The Hours (2022)

In 1923 London, the writer Virginia Woolf (Joyce DiDonato) is struggling with the opening line of her novel, MRS. DALLOWAY. In the late 1990s, a book editor (Renee Fleming) is planning a party for her friend Richard (Kyle Ketelsen), who is dying of AIDS. In 1949 Los Angeles, a housewife (Kelli O'Hara) dreads dealing with her duties as a wife and mother. Based on the acclaimed novel by Michael Cunningham and directed by Gary Halvorson (the film) and Phelim McDermott (the opera). The idea to turn Cunningham's novel (made into the 2002 Oscar winning film) into an opera was inspired! Comparisons to the book and film are irrelevant. What music brings to this complex work is exhilarating. Kevin Puts' sublime score accompanied by Greg Pierce's precise libretto is a thing of beauty. Opera on film can be problematic, usually because the performances are too exaggerated for film. They may have beautiful voices but they're not really actors. Luckily in Fleming, O'Hara and DiDonato we have three strong actresses who bring depth and naturalism to their performances, not just their superb voices. Kudoes to Yannick Nezet Seguin's conducting and the orchestrations are stunning. Yes, it's a film of the Metropolitan Opera production rather than reconceived as a movie but it's still one of the best movies I've seen all year. You don't have to be an opera lover to be enthralled by this production. With William Burden, Sean Panikkar and Denyce Graves.