Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • beats
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    • California Dream
    • Videos
    • Photos
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Roots
    • Eclectic
    • Videos
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight
    • The View From Here
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • Insight Music
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • CapRadio Travels
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support / Underwriting
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Volunteering
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • Arts and Lifestyle
  •  

Theater Review: Anna Karenina

  •  Jeff Hudson 
Thursday, November 13, 2014 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
  

Leo Tolstoy’s novel “Anna Karenina” is a sweeping epic – and so is Capital Stage’s theatrical adaptation. Seeing this play is an immersive experience, We are right there at the train station for this happy reunion between the of the main characters.

Stiva: Anna!
Anna: Stiva!
Stiva: Anna, oh you look beautiful..
Anna: You, you look….
Stiva: Fat. Is that the word you’re looking for?
Anna: Well…
Stiva: Oh yes, Too much good beef!
Anna: And wine, and oysters.
Stiva: And champagne. And that was breakfast.

The sound of the train and the description of the sinfully extravagant meal, instantly transport us into the heady experience of the upper class in Czarist Russia.

Of course, the indulgence doesn’t stop at the breakfast table as we hear in this exchange between Anna’s brother, Stiva and his wife.

Dolly: Do you think we can go on living this? Do you think it’s possible when my husband, the father of my children, has an affair with my children’s governess?
Stiva: But darling. What can I do?
Dolly: You are disgusting! Your tears are water! You never loved me. I hate you!

Czarist Russian Society excused a man who had affairs. But a woman having an affair risked complete disgrace, and that dilemma is central to this famous tale.

Tolstoy’s novel is told over 800 pages, and this production lasts nearly three hours. But it never flags, thanks to creative and arrestingly staged vignettes like this visit to a racetrack:

“But now she’s coming through. She’s passed one, two, three, four, or the other horses, two ahead. Gladiator’s going like the wind…”

It’s a breathtaking scene, and there are other equally vivid moments, including a joyous wedding; and a dire scene of a young man dying from tuberculosis.

Director Stephanie Gularte coordinates this cavalcade marvelously, using all manner of sound cues, lighting effects and repeating motifs to drive the story home. And despite its length, this wonderful production goes by in a flash. It’s so compelling it literally turns your head.

IMG_1921_edited

Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    Related Stories

  • Capital Stage Company / Facebook

    Anna Karenina Playing At Capital Stage

    Wednesday, October 29, 2014
    The lead actors of Anna Karenina talk about the language of Tolstoy on Insight.

 theatreCapital StageReviewAnna Karenina

Jeff Hudson

Contributing Arts Reporter and Theatre Critic

Jeff Hudson has been contributing arts-related stories to Capital Public Radio since 1995, with an emphasis on theater and classical music. He attends over 100 performances annually, ranging from modern musicals to medieval masses.   Read Full Bio 

 Email Jeff Hudson

Coronavirus Newsletter

Get answers to your questions, the latest updates and easy access to the resources you need, delivered to your inbox.

 

Want to know what to expect? Here's a recent newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

We'll send you weekly emails so you can stay informed about the coronavirus in California.

Browse all newsletters

Most Viewed

California Coronavirus Updates: Newsom Pushes Back Against Reopening Critics

First Major Storm This Year Hits Northern California, Bringing Flash Flood And Even Blizzard Warnings

California Coronavirus Updates: State Releases Formula Behind ICU Projections

Environment Experts To Newsom: Now’s Your Moment

Gov. Gavin Newsom Navigates Compounding Crises — And A Potential Recall — Halfway Through His Term

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

California Coronavirus Updates: Newsom Pushes Back Against Reopening Critics

First Major Storm This Year Hits Northern California, Bringing Flash Flood And Even Blizzard Warnings

California Coronavirus Updates: State Releases Formula Behind ICU Projections

Environment Experts To Newsom: Now’s Your Moment

Gov. Gavin Newsom Navigates Compounding Crises — And A Potential Recall — Halfway Through His Term

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2021, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.