In the Shadow of the Stars

“All of us are stars: some are like constellations; others fill out the heavens like the Milky Way—that's the chorus—and they are stars too.” So opens Allie Light and Irving Saraf's Academy Award winning 1991 documentary featuring the chorus of the San Francisco Opera. A beautifully edited mixture of performance, backstage activity, and personal stories, In the Shadow of the Stars celebrates the diverse troop of lesser-known figures who add so much to the pageantry and splendor of the operatic stage: a married couple singing Mozart while bouncing a baby in their arms, a streetwise tenor from the Bronx, a multitasking truck driver. Some aspire to be soloists, others do not, but all have a common commitment to their art and craft, as viewers will see in snippets from The Flying Dutchman, Il Trovatore, Parsifal, The Rake's Progress, and Macbeth, to name but a few excerpted productions. All of the elements are expertly woven together here to capture the magic and thrill of being a part of an opera staging, and anyone who has ever wanted to carry a spear before an audience is sure to appreciate this splendid, loving film. DVD extras include deleted scenes. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)