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Three individuals — the director, the scenic designer, and the costume designer — shared their philosophy for the development of Barber’s opera of Vanessa. This group also worked on Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
They have selected a northern setting, possibly Nordic in nature. The opera is 60 years old (not a bad time for SFO to present it on its 60th anniversary). The major feel of the opera is Gothic. The team is treating the opera as though it were a film noir, which is characterized by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace. This genre began during the 1940s and some of the examples that influence the team include Notorious by Hitchcock, Laura, Thirst, and Crisis. Vanessa, like these examples, portrays lonely, isolated individuals surrounded by a claustrophobic environment which gradually starts to fracture and fall apart after Anatol arrives.
There are a multitude of scenes which reflect the Hollywood regency style exemplified by Dorothy Draper. Hollywood regency is glitz and glamour covered in lacquer, chrome, and mirrored finishes. Every detail is meant to convey luxury. The furniture for the opera , which is carefully crafted and detailed, has been made by the SFO production department. While it is winter, the opera takes place inside. To convey the feeling of winter, the sets are gray. Winter can be seen through a window. The lighting is very white and the floor glows. The overall feeling is fractured, not realistic.
Barber only composed three operas. This one is considered his best. The librettist was Gian Carlo Menotti who was very fond of alliteration. Barber had a great understanding for the voice since he was also a singer. He writes brilliantly for the voice and gives the characters specific music.
The characters are glamorous and have costumes that are glamorous. While the costumes were challenging, the costume shop produced what the costume designer visualized.
Overall the opera is haunting. It looks and behaves as the music sounds. The opera is about the atmosphere that surrounds the characters and how they behave in it.
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