Those who find that the opera is an artform not meant for the masses can rejoice in Vancouver Opera and Toronto’s Canadian Stage Company and Tapestry Opera’s production of Nikolai Gogol’s 1842 short story. “The Overcoat – a musical tailoring” is a contemporary opera that tells the story of Akakiy Akakiyevich and his struggles with living in a monotonous, capital-driven world. His endearing love of numbers goes unappreciated except when it renders profit for his superiors.
“The Overcoat” alludes to various social paradigms that we must adhere to in order to pursue success and societal acceptance at large. The overcoat itself, Akakiy’s prized piece of clothing, represents the idea of fitting into society’s superficial and elitist ways. It also reveals our own propensity to judge one another based on outer appearances. When Akakiy is robbed of this emblematic article of clothing, he is forced to confront his choices and way of life.
Aside from the rather didactic and provocative message of the plot, “The Overcoat”, as a production, has much to celebrate. The opera is spectacular with its libretto full of puns. It pokes fun at the way our world works, where there is little compassion and a constant pursuit of the bottom line. The songs, composed by James Rolfe, often address opera’s reliance on rhyming and bring comedic relief through this frank acknowledgement.
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-Maira Hassan