Anthony Roth Costanzo
Spot Lite
2905 Beaufait St #4, Detroit, MI 48207
February 20, 2025
I’ve called Detroit Opera creative director Yuval Sharon a creative genius before, in person and in print. And I mean it.
He’s brought so much groundbreaking work to the Detroit Opera that I’ve joked that The New York Times is living in his office closet, ready and waiting to pen yet another glowing piece about his work in the Motor City. He’ll do so again later this year with a brand new production called “Così fan tutte,” a fresh take on Mozart’s controversial comedy, where the role of artificial intelligence turns the tale into a futuristic experiment.
Yuval has turned me into someone who loves opera. I didn’t know I had it in me. And while I don’t always understand it, I don’t think you need to fully understand something to love it. That almost sounds like a refrain in a stunning ancient aria, doesn’t it? Please hold your applause.
This love for opera grew deeper with another one of Yuval’s innovations for Detroit Opera – taking it out of the theater and bringing it to the people.
This time, it was a solo performance by opera singer Anthony Roth Costanzo at Spot Lite on Detroit’s east side.
Costanzo is a stand-out counter-tenor who is currently playing the lead in Detroit Opera’s production of “Rinaldo,” conducted by music director Roberto Kalb.
Spot Lite is a hybrid music venue / bar / coffee shop / record store. The primary identity here is electronic music, deejays and late nights filled with dancing.
On a simple-minded piece of paper, perhaps these ideas clash -- opera singer at the club.
But it was, without a doubt, one of the most intoxicating encounters I’ve had with the art form. Toss in the fact that it was free and open to the public.
There’s something really special that happens at Spot Lite when it steps outside of its perceived identity to offer something like this. And there’s power to seeing opera stripped away from its pretension and grand stage presence, presented instead to a small yet dedicated and diverse crowd of patrons in a more relaxed environment.
So much of that is owed to Yuval's (and his team’s) vision to bring opera to the streets with an ongoing partnership at Spot Lite as well as Anthony’s cabaret-like charm, switching seamlessly from his otherworldly voice to casual banter with the audience.
A special shout-out to pianist Nathalie Doucet, who was a phenomenal accompanist to Anthony as he ripped through selections of his debut album filled with opera selections by minimalist composer Philip Glass. (The album was nominated at the 2019 Grammys for best classical solo vocal album.) Not simple compositions to play! Doucet played them with a fiery confidence that matched Anthony’s energy.
The only gimmick here, if any, is that Detroit Opera is hoping you’ll attend one of these free events and buy a ticket to an upcoming show of “Rinaldo.”
I had my doubts if that would work. If you give a taste of it away for free, will they actually want more?
But as with any good gateway drug, I was hooked and couldn’t wait to see Anthony again in a more traditional setting.
So hats off to you, Yuval. Yet another genius move.
