For the 2024-2025 winter season, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) performed West Side Story, the Tony Award-winning musical inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I viewed the HGO’s performance on February 8th at the Brown Theatre, which was directed by Francesca Zambello, conducted by Roberto Kalb, and starred Brenton Ryan and Shereen Pimentel as Tony and Maria. My knowledge of the musical was based on Steven Spielberg’s 2021 West Side Story, as I had never seen any other film or stage version. This was also my first time viewing a professional theatre performance (that wasn’t ballet) so I was very excited to see a story that I love so much come to life.
Performances
All of the performer’s character portrayals were extremely compelling, especially in a musical setting that involved emotional songs and choreography to narrate the story. Throughout the musical, numerous comedic jokes created characters who were larger than the moment shown, people who had depth outside of what was portrayed in the specific scene. There is an extra layer of performance that comes with seeing dancers or vocalists so in sync with one another, one that transforms the story both visually and emotionally. Something interesting I noted from the Houston Opera’s performance was how young and naive Tony and Maria were depicted, being portrayed as hyper and innocent to the reality of their situation. This kind of development made the ending even more horrific to witness.
The Audience
Throughout the musical, the audience was very engaged and responsive to the actions of the scene. Funny dialogue was often met with laughter, breaks after songs with applause, gasps during deaths, and a standing ovation to end the night. Being in a crowd that was so engaged with the story further immersed my viewing, allowing me to be a part of a collective experience. Because the source material of West Side Story is well known, I assume most audience members were aware of the general ending of the musical (if they hadn’t seen it before), but that didn’t take away from the authenticity of viewing this rendition live with a collective group.
What I learned
Overall, I had a great time watching West Side Story in a live theatre. The Houston Grand Opera’s rendition of the musical was an innovative and engaging production that told a tragic story rooted in reality extremely well. Despite my knowledge of how the musical would end, I was blown away by the performances. Hearing the songs that I know so well performed live was extremely moving. The performers’ take on the story’s characters, especially Maria, Tony, and Anita, was compelling and displayed the story and its real-life implications clearly.
Viewing theatre live is truly something that cannot be replicated fully through video footage or film adaptation, as sharing a space with performers and other patrons creates a sense of camaraderie that transforms and elevates the experience. Watching these actions take place in person transforms the script into a tangible reality, allowing its themes and lessons to be clearly communicated to the audience; live theatre lifts any veils that could disconnect the audience from feeling the reality of the situation. While plays can always be read, seeing them come alive allowed me to see the full scope of theatre and the impacts it can have on society.