Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, February 9, 2024 In “The Burning Fiery Furnace,” Enigma Chamber Opera finds a profound exploration of faith and power Upcoming performance has Malden ties E nigma Chamber Opera’s new production of Benjamin Britten’s 1966 opera “The Burning Fiery Furnace” brings to Boston one of the most compelling, yet least performed pieces in Britten’s three-part “church parable” series. Directed by Bostonand Scotland-based Artistic Director Kirsten Z. Cairns, this intimate and emotional opera will be performed live at Boston’s Cathedral Church of Saint Paul (138 Tremont St. in Boston) for two performances on February 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. The performances will be available for online streaming from February 23 to March 1. “The Burning Fiery Furnace,” with a libretto by William Plomer, is based on an Old Testament story from the Book of Daniel, in which three Israelites (Ananias, Misael and Azarias) are exiled to Babylon, upheld as intellectuals by ruler Nebuchadnezzar and undermined by an ideological astrologer who warns that anyone not worshiping a Golden Idol faces punishment in the hellish device of the title. The Israelites refuse to change their religious beliefs and are condemned into the furnace. They survive unscathed, are hailed as prophets and change the fates of both Nebuchadnezzar and the astrologer. This is the third of Britten’s three chamber operas that Cairns has directed. Cairns says “The Burning Fiery Furnace” looks at identity, politics and power struggles, and the need for personal integrity in a divided, sometimes poisonous world. “‘Curlew River’ taught us that in tough times, we can find comfort in others,” she says. “‘The Prodigal Son’ showed us how to be of comfort to those around us. In this production we learn that only by being true to ourselves can we survive the fiery furnace of this world.” The cast for Enigma’s “The Burning Fiery Furnace” includes Malden-born tenor Matthew DiBattista as Nebuchadnezzar, Aaron Engebreth as the Astrologer (and the Abbot), David McFerrin as Ananias, Jesse Darden as Misael, Daniel Fridley as Azarias, Paul Soper as the Herald, and Nathan Halbur, Fausto Miro and Luke Scott as chorus members. Students from St. Paul’s Choir School also perform. An eight-piece orchestra is led by conductor/organist Edward Elwyn Jones. The production team is Stage Director Kirsten Z. Cairns, set and projection designer Peter A. Torpey, lighting designer Paul Marr and Malden-based Costume Designer Rebecca Shannon Butler. Britten and “Furnace” Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) Law Offices of JOSEPH D. CATALDO, P.C. “ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW” • ESTATE/MEDICAID PLANNING • WILLS/TRUSTS/ESTATES • INCOME TAX PREPARATION • WEALTH MANAGEMENT • RETIREMENT PLANNING • ELDER LAW 369 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 (617)381-9600 JOSEPH D. CATALDO, CPA, CFP, MST, ESQUIRE. AICPA Personal Financial Specialist Designee tension between religious devotion and political authority, creating powerful music and drama experiences. The opera unfolds with intricate vocal and instrumental textures, employing a chamber ensemble to convey intensity and emotional depth. Britten’s signature use of dissonance and innovative orchestration contributes to the opMalden-based Costume Designer Rebecca Shannon Butler was a renowned English composer, conductor and pianist – widely regarded as one of the leading figures in 20th century classical music. In “The Burning Fiery Furnace,” as in all of his “church parables,” Britten’s composition skillfully captures the AID | FROM PAGE 1 officials are dealing with in upcoming deliberations for FY25. Two of the communities compared to Malden in a chart presented by Spadafora were Everett and Revere, which have similar student numbers in their populations and similar demographics. Everett, which has just 300 more students than Malden’s 6,570, was preliminarily allocated $111,682,212 – nearly twice as much as Malden – while Revere’s preliminary Chapter 70 aid is $98,418,11 – 50 percent more than Malden’s $68.2M, while having approximately the same number of students. Spadafora, who also announced she will be serving as chairperson of the School ComDPU | FROM PAGE 4 instead of one household. However, because utility supply prices change seasonally and future prices are unknown, the City cannot guarantee savings through the program. When the program launches, electricity customers that have not already selected their own electricity supplier will be eligible for automatic enrollment in Malden Community Electricity’s default offering. Thirty days before the program launches, those customers will receive a notice in the mail explaining the options. Electricity customers that have selected their own electricity supplier will not be eligible for automatic enrollment but will be able to era’s accessible, modern sound. “The Burning Fiery Furnace” is a thought-provoking and musically rich part of Britten’s repertoire. WHAT: “The Burning Fiery Furnace.” WHEN: Fri./Sat., Feb 16 and 17, 2024, at 7 p.m. WHERE: Boston’s Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, 138 Tremont St. in Boston. TICKETS: $20-33 – online streaming tickets are $15 – both are available at enigmachamberopera.org mittee’s Budget Committee, said that the members will be getting to work on the formulation of the FY25 Malden Public Schools budget with meetings scheduled beginning this month. Spadafora told those at the meeting “we will be working toward a level-funded budget for [the next school year] and it will be very challenging with these [Chapter 70] numbers.” The School Committee Vice Chairperson urged all to “contact the members of the state delegation and tell them we need their help.” “We are working on a formula that was devised in the 1990s. We really need to have it re-examined and brought up-to-date,” Mayor Christenson said, reiterating Spadafora’s plea. join the program at any time if they wish. Prior to launch the City’s mailers and public presentations will explain how to participate, or how to opt-out and prevent participation. Once participating, customers will be able to leave the program or switch their program option at any time, without penalty. The City took its first step towards launching the program in May 2022, when the City Council authorized electricity aggregation. The City then hired a consultant and drafted its Aggregation Plan, which was submitted to the DPU in December 2022. More information about the program can be found on the program website, MaldenCommunityElectricity.com.
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