Has ‘Genoveva’s’ Time Come? 08-03-2006 -- The Music Scene: Peter Marshall The annual Bard Summerscape is offering Robert Schumann’s (1810-1856) only opera, "Genoveva." This is the first fully staged performance of this opera in North America and trust Leon Botstein, the music director of the American Symphony Orchestra and president of Bard College, to find something out of the ordinary. The last two performances can be seen Aug. 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College in Red Hook, NY. Kasper Bech Holten, the well-known director of the Royal Danish State Opera, was given this project, a difficult one, with some fine music but a weak libretto. Nicholas Hornoncourt, who recorded the opera in 1996, said of it, "Its time will come." And, in some ways, with direction by Bech Holten, it has. The story deals with a dream of love, which dramatically turns into an unending nightmare. As one can expect from Bech Holten, who has in no time become a "Super Opera Director" in Europe, the staging of this production is out of this world. He uses exceptionally good lighting mixed with mirrored effects to multiply the stage action in all but the second act of the opera. In Genoveva’s (soprano Ylva Kihlberg) bedroom, the stage is full of white sheets and pillows — a magnificent idea. The German text is translated into English surtitles — a good thing even for German speakers, since the words were not always audible. The soloists include baritone Johannes Mannov singing Siegfried, the count married to Genoveva; mezzo-soprano Michaela Martens as Margaretha, the nurse — sorceress and half- mother of Golo, played by tenor Philippe Castagner; and bass Joshua Winograde, as Drago, who gets killed while hiding under the sheets and pillows in Genoveva’s bedroom. There can be no question that this spectacular production is worth seeing in spite of its weak libretto. Two more performances are scheduled, for Aug. 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. For tickets, Call 845- 758-7900. .