In the powerful new opera 'An American Soldier,' aspiration meets racism, fatally

ST. LOUIS — With immigration and racism particularly raw issues right now, a new work at Opera Theatre of St. Louis digs, painfully and insistently, into uncomfortable realities.

Based on actual events in 2011, An American Soldier, by composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang, portrays scenes of appalling military brutality, with language as rough as you'd expect from soldiers. Huang's orchestral writing admits only occasional respites from nervous modernist pulsings, chatters and fractured fanfares; harmonies are never uncomplicated.

But we also see — and identify with — human beings who just want to do the right things. This is powerful theater, with music to match.

Originally a one-act work premiered in 2014 by Washington National Opera, An American Soldier is getting its first performances in an expanded two-hour, two-act version commissioned by Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Hwang, best known for his play M. Butterfly, has also supplied librettos for operas by Philip Glass and Osvaldo Golijov. Huang's credits include the opera Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, performed four years ago by Santa Fe Opera.

An American Soldier is the story of a young Chinese-American, Danny Chen, who longs to escape stereotypes and racism and prove himself a "true" American by enlisting in the Army. But  racism in the Army is far more toxic, even physically violent, especially as perpetrated and encouraged by the sadistic Sgt. Aaron Marcum.

In the end, completely worn down by harassment and brutality, Danny sees no escape but suicide. The opera cross-cuts between the harassment trial of Sgt. Marcum and scenes from Danny's life before and during military service. Danny's mother is repeatedly a powerful presence, radiating love for a son she doesn't entirely understand but also raging against the terror that has led to his death.

All this is brilliantly realized in the intimacy of Webster University's Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts. Trial scenes are staged with military precision, both characters and furnishings moved as if by unseen servo controls. Scenes of mockery and violence, on the other hand, feel frighteningly out of control.

A long list of credits must include stage director Matthew Ozawa, co-stage director and dramaturge James Robinson, military consultant Gordon Penn, fight choreographer Shaun Sheley, set designer Andrew Boyce, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind and video designer Greg Emetaz. Conductor Michael Christie coordinated singers and members of the St. Louis Symphony with impressive precision.

It's hard to imagine Danny more definitively portrayed than by Andrew Stenson. He exudes decency and aspiration, and astonishing perseverance in the face of appalling mistreatment, and his warm tenor has a multiplicity of colors and textures apt to every situation. Wayne Tigges is the very incarnation of the loathsome, violent Sgt. Marcum, but he delivers a gorgeous bass-baritone.

Mika Shigematsu is alternately touching and stirring as Mother Chen, and Kathleen Kim, as Danny's would-be girlfriend Josephine Young, transforms from flibbertigibbet teen to sensitive support to Danny's mother. Nathan Stark booms imposingly as the Military Judge, and a number of the company's apprentices do fine cameos as trial witnesses.

The rousing "E pluribus unum" chorus near the end feels gratuitous — or at least overextended. But the final interaction between Mother Chen and Danny's ghost — or a dream — is a tear-jerker.

Updated  at 6:10 p.m., June 16, 2018 to add a sentence about conductor Michael Christie and members of the St. Louis Symphony.

Formerly classical music critic of The Dallas Morning News, Scott Cantrell continues covering the beat as a freelance writer. Classical music coverage at The News is supported in part by a grant from the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation. The News makes all editorial decisions.

Details

Repeats at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 16  and Friday, June 22 at Loretto-Hilton Center, Webster University, 130 Edgar Road, St. Louis. $55 to $135. 1-314-961-0644, opera-stl.org.