Meet the Artists
By John Ardoin
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 Was it hard coming to a character that already been so sharply defined on film by such a towering figure as Marlon Brando?

 Yes, it was. There were a lot of preconceptions in people's minds. Then, too, Stanley is very different from my own personality. To play the role, I did a lot of research and even had a personality profile done on him which analyzed his character. That was very revealing. His traits were classified through something called an "Enneagram." It divides all people into nine basic types. He turned out to be a type eight, which is the most aggressive and the most forceful. A type eight is extremely confident and very territorial. This type is known as "the leader," "the boss," or "the challenger." They are self-reliant, take charge, make the rules, and have a basic fear of being dominated, controlled, and harmed by others. His turf, his wife, and all the things around him are really extensions of his personality. With him, possessions become "my car, my radio, my wife, my house," and he guards these ferociously. They hate pretense, so you can see how this would bring Stanley into conflict with Blanche, a creature who lives by reshaping the world as she wants it to be. Remember, she says in one of her arias, "Who wants real? I want magic."

When a type eight first meets a person, they want frankness, and become distrustful if the person begins beating around the bush. While most of them are very sensitive as children, they learn early on, because of a dominant parent or sibling, or because they grew up in a tough neighborhood, that they, too, have to be tough to survive. So they suppress their feelings and develop a very high threshold of physical and emotional pain. This type is often a leader in war -- the guy on the battlefield that has seemingly no fear, is extremely courageous, and gets decorated, as Stanley did. They work well under pressure. This was fascinating for me to know, for the characteristics describe Stanley so acutely. It is amazing how Tennessee Williams, who probably did not know this type psychologically, created him in so consistent a way.

 Did you find your portrayal of Stanley changed during the run of performances?

 I think it was always evolving, and I was finding a few more facets of his character with each performance. It was mostly a matter of my loosening up and actually doing less some of the time and more at other times. At first, I was concentrating more on Stanley's seeming outer cool. He is the kind of man who, if told some earth-shattering news, maybe his eyebrow would go up. Everything with him gets internalized. But this, in turn, is silently feeding a volcano, and suddenly -- boom! -- there is this burst of aggression. But I gradually came to find that he could be a bit playful, a bit more relaxed. Let me give you one example. There is a line where Stella, Stanley's wife, begs him not to mention their expected baby and to compliment Blanche, telling her how well she looks. At first I reacted in a tough way, like "Don't tell me what to do," and I got very quiet, even silent. But then I thought, he really loves her, so I begin playing it in a softer way -- "OK, honey, whatever you say."

 That's interesting, for in the film Brando gets a sort of smirk on his face when he knew he had the upper hand with Blanche.

 It is interesting that you say that, because type eight personalities take pleasure in finding a person's weakness and going in for the kill. They are very much like a lion. They prey on the weak and enjoy being predatory. Interesting, too, that nothing tells them, "This is right, this is wrong." They go by their gut instinct and what gives them satisfaction. Sex, too, is very important to them -- not just the physical gratification, but the joy in dominating someone else, showing them just who is master.

 It must have been an extraordinary experience to not only work with the composer on this opera, but to have him as the conductor.

 Of course it was. I feel very honored to have had this part written for me and to have been able to work with [Andre] Previn. If I could have had this same experience with another composer, I think I would have chosen Benjamin Britten.

 Did Previn mention to you why he and his librettist chose not to give Stanley an aria?

 No, and in a way I understood why. From the beginning I maintained that "Stanley don't sing." He's not the type that stays on one thought for very long or philosophizes, which is what usually happens in an aria. He doesn't have a lyrical personality, he doesn't wax about love. So what do you do? There are no real speeches for him in the Williams play, so where are the words going to come from?

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