SAN FRANCISCO OPERA: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (TV)
Summary
This program features the world premiere presentation of composer André Previn's three-act musical adaptation of Tennessee Williams' famous 1947 play, as performed by members of the San Francisco Opera.
Act One begins as Blanche DuBois arrives in the French Quarter to surprise her married sister, Stella ("They told me to take a streetcar named Desire"). Eunice the landlady allows her into the apartment, where Blanche immediately begins drinking. Though Stella is overjoyed to see her sister ("Blanche!/Stella! Oh Stella!"), Blanche is taken aback by her ramshackle, two-room apartment. She admits that she has "not been well," and Stella tells Blanche about her love for her working-class husband, Stanley Kowalski ("I can hardly stand it"). Blanche vents her frustration on her sister for leaving her behind at their childhood home of Belle Reve in Mississippi ("You left! I stayed and I struggled!") and tells her about their parents' deaths, revealing that she is destitute because "death is expensive."
Later, Stella's husband returns home and meets their unexpected guest ("You must be Stanley. I'm Blanche"), who states that she is an English teacher and a widow. Stella privately begs Stanley not to tell Blanche about their forthcoming child, though Stanley, learning that Stella has given her sister money, informs her that, as a married couple, they share everything ("Let me enlighten you on a point or two"); he complains that Blanche has "swindled" them. He opens Blanche's trunks, revealing her expensive clothing and pricey jewelry, declaring that he will have the items appraised. He also finds a large quantity of letters; Blanche, discovering him rooting through her belongings, emotionally describes the love letters from her dead husband ("Here! There are thousands of papers"). Stanley defies Stella's wishes and tells Blanche of her pregnancy, though Blanche seems to react with joy. Stanley's friends arrive for their men-only poker game, and Blanche and Stella return from an evening on the town, annoying Stanley with their raucous laughter. Blanche begins to flirt with the shy and polite Mitch, though Stanley loses his temper with Stella and strikes her, causing her to flee upstairs to Eunice's apartment with her sister. A deeply remorseful Stanley tearfully bellows for his wife to return to him ("Stella!/Stanley, that's my ... What are you doing"), which she soon does, despite Blanche's fury that he is "common" and "an ape" ("Hmmm ... /Stella? Stella?").
In Act Two, Stanley asks Blanche if she is familiar with the Hotel Flamingo, an infamously seedy spot in town ("Say, Blanche ... Do you happen to know"), though Blanche nervously states that she has only heard tell of the place. Having set a date with Mitch for that evening, Blanche confesses to Stella that she is desperate to remarry, and she admits that "soft is not enough" in a harsh world ("Soft people have got to shimmer and glow.") A young man stops by to collect money for the newspaper ("Ah me ... Ah me ... Come in"), and Blanche, left home alone, begins to flirt with him ("Don't you love these rainy afternoons?") before briefly kissing him and sending him on his way.
Mitch and Blanche head out on their date (" 'Fraid you didn't have much fun"), and Mitch showers her with compliments, admitting that he is self-conscious about his weight and sweaty constitution. Blanche dodges his questions about her own weight and age ("Blanche ... How old are you?"), and Mitch explains that his elderly mother is desperate to see him settle down and marry before she dies ("I'm not a boy, she says"). Moved by his history, Blanche finally confesses the story of her disastrous first marriage ("He was a boy when I was a very young girl"): she caught her young bridegroom, Allan Grey, in a sexual situation with another man and pronounced herself "disgusted," prompting Allan to fatally shoot himself. Mitch tries to comfort her, assuring her that everyone needs to be loved.
Act Three begins as a heavily pregnant Stella prepares for Blanche's birthday; Stanley coldly informs her that "everyone knows all about her" and reveals that not only has Blanche been engaging in acts of prostitution at the Hotel Flamingo, but she was also fired from her teaching job because of an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old boy ("You should just know the line.") Upset, Stella refuses to believe him. Stanley then adds that, as Mitch will now surely rescind his plans to marry Blanche, he, Stanley, will send her back to Mississippi. Blanche grows distraught when Mitch fails to arrive for her birthday dinner ("What time is it?"), and when the sisters criticize Stanley's loutish behavior, he erupts in anger and reminds them that he is "the king around here." Blanche tries to contact Mitch as Stanley reassures Stella ("Stell, it's gonna be all right.") Angered by her anti-Polish comments,Stanley "gifts" Blanche with a bus ticket, which distresses her further. Stanley protests that he and Stella were happy before Blanche's arrival ("Me and you when we first met"), but the argument is interrupted when Stella goes into labor.
Blanche is left home alone as Mitch finally arrives ("Who is it, please?") and angrily confronts Blanche about the many rumors he has heard about her behavior. He realizes that he has never seen her in full light because she is trying to hide her appearance and true age ("It's dark in here"). He assaults her, declaring her unfit for marriage, and Blanche sinks further into despair as she dons her fancy clothes and a tiara, haunted by a flower-seller's cries outside ("How about taking a swim.") Stanley returns, explaining that Stella has not yet delivered the baby, and though he offers to "bury the hatchet" with Blanche, he scorns her odd attire and her many lies about her life ("Take a look at yourself.") Blanche panics and tries to telephone for help ("Operator, operator, give me long distance") and even threatens Stanley with a broken glass, but he overpowers her and rapes her on the bed.
Sometime later, Eunice and Stella tend to Blanche, who has suffered a complete mental breakdown ("I'll wear the cool yellow silk.") They prepare to commit her to a mental institution as the men obviously continue their card game in the other room ("I can smell the sea air.") Blanche flies into a panic when the nurse and doctor arrive to collect her ("That must be them,") and Mitch rages at Stanley as Eunice tries to comfort a guilt-ridden Stella over her decision to send her sister away. The nurse and doctor restrain Blanche ("These fingernails need to be trimmed,") and she soon calms down and leaves willingly, telling them that "whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." The program concludes as the actors and Previn take their bows.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: November 30, 1997 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:46:40
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 112452
- GENRE: Opera
- SUBJECT HEADING: Opera; Theater; Music
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV, 1998
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Horn … Executive Producer
- Nigel Boon … Executive Producer
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Lotfi Mansouri … Executive Producer
- Jane Seymour … Executive Producer
- Barbara Bellini Witkowski … Executive Producer
- Judy Flannery … Producer
- John Walker … Producer
- Kate Gaitley … Producer
- Mona Niemiec … Associate Producer
- Sid McLauchlan … Audio Producer
- Kirk Browning … Director
- Jan Gura … Director
- Tennessee Williams … Based on the play by
- André Previn … Composer, Conductor
- Philip Littell … Librettist
- San Francisco Opera Orchestra … Symphony Orchestra
- Renée Fleming … Cast, Blanche DuBois
- Elizabeth Futral … Cast, Stella Kowalski
- Judith Forst … Cast, Eunice Hubbell
- Rodney Gilfry … Cast, Stanley Kowalski
- Anthony Dean Griffey … Cast, Harold Mitchell
- Matthew Lord … Cast, Steve Hubbell
- Luis Oropeza … Cast, Pablo Gonzales
- Jeffrey Lentz … Cast, A Young Collector
- Josepha Gayer … Cast, A Mexican Woman
- Ray Reinhardt … Cast, A Doctor
- Lynne Soffer … Cast, A Nurse