’s enduring power and relevance.
Always-dependable stage director Ken Cazan, back for his sixth time with the company, has sculpted a masterful staging that potently conveys the work’s delicate and, in many ways, unlikely balance of fun, poignancy and pain.
Every scene sparkles with energy and emotional investment, with Cazan getting the tone of the key scenes just right, especially the gritty realism of the Jets’ harrowing assault on Anita and the unbridled romanticism of the scenes between Tony and Maria.
The biggest challenge was fitting this expansive musical, with its big dance scenes, onto Central City’s unusually compact stage. But Cazan, drawing on his considerable experience in the house, skillfully pulls it off, with only a couple of times when the action seems a little cramped.
Also deserving a share of the credit in that regard is choreographer Daniel Pelzig, who does a brilliant job of fitting Jerome Robbins’ celebrated choreography onto the stage and keeping it from looking crowded.
This production should appeal as much to dance fans as opera and theater audiences, because dance is more integral to this musical than probably any other in history.
Rather than merely an enhancement, it is fundamental to the story. When Tony and Maria first meet, their feelings of attraction are conveyed not with words but body language and movement.
Pelzig has assembled a terrific group of 17 dancers (all fine singers and actors as well), who, with his guidance behind them, perform Robbins’ steps with commendable skill, gusto and commitment.
Designer Cameron Anderson drew on the grimy, wrecked feel of New York City’s Upper West Side in the 1950s, creating moody scenery dominated by a chain-link fence and an angled, fragmented set piece whose units fold out to form other settings.
Alice Marie Kugler Bristow’s costumes nicely convey the period look of the musical, especially the colorful 1950s dresses the girls wear to the school dance.
Central City Opera did an admirable job of picking the cast, finding singers that really fit their parts. Equally important, the performers, who come from operatic and Broadway backgrounds, have melded into a seamless ensemble.
The two well-matched leads could hardly be more convincing. Both are primarily opera singers, but they have taken easily and comfortably to the Broadway style, bringing their vocal skills to these songs with making them overly “operatic.”
Tenor Gregory Turay, a former Central City apprentice, invests Tony with a suitable dose of bright-eyed idealism and authenticity. He makes “Maria” one of the highlights of the production, with his straightfoward, unforced vocal style.
Soprano Sarah Jane McMahon, also a a former Central City apprentice artist, makes effective use of her pleasing, natural-sounding voice. She conveys the polarity of Maria’s emotions — the ectasy of falling in love and the agony of seeing Tony shot.
Other standouts include baritone Anthony Peyla as Bernardo and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Nelson as Anita.
Conductor John Baril, the company’s music director, provides capable support in the pit, leading a 34-member orchestra that admirably brings Bernstein’s rich score to life.
Kyle MacMillan: 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com
This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, it incorrectly listed the singer in the role of Anita.
“West Side Story
Musical opera Presented by Central City Opera. Music by Leonard Bernstein, choreography by Jerome Robbins and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. 8 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. July 13, with 10 subsequent performances through Aug. 9. $45-$93. 303-292-6700 or
