Photo credit: Nan Melville. The Julliard School		The medieval tale of Abelard and Heloise, which concerns the illicit love between a theologian and his young pupil and seems more timely than ever, has long attracted creative artists.  The latest incarnation of this ill-starred historic pair, punished by his castration and their separate retirement into cloistered life, is a new opera, "Heloise and Abelard," with music by Stephen Paulus and libretto--and direction--by Frank Corsaro, given a world premiere on April 24 by the Juilliard Opera Center at the Juilliard School. The new, evening-length work, often strong, sometimes less persuasive, is unabashedly tonal and traditional- sounding.  The frustrated protagonists are never permitted a proper operatic love duet, with an idyllic moment early in Act Two interrupted by the sound of nearby footsteps and their promisingly lyrical marriage vows, at the end of the act, aborted by Heloise's uncle, Fulbert, and his thugs, come to maim Abelard.
There are striking arias, though, as Abelard flagellates himself, figuratively at first, for his guilty love, which  Heloise, elevated to Prioress, fondly recalls, while lamenting his long silence. The score reaches its apex with a soaring third act trio, later a quintet, "I did not know this man," principally for Prioress Heloise, Father Abelard and their son, Astrolabe, about to take priestly vows and kept unaware that they are his parents.
Juilliard alumnus John Hancock, a baritone who sings with the New York City Opera, returned to his alma mater to portray Abelard and did full justice to his expressions of piety, lust and guilt, including an eleventh hour confession that jealousy of other men drove him compel her to enter the convent.  More than holding her own beside him was Lauren Skuce in the wide-ranging role of Heloise.  Her high soprano was silvery as she limned an intelligent, outspoken and high-spirited 16 year old, beginning her lessons with Abelard and, later, bid his dead body final farewell in the epilogue.  She aired the darker timbres at her command as she awaited delivery of his corpse, in a prologue set 50 years after their first meeting, and cursed her uncle after he had her mate disfigured.
Accomplished as well were tenor Richard Cox as the foolish Fulbert, who deals in dubious holy relics and once had designs on his niece; bass-baritone Matthew Burns as Paris Archdeacon William of Champeaux, who considers Abelard a dangerous renegade and concocts the plot to castrate him; baritone Woodrow Bynum as Astrolabe; and tenor Simon O'Neill as the Master of Ceremonies of a colorful, Mardi Gras-like celebration of All Fools Day.  Presiding in the pit was Miguel Harth- Bedoya. There were echoes here of Corsaro's past New York City Opera productions, including projections of portions of churches and cloisters in lieu of detailed scenery, akin to the film which set the scenes in "Makropoulos Affair," "Village Romeo and Juliet" and "Tote Stadt";		Photo credit: Nan Melville. The Julliard School
the "Faust" Kermesse-like All Fools Day scene; and Abelard baring the scars on his back much as Emilia Marty did in "Makropoulos." Designs were by Franco Colavecchia (settings), Christianne Myers (costumes), and Matthew Frey (lighting).

Juilliard School at Lincoln Center
April 24-29
Tickets $20  212/769-7406
http://www.juilliard.edu