Little Women

Mark Adamo's 1998 opera is something of a rarity, being a modern work that quickly won a place in the international repertory. Based on Louisa May Alcott's novel of four sisters in Civil War–era New England, Little Women was commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera and premiered in 2000 (this is a 2001 PBS broadcast of the same production), with Patrick Summers stylishly conducting a downsized orchestra. Adamo's libretto is necessarily selective, omitting many of the book's best-known passages in order to transform what is essentially a sentimental saga into a focused narrative about the maturation process and dealing with inevitable change. The central character remains Jo, beautifully sung by Stephanie Novacek, but each of her sisters—Meg (Joyce DiDonato), Beth (Stacey Tappan), and Amy (Margaret Lloyd)—is given the chance to shine as well, and all four meet the challenge of the music, which has a contemporary edge but often soars to lyrical heights. The men excel as well: Laurie (Chad Shelton) and Brooke (Daniel Belcher) perform some rapturous passages, while one of the most memorable pieces is a lovely lied assigned to Friedrich Bhaer (Chen-Ye Yuan). Calling Little Women a masterpiece may be going too far, but it's unquestionably a well-constructed opera that has found a wide audience. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and PCM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)