MISSION

We are here to encourage the development of gifted young singers and to stimulate the growth of New York City's invaluable chamber opera companies. But we will not neglect the Metropolitan Opera either. Get ready for bouquets and brickbats.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A NIGHT AT THE OPERETTA

Steven Blier and Friends
Steven Blier's artistic generosity and modest demeanor hide the fact that he is a most successful impressario; indeed his many NYFOS evenings have broadened our own appreciation for works at the fringes of the opera world.  Last night at Henry's on the Upper West Side,  he put together a delightful program of songs from operettas both native and foreign, using the wealth of talent available at The Juilliard School.  One would never suspect that the singers are students; we have seen and heard professionals whose talents fall way short of what we heard last night.  The good news is that next season Henry's will play host to an entire NYFOS series!

Raquel González portrayed the femme fatale in "Ich schenk' mein Herz" from Carl Millöcker's Die Dubarry, captivating the audience as well as the five gentlemen of the cast.  Next she sang a duet with Nathan Haller from Lehár's "Die lustige Witwe".  Miles Mykkanen sang "There Isn't One Girl in the World for Me" from Jerome Kern's Sitting Pretty, subtly coloring his timbre and varying his vibrato to sound like a recording of that period.

"Je suis Lazuli" from Chabrier's L'Etoile was sung in the best of French from the very French Virginie Verrez.  Philip Stoddard donned a silly rajah's turban for the amusing "Chant birman" from Messager's  L'Amour masqué; what was most remarkable was that he gave the rajah's nonsense language a French accent.  Absolutely hilarious.

Rachel Wilson infused her zarzuela number with a pinch of sazón; Barbieri's El barberillo de Lavapiés is a zarzuela we long to hear in its entirety.  A splendid duet with some lightning fast patter was performed by Kyle Bielfield and Davone Tines from another zarzuela entitled La del manojo de rosas by Sorozábal; it involved a humorous dispute between two men courting the same woman.

Simone Easthope sang "The Amorous Goldfish" from Sidney Jones' The Geisha and Kyle Bielfield sang "Je suis gai" from Offenbach's La Belle Hélène, perhaps the most famous of the operettas on the program.  The seasonal duet "April Snow" from Romberg's Up in Central Park was sung by Rachel Wilson and Nathan Haller.  The program ended with John Philip Sousa's humorous "Against the Spanish Army" from El Capitan.  Somehow we never knew that the famous composer of marches wrote an operetta!

Throughout this generous evening, Mr. Blier narrated from the piano, letting the audience in on the plot and characters.  It was just one of those evenings that you wish would never end.  Sadly, it is over and these talented performers are leaving for summer programs elsewhere.  But Mr. Blier is not going anywhere and we will be enjoying his exploration into unusual vocal music tonight and on May 13th.  You should as well!

© meche kroop


YING FANG, MASTER OF MUSIC!

Ken Noda and Ying Fang
Having witnessed Ying Fang's progress through Juilliard, we are thrilled to report her acceptance to the Lindemann Young Artists Program.  Watching artistic growth is one of the greatest pleasures imaginable.  Yesterday's recital by this radiant soprano is a case in point.  Her presence is glamorous yet modest; she graces the stage with luminosity and a charming personality that engages the audience.

Accompanied by the equally modest and prodigiously talented  Ken Noda (we call him Mr. Magic Hands behind his back), Ms. Fang opened her program with an expressive rendering of two Argento songs and moved on to Richard Strauss' Mädchenblumen, Op.22 in which the composer likens different women to different flowers.  Ms. Fang showed a variety of moods from flower to flower; while admiring the brilliance of her upper register and her clarity of focus, we were trying to figure out which flower she identifies with herself.

Following we heard a passionate concert aria by Mozart, "Misera, dove son!" in which Ms. Fang unleashed a remarkable sense of drama and impressive control of dynamics.  But perhaps our favorite songs were those by Bizet, the sweet "Chanson D'Avril" and the amusingly wry "La Coccinelle".

Four songs by Rachmaninoff were offered with the most charming one being "The Pied Piper".  As encore, Ms. Fang dedicated a lovely Chinese song called "The Bridge" to victims of the earthquake in Ya-an.  The composer Zaiyilu composed it in a lyrical style with a melody that fell lightly on the ear; Ms. Fang sang it with touching sincerity.

Mr. Noda reports that he and James Levine discovered Ms. Fang at a master class in Shanghai and we are all the more fortunate for it.  We are looking forward to witnessing her future development which will happily take place right here.  She is already bringing a beautiful instrument, fine technique and a developed personal style to the program.  We can scarcely wait to see what happens next.

© meche kroop





Monday, April 29, 2013

GERDA LISSNER FOUNDATION AWARDS RECITAL

The generosity of the Gerda Lissner Foundation in its support of young singers is extremely praiseworthy.  It was a pleasure to hear President Stephen De Maio being acknowledged by charming host Brian Kellow (Features Editor at Opera News) for all of his hard work.  This year's honoree was the beloved Bass-baritone Eric Owens.  The long list of awards testified to the success of the venture.  That we got to hear a baker's dozen of them sing yesterday was a major delight.  Some of them were new to our ears and others have been enjoyed on numerous past occasions.  All were excellent; the judges chose well.

We have space to mention a few of the highlights.  Soprano Deanna Breiwick tickled everyone's fancy with "Quel guardo il cavaliere" from Donizetti's Don Pasquale.  This young woman has beauty and stage presence as well as fine technique; she knows how to create a character and how to get a song across.  Her trill gives one a thrill.

Soprano Ying Fang, who gives a recital this afternoon at Juilliard, showed off some mighty fine embellishments and secure control of dynamics in "Prendi per me sei libero" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.  We simply cannot get enough Donizetti, especially when sung this charmingly.

Continuing in the bel canto style, bass-baritone Jeongcheol Cha showed impressive flexibility and legato in "Vi Ravviso" from Bellini's La Sonnambula; tenor Juan Jose De Leon won us over with his "Si, ritrovarla, io giuro" from Rossini's La Cenerentola.  Bass-baritone Evan Hughes had all the right qualities for Dandini's aria "Come un'ape" from the same opera.

Massenet's "Letter Scene" from Werther was sung by mezzo Jennifer Johnson Cano with a rich tone, fine French diction and moving involvement with the text.  The grand finale comprised two arias from Leoncavallo's I Pagliaci sung by two of the Top Prize winners, both baritones.  Well known to us from recitals and several other competitions, consistent winner Takaoki Onishi once again dazzled us with his rich full sound, his variety of color and his depth of feeling as he sang Silvio's aria "E fra quest'ansie".  Truth to tell, we would have eloped with him in a minute!  Equally convincing was Anthony C. Evans who sang the prologue in mighty praiseworthy Italian and drew us in as any carnival barker might have.

We also heard some excellent work from tenor Noah Baetge and soprano Marcy Stonikas who took Wagner out for a whirl; tenor Dominick Chenes, soprano Chloe Moore, counter-tenor John T. Holiday, tenor Anthony Kalil and tenor Jonathan Winell were all a pleasure to hear.  Accompanists for the recital were Jonathan C. Kelly and Arlene Shrut. We predict excellent careers for all and wish everyone well.

© meche kroop









Saturday, April 27, 2013

PIN-UP GAL

Bryan Wagorn and Wallis Giunta
Ms. Giunta's flowing strawberry blonde hair was pinned up cleverly to create a 1930's look to match the theme of her recital and her slinky red satin gown.  But there was nothing "pinned up" about her performance.  No indeed!  It flowed seamlessly and dramatically from one song to the next.  It flowed gracefully from German to French to English to Spanish to Italian--all sung with perfect diction.

The theme chosen by this supremely gifted Canadian mezzo was Brecht and Weill's Die Sieben Todsünden with a variety of songs interspersed between verses of what was written as a ballet chanté commissioned by one Edward James, whose wife Tilly Losch was a ballerina.  The plan was to split the character of Anna into two, with Anna I being sung by Weill's wife Lotte Lenya and Ms. Losch dancing the part of Anna II.  Characteristic of Brecht, the text satirizes the bourgeoisie.  One is never quite sure whether Anna I and Anna II are different aspects of the same woman who visits seven cities in the USA, each city used to demonstrate a different sin.

We particularly enjoyed the group of songs chosen to illustrate the sin of sloth.  Weill's "Youkali" was followed by Poulenc's "Hôtel" from Banalités and an extremely funny song called "The Sloth" by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann.  So much textual and dramatic variety were conveyed not only in Sloth, but also in Pride, Wrath, Lust, Greed, Gluttony and Envy.  Mr. Weill's "Die Muschel von Margate", used to illustrate Greed was particularly relevant today.

Perhaps the two songs we enjoyed the most were used to illustrate the sin of lust: Cole Porter's "Love for Sale", given a unique dose of irony by Ms. Giunta and "Al Pensar en el Dueño de mis Amores" from Ruperto Chapí's zarzuela Las Hijas del Zebedeo which evinced the soul of flamenco.

John Lennon's "Imagine" was movingly sung a capella.  Stephen Foster's "The Old Folks at Home" was sung sitting on the edge of the stage with the tenderest of piano work from the estimable Bryan Wagorn who succeeded brilliantly in keeping up with all of Ms. Giunta's many shifts of mood and period.  She did step outside the 1930's a few times, for the Foster, the Lennon, for Schubert's "Der Zwerg", for Monteverdi's "Addio Roma" from L'Incoronazione di Poppea and the zarzuela.

It was in every respect an original and compelling program that showed off Ms. Giunta's linguistic facility and dramatic skills as effectively as her burnished mezzo.  At this level of performance, fine technique can just be taken for granted and the listener can focus on the artistry and communicative skills of the performers.  Ms. Giunta's greatest gift is that she makes each song her own, and always in a way that involves the audience.

We were left wondering what magic is being performed by the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program which seems to regularly turn out such impressive performers.  Ms. Giunta is completing her second year with the program and simultaneously completing an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies at The Juilliard School.  She has several recordings to her credit and sings all over the USA and her homeland Canada as well as in Europe.  A stellar career would seem to be a foregone conclusion.

© meche kroop





Thursday, April 25, 2013

THE RISE AND THE FALL

The fate of the work itself has significantly paralleled the fate of the eponymous city.  It started life in 1927 as an experimental non-opera singspiel of one act's duration, premiering in Baden Baden.  It became a succès de scandale and shocked the audience with Kurt Weill's jazzy melodies and unusual orchestration and with Bertolt Brecht's radical countercultural themes. 

In 1930, the work was expanded to three acts and, having been too shocking for Berlin, premiered in Leipzig with some of the raunchier scenes toned down.  Brecht's libretto, strongly influenced by his Marxist view of capitalism, managed to skewer politics, the judicial system, materialism and sex.  There were riots.  By 1933, the Nazis banned the work and The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny did not achieve regular productions in the USA until the 1960's.

This was a daring choice for the Manhattan School of Music.  Opera singers have invested a great deal of blood, sweat and tears learning to inhabit a role and getting the audience to identify with their characters.  In this "theater of alienation" the performers are meant to distance themselves from their characters and we of the audience are not meant to identify, but rather to use our brains and think about what is being presented to us.  Brecht held a mirror up to the culture of his epoch and wanted to shame society.  It is a distorting mirror but a mirror nonetheless.  We wonder, "Has society changed?"

With the esteemed Dona D. Vaughn as Director, with valuable contributions from Set Designer Beowulf Boritt, Costume Designer Tracy Dorman and Lighting Designer Tyler Micoleau, the goal was largely reached.  The production had a surreal and cartoony aspect that suited the improbable story of three fugitives from the law whose truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere; they decide to build a city that seems to be one where capitalism runs rampant without any civilizing forces.

No attempt is made in the direction of geographic validity or character development.  There is a curtain on a long cable which is slid back and forth.  There are titles announcing the content of each scene.  The lighting is directly over the scene and anything but atmospheric.  (Are you alienated yet?)  The costumes are splendid, especially for Jenny and the six prostitutes that come to the city to destroy any illusion of romance.  (Anti-opera, remember?) 

Rob Greene and J. Jared Janas are credited with wig, hair and makeup design and credit must be given; Rachelle Pike went unrecognized, although we had just seen her as Marthe in Faust!  But the generous mezzo voice was unmistakable in her superb performance as The Widow Begbick.  Soprano Cree Carrico employed a bright soprano to fine effect as Jenny the whore who won't give up her money to save her man from the electric chair.  The six prostitutes who sang "The Alabama Song" were fetchingly costumed Kerstin Bauer, Ann Louise Glasser, Nan Li, Kathleen Spencer, Leela Subramaniam and Ellen Teufel.

The men were no less wonderful.  Arriving in the truck with The Widow Begbick were Fatty the Bookkeeper, sung by tenor Peter Tinaglia, and Trinity Moses, sung by bass-baritone James Ioelu, well remembered from his role as Méphistophèles in Faust.  It is always exciting for us to witness an artist's versatility.

The four lumberjacks were perfectly cast: Tenor Aaron Short sang the role of Jim Mahoney who is sentenced to death because he can't pay his bar bill or bribe the judges; tenor Scott Ingraham performed the role of Jack O'Brien who dies from grotesque overeating; bass Brett Harrison Vogel sang the role of Joe who dies in a prizefight; baritone Jason Cox was the only surviving lumberjack--Bill.  Michael Papincak was Toby.

Musical values were first-rate with Maestro Kynan Johns on the podium and some mighty fine MSM musicians in the pit.  Weill's radical scoring included two saxophones and an onstage player of mandolin, banjo and bass guitar as well as the marvelous Juan Pablo Jofre playing the bandoneon.  (He seemed to be the only Argentinean involved in the production, but if you started counting New Zealanders you might run out of fingers.)  There is no praise sufficient for the chorus who were given some outstanding music and served to tie together all the loose ends.

This production used the Michael Feingold translation.  Dialogue was spoken in English and the songs were sung in German and English, as they were written originally.  Perhaps Mr. Brecht saw the USA as emblematic of lawlessness and materialism.  Perhaps we still are.

© meche kroop





Monday, April 22, 2013

HOW DO WE LOVE THEE SCHUBERT? LET US COUNT THE WAYS

Takaoki Onishi, Dimitri Dover, Raquel Gonzalez, Mary Feminear, Theo Hoffman
Those of you who have been attending the Schubert&Co. recital series will recognize some of the outstanding participants in the photo.  But, what's this?  A new face?  A new voice?  Co-Artistic Directors Jonathan Ware and Lachlan Glen are at the forefront of discovering new talent and last night we had the privilege of hearing baritone Theo Hoffman in his Schubert&Co. premiere. 

Mr. Hoffman is but a freshman at Juilliard but already shows a great deal of promise.  His instrument is fresh and flexible; his technique is outstanding.  But let's take a look at the artistry.  He opened last night's program with "Der Schäfer und der Reiter"; he used his sweet light baritone when singing the invitation by the light-hearted shepherd such that we heard a tenorial quality, but when the gloomy warrior replied, Mr. Hoffman darkened his tone.  We are a sucker for that sort of dramatic contrast and commitment to the text.

In another set of songs "Don Gayseros I, II and III, D.93", we heard what amounted to one long story of a Spanish aristocrat who is courted by a strange knight.  She becomes suspicious of him when he fails to partake of her Catholic rituals and he identifies himself as a Moorish king and abducts her.  He is slain by two mercenaries and she spends the rest of her life i  mourning and prayer.  A sad tale, well told by poet Friedrich La Motte-Fouque, and well sung by Mr. Hoffman, a natural storyteller. 

Prize-winning baritoneTakaoki Onishi has a very different sort of baritone, a large sound with a finely grained vibrato that delights the ear; he has never failed to thrill us with his performances.  He sang songs of futile love ("Vergebliche Liebe" and "Hippolits Lied") and several songs referencing nature.  We loved his control of dynamics and phrasing.

Two of our favorite sopranos were on the program as well.  Raquel Gonzalez sang "Der Jüngling auf dem Hügel" with great attention to dynamics and mood.  "Abschied, D.829" was done most artistically in sprechstimme, with the lyricism occurring in the piano, performed by the always impressive Dimitri Dover who is unfailingly supportive of the singer.

Soprano Mary Feminear closed the program with the one familiar song on the evening's program--"Frühlingsglaube".  We confess to humming it all night long; it's just that kind of song!  But we most enjoyed Ms. Feminear's bright sound in the light-hearted and frisky "Hänflings Liebeswerbung" about a lovesick linnet.

There are only a couple more recitals left to finish with Schubert's massive output of over 600 songs.  You would be well-advised to get on the bandwagon before it is too late!

© meche kroop


Saturday, April 20, 2013

EVAN HUGHES, WHAT NEXT?

Evan Hughes
Bryan Wagorn

Bass-baritone Evan Hughes is finishing his third and final year of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at The Metropolitan Opera.  Last night at his graduation recital he graciously thanked those who contributed to his development and showed off how much he has learned.   We were remembering his right-on-target performance as Don Alfonso in Cosi fan Tutte.  We are thrilled about his winning First Prize in the Gerda Lissner Competition.

Possessor of a rich round and mellow tone, Mr. Hughes is further notable for a most expressive face and a delightful sense of humor.  He employed all his skills in the recital.  It is our belief that when a singer does his own translations, he/she is more expressive in coloring the words.  Such was the case with the three Schubert songs with which Mr. Hughes opened his program.  We particularly enjoyed the gentle "Des Fischers Liebesglück" with Schubert's ravishing melodic invention; the octave skips upward were lovely.  Mr. Wagorn, whose propulsive pianism impressed us so in "Auf der Bruck" had an opportunity to switch hats from collaborative pianist to soloist in "Ungarische Melodie, D. 817."  Both hats become him equally.

We next heard Brahms at his most melodic: "Meine Lieb ist grün", "Sapphische Ode", and "Von Ewiger Liebe".  Again, Mr. Hughes had done his own translations and sang with impressive intensity.  Some unfamiliar songs in Swedish followed, written by Jean Sibelius, all of which would be worth a second and third hearing. 

In the Chansons Gaillardes by Poulenc which closed the program, Mr. Hughes' mobile face joined his vocal expressiveness to give full measure to the irony of these little gems.  Again, he had done the translations himself to fine effect.  His encore was another song by Poulenc--"Pablo Picasso", from the cycle Le Travail du Peintre.

Mr. Hughes has been having some exciting engagements worldwide and on the stage of The Metropolitan Opera.  We wish him the career his hard work has earned.

© meche kroop


ROSSINI'S BIBLE STORY

Keri Alkema as Amaltea (photo by Carol Rosegg)
We were quite sure that we couldn't take any more bible stories this week but fortunately we changed our mind and had a grand old time at New York City Opera's production of Rossini's Mosè in Egitto.  This 1818 opera tells the same story as Schoenberg's Moses und Aron but it's a lot more fun and a lot more accessible.  Although the master rewrote the opera a decade later with a French text, we are completely in love with this version from the three sustained opening chords.

If you haven't read the bible lately, we shall remind you that there was a big stand-off between Moses and Egypt's Pharoah, as in the spiritual "Let my people go".  Moses threatens the Pharoah with all kinds of plagues which his god will invoke on the recalcitrant Egyptians if the Hebrew people are not freed from slavery.  In this libretto, written by Andrea Leone Tottola, there is a rather unbiblical love story between the Pharoah's son Osiride and one of those nice Jewish girls Elcia.  (Oh, those Italians!  But what's Italian opera without a love story and un sacrifizio?)

In this version, Faraone is a flip-flopper, depending upon whoever is more persuasive at the moment.  His wife (or consort) Amaltea is the voice of reason and urges him to release the Hebrews.  His son Osiride is in love with the Hebrew girl Elcia and doesn't want to lose her.  He is assisted by a rather manipulative priest Mambre who presents all kinds of political arguments in favor of their remaining.  On Mosè's side is his brother Aronne--and, of course, the Hebrew god who produces the plagues that eventually lead to the Exodus.

Rossini's music is melodic and inventive all through the opera.  We loved the quintet and the love duet. We enjoyed the way Rossini has the same melody reflected by various voices and instrumental groups, giving the ear something to hang onto.  Having settled into the run, Conductor Jayce Ogren elicited a fine performance from the orchestra; we heard some mighty fine clarinet solos from Steven Hartman and some shimmering sounds from harpist Victoria Drake.

Still, opera is about the voices and we heard some fine singing as well.  Most admirable was Keri Alkema whose coloratura was accurate and precise; not only does she have an impressive instrument but she created a character with stature.  Just as wonderful was Siǎn Davies, the soprano who sang the role of Elcia and created an abundance of sympathy as she weighed her love against tribal loyalty.  Mezzo Emily Righter sang her small role as Amenofi so well that we are eager to hear more of her.

To our ears, the women somewhat outshone the men.  David Salsbery Fry was fine as Mosè with a pleasant bass-baritone, duking it out with the other bass-baritone Wayne Tigges who sang with a full rich sound in the role of the ambivalent Pharoah.  Tenor Aldo Caputo fulfilled the role of Aronne with distinction and tenor Zachary Finkelstein was weird and chilling as Mambre the manipulative priest.  Tenor Randall Bills was not quite accurate in the fioritura and tended to push his high notes instead of floating them.  He had a stiff and uncomfortable stage presence which made one wonder what Elcia saw in him.

The production itself was just shy of excellent.  Although we have not been a fan of video, in this case the projected images, realized by Ada Whiney of Beehive, were mostly wonderful.  The scene in which the lovers enter a cave was astonishing; the realistic scenes of desert and dunes and the night sky won us over while the abstract scenes turned us off.  Something seemed amiss at the end when the Red Sea parted and the Hebrews walked off into the wings; and the video of the drowning Egyptians was silly if you thought they looked like tadpoles and upsetting if the image recalled the victims of the 9/11 attack who jumped out of windows.

Michael Counts is credited as Director and also Production Designer and we hope to see more of his work in the future.  Costumes by Jessica Jahn seemed appropriate, subdued biblical dress for the Hebrews and dramatic regal garb for the Egyptians; sadly, poor Ms. Davies was peculiarly and unbecomingly gowned.  Lighting by Ryan O'Gara was effective.

We hope that no more will be written about the misfortunes of the NYCO; let us instead applaud the revival and resurrection of "opera for the people".  Next year's season is already in the works.  Stay tuned!

© meche kroop


Friday, April 19, 2013

BIBLE STORY IN A CEDAR CLOSET

Pascal Charbonneau, Ana Quintans  Photo Credit: Julieta Cervantes
The ever-adventuresome Brooklyn Academy of Music is unfailingly adept at finding and presenting the new, the different and the surprising.  This week we have experienced a rare musical treasure--Marc-Antoine Charpentier's David et Jonathas, an import from the Aix-en-Provence Festival.  First performed in 1688 at a Jesuit college with libretto by Father François Bretonneau, this tragédie biblique was presented intermeshed with a spoken drama in Latin, Saul, by Father Étienne Chamillard. Each act of the opera was followed by one act from the play.  If the opera seems lacking in dramatic continuity, that would seem to be the reason.

The reknowned Les Arts Florissants can be counted on for superb musical values and the esteemed conductor William Christie truly has magic hands.  Every nuance of Marc-Antoine Charpentier's brilliant score was elicited by these remarkable musicians.  The basso continuo comprised Béatrice Martin on harpsichord and organ, Anne-Marie Lasla on viola da gamba, Jonathan Cable on doublebass,  Claude Wassmer on bassoon, and Brian Feehan on theorbo, an instrument that seems to arouse a great deal of curiosity from those unfamiliar with early music.

The singers rose to the very high level of the instrumentalists; high tenor Pascal Charbonneau made a modest and humble David; soprano Ana Quintans in a (short) pants role was totally convincing as Jonathas, the young prince so loved by David; bass Neal Davies employed his vocal and dramatic skills in his portrayal of the jealous paranoid Saül, king of the Israelites.  Achis, king of the Philistines, was finely performed by bass Frédéric Caton; tenor Krešimir Špicer was equally fine as Joabel, leader of the Philistine army.  But the most remarkable performance was given by high tenor Dominique Visse who used his face, body and gesture to portray the witch La Pythonisse.  The contribution of the chorus, led by Ms. Martin, was superb.

On the subject of the production itself, we disagree with the chorus of admirers.  We realize that the episodic nature of the opera made it difficult to establish dramatic continuity but director Andreas Homoki did nothing to make the action clear and the synopsis in the program wasn't much help.  Pantomimed scenes of Jonathas' childhood took awhile to add up and the crowd scenes were confusing.  A decision had been made to eroticize the relationship between David and Jonathas; it may very well have been hinted at in the bible but it seemed like pandering to contemporary taste.  It certainly made King Saül's jealousy that of a father toward his son and not envy of David's military success and popularity.

Some of the responsibility can be laid at the feet of the costume designer Gideon Davey who chose to dress some of the cast as depression-era civilians and others in middle-eastern garb.  Some wore fedoras, some caps and some fezzes.  This might have made sense if it served to distinguish the Philistines from the Israelites; but it did not.  We are all aware of the tribal nature of the contemporary hostility in that part of the world but we don't need 20th c. costumes to drive the point home.

The set design by Paul Zoller was likewise peculiar.  The action took place in what appeared to be a cedar closet lying on its side.  Simple wooden chairs were employed for sitting or for throwing about.  Walls and ceiling slid in or out as necessary.  Yes!  We get it!  The walls were closing in on the characters.  There was just too much distracting movement for our taste.  Not as much as the beast of a machine in The Ring Cycle at the Met but too much for our taste.  We found ourselves closing our eyes against this over-directed over-designed production and thinking how much better this would be as an oratorio.

© meche kroop


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

GOMES, OPERATIC TREASURE OF BRASIL

Antonio Carlos Gomes
Sometimes one "discovers" what has been there all along; you only need someone to draw your attention to it.  We will be forever grateful to the good folks of Opera Dolce, namely Andrew Costello and Pamela Lloyd for introducing us to the relatively "unsung" but highly enjoyable 19th c. works of Antonio Carlos Gomes, operatic treasure of Brazil.  Giuseppi Verdi himself is reported to have said: "Questo giovane comincia da dove finisco io".  ("This young man starts where I finish".)   Indeed the influence of Verdi is heard throughout his work.  The melodic invention is luscious and the harmonies gorgeous.  We tried to imagine what they would sound like with full orchestra.

At last night's recital, arias and duets from five of his operas were heard: Salvator Rosa, Maria Tudor, Fosca, Lo Schiavo and Il Guarany.  Synopses of all were thoughtfully included in the program so that audience members could understand the place in the drama held by each number.  We particularly enjoyed the duet "Soli, del mondo immemori" from Fosca, sung by soprano Raquela Sheeran and tenor Adam Cromer; the voices balanced well and the harmonies were lovely.  The same could be said for "Colui che non canta" from Maria Tudor, sung by soprano Catherine Murphy, also with Mr. Cromer, and "Salvator libero sei" from Salvator Rosa, sung by Pamela Lloyd and tenor Philip Alongi. 

Mr. Costello himself used his big bass-baritone in the aria of renunciation "Sogni d'amore" from Lo Schiavo and in the strophic drinking song from Il Guarany-- "Senza tetto, senza cuna".  Soprano Pamela Lloyd sang "Come serenamente" from Lo Schiavo, demonstrating a really fine trill.  The accompanist for the evening was Craig Ketter.

Some dances from Lo Schiavo were performed by Alison Cook Beatty and Alejandro Herrera in bare feet.  We would have preferred to see them in ballet footwear, more suitable to this 19th c. work.

The program (sans ballet) will be repeated Thursday evening at Christ and St. Stephen's Church where we hope the acoustics will be more suitable and kinder to the voices.

Hearing a full opera by this gifted composer is going on our wish list.  It seems tragic that his work, oft celebrated in Italy, has been rather ignored in the USA.

© meche kroop



Saturday, April 13, 2013

BUT IS IT OPERA?

We are going to share our views on what constitutes an opera; you may well have strong opinions of your own and we welcome your comments below.  We believe that the operetta evolved from opera and that the "Broadway Musical", whether on Broadway or off-Broadway or VERY FAR off-Broadway evolved from operetta.  If the work tells a story through music, if it is sung without amplification, EVEN IF the dialogue is spoken, EVEN IF the work is driven as much by telling the story as it is by music, then it is an opera.  And if it's bad, it isn't opera.  It must be entertaining!

The musical Donnybrook! now playing at the Irish Repertory Theatre is a case in point.  Not having had a great success on Broadway in 1961, this work, based on the film The Quiet Man, is highly successful as a chamber opera in this intimate house.  It has some wonderful characters, a fine plot, and, best of all, some really tuneful music composed by Johnny Burke (who also wrote the lyrics) with some contributions by Jimmy Van Heusen; the small but effective orchestra comprised John Bell at the piano, Karen Lindquist at the harp, Janey Choi on violin and Melanie Mason on the cello; Josh Clayton did the orchestration.  There is not one melody that falls flat.

Starring as the retired boxer with a secret is Michael Halling; his beautiful and spunky love interest is portrayed by Jenny Powers.  Delightful comic relief is provided by matchmaker Samuel Cohen and rich widow Kathy Fitzgerald; Ted Koch portrays the obstacle to romance.  Stock situation?  Of course, but doesn't every opera have one?  The plot revolves around the hero's attempt to deal with the mores of a rather backward part of Ireland which come into conflict with his vow to avoid fighting for the rest of his life.  But now he must fight for his woman.  Will he or won't he?

The musical numbers can be considered arias and duets and the chorus of lovable townsfolk made their valuable contribution. Director Charlotte Moore kept the action moving.  James Noone designed a most workable set, a cottage that opened up to show the interior.  Costumes by Linda Fisher and Leon Dobkowski were appropriate to rural Ireland in the 50's.

We couldn't help putting something on our "wish list".  What if New York City had a repertory company that produced chamber operas (or chamber musicals, if you prefer that term) on a regular basis, in a small house, unamplified?  There is an entire generation of New Yorkers who never got to see some of the great works of the 20th c.  All it takes is some good orchestration, a talented cast, and some imaginative staging.  The most important feature is the entertainment value.  In the 19th c. in opera's heyday, people went to the opera to be entertained.  How many contemporary operas have you sat through, gritting your teeth?  We'll bet they were never written to be entertaining!

© meche kroop

IMAGINE

Tobias Greenhalgh and Steven Blier
"Imagine" is the name of the John Lennon song that baritone Tobias Greenhalgh chose as an encore to his Masters of Music graduation recital yesterday--in a duet with his brother John and with the beloved Steven Blier at the piano.  Now here is something to imagine:  several rows of high school students on a long day trip from Massachusetts, sitting in rapt attention during the entire recital and joining the rest of us in a prolonged standing ovation at the end.

Now, to understand why the attention was so rapt, we must begin at the beginning when Mr. Greenhalgh opened with selections from Schubert's Winterreise.  This work is always good to hear, but in the right hands (and heart) it becomes astonishing in its ability to move us.  J.J. Penna provided the hands at the piano and did not miss a nuance.  Indeed we heard things we'd never noticed before, including the heartbeat of the hero and the cries of the crow.  The heart of course is that of the singer and it was evident that Mr. G. reached deep within to pull up and wring the juice out of every emotion in the songs.  His alienation, his self-pity, his nostalgia, his illusory dreams, his false hopes, his attempts to put on a happy face--all these were plumbed by this gifted young artist.  His technique was superb but went unnoticed as it was used to serve the music and the text. At a certain point, we just take the phrasing, the diction, the control of dynamics and the musicality for granted.

Accompanied by Mr. Blier, Mr. G. did just fine in Norwegian, French, Italian and Spanish in the second half of the program with some selections by Grieg, Debussy, Respighi and Gardel.  But it was in Billy Bigelow's Soliloquy from Rodgers' and Hammerstein's Carousel that Mr. G. truly distinguished himself.  He made sense of every emotion a prospective father might feel.  At the end of the recital we were left eager to hear Mr. G. perform the entire Winterreise and also wanting to hear him do more Broadway type music.  We sense the influence here of Mr. Blier!  In our opinion, it's all opera if it's good.

© meche kroop




Friday, April 12, 2013

ALL RUSSIAN, ALL THE TIME

We are never disappointed by an event at Juilliard but we are sometimes surprised.  Last night's liederabend comprised Russian songs by Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky, Medtner, and Vertinsky.  Was that too much of a language we don't understand?  Not at all!  As a matter of fact, we were sorry not to hear the set of Tchaikovsky songs which were eliminated due to illness.

It is an entirely different experience to listen to a language that one doesn't understand.  The printed texts could not be followed due to dim lighting.  So, we were left to just listen to the sound of the language and how each composer matched the rhythm of the text to his musical output.  It was entirely up to the singer and collaborative pianist to get the meaning across. 

Without exception, the participating artists rose to the occasion.  Baritone Jake Alan Nelson was accompanied by Juliana Han, soprano Raquel González by Raymond Wong, baritone Jay Dref by Daniel Fung, bass-baritone Önay Köse also by Mr. Fung, and soprano Simone Easthope by Zsolt Balogh.

We are inadequate to the task of commenting on anyone's Russian diction but we can confidently say that, true to the Juilliard style, each singer communicated beautifully and made good contact with the audience. 

Let us just mention a personal favorite, one of the highlights of the evening.  Ms. González and Mr. Dref sang a charming duet entitled "Two Partings" in which a man asks a woman to differentiate between parting from a man she pitied and a man she loved.  Perhaps it was because Ms. González did her own translation but it stands out in our memory.  That set closed with a passionate ode to Spring in which the singer and pianist released a great deal of feeling.

Mr. Köse, heard last night for the first time, brought a big sturdy bass-baritone to three of Mussorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death, all sad but well-performed.  Ms. Easthope was most memorable in Vertinsky's "Old husband, stupid husband" in which a young woman taunts her elderly spouse with her love for another man.

The Russian character has been called "gloomy" but in this evening's selections we heard as much variety as we hear in German songs of the same epoch--songs about nature, about love and war, all of them filled with feeling.

© meche kroop


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

ISABEL-BEL-BELLA

Isabel Leonard

Vlad Iftinca
It was a very personal and satisfying recital last night at Zankel Hall when Isabel Leonard and Vlad Iftinca collaborated in a way that honored Ms. Leonard's Argentinian-American heritage.  As a tribute to her Argentinian mother, the first half of the program comprised Spanish songs, some familiar and some new to us-- and happy discoveries they were.

Ms. Leonard has been thrilling us with her marvelous mezzo instrument, her musicality and intimate presentation since her undergraduate days at Juilliard.  She manifests the qualities that we so admire in any singer of songs; she invites the members of the audience to join her on a very personal journey, following the advice of James Levine who once, in a master class, advised her to sing songs she loves.  She addressed the audience with brief anecdotes and made good eye contact; she moved about the stage with ease.  We were instantly won over by these qualities.

Mr. Iftinca, well known from his work with The Metropolitan Opera and from his coaching at the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program is a stylish pianist and preternaturally tuned in to his singer and supportive in every way.  Together they make a fine team and reportedly chose the program together.

The songs were well-chosen to demonstrate a range of emotions.  The order in which they were sung was atypical and not organized by composer so that the audience applauded after each and every one.  We heard songs by Manuel De Falla, Federico García Lorca, Enrique Granados, Frederic Mompou, Xavier Montsalvatge, and Joaquín Valverde Sanjuán--a veritable banquet.  We have been hearing more and more Spanish music this year and are glad for it.  Some of them can be labeled (if you must label) as folk songs or zarzuela but it doesn't matter.  When sung by an artist they are all "art songs".  We particularly enjoyed it when Ms. Leonard used her lovely body in a little dance, as in Sanjuán's "Clavelitos", revealing her delightful personality.

Each song offered new delights, a graceful portamento in García Lorca's "Los Pelegrinitos", a soaring vocal line in the loving "Gracia mía", the wild dance of Montsalvatge's "Canto negro", a thrilling vibrato in De Falla's  "Preludios".  Mr. Iftinca brought out every flavor of Spain, particularly in the folk melodies of García Lorca.  There were no projected titles and one didn't want to take one's eyes off the stage but the mood of each song came through clearly, even if one did not understand the Spanish.  The two artists moved easily from irony to joy, from flirtatiousness to pensiveness, from heartbreak to anxiety.

The second half of the program comprised American songs, a tribute to  Ms. Leonard's American father.  Again, we heard songs one might label "cabaret" or "popular" but in Mr. Iftinca's hands and with Ms. Leonard's voice, they are all art songs.  Our personal favorites were Jennifer Higdon's "Hop and Toe Dance" (a New York premiere), Ernest Charles' "When I have sung my songs", Adam Guettel's highly accessible "How can I lose you?" and, above all Cole Porter's "Where, Oh Where".  Two world premieres were on the program and Ms. Leonard introduced the composers Glen Roven and Ben Moore.

As if this banquet were not enough, we were treated to three encores:  Rossini's "Canzonetta Spagnuola" with its thrilling trills and fleet runs, an hilarious aria from Offenbach's La Périchole, and "There's a place for us" from Bernstein's West Side Story.  Each one was graced by Ms. Leonard's unique communicative skills.  It is a rare art to be able to immerse oneself in the song and yet to retain one's own identity.

© meche kroop





Tuesday, April 9, 2013

A YOUNG ARTIST LAUNCHED

Philip Stoddard
Benedicte Jourdois

Baritone Philip Stoddard launched his graduation recital at Juilliard with Pietro Cimara's  1919 "Canto di Privavera"; a better opening could not be imagined, not only because of its seasonal suitability but because it showcased everything at which this young artist excels.  He has an eagerness to connect with his audience and to share his love of singing which makes everyone in the audience feel included.  He uses his voice well but also employs facial expression and body movement to convey the meaning of the text.  His Italian diction was so clear that the absence of translation was forgotten.  "Open your windows to the sun and your heart to love!"  YES!!!  We will!
 He continued his program of early 20th songs with selections from Ravel's Histoires naturelles.  With great onstage ease, Mr. Stoddard introduced them to the audience so that the uninitiated might listen for the characteristics of each animal in the piano preludes, which collaborative pianist Benedicte Jourdois played so well.  We heard the narcissistic peacock and the industrious cricket, the graceful swan and the striking Kingfisher; but it was the aggressive and scurrying guinea hen that we enjoyed the most.  We wished however that Mr. Stoddard's diction in French matched his superlative diction in Italian.  

We caannot comment on his diction in Russian since that is the one language we do not speak. We can say that it brought his sound forward to a really good place, was well enunciated and sounded musical.  We have been hearing lots of Rachmaninoff lately and have noticed that often the passionate piano parts overwhelm the singer; we were pleased to note here that Ms. Jourdois felt no need to do so and enjoyed the mutuality between singer and pianist.  The sound was lovely and we did wish that we understood Russian.  It was not difficult, however, to decipher the 1902 "Fate", our personal  favorite which Mr. Stoddard performed with great commitment.  Apparently Rachmaninoff was  paying tribute to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Amongst the American songs, we particularly enjoyed Bolcom's "Murray the furrier" which allowed Mr. Stoddard's personality to shine.  Selections from Mahler's Rückert Lieder followed with every emotional nuance given its due.  We loved the pianissimo given to the the word "frbeen hearing lots of Rachmaninoff lately and have noticed that often the passionate piano parts overwhelm the singer; we were pleased to note here that Ms. Jourdois felt no need to do so and enjoyed the mutuality between singer and pianist.  The sound was lovely and we did wish that we understood Russian.  It was not difficult, however, to decipher the 1902 "Fate", our personal  favorite which Mr. Stoddard performed with great commitment.  Apparently Rachmaninoff was  paying tribute to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Amongst the American songs, we particularly enjoyed Bolcom's "Murray the furrier" which allowed Mr. Stoddard's personality to shine.  Selections from Mahler's Rückert Lieder followed with every emotional nuance given its due.  We loved the pianissimo given to the the word "frühling" in "Liebst du um Schönheit"; it was one of those special moments.

As encore, Mr. Stoddard sang "A simple song" from Bernstein's Mass.  We have not said anything yet about his voice; it is a fine instrument but it is the singer's artistry and musicality that gained our attention.  Still in the earliest stage of his career, we trust it will be launched with the same success as the opening of this recital.  We are looking forward to hearing more from this promising young artistartist.artist                                                                                                        © mec

As encore, Mr. Stoddard sang "A simple soPhilip Stoddard
Benedicte Jourdois

Baritone Philip Stoddard launched his graduation recital at Juilliard with Pietro Cimara's  1919 "Canto di Privavera"; a better opening could not be imagined, not only because of its seasonal suitability but because it showcased everything at which this young artist excels.  He has an eagerness to connect with his audience and to share his love of singing which makes everyone in the audience feel included.  He uses his voice well but also employs facial expression and body movement to convey the meaning of the text.  His Italian diction was so clear that the absence of translation was forgotten.  "Open your windows to the sun and your heart to love!"  YES!!!  We will!

 He continued his program of early 20th songs with selections from Ravel's Histoires naturelles.  With great onstage ease, Mr. Stoddard introduced them to the audience so that the uninitiated might listen for the characteristics of each animal in the piano preludes, which collaborative pianist Benedicte Jourdois played so well.  We heard the narcissistic peacock and the industrious cricket, the graceful swan and the striking Kingfisher; but it was the aggressive and scurrying guinea hen that we enjoyed the most.  We wished however that Mr. Stoddard's diction in French matched his superlative diction in Italian. 


We caannot comment on his diction in Russian since that is the one language we do not speak. We can say that it brought his sound forward to a really good place, was well enunciated and sounded musical.  We have been hearing lots of Rachmaninoff lately and have noticed that often the passionate piano parts overwhelm the singer; we were pleased to note here that Ms. Jourdois felt no need to do so and enjoyed the mutuality between singer and pianist.  The sound was lovely and we did wish that we understood Russian.  It was not difficult, however, to decipher the 1902 "Fate", our personal  favorite which Mr. Stoddard performed with great commitment.  Apparently Rachmaninoff was  paying tribute to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Amongst the American songs, we particularly enjoyed Bolcom's "Murray the furrier" which allowed Mr. Stoddard's personality to shine.  Selections from Mahler's Rückert Lieder followed with every emotional nuance given its due.  We loved the pianissimo given to the the word "frbeen hearing lots of Rachmaninoff lately and have noticed that often the passionate piano parts overwhelm the singer; we were pleased to note here that Ms. Jourdois felt no need to do so and enjoyed the mutuality between singer and pianist.  The sound was lovely and we did wish that we understood Russian.  It was not difficult, however, to decipher the 1902 "Fate", our personal  favorite which Mr. Stoddard performed with great commitment.  Apparently Rachmaninoff was  paying tribute to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Amongst the American songs, we particularly enjoyed Bolcom's "Murray the furrier" which allowed Mr. Stoddard's personality to shine.  Selections from Mahler's Rückert Lieder followed with every emotional nuance given its due.  We loved the pianissimo given to the the word "frühling" in "Liebst du um Schönheit"; it was one of those special moments.

As encore, Mr. Stoddard sang "A simple song" from Bernstein's Mass.  We have not said anything yet about his voice; it is a fine instrument but it is the singer's artistry and musicality that gained our attention.  Still in the earliest stage of his career, we trust it will be launched with the same success as the opening of this recital.  We are looking forward to hearing more from this promising young artistartist.artist ng" from Bernstein's Mass.  We have not said anything yet about his voice; it is a fine instrument but it is the singer's artistry and musicality that gained our attention.  Still in the earliest stage of his career, we trust it will be launched with the same success as the opening of this recital.  We are looking forward to hearing more from this promising young artist.artist                                                                                                        © meche kroop