Sweetness Amid the Terror

On October 6 and 7, Teatro Padre Bento, in Jardim Tranquilidade, hosted an intense and haunting experience with the staging of The Medium, an opera by Gian Carlo Menotti. Part of the 2nd Guarulhos Opera Festival, the production brought the audience a chilling psychological thriller filled with supernatural elements, mystery, and suspense — with one of its standout moments being the remarkable performance of soprano Tati Helene in the role of Monica.

With a hypnotic stage presence and refined vocal control, Tati brought to life the young Monica, a character immersed in the emotional tension that drives the plot. Surrounded by the dark world of the fraudulent medium Madame Flora, portrayed by Nathalia Serrano, Monica is the figure that balances sweetness with unease — a duality that Helene expressed with both sensitivity and intensity.

Her rendition of The Black Swan, one of the opera’s most emblematic arias, sent shivers through the audience with its colorful pianissimos and lyrical depth, enhancing the mysterious atmosphere of the production. Her Monica is undoubtedly one of the highlights of this unforgettable staging of The Medium.

With stage direction by Julianna Santos, dramaturgy by Lívia Sabag, and conductor Emiliano Patarra leading the GRU Symphony Orchestra, The Medium was presented in an intimate setting that intensified the psychological tension of the story. The close proximity of the audience at Teatro Padre Bento created the perfect atmosphere for the performance to resonate even more powerfully and emotionally.

The cast also featured singers Vinícius Atique, Thayana Roverso, Luiza Girnos, and actor Dennis Goyos, in a rare revival of a work seldom staged in Brazil — the last national production dating back to the 1960s.

Photo: Gal Oppido