Friday, August 29, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
FEATHERS, FUR AND FRUIT
Friday, August 22, 2014
OH THOSE MERRY WIVES!
Thursday, August 21, 2014
THAT SCOTTISH OPERA
Mary Ann Stewart as Lady Macbeth (photo by Brian Long) |
Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble's "Summer of Shakespeare" is providing an oasis of opera for thirsty opera-lovers in the midst of summer's desert. We have only good things to say about the production of Verdi's Macbeth which was given some admirable direction by Myra Cordell. We favor the traditional and Ms. Cordell hewed closely to period, place and dramatic intent. (The last Macbeth we saw at the Met involved some peculiar artistic choices so we were especially pleased with this production.) One coup de theatre that we appreciated -- when Banco is murdered, his body is left on the floor, only to rise as his ghost in the banquet scene.
Musical value were excellent all around. Maestro Christopher Fecteau marshaled the forces of his twenty excellent musicians and from the very first oboe solo we knew that they and we were in good hands. The strings were situated to our left and the winds and percussion at the rear of the playing area, leading to a most interesting stereophonic effect. We particularly liked Ellen Hindson's English Horn; Barbara Allen made some interesting sounds for the witches sabbath.
Mary Ann Stewart, a winner of the Osgood/Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble prize. just about stole the show with her riveting performance as Lady Macbeth. Her sizable soprano was used effectively with notable skill in the coloratura embellishments that lingered from Verdi's bel canto predecessors. Moreover, her acting was first-rate as she rotated through encouragement, importuning, shaming and manipulation to get Macbeth to do her bidding. Her "Vieni! t'affretta" in Act I was a real show-stopper.
As the eponymous (anti)hero, tenor Jason Plourde was equally convincing as the weak Thane who becomes greedy for power at the behest of his wife. One could almost feel sorry for him as he was seduced by the predictions of the witches.
The three witches were outstanding. Soprano Monica Niemi's voice rang out in clarion tones with mezzo-sopranos Elizabeth Bouk and Jackie Hayes in fine collaboration.
We are always delighted to hear new voices in small roles that we hope to hear more of in the future. Tenor Marques Hollie sounded just grand as Malcolm; we noticed his beautiful sound earlier in the evening as part of the ensemble. Isaac Assor, reviewed twice before at the Manhattan School of Music Summer Voice Festival, also stood out with his fine full sound.
Milica Nikcevic always gets our attention; she won the Osgood/dell'Arte Opera Ensemble prize in 2013. And bass Hans Tashjian excelled as Banco, sounding better than ever.
With minimal resources, Nina Bova created costumes that were simple but effective. The three "weird sisters" wore tattered capes over tights and sported wild hair and gruesome makeup. The men wore sashes of their respective clans and Lady Macbeth a long dun-colored dress with impressive jewelry around her neck.
Karen Tashjian's simple scenic design comprised a low platform upstage, flanked by slender tree trunks. Lighting designer Scott Schneider cleverly produced a cauldron substitute into which the three witches could throw their nasty bits.
There will be two more performances on 8/22 and 8/24. We hope there will still be a couple seats available.
(c) meche kroop
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
HOJOTOHO! HEIAHA!
Scene from Die Walküre--Santa Fe Opera Apprentices-Photo by Ken Howard |
The second and final recital of opera scenes by the Santa Fe Opera Apprentices left nothing to be desired. The packed house greeted these promising young artists with an avalanche of appreciative applause. Everyone benefits since the apprentices thrive on onstage experience and profit by learning new roles. No expense is spared in terms of production values: direction, costumes, staging and accompaniment are all first rate. The only thing missing is the orchestra.
That was an advantage, not a deficit, in the strong opening number "Ride of the Valkyries" since the young singers were not obliged to shriek over massive orchestral forces. Clad in fabulous steampunk inspired costumes by Kelsey Vidic, the lovely ladies entered through the aisles and terraces (direction by Shawna Lucey) and joined voices for Wagner's thrilling music. Alexandra Loutsion, Rebecca Witty, Sarah Larsen, Daryl Freedman, Bridgette Gan, Allegra De Vita, Katherine Carroll and Annie Rosen were the glamorous warrior maidens. Manuel Jacobo and Amanda Clark were responsible for the stunning wigs and makeup design. WOO!
That was a tough act to follow but soprano Amanda Opuszynski was a lovely Lucia in Donizetti's masterpiece Lucia di Lammermoor, effectively negotiating the scale passages and acting up a storm in the scene with her brother Enrico, beautifully portrayed by baritone Joseph Lim. The two succeeded in showing various sides of their characters and eliciting our sympathy-- both for the panicky Lucia who does not want to marry her brother's choice and for Enrico who is desperate for this political marriage to save his own hide.
Hearing baritone Ricardo Rivera and mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen animate the characters of Robert and Kitty Oppenheimer in John Adams' Doctor Atomic was a special treat. We didn't relate at all to the production at the Met and we were surprised and happy to change our opinion. Sung English is often difficult to understand but their diction was perfect and we didn't miss a word. Vocally and dramatically the scene was a hit. Kathleen Clawson directed.
Alone among the eight scenes, the one from Mozart's La finta giardiniera was updated to the mid 20th c. and made no sense at all. What director Michael Shell seemed to be going for was the awkwardness of waking up in bed with a "one-night-stand". The audience laughed but the libretto could not be believably bent into that situation and was not what Mozart and his librettist intended. Nonetheless, the singers sounded lovely and did what was asked of them. Soprano Jenna Siladie was the disdainful hussy Arminda, smoking under a lamppost. Mezzo Emma Char portrayed the importuning Ramiro. As the two "hookups" soprano Abigail Mitchell and tenor Rexford Tester did justice to Mozart and had the audience in stitches.
The opening scene of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, directed by Bruce Donnell, took us back to more traditional territory with Rebecca Witty's lovely soprano convincing us as Amelia who believes she is an orphan. As her lover Gabriele, tenor Daniel Bates was soulful and ardent. Erin Levy's costumes were appropriate as to time and place.
In the trio from the final act of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, we were impressed by Joshua Conyers' firm baritone and sympathetic portrayal of Sharpless. Julia Dawson sang Suzuki and Christopher Trapani portrayed the remorseful B. F. Pinkerton.
William Walton's Troilus and Cressida was a strange choice. This is not an opera we would care to hear in toto but the scene from Act I was well directed by Shawna Lucey who seems to have a knack for placing singers where they ought to be. Tenor Jubal Joslyn sang the role of Troilus and mezzo Sarah Larsen brought some beautiful tones and fine diction to her portrayal of Cressida. Tenor Aaron Short made impressive use of word coloring as Pandarus.
The closing scene was the spirited ensemble from Rossini's Il viaggio a Reims. The spoiled aristocrats were devastated that there were no horses for their carriages to attend the coronation of King Charles X. As is typical of Rossini, the musical excitement grows and grows. We particularly noticed the gorgeous coloratura work of Amy Owens who handled the embellishments perfectly. The stunning empire costumes were by Lauren Pivirotto and the direction by Kathleen Clawson was charming with one exception; we did not relate to the ensemble breaking into late 20th c. dance moves. It was jarring and anachronistic.
We would call the evening a total success and hope to see much more of the rising stars selected by the Santa Fe Opera to participate in this fine program. Bravissimi e Gloria Tutti!
© meche kroop
Sunday, August 17, 2014
CARMEN
Tenor Roberto de Biasio also got off to a weak start but improved vocally in the second act. He produced a fine messa di voce. However, his acting was stiff until he reached places where he was given over to violence. Baritone Kostas Smoriginas struggled to achieve some dignity and the arrogance the role requires; the direction was not kind to him, what with that mechanical bull and having to hold a microphone onstage and gyrate like Elvis Presley.
We liked Joyce El-Khoury's performance as Micaela; she has an expressive soprano and managed to evoke sympathy which the other principals did not. Her duet with Don Jose was tender and their hands reaching out toward one another was perhaps the most moving moment of the evening.
The smaller roles were more effective. Bass-baritone Evan Hughes was outstanding as Zuniga, using his booming voice, imposing height and dramatic skills to create a more interesting character than we are accustomed to. He too has his eye on Carmen and, by the time his pants are around his ankles in her prison cell, she has escaped.
Baritone Ricardo Rivera was a strong Morales, also making much of a role that usually makes no impression.
We liked baritone Dan Kempson as Le Dancaire and tenor Noah Baetge as Le Remendado, the two smugglers. It was amusing to watch their interaction with Carmen's two friends Frasquita (soprano Amanda Opuszynski) and Mercedes (mezzo-soprano Sarah Larsen). Grant Neale made a slimy Lillas Pastia.
Before ending. we would like to contribute this factoid. In Mexican bullfights, they do not kill the bull.
(c) meche kroop
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Saturday, August 16, 2014
DOUBLE FEATURE
Brenda Rae, Anthony Michaels-Moore and Erin Morley (photo by Ken Howard) |
Erin Morley (photo by Ken Howard) |
How could one make a marriage out of a 1786 Mozart singspiel and a 1914 Stravinsky fairy tale? With great imagination! Did the pairing work? It depends upon who you ask. Director Michael Gieleta has presented Le Rossignol as a production of the eponymous impresario of The Impresario and his company of performers. The two wildly divergent works are bound together by the same cast and by the same scenic elements transformed in shape and purpose.
We have previously seen Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor but never like this. The hijinks occurring between the frustrated impresario and his three sopranos are here performed with much additional dialogue and interpolations of additional music by Mozart. For some reason it is given in English. Some of the dialogue is clever and some isn't. It comes across as a backstage farce.
Before the opera even begins, we are treated to images of Salome with Jochanaan's head and a Tosca stabbing a Scarpia. The stage is filled with performers of various disciplines, notably a troupe of very good dancers and three sopranos vying for parts in the new production of Le Rossignol. The time is 1914 and the place is probably Paris; the impresario himself speaks with a Russian accent and is likely a fugitive from the Revolution. The Countess who has supported his company is assassinated in front of our very eyes and Mr. Yussupovich fears he will have to close up shop. Baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore handled the role well both dramatically and vocally.
His business manager Otto van der Puff (bass Kevin Burdette) proposes that Mr. Y produce operas that the public enjoys instead of radical experimental works. Ahem! They compromise. There will be a Don Giovanni but there will also be this new work by Stravinsky. And that's what we get in the second half of the program. But not before we hear the three divas perform audition arias. Soprano Erin Morley is filled with self-confidence as Adellina Vocedoro-Gambalunghi. Soprano Brenda Rae has an enormous amount of fun as the over-the-top Transylvanian Vlada Vladimirescu who has brought along her husband, sung by the fine tenor Bruce Sledge.
Stepping in to replace the deceased Countess is financier Heinrich Eiler (bass-baritone David Govertsen) who wants his mistress Chlotchilda Krone (contralto Meredith Arwady) to be cast. If the names of these three divas don't make you laugh then their shenanigans will. Ms. Arwady is particularly funny as she sings Mozart's male roles in several registers. We were reminded of Ira Siff's La Gran Scena Opera Company, gone but not forgotten.
After the intermission, we see the same singers onstage in the same roles but a transformation takes place as the clever set design (James Macnamara) is converted into the setting for Le Rossignol. The piano becomes a boat and Mr. Sledge becomes a fisherman. The outrageous Poiret-influenced costumes are stripped away and Ms. Morley becomes the eponymous nightingale. The impresario is dressed as a Chinese emperor and Ms. Rae becomes a cook. The costumes by Fabio Toblini are as sumptuous in the Stravinsky as they were in the Mozart.
The myth taken on by Stravinsky is that of a nightingale who sings so sweetly that she brings tears of joy to the eyes of the listener. And that is EXACTLY what Ms. Morley achieved. Most of her part is without words, a divine vocalise. The cook will get an important position in the Emperor's court if she brings this splendid creature. The nightingale does enchant the Emperor and the entire court until some Japanese envoys bring a mechanical bird (the lovely dancer Xiaoxiao Wang) that astonishes everyone.
The real live nightingale flies off; the Emperor is enraged and banishes her. But when he is on his deathbed she returns and promises to sing 'til dawn if Death will return to the Emperor his symbols of power. She succeeds and is offered a grand reward but the only reward she wants are the tears in the Emperor's eyes. The opera is beautifully sung in Russian.
We loved the story. Our thoughts ran along the lines of how in today's world we have been seduced by the faux, the virtual, the mechanical/electronic. We need the real and the natural to heal.
Not everything worked. We found the projections of modernist art to be ugly; they distracted from the gentle beauty of the myth and the music. The dancers, wearing fake moustaches and glasses and rolling around on the floor dressed in knee breeches didn't make any sense whatsoever. Sean Curran was the choreographer.
Conductor Kenneth Montgomery went all the way in limning the shimmering textures and dramatic orchestration of Stravinsky's score. If we have nothing to say about the Mozart it is because the action onstage was so distracting that the music got very little notice.
As the myth concludes, the dancers are stripped of their lavish Oriental costumes and returned to their 1914 clothes, bringing the entire affair to a mostly satisfying conclusion.
(c) meche kroop
SIX RISING STARS
Rexford Tester |
Dan Kempson and Annie Rosen |
Jenna Siladie and Ricardo Rivera |
Amanda Opuszynski |
Six talented members of the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singers Program, accompanied by Robert Tweten, collaborated for an early evening recital that delighted the audience at the First Presbyterian Church. The artistry of the singers was matched by the enthusiasm of the audience.
Talented tenor Rexford Tester opened the program with "Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fete" from Donizetti's Fille du Regiment. He sang with panache and fine French diction. He nailed the nine high C's (but who's counting?) His penchant for French continued later in the program as he sang Faure's "Lydia".
From Verdi's Falstaff, Ricardo Rivera sang Ford's aria. Mr. Rivera has a lot of depth in his baritone, the type of voice known as a kavalier bariton; we heard an abundance of strength in the lower register, a very Italianate embouchure and an intensity of involvement with the text.
Soprano Amanda Opuszynski delighted with "Je suis encor tout etourdie" from Massenet's Manon. Her crystalline sound was perfect for conveying the young Manon's innocence and excitement. The embellishments were carried off with razzle-dazzle.
From Mozart's Nozze di Figaro, we heard "Crudel! Perche finora farmi languir cosi?", the duet in which Figaro (Mr. Rivera) puts the moves on Susanna, sung by the lovely soprano Jenna Siladie who later won audience acclaim with the "Silver Aria" from Douglas Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe.
Mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen was simply splendid as Rosina in her duet with the marvelous lyric baritone Dan Kempson. In this duet "Dunque io son" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Figaro is acting as go-between so that the Count can get together with Rosina. The pair of singers had great chemistry together and charmed the audience.
Ms. Rosen sang Schumann's "Widmung" with fine dynamic control. We especially loved the dreamy central section. It was nearly perfect but we would love to see Ms. Rosen get a better handle on the final "ch" in words such as ich, mich, and dich. So many American singers seem afraid of this sound and change it to ick, mick and dick or else they drop the sound altogether.
Ms. Opuszynski was charming in her Rossini song "La pastorella dell'Alpi" and gave a fine example of yodeling, complete with echo.
Mr. Kempson was nothing short of sensational in "Pierrot's Tanzlied" from Erich Korngold's Die tote Stadt. The nostalgic feelings were palpable and his German diction is perfect.
To close the program, the entire cast performed the ensemble "Alla bella Despinetta" from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. The program seemed all too short!
(c) meche kroop
Friday, August 15, 2014
SUN SET
Joseph Dennis and Corinne Winters (photo by Ken Howard)
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A rebellious young woman enrages her father by marrying his best friend who is already married. A nation emerges from centuries of feudalism and endures chaos on its lengthy pathway toward modernity. Do these story lines sound familiar? Do they sound like the stuff of opera? Yes indeed!
The Santa Fe Opera is notable for tackling contemporary operas every season and this year's entry was the very worthy Dr. Sun Yat-Sen by Huang Ruo who composed some very interesting music made dramatic by the liberal use of percussion. Carolyn Kuan's conducting was exemplary.
Listening to the fine singing in Mandarin (and some in Cantonese) one could easily forget how much effort went into learning a language phonetically that is so very different from European languages. Mandarin is actually a "sung" language with words having different meanings depending upon the tones which rise and fall musically. These tones must be sacrificed to sing on the proper pitch which makes it difficult, even for speakers of Mandarin, to understand.
Notwithstanding, the superb singers rose to the challenge. Most astonishing was the performance of tenor Joseph Dennis as the good doctor himself. Mr. Dennis is a member of the Apprentice Program and expected to serve as cover. In a life-changing twist of fate, he wound up the star and garnered universal praise for his exceptionally fine portrayal. He is onstage singing in nearly every scene and the music is difficult. He sounded even stronger at the end than he did at the start. Such are the benefits of a healthy young voice!
As his love interest Soong Ching-Ling, the superb soprano Corinne Winters gave a sensitive portrayal of a young woman who idealized this humble doctor who gave up everything to fight for China's future. Her voice is nicely focused and has just the right amount of vibrato. The love duet in Act II was meltingly tender and our favorite scene.
As Dr. Sun's first wife from a youthful arranged marriage we enjoyed soprano Rebecca Witty, another apprentice getting an opportunity for a breakthrough. Her sacrifice was to grant Dr. Sun a divorce so he could marry Soong Ching-ling. She has a touching aria in which she tells of being neglected by her husband who was so busy with politics and often in exile. There was even a touch of humor when she told of her wish to marry an ordinary man in her next life.
As Charlie Soong, Ching-Ling's father, Gong Dong-Jian employed his bass well, both in friendship for Dr. Sun and later in rage when he felt betrayed. As his wife, mezzo-soprano MaryAnn McCormick was a sympathetic character and we particularly enjoyed her scene with her daughter as papa lay dying. Charlie's reconciliation with his daughter was most touching.
The Japanese friends of Dr. Sun, Mr. and Mrs. Umeya, were portrayed by baritone Chen Ye Yuan and apprentice mezzo-soprano Katherine Carroll.
Should you know what was going on in China at the time that the United States and Europe were involved with The Great War, you would recognize how the libretto by Candace Chong simplified a very complicated story; there were long years of chaos and revolution as Dr. Sun labored to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and establish a democratic government.
But this is opera and such simplification is necessary. Sufficient it is to know that this humble idealist is still regarded as the father of his country, not only by the Chinese but also by the Taiwanese. The libretto was somewhat static with not much happening onstage. Director James Robinson did what he could to move the story along.
But this is opera and such simplification is necessary. Sufficient it is to know that this humble idealist is still regarded as the father of his country, not only by the Chinese but also by the Taiwanese. The libretto was somewhat static with not much happening onstage. Director James Robinson did what he could to move the story along.
The set was designed by Allen Moyer with the outstanding element being bamboo scaffolding, symbolic of construction and change, erected on both sides and rear of the stage. Other elements comprised a few pieces of period furniture.
The gorgeous costumes by James Schuette accurately depicted what was worn by both privileged Chinese women and by Westerners at the turn of the 20th c. One could appreciate the style changes that occurred during the scenes set a couple decades later. Much research must have been done.
The addition of dancers was an excellent choice as they illustrated the hard lives of the peasants during the feudal period. Sean Curran's choreography bound the scenes together.
It was a genuine pleasure to hear a contemporary opera with great music. It was also a great pleasure to hear it sung in Mandarin. Translated into English, the dialogue would have sounded silly.
(c) meche kroop
It was a genuine pleasure to hear a contemporary opera with great music. It was also a great pleasure to hear it sung in Mandarin. Translated into English, the dialogue would have sounded silly.
(c) meche kroop
Thursday, August 14, 2014
STARS OF AMERICAN BALLET
It's only been a half-dozen years since Daniel Ulbricht, principal dancer of the New York City Ballet, founded a small touring company comprising predominantly principals and soloists from NYCB. This impressive company was brought to Santa Fe by Performance Santa Fe for two performances. Last night's program was filled with artistry and athleticism and tonight's program promises to be equivalent or maybe even better. If you are fortunate enough to snag tickets you are in for a treat.
We will not tell you which dancers are principals, which are soloists and which belong to the corps de ballet because each one was superb in his or her own way. We have enjoyed these fine dancers in New York City but we enjoyed them even more in the relatively small Lensic Theater. There is nothing like being up close and personal; thus we were quite willing to sacrifice the presence of a live orchestra.
Because of our predilection for the classical in all things, let us begin with the sensational Odette/Prince Siegfried adagio duet from Act II of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, choreographed by Balanchine, after Ivanov. Teresa Reichlen has the perfect body for classical ballet with beautiful long legs, arched feet, long slender neck, flexible back and a soft porte de bras. We loved the way she fell back into the waiting arms of her Prince, Ask la Cour, always a fine partner.
The Black Swan Pas de Deux from Act III was performed in the Petipa choreography by Tiler Peck and Robert Fairchild. Ms. Peck has a more athletic body and was perfectly centered for the famous fouettes. (Thirty-two but who's counting?) While Odette is gentle and sad, Odile is conniving and seductive. It is challenging to let the audience in on this while convincing Siegfried that she is Odette, calling to mind Odette's avian qualities. Mr. Fairchild also makes a fine partner and excelled in his variation. There was a rather confusing mix and match of dancers for the variations but no one seemed to mind.
Another classical piece we loved was Opus 19. Andante which the talented young choreographer Emery LeCrone created to music by Rachmaninoff. The work was classical, very evocative and was perfectly danced by Emily Kitka and Russell Janzen. It is admirable that the company is giving a chance to young choreographers. We are always delighted to see a piece by Ms. LeCrone, a fine dancer in her own right.
Along different lines, Mr. Ulbricht himself performed the world premiere of an unnamed work choreographed by Justin Allen to music by Rodrigo y Gabriela. His remarkable athleticism evoked some wildly enthusiastic applause by thrilled members of the audience and we were among them. The work fit him so well it appeared that he himself had choreographed it.
Balanchine's Who Cares? to music by Gershwin, adapted and orchestrated by Hershey Kay, gave everyone a chance to show off Balanchine's quirky and jazzy additions to the classical vocabulary. We always enjoy the adorable Megan Fairchild who performed a lovely solo to "My One and Only". The entire cast dazzled in the final number "I Got Rhythm".
After the performance, the audience was invited to come down to the stage for a "meet and greet" with the artists. Now THAT'S something that doesn't happen in the Big Apple!
(c) meche kroop
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
BEETHOVEN'S ONE AND ONLY
Alex Penda and Paul Groves (photo by Ken Howard) |
This was an unusual choice for the Santa Fe Opera. Although it is considered an opera, it has a great deal of spoken dialogue. Although it has a happy ending it is not a comedy. It has two major themes: the sacrifices of marital love and freedom from tyranny. It's message is as valuable today as it was 200 years ago.
The orchestral music is as ravishing as anything Beethoven ever wrote and the Santa Fe Orchestra under the baton of the illustrious Harry Bicket (newly appointed Chief Conductor) did it justice with clean textures and rhythmic thrust. The vocal lines are memorably melodic but challenging to sing; the game cast managed to carry it off with style.
The staging began even before the overture and introduced Leonore, disguised as Fidelio and serving as assistant to the jailer Rocco. We also get to see Rocco's daughter Marzelline fussing about the kitchen of Charlie Corcoran's two-story set. Jaquino, Rocco's other assistant, is importuning Marzelline to make marriage plans but she has fallen out of love with him and fallen into love with the recently arrived Fidelio. One by one the voices join for a stunning quartet.
As Marzelline, the strong and silky soprano of Devon Guthrie (seen as an apprentice in 2010 and 2012) contrasted well with the sharper-edged soprano of Alex Penda as the titular Fidelio. Ms. Penda was totally convincing as a young man but she is also very petite and at least a head shorter than Ms. Guthrie. Yes, it is true that sometimes very tall women fall for very short men but it did look rather unbelievable onstage.
As the nice-guy jailer Rocco, Austrian bass Manfred Hemm sang with intensity and created a believable character. As the spurned Jaquino, tenor Joshua Dennis used his fine voice and dramatic skills to make more of the role than is customary.
Leonore's husband does not appear until the second act but tenor Paul Groves made up for it, giving his all to his difficult aria and still managing to look as if he'd been in a dungeon for two years, imprisoned by his vicious enemy Pizzaro, portrayed with nasty gusto by bass-baritone Greer Grimsley.
Appearing at the end as a deus ex machina, Don Fernando comes to free all the prisoners. The powerful and imposing bass-baritone Evan Hughes filled the shoes well. Two members of the Apprentice Program made fine showings in brief solos as prisoners: the marvelous young tenor Joseph Dennis and the astounding bass Patrick Guetti. We fully expect to see both their careers advancing rapidly. So much talent at such a young age!
Not enough fine things could be said about the chorus, enacting prisoners desperate for freedom. Susanne Sheston gets big props as Chorus Master.
In spite of the superb orchestral and vocal performances we found Stephen Wadsworth's concept and direction to be distressing. It is true that oppression exists everywhere and in all epochs but we fail to see how the Nazi holocaust has much to do with the political imprisonment of a small group of people. The concept was revealed gradually. At the beginning it seemed to be anytime/anywhere but then a portrait of Hitler was exposed and Nazi uniforms appeared.
We found this to be at odds with the intentions of Beethoven and his librettists. (There were several as he continually revised the opera.) It seemed to be a graft that did not take. We would have preferred a less specific setting that would have allowed us to make our own connections.
Furthermore, there are references to "the King". Huh??? Which King? And British soldiers coming in to liberate the prisoners and to hang the Union Jack? We don't like to see operas manipulated to fit into a Procrustean bed.
We liked Mr. Corcoran's realistic set. On the ground floor were Fidelio's room and across a passageway, the kitchen. Behold Ms. Guthrie as a drab German hausfrau! (Costumes were by Camille Assaf). On the upper level were Pizzaro's office and some kind of waiting room. Colors were all grey.
Duane Schuler's lighting was effective. We liked the torches illuminating the dungeon and the sunlight when the prisoners were freed.
German diction was so perfect that subtitles were scarcely necessary. Even the spoken dialogue was crisp and clear.
(c) meche kroop
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
EIGHT GEMS
Hailey Clark and Dan Kempson in Thais |
Patrick Guetti, Joseph Dennis and Alexandra Loutsion in Ernani |
Denise Wernly and Jack Swanson in Two Boys |
Katherine Carroll and Shelley Jackson in Anna Bolena |
What is so impressive about the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program, directed by David Holloway, is the high quality of the performances that are given towards the latter part of the season. The apprentices, gifted young singers all, have been meticulously chosen for their outstanding gifts and given a great deal of coaching that will enable them to move on to the next stage in their careers. They appear in the SFO's five operas as chorus members and also in small roles. Sometimes they are given the opportunity to step in for an ailing or otherwise unavailable star. But, at the very least they get to perform on one of two Sunday evenings for a most enthusiastic packed house.
It is a win-win situation. The Apprentices appear to be having a great time and so does the audience. The young singers work with superb coaches, directors, conductors and pianists. The scenes are given an entirely professional treatment down to the lavish costuming. It's a great introduction for opera newbies who get to see excerpts from eight different operas from different periods and in different languages, an outstanding opportunity to guide their future opera-going.
Sunday evening's program began with the opening scene from Rossini's Cenerentola in which the heroine Angelina (the winsome Sishel Claverie) sings a sad song which annoys her frivolous stepsisters (the very funny Lindsay Ohse as Clorinda and the equally funny Shabnam Kalbasi as Tisbe). The generous heroine behaves sympathetically toward a beggar who is actually the Prince's tutor in disguise (Tyler Putnam) while the step-sisters are disdainful. Benjamin Sieverding was hilarious as Don Magnifico, the father. We loved the voices and Bruce Donnell's direction as well as Eileen Chaffer's witty costumes. Mr. Holloway himself appeared in the chorus.
Comedy gave way to tragedy and Italian was replaced by French in the death scene from Massenet's Thais. Dan Kempson as the monk Athanael evinced a fine facility for the long level lines of the French language and Hailey Clark as the eponymous heroine sang as beautifully as she looked . There was irony here as Thais has been converted from her wayward ways to Christianity and Athanael has fallen in romantic love with her. Kathleen Clawson directed with simplicity and directness.
A contemporary opera in English--Nico Muhly's Two Boys--was next on the program and Jack Swanson made a fine Brian, convincing as a 16-year-old seduced by the internet. Emma Char portrayed the policewoman trying to fathom the stabbing tragedy while Denise Wernly and Lindsay Ohse portrayed Fiona and Rebecca, two "virtual" characters. The voices were excellent and Lauren Pivirotto's costumes were apposite.
Gian Carlo Menotti's The Last Savage was given an hilarious reading with fine direction by Kathleen Clawson and lavish costuming by Andy Jean. Kitty was played by Bridgette Gan and the hunky savage by Calvin Griffin. Kitty's father Mr. Scattergood was played by Tyler Putnam, the Maharajah by Benjamin Sieverding, the Maharani by Daryl Freedman, their son Kodanda by David Margulis, and the woman he loves by Heather Phillips. In this very funny septet, lives are rearranged and a few surprises are revealed.
A very moving scene from Donizetti's Anna Bolena showed off the dazzling bel canto techniques of two promising young women. Shelley Jackson portrayed Anna and Giovanna was sung by Katherine Carroll. We heard it sung at The Metropolitan Opera in the 2012-2013 season and thought these two young artists handled the roles at least as well. In this scene, Giovanna reveals to Anna that she herself is the rival for Enrico's affection and tries to persuade Anna to save her own life by confessing to adultery. Anna refuses and eventually pardons Giovanna. Not only did we hear vocal pyrotechnics but witnessed some very affecting acting on the part of both.
Then it was time for some comedy of the German persuasion--a scene from Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos in which the sassy and flirtatious Zerbinetta (the adorable and vocally thrilling Amy Owens) tries to teach the dour Ariadne how to "nimm es nicht so schwer". Her suitors were delightfully portrayed by Shea Owens, Alec Carlson, Adrian Kramer and Peter Tomaszewski. Siri Nelson gave Ms. Owens just the right costume for this commedia dell'arte role. Shawna Lucey directed with just the right touch.
More German followed in a romantic scene from Franz Lehar's operetta The Merry Widow. Camille (Yoni Rose) has been having an illicit affair with Valencienne (Jenna Siladie) the young and restless wife of the elderly Baron Zeta. It is time for them to separate but they decide to have one last kiss. What a charming scene! The fine singers were elegantly costumed by Joanie Ming in true period style.
The final scene of the evening was a riveting one--the scene in Verdi's Ernani in which the bandit Ernani (the superb tenor Joseph Dennis) comes to the castle of the nobleman Da Silva (the astonishing bass Patrick Guetti) to rescue his beloved Elvira (the equally astonishing soprano Alexandra Loutsion). Imagine Ernani's shock when he learns they are about to wed. At first he believes her to be unfaithful so he gets to enact a changes of mood when he learns that she planned to kill herself at the marriage altar. Silva is shocked that the stranger to whom he has offered hospitality is his rival but he decides to hide Ernani from King Charles V (also a suitor of Elvira) for some later revenge. Everyone gets to enjoy Verdi's challenging vocal lines; no one failed the challenge. Michael Shell directed with a firm hand and Kelsey Vidic designed some gorgeous costumes.
The evening was over way too soon; we could have enjoyed eight more scenes. Actually we WILL get to enjoy eight more scenes since we have decided to stay on in Santa Fe for next Sunday's Apprentice Recital. Each and every artist we heard is a prime candidate for a successful opera career. The Santa Fe Opera has chosen well!
(c) meche kroop
Monday, August 11, 2014
IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE
In Sun Suh and Brenda Rae |
The recital comprised mainly songs about love in its many flavors and colors and Ms. Rae did justice to them all with her expansive and expressive voice and her communicative skills. To open the program we heard five songs by Schubert. We particularly enjoyed her opening number "Liebe schwarmt auf allen Wegen". The text is by Goethe and espouses a truism that love is easy but fidelity is difficult to find. The shift from major to minor in the piano was accompanied by a delicate shift in coloring from Ms. Rae.
"Heimliches Lieben" expresses a sanguine sentiment while "Vergebliche Liebe" expresses a more disappointed sentiment. We adored the gentle contentment of "Du bist die Ruh" with text by Ruckert. In "Delphine" we focused on the stellar playing in the piano.
Mozart's concert aria "Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio" involved a woman pining for a man and has an exciting vocal line going up into the stratosphere. We appreciated the exciting timbre of Ms. Rae's voice, her dynamic control and her phrasing.
But it was the three songs by Richard Strauss that really demonstrated what this major talent can do. Her voice seems made for Strauss. The ethereal "Die Nacht" left a lasting impression. In "Morgen", Ms. Suh's piano created a dreamy mood like a cushion for Ms. Rae's voice. "Morgenrot" is a joyful paean to the beloved decorated with some graceful arpeggios in the piano.
The recital closed with a half dozen songs by Sergei Rachmaninoff of which Ms. Rae graciously related she had heard first from her friend Erin Morley, another one of our favorite sopranos who was also in the audience. "At Night in My Garden" revealed some delicious descending chords in the piano. The sadness of "To Her" gave way to the sweetness of "Daisies". The final song "A-oo" was filled with anxiety in both voice and piano and seemed not to resolve.
Thus, we were very happy to have Strauss' "Amor" as an encore. Perhaps this was our favorite of the entire recital. The wild flights into the upper register perfectly suited Ms. Rae's splendid technique.
This recital was the final entry in Performance Santa Fe's Festival of Song. Perhaps next year we will extend our stay to encompass the entire festival. The artists chosen were all of the highest caliber.
If you have not yet seen Ms. Rae as Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, we urge you to do so. Perhaps you will enjoy the production more than we did but you will definitely agree on the quality of the singing.
(c) meche kroop
Sunday, August 10, 2014
BEHOLD THE DON
Saturday, August 9, 2014
PAUL GROVES IS FEELIN' IT
Joseph Illick and Paul Groves |
Henri Duparc was a troubled soul, as Mr. Groves shared with us, a man who burned most of his works. Very little survives and he is best known for sixteen songs that are perfect miniatures and which appear consistently on recital programs. Yesterday Mr. Groves brought them to vivid life by his mastery of the French style with its long even lines. Any young singer wanting to succeed in the French repertory would do well to study Mr. Groves' technique. It appears effortless, belying the amount of hard work it must have taken.
Mr. Groves' tenor has a steel-strong core that seems covered in velvet. The initial song of his Duparc set was the highly dramatic "Le manoir de Rosemonde"in which the poet (de Bonnieres) moves from passion to resignation and Mr. Groves emphasized first the steel and then the velvet. The contrast was chilling. "Extase" allowed the delicate line of Mr. Illick's piano to interact with the equally delicate vocal line. Mr. Illick shone again in the arpeggios of "Chanson triste". In "Soupir", we swooned over the final diminuendo. But it was "Phidyle" that stole our heart. Mr. Groves obviously loves words and enjoys communicating their significance. Just listen to what he did with the word "repose"! Magic!
Our tears gave way to smiles when he moved on to Britten's Folksongs. "The Brisk Young Widow" related the tale of a courtship gone awry. "Sally in Our Alley" made us care about the light-hearted goofy young lover waiting for his apprenticeship to end so he could wed. Next we heard about "The Lincolnshire Poacher" and his war with the gamekeeper. The entire set transported us to the British Isles in days of yore.
We have heard Liszt's Victor Hugo Songs many times but enjoyed them particularly well as performed by Mr. Groves without any breaks. "Comment, disaient-ils" is a sprightly ditty about three riddles. The closing song of the set "Oh! quand je dors" was perhaps the most affecting. Just hear how our wonderful tenor shed his special light on the word "s'eveillera"!
The recital ended with three songs by Sergei Rachmaninoff, of which our favorite was "Oh, Never Sing to Me Again" with sad homesick words penned by Pushkin. The piano and vocal lines echo each other in an avalanche of unbearable suffering. It offered Mr. Groves the opportunity to show off some lovely and haunting melismatic singing.
Lest the audience leave on a tearful note, Mr. Groves performed the delightful "Au fond du temple saint" with the fine baritone Kostas Smoriginas.
Both will be heard onstage at the Santa Fe Opera so stay tuned for upcoming reviews We are particularly looking forward to hearing Mr. Groves as Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio.
(c) meche kroop