BRUSH UP YOUR SHAKESPEARE

 Kyle Oliver, Stephanie Doche, Alina Tamborini, Robert Kleinertz, and Michael Leyte-Vidal

Actually, Vincenzo Bellini's version of the Romeo and Juliet story is just one of many tellings of the tale of the "star-crossed lovers".  Most people would associate Shakespeare's tragic play with the story.  Ballet fans would think of the ballet created with music by Prokofiev. Film fans might think of the one Zeffirelli directed from 1968 (among others, dependent upon their generation).  Opera lovers would most likely think of the Gounod opera Romeo et Juliette.

As we learned at last night's stimulating evening spent with Teatro Nuovo, some mighty fine music related to the story of Romeo and Juliet was created by Niccolò Antonio Zingarelli in 1796 and by Girolamo Crescentini and Nicola Vaccai (Yes, that Nicola Vaccai, the one all young singers begin with). There is even a lovely duet written by Stephen Foster entitled "Wilt Thou Be Gone, Love?"

The main event however was the stunningly melodic and harmonically original I Capuleti e i Montecchi, not as well known as the Gounod opera but highly worthy of our interest, especially when so well sung as it was at the Rose Theater.

So dramatically compelling it was that we forgot to listen for the distinctive details which set Bellini's music apart from that of other famed composers of the bel canto era. One can never be unaware of Bellini's lengthy legato lines, so challenging to the singer. However, we are ashamed to admit that we got so wrapped up in the performance that we neglected to note the interesting dissonances pointed out so well at Will Crutchfield's compelling lecture which immediately preceded the performance.

Nonetheless, it was interesting to hear the unique dissonances Mr. Crutchfield illustrated at the piano and also interesting to learn how Bellini's harmonic inventiveness influenced Wagner, among others. We had never realized the importance of the semi-tones and appoggiature. Even Berlioz, initially unimpressed by Bellini, was won over by this opera

Well, Dear Reader, you already know that our heart lies with melody and of that we heard many, enough for the next few operas! As the hapless couple, one could not imagine better performers. Alina Tamborini created a moving Giulietta, torn between her love for Romeo and her loyalty to her unloving father, well portrayed by Michael Leyte-Vidal with all the right degree of arrogance and stubbornness coloring his substantial bass-baritone.

Ms. Tamborini's warm soprano was unfazed by Bellini's challenging fioritura and her duets with mezzo-soprano Stephanie Doche were the highlights of a wonderful evening. Were her performance any less impressive, we might have said that Ms. Doche stole the show. She caught every nuance that Bellini threw at her character and was dramatically convincing in the role. We are often disappointed in "pants roles" when the singer just doesn't have the masculine movements down right. There was enough swagger to Ms. Doche's walk that we forgot we were watching a woman.  Now that's art!

Baritone Kyle Oliver portrayed the resident physician of the house of the Capulets and created a sympathetic character. As Tebaldo, tenor Robert Kleinertz might have been miscast. As soon as he began to sing, we thought "What a sweet voice, what a great Tamino or Nemorino he might be". But Tebaldo is the villain of the piece and needed more snarl, more angry color. Unfortunately, pressing the voice for more volume is no substitute for coloration.

Although it is not necessary to describe in detail how the story differs from other tellings of the tale, it is necessary to note that the principle of rival factions is as important as the love story. We are moved to learn a bit about the Guelphs and the Ghibellines but it is not a stretch to consider the destructive divisiveness in our own culture at present. We just hope that some arrogant director won't decide to do the opera with such a reference.  Far better it is for the audience to make that connection.

As is usual with Teatro Nuovo, there is virtually no costuming, almost no stage furniture, and no sets. Instead, there are beautiful projections, fortunately not film, rather stills portraying Renaissance Italy, although looking nothing like the Verona of our memory. Whilst not exactly a concert version, there is almost no stage direction (although a stage director was listed in the program)  and the excellent chorus, dressed in suits, just stood around in a group. One got the impression that the singers worked things out for themselves. The tomb scene worked particularly well. 

The Teatro Nuovo Orchestra is always a pleasure to hear and was enthusiastically and stylishly conducted by Primo Violino Jakob Lehmann, who is a lot of fun to watch. Mr. Crutchfield was Maestro all Cembalo.The solos were superb, especially a clarinet solo (Maryse Legault) which reminded us how similar the clarinet is to the human voice, not only in term of sonority but also in terms of musicality.

Let us just make a quick mention of the excellent artists who sang in the pre-opera serenade, accompanied by Timothy Cheung.  We enjoyed soprano Elizabeth Novella and mezzo-sopranos Sedona Libero and Addie Rose Brown.  We loved the Stephen Foster duet performed by Abigail Rayford and Marcella Astore, although the English diction left something to be desired. The best part, however, was the concluding quartet performed by Zoe Rose Pallas, Jeremy Luis Lopez, Marcos Simopoulos, and Owen Phillipson. The four voices were woven together in a fashion reminiscent of a string quartet. We couldn't help noticing that all of the exercises in Vaccai's book were utilized! No wonder all singers start with them!

©  meche kroop

TRIPLE TREAT

 Markos Simopoulos, Andrew Allan Hiers, Lucas Levy, Santiago Ballerini, Chelsea Lehnea, and Ricardo José Rivera

A newly unearthed bel canto opera would have been sufficient cause for celebration. Preceding such a worthwhile offering with a thrilling recital of art songs by the composer of said opera, and a highly illuminating lecture/demonstration by Will Crutchfield made for a night of entertainment and education that has left us dizzy with excitement.

Let us begin with the final offering, the opera Anna di Resburgo by early 19th c. composer Carolina Uccelli, whose name seems to have been lost to operatic history because of  journalistic errors in the spelling of her name and the date of her premature demise. (We will be extra careful not to make any journalistic errors here.) Although there were women writing art songs at that time, a woman daring to write an opera was unheard of and roundly criticized; its acceptance was largely due to the support she received from Rossini and Mayr.

Her first opera, Saul, has been lost (although, who knows, Crutchfield might someday find it) but her second and last, Anna di Resburgo, premiered in Naples in 1835, unfortunately right on the heels of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, with which it shared a Scottish location and a mystical graveyard scene.

The story, based on clan rivalry, involves the unjust conviction of a nobleman for the death of his beloved father. The actual murderer was a rival nobleman whose son reaped the benefits of said murder and who was obliged to live with the knowledge of his father's crime, revealed at the father's deathbed. This role gives the baritone, Ricardo José Rivera, the role of a lifetime, that of a man who is forced to confront his conscience and alter fate. Mr. Rivera seized the role by the throat (keeping his own throat relaxed and open) and created a character for whom we could feel compassion. That his singing filled the Rose Theater with glorious sound seemed an added bonus.

Also fulfilling her role as the loyal wife of the fugitive accused murderer, soprano Chelsea Lehnea aroused our sympathy. With a huge and polished instrument, she fought for her husband and for her son, a boy she had left with a landowner (the fine tenor Lucas Levy) and his daughter (excellent soprano Elisse Albian, well remembered from Opera Lafayette). As a clever ruse to remain close to her son, she had herself hired by the landowner as his nursemaid. We might add that the child actor, Olivia Trinchera Citterio, performed excellently and, unlike so many child actors, did nothing to steal the show and everything to portray a good child who loved his caretakers.

In the role of the runaway nobleman we had tenor Santiago Ballerini. whose short physical stature was overcome by his large vocal stature. We particularly enjoyed the pianissimo passages that had us leaning forward in our seat.

Led by Primo Violino Elisa Citterio (Olivia's mother?) and by Maestro al Cembalo Lucy Tucker Yates, The Teatro Nuovo Orchestra was a pleasure to hear, as usual. The Teatro Nuovo Chorus, led by Derrick Goff, served admirably. Stage Direction by Marco Nisticò was basic and rather challenging since Ms. Lehnea is a full head taller than Mr. Ballerini which made for some awkwardness that may have had no creative solution. We realize that one is meant to ignore such issues but we cannot tell a lie. It looked uncomfortable for Ms. Lehnea.

And now let us move onto the first part of the evening, a recital of songs composed by Uccelli, songs of great musicality, charming melody, and textual variety, accompanied and narrated by pianist Timothy Cheung. Singers were all Resident and Studio Artists of Teatro Nuovo.  Soprano Francesca Federico opened with "Non invan su questa sponda" which she sang with clear pure tone and perfect vibrato. 

In "Si tu m'aimais", mezzo-soprano Liz Culpepper handled upward and downward leaps with aplomb and had a killer trill. Tenor Jeremy Brauner created quite a character in "Il menestrello" as a charming wandering minstrel, employing expressive and dynamic variety. In "Frena le belle lacrime" soprano Laura Nielsen was remarkable for some lovely melismatic passages and moved easily from legato scale passages to staccato passages with excellent accompaniment by Mr. Cheung.

In "La preghiera" tenor Juan Hernández evinced a sweet Italianate tone and got our admiration for the tender "money note", avoiding the temptation to force the sound. We do love duets and there was a very cute one for two women admiring a handsome young boatman. It was charmingly performed, and not just sung, by soprano Francesca Lionetta and mezzo-soprano Sedona Libero.

Tenor Ai Chaim Ra has an unusual instrument well suited to the lovelorn poet of "Il rimprovero". and used dynamic variation well. Mr. Cheung's accompaniment augmented the sorrowful mood. Baritone Robert Garner, whom we have long admired, ended the program with a drinking song entitled "Orgia", letting loose with unrestrained expansiveness. 

Following this superb song recital, Mr. Crutchfield enlightened the huge audience with his account of the composer, drawing attention to a number of her unusual musical inventions. We utilized his teachings to listen for the unusual patter song in Act II, and the flute solo accompanying the graveyard scene. We were able to identify the unusual walking bass line in the funeral march, as well as the manner in which the duet utilized the form of a canon to increase anxiety. These are details we might have overlooked since we tend to get wrapped up in the drama. 

The audience was ecstatic, hearing gorgeous and inventive music so well performed and we left wondering why The Metropolitan Opera wastes so much money and risks losing their audience by producing non-musical polemic operas when what people want is "blood and guts". Give us romance, betrayal, loyalty, murder, assassination! And, above all, give us melody!

© meche kroop

THE USES OF ENCHANTMENT

 

Emma Ritto, RJ Flud, Noelle Carlson, Maestro Keith Chambers, Director Sarah Beckham Turner, Morena Galan, Jessica DeGennaro, Brooklynn King, and Elizabeth Barsalou

People go to the opera for all kinds of reasons: some consider it an elegant social event, some go to hear famous stars, some go because they love the music.  Having come to opera from the world of theater, we find ourselves happiest when we see a good story amplified by music and brought to life by skilled artists. We love melody and feel alienated by prosy dialogue and non-melodic music. We find ourself favoring operas from the baroque period through the period of realismo with a special affection for bel canto.

Last night, thanks to Manhattan Opera Studio, we got to enjoy one of our favorite operas, Hänsel und Gretel composed by Engelbert Humperdinck and premiered in 1893, conducted by none other than Richard Strauss. Aside from a student production at Manhattan School of Music (with piano accompaniment) which we enjoyed and an overblown production at the Metropolitan Opera which we did not enjoy, Manhattan Opera Studio has been the major presenter of this charming and ultimately satisfying opera.

This is their third mounting of the opera and, in our opinion, the most successful.  For once, all the roles were well cast and the astute direction by Sarah Beckham Turner confirmed our opinion that opera singers make the best directors.. As usual, the conducting of the chamber orchestra by Maestro Keith Chambers was right on point and (perhaps because of the necessarily odd arrangement of the orchestra on the side of this long narrow hall at the National Opera Center) seemed to favor the winds.  We have no complaints on that situation. As a matter of fact, our only complaint of the evening was the projection of titles in an awkward rhyming translation that added nothing, since the story is well known and the singers' German was universally quite good.

We admit that our two prior reviews (available by entering Manhattan Opera Studio in the search bar of this website) were rather detailed on the story of this opera's composition and quite eloquent on the subject of fairytales and Bruno Bettelheim's psychological analysis thereof. We eschew self-plagiarizing and hope, Dear Reader, that you will take advantage of the search bar!

Let us instead focus on the very special performances of the young artists, all of whom we heard in recital recently. It was particularly revealing to see how well they handled their characterizations, abetted by costuming, cosmetics, and fine direction. Performing in a theatrical piece draws on many more talents than singing arias and duets in concert.

The lead roles were taken by mezzo-soprano Morena Galan as Hänsel and soprano Jessica DeGennaro as Gretel. Their voices harmonized beautifully and their interaction reflected an abiding affection as well as sibling rivalry and endearing gender based differences. Not every mezzo soprano is as convincing in a pants role as Ms. Galan and we found ourself touched by the brother-sister interaction.

Brooklynn King was equally convincing as their mother Getrud, portrayed as a basically decent person who was so concerned about the lack of food that she took it out on the children as anger at their laziness. Who hasn't seen a mother punishing her children for her own failures and guilt!

RJ Flud's Father Peter did an excellent job portraying a man drunk with success selling brooms-- and also by a  celebratory stop at the local tavern. Gertrud's hostility melts when she realizes that he has fulfilled his role as provider.

The Gingerbread Witch was brought to vividly wicked life by Noelle Carlson whose facial expressions and body movements went almost over the top. Riding a broom (one perhaps made by Peter?) brought to mind the origins of the myth of the broom-riding witches used to burn witches in the darker ages of Europe.

As the Sandman we saw Elizabeth Barsalou disguised beyond recognition with shaggy white beard and hair.  Emma Ritto made a fine Dew Fairy and injected some sly humor as she tried and tried to wake the sleeping children from their forest slumber. 

The chorus of angels dressed in white did double duty as the children who had been baked into gingerbread cookies by the witch. They comprised Abigail Hite, Tang Li, Lauren D'Ottavio, Andrea Sandor, Erin Hinds, and Abbey Engelmann. In a fine directorial touch, their blank stares melted when they received the human touch of Hänsel and Gretel.

Maestro Chamber's conducting elicited every melodic theme of the score and never neglected the Wagnerian harmonic touches.

In place of sets, there were a few storybook projections above the stage that helped to orient the setting without interfering with the action or storytelling.

Bettelheim's thesis in his book The Uses of Enchantment, posited that fairytales help children to work through their psychological struggles and fears.  Here we have a happy ending to the fear of parental abandonment. Perhaps our adult satisfaction with the opera suggests that adults may still be working through the same fear!

© meche kroop

DESTINY AND FATE

 Cast of Lighthouse Opera's production of Bizet's Carmen

The last time we saw Bizet's popular 1875 masterpiece, we were sorely disappointed in the director's betrayal of the intent of the composer and his librettists Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.  Although they did not adhere strictly to the 1845 novella by Prosper Mérimée, the opera, as written, is a powerful character study of an independent woman who is governed by her will (a Sigma woman, in contemporary parlance) facing off against a weak man who is governed by his feelings.

The third "character" of the story, the only character to which Carmen will submit, is that of Fate. Within the construct of Romany culture, all is destined. If one listen carefully to the music and the dialogue, Carmen knows even before she reads her cards that she will die. Don Jose, the hapless soldier who falls for her, is also a victim of superstition; he believes that Gypsies can cast spells and that the rose that Carmen throws at him has put him under a spell he is unable to resist.

Set in modern times, one would be tempted to assign psychiatric diagnoses to these characters, all the more reason to avoid such folderol.

On a huge stage with elaborate sets and costumes, it is easy for the listener him/herself to be seduced by the seductive rhythms and memorable melodies of Georges Bizet. Hearing the opera in concert  version, as produced last night in a special Manhattan performance at the National Opera Center by Lighthouse Opera (native to The Bronx), we were undistracted by spectacle and able to hear the piano reduction anew (sensitively played by Jason Wirth) and to relate to the aforementioned characterological issues.

The female characters stole the show. As the eponymous Gypsy, mezzo-soprano Victoria Thomasch remained in character for the entire three hours that she was onstage and held our attention throughout. Equally compelling in the "Habanera" and the "Seguidilla", she played against her Nordic appearance and convinced us totally of her self-determination, utilizing the darkish color of her impressive instrument.

No less compelling was the touching performance of soprano Lena Yasmin whose expressive instrument brought Micaëla's character into fine focus. The false bravado came across effectively, especially in her "Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante". It made us wonder what would happen to her after this tragedy, a thought that we had never had before.

Tenor Chad Kranak portrayed the tormented Don Jose whose loyalty to his mother and his intended were destroyed by a Gypsy spell, his belief in such magic, or maybe just plain lust. We enjoyed his vocalism the most in the pianissimo passages. 

Baritone Chris Fistonich made a confident self-assured Escamillo without the hackneyed arrogance. The sweetest male voice we heard all evening belonged to baritone Sung Shin who eschewed the customary comic relief in the role of the smuggler Dancaïro. Mr. Shin has not been heard as often recently as we have wished and it was a genuine pleasure to hear him once more, as it was to hear tenor Julio Mascaro in the role of Remendado, although Mr. Mascaro has had a frequent stage presence recently. The two of them had a fine duet in Act II.

The remainder of the group of smugglers comprised soprano Olanna Goudeau as Frasquita and mezzo-soprano Tomoko Nago as Mercédes. One of our favorite scenes was the fortune-telling scene when the three female smugglers fantasized their futures in charming harmony, Carmen's dark prediction contrasting with the wish fulfillment of the other two.

The role of Zuniga was taken by Vladimir Avetisian and that of Moralès, by Yun-Jui Hsieh. Special accolades to the chorus who added color to the proceedings.

The entire evening was well-shaped by Maestro Brian Holman who kept things moving at a brisk tempo with energetic rhythmic propulsion. We particularly enjoyed the accelerating pace of the afore-mentioned trio in the card-reading scene of Act III. Other highlights were the duet between Don Jose and Micaela in Act I, the duet between Dancaïre and Remendado in Act II, and Carmen's dance "Je vais danser en votre honneur ... La la la".

It was a most compelling evening and we enjoyed appreciating the story, the score, and the characters in a new light.

© meche kroop

PAPER DAUGHTER

        Whitney George conducting Bea Goodwin's "Paper Daughter"

There are very few people who can persuade us to depart from our customary reviewing goal--that of fostering the careers of young opera singers and encouraging the success of small opera companies. Tops on our list of such people are composer/conductor Whitney George and writer/director Bea Goodwin. We can count on this team to create works of originality and high emotional impact. Although we only had space in our schedule to see two of the six works that they presented at The Cell, we continue to hold their artistry in high regard.

Maestro George composed music for The Curiosity Cabinet Ensemble, comprising pianist Kristin Barone-Samadi, percussionist Tamika Gorski, flutist Alice Jones, and cellist Thea Mesirow.  Ms. Goodwin's "Paper Daughter" told the story of an outbreak of the Bubonic Plague in San Francisco's Chinatown at the turn of the 20th c. and its effect on one family. Grandfather (Angky Budiardjono) is telling his grandson (Chu Sam) about the plague death of his mother ( Cynthia Yiru Hu) who had been adopted in an apparent scheme designed to bring Chinese children to the USA). Rob Chen played a number of parts, including a USA Immigration Officer.

Some stories are best told by essay and commentary (like some irrelevant and boring contemporary "operas") and others by original theater.  This story of anti-Chinese bias (dramaturgy by Yutong Yang) was theatrical and powerfully told; it filled us with sympathy and sadness. We were reminded of one of our earliest theatrical experiences in New York City, created (if memory serves us correctly) by solo artist Winston Tong, on the subject of foot binding--a work so powerful that we remember it decades later and can still feel the pain.

The work was part of a double feature festival entitled In the Throes of Death, produced as a tribute to the Golden Age of Radio, including "On Air" and "Applause" signs with live "incidental" music and authentic foley sounds (Patrick Litterst). We wondered whether anyone remembers the days before television when families gathered around the radio and used their imagination to visualize the dramas presented. We wondered what it might have been like to have experienced this work in a dark theater. 

We, as the "studio audience", had a different perspective, that of witnessing the actors in the drama standing in front of microphones. (Truth to tell, we found the sound design wanting and wished that the microphones had been only props. Regular readers will recall how deeply we detest amplification). The titles  (Miriam Rochford) were projected onto Chinese fans mounted on the rear wall. (Scenographer was Luther Frank with Lighting Design by Sasha Finley and 

Projection Design by Sierra Shreves).

The second half of the evening was the dramatization of "The Strange Library", a novella by Haruki Murakami.  What impressed us the most was how different Mo. George's music was from the Asian inflected melodies of "Paper Daughter". Apropos of the chilling plot of  "The Strange Library", her music served to intensify the spooky feelings of the story. There was nothing "incidental" about Mo. George's music, which was effectively realized by The Curiosity Cabinet Ensemble and sensitively conducted as only the composer can.

Unfortunately, the festival has ended but watch out for future productions by this superb partnership.

© meche kroop

FLEUR DU MAL

Sadie Spivey

(Photo by Brian Long)

What an exceptionally interesting idea to present a program of Charles Baudelaire's poetry as set by a variety of musicians of the 19th and early 20th c.! Of course, when one reads the program of an art song recital, the writer of the text is credited, but we had never realized the extent of Baudelaire's influence on so many composers--and not just the famous ones like Fauré, Duparc, Debussy, and Chausson! 

Last evening's entertainment, conceived and directed by Judith Barnes, was far more than a recital of mélodie. It was a peek into the mind of a literary artist whose life was a catastrophe but whose literary output was grand and influential. Ms. Barnes' program notes told us many things about Baudelaire's life; her thoughts were illustrated during the performance as the artists onstage read (in English) from his letters and journals telling us about his dissolute life as a wastrel. He burned through the family fortune in a brief period of time, necessitating what amounted to a guardianship. He died in miserable poverty, never knowing what work of art would result when French musical geniuses found the beauty in his verses, so maligned in his lifetime.

Although the readings were in English, the mélodies were performed in French by the following singers; Jason Adamo, Valerie Filloux, Sadie Spivey, Jeremy Sivitz, Olivia Ericsson, Alexandra Cirile, Helen Haas, and the final number "L'invitation au voyage" by Henri Duparc sung by Perri Sussman, perhaps the one most often performed in recital--but here, given new meaning.

The viewer was given the opportunity to connect with a strange and disturbing world, a louche world of dissipation and desire. Onstage elements, designed by Maestro Fecteau included a recamier, some chairs, a table with a decanter of vin rouge, un escritoire. Singers were costumed (by Angela Huff) in varied states of déshabillage, partly unlaced corsets, culottes, loosened coiffures, white stockings or pieds nus. Singers lounged about indifferently. Once two women rose and danced together. The chansons were interspersed with readings from Baudelaire's letters to his mother or from his journals. Ms. Barnes' direction was absolutely stellar.

Similarly, the musical accompaniment was perfection. The piano parts were performed by a tag team of Lara Saldanha and Maestro Chris Fecteau himself. There was a highly original opening to the evening when Mo. Fecteau played a captivating melody ( by Pierre de Breville. First movement of the Prélude, méditation et prière for organ without pedals (1912) on an antique harmonium. We were so enchanted that after the performance ended we insisted that he give us a demonstration of this instrument. (Dear Reader, we had made the same request of a glass harmonica player and a theorboist. We suffer from unbridled curiosity.)

The evening ended with the aforementioned Ms. Sussman singing the final Duparc chanson from a corner of the room, at the top of the raked staging, dressed in a long white garment, similar to the ones worn by Ms. Saldana and Mo. Fecteau. It was an eerie coup de theâtre which set the three of them apart from the others, leaving one free to speculate on the significance.

There will be one more performance of this unusual entertainment on Saturday evening and more information on the Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble season can be found on their website...dellarteopera.org. If you have not yet caught any of the season, you are hereby urged to do so.

Since we cannot close without something nitpicky, the projected titles were blurry and nearly impossible to read. For our part, however, we preferred to listen to the music and mentally participate in the drama.

© meche kroop

 

GUILTY PLEASURES

 Curtain Call for Guilty Pleasures

Friday night, Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble gave us two one-act pieces that made us think. Last night, they gave us an evening of pure entertainment. Is pure entertainment a guilty pleasure? LOL! We refuse to feel guilty about pleasure. We had a wonderful time, as did our companion. 

We think it's a great idea for opera singers to try their hand at cabaret; the need for gesture and facial expression should serve them well on the opera and concert stage. And from the audience standpoint, it was a real treat to hear the natural voice singing  the kind of music we usually avoid due to an intolerance of amplification.

Every artist was excellent and appreciated by a most enthusiastic audience. Some made a greater impact than others and only one interfered with audience engagement by the use of the loathed music stand. Let us mention a few of our favorite performances.

Mezzo-soprano Allison Deady, so effective as Annie in the previous night' production of Tickets, Please! showed a real flair for Offenbach in "Last night" from Christopher Columbus, an operetta with which we are not familiar and was equally impressive ending the show with the rousing "One Touch of Venus" from the eponymous Kurt Weill show.

From the same show, mezzo-soprano Rachelle Pike performed a sexy rendition of "Speak Low". Earlier in the evening, she delighted us with "Toothbrush Time" by William Bolcom, sharing an interesting anecdote with the audience.

Also from that show, Olivia Ericsson gave an expressive reading of "I'm a Stranger Here Myself", needing only to move around the stage more to take her performance to the next level.

Kaitlyn Tierney scored points for "Good 'n' Evil" from Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll and Hyde. Helen Haas did a great job using gestures and voice to build up to a climax in some French songs that were completely new to us. 

Elizaveta Kozlova, so effective as Anna I  in the prior night's performance of Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins, showed a completely different side of her artistry, having fun with "Whatever Lola Wants" from Adler and Ross' Damn Yankees. Valerie Filloux's charming performance of a pair of Schoenberg songs from his Brettl-Lieder reminded us that the composer wasn't always atonal. The songs were most accessible.

We enjoyed Thomas Walter's rendition of the "Alabama Song" from Kurt Weill's Mahagonny because he made every verse different. And Maestro Chris Fecteau tossed off an impressively novel arrangement of "Mack the Knife", making the old trite song fresh to our ears.

It was a fun evening and the audience left smiling. What more could one ask for on a Saturday night!

© meche kroop