Clivia

Every December for the past four years, my husband and I have celebrated our anniversary with tickets to the Brussels Operette Theater's performance here in Leuven.   It's always an enjoyable evening because the company puts on light opera and intends to entertain.  We often find ourselves laughing out loud, but at the same time the singing and the orchestra are of high quality, and the production is well done.

This year's performance was "Clivia", a 1933 operette by Austrian composer Nico Dostal  The influence of 1930s Berlin is clearly represented in the potpourri of cabaret, popular dance and classical opera.  The story is a typical slapstick filled operette: mistaken identity, political intrigue, star crossed lovers, odd characters, and plenty of song and dance.

An imaginary film crew, including the diva Clivia, and financed by a rich (and scheming to get richer) American, Mr. Potterman, is trying to get into the ficticious country of Boliguay ostensibly to make a movie, but in reality to serve as a cover up for Potterman's plans to overthrow the country.  In order to get the necessary visa to get into the country, Clivia weds a local guacho, who turns out to be the general who leads the Boliguayan government.

Two other notable characters were the journalist from Chicago, Mr. Down, and his Boliguyanan love interest, the leader of the female guard troop, Jola, who had several enjoyable song and dance duets together.

As it has been every year, the theater is full and everyone is enthusiastic, clearly enjoying the show, despite the high level of kitsch.  The absurdity of it all and the sarcastic humor make up for the corniness; and the professionalism and most of all, the enjoyment of the cast and crew do the rest.  We'll be there next year!