GIULIO GARI AWARDS

Le Bu, Minki Hong, Joseph Sacchi, Gabrielle Beteag, Esther Tonea, Brittany Olivia Logan,

 Fanyong Du, and Jonathan Kelly

For the past 22 years, the memory of legendary tenor Giulio Gari has been kept alive by his widow Gloria by means of a foundation established in his memory by the late Stephen DeMaio ad the great soprano Licia Albanese.  The goal of the foundation is to discover, support, and encourage young opera singers. 

After welcoming remarks from Mrs. Gari herself and Donald S. Levine (a member of the Board of Directors and co-producer of the concert), the thrilling two-hour concert was interrupted only by stirring comments by Artist Manager and Board Member Ken Benson.

Mr. Benson is well known and much appreciated for his devotion to young singers and that makes him a most valuable member of Planet Opera. We always like to hear what he has to say because we agree with his perspective!

We also enjoyed hearing from soprano and gifted teacher Catherine Malfitano who shared interesting tidbits about her career. We recalled with pleasure the many times we sat in on her classes at Manhattan School of Music, witnessing her drawing incredible performances from her undergraduate students, many of whom have gone on to fame. It is hard to believe that this is the fiftieth anniversary of her debut at The New York City Opera, which launched a world wide career!

What we would most like to dwell on, however, is the array of talent set before us. The original program was amended due to the usual occupational hazards of opera singers--illness and prior singing commitments. However, we were not at all disappointed since we got to enjoy the superlative artistry of several of this year's award winners, as well as that of prior years' award winners.

As is our wont, we are not going to tell you, Dear Reader, which singers won awards this year or prior years, or how they ranked, or how much money they received. This is surely available on the Foundation's website. Our concern is what we experienced with our own ears and eyes. We were happy to see a couple of familiar faces onstage as well as some new ones. Each and every one had something grand to offer.

It also became clear to us the importance of repertorial choice. Frequently we heard a performance that was technically perfect but, due to vocal color or some other factor, did not quite add up to the total immersion we feel when a singer's performance is so on point that the costume and scenery appear in our mind's eye and we are set down in the middle of an opera. That's magic!

For example, soprano Brittany Olivia Logan made a most believable diva in "Io son l'umile ancella" in which the anything-but-humble star of Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur lets out all the stops. However, in spite of her flawless singing, she was less believable as the truly humble seamstress Mimi in Puccini's La Bohême. We could see her as an excellent Musetta! However, tenor Fanyong Du was totally believable as the ardent writer Rodolfo as they performed the duet "O soave fanciulla".

Similarly, soprano Esther Tonea created a strong Norma in the eponymous Bellini opera, easily conquering the master's lengthy legato lines and harmonizing beautifully with the Aldagisa of mezzo-soprano Gabrielle Beteag in the "Mira, O Norma". Her performance of Grigoriu's "Muzica" (previously unknown to us) won our heart as Jonathan Kelly's dissonant intervals of seconds took us on a Roumanian journey. However, the much loved "Letter Scene" from Tchaikovsky's Evgeny Onegin, while technically brilliant, somehow did not convince us that this was a young woman experiencing the anxiety of first love. We found our attention focusing on Jonathan Kelly's piano performance in which he beautifully limned the composer's feelings about Tatiana's youthful passion.

Although Ms. Beteag satisfied in the role of Aldagisa she best revealed the size of her voice in "Re dell'abiso affretatti", Ulrica's aria from Verdi's Ballo in Maschera. The corduroy texture  of her instrument lent menace, especially in the pianissimi and we really loved her lower register. There was something about those rolled "r"s that made our blood run cold. Ms. Beteag's performance of "Einsam wachend in der Nacht" showed a lot of potential for Wagnerian roles but it is the Ulrika that we will remember her for.

And while we are discussing Wagner, just see how Joseph Sacchi negotiated "Siegmund heiss ich und Siegmund bin ich" from Act I of Wagner's Die Walküre! We have a burgeoning heldentenor here, hampered only by his miming the removal of the sword Nothung from the tree in Hunding's hut, demonstrating to Sieglinde that he was indeed her long lost twin brother. We have no idea how one could do a better job physically but maybe just abandoning the effort?

It was a fine performance vocally, and far more interesting than the monologue from Britten's Peter Grimes.

Baritone Minki Hong succeeded in creating the character of Gérard in the ironic and heart-breaking aria "Nemico della patria" from Giordano's Andrea Chénier. We admired the lovely Italianate legato phrasing. We also enjoyed a Korean song by Kim which offered Mr. Hong the opportunity to show a sweeter coloration and dynamic variety. The song was called "A Thousand Winds" and had to do with a deceased person's spirit metamorphosed into nature.

We have already mentioned the success of Mr. Du as Rodolfo and we also enjoyed his aria from Gounod's Les Pêcheurs des Perles--"Je cross entendre encore". He exhibited a full tone, a fine vibrato, and exquisite dynamic control. We do love a gradually spun out decrescendo!

There was more Gounod to close the program with Ms.Logan, Mr. Du, and the sensational bass-baritone Le Bu creating the trio finale from Faust--"Ange pure, Ange radieux".

The thrill of witnessing young artists from their conservatory days to their fame on world stages is something that we cherish. Bravissimi tutti!

© meche kroop

 

JOYCE DI DONATO MASTER CLASS

Ben Reisinger, Michelle Mariposa, Robert Ellsworth Feng, Bridget Esler, Joel Harder, and Justina Lee

 Participants in Joyce Di Donato's Master Classes at Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute

(photo by Chris Lee)

Master classes are valuable to young singers because they get a fresh perspective  from a master teacher, and Joyce Di Donato is surely one of the most masterful master teachers around. The Master classes held at Carnegie Hall are also valuable to opera lovers who get an opportunity to witness the hard work and total commitment necessary for a singer to succeed in an overcrowded and highly competitive field.

Ms. Di Donato's master classes are a joy to behold. We marvel at her warmth and ability to establish rapport with various personalities. We are impressed by her ability to suss out exactly the type of help each young singer needs to ascend to the next level. We admire the generosity with which she shares her years of stage experience, as well as her own professional growth. Any opera lover who has attended one of her riveting performances will recognize an artist of dedication who uses her prodigious gifts to create  believable characters without calling attention to technique.

Participants in the three-day event included singers Ben Reisinger, Michelle Mariposa, Robert Ellsworth Feng, and Bridget Esler; they were effectively accompanied by pianists Joel Harder and Justina Lee. It was most interesting to observe their artistic growth over such a brief period of time. Right from the start, it was made clear that the workshop was about process, not performance. The audience, comprising opera lovers and young singers, was uniformly attentive and grateful. There were no distractions. AT the end of each session, audience members asked meaningful questions that were answered with honesty and generosity.

We would like to share a few vignettes that captured our attention. We had never heard the term "rage aria" but that is how Ms. Di Donato labeled Frank's aria from Kurt Weill's Street Scene--"Let things be as they always was". This aria was presented by bass Robert Ellsworth Feng  who was taught how to use vocal color and dynamics to get across Frank's character, beyond the unidimensional.  "Make those consonants SEETHE!" We marveled at how Frank became a real complex person and not just an Archie Bunker.

Mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa's portrayal of Arsace from Rossini's Semiramide became informed by the notion that the audience must hear three voices--that of Rossini, that of the character, and that of the singer. The singer must search for authenticity and avoid caricature. Rubato can be used to give the impression of spontaneity as if the character were making it up as he goes along.  It is worthwhile to surprise the audience with syncopation.

Soprano Bridget Esler's offering was that of Pamina's "Ah, ich fuhl's" from Mozart's Die Zauberflote. More connection between phrases was needed and that improvement made a world of difference, as did some more original gestures.

Hearing Ben Reisinger as a tenor was quite a surprise for us. We heard him less than a year ago at the Opera Index Awards Recital as a baritone singing "O vin, dissippe la tristesse"  from Thomas' Hamlet. We looked back at our review in which we noted that his upper register opened up beautifully. No wonder he made the decision to change fachs!

He is still feeling his way through and we can foresee a brilliant future as a tenor. He worked on Pinkerton's aria "Addio, fiorito asil" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Much improvement was noted when he followed instructions to use the consonants, especially the "v" in "vil". Even more attention is needed on the double consonants. 

Ms. Di Donato advised Mr. Reisinger to go deeper into the character and to build the aria from a pianissimo beginning. Pinkerton is faced with an internal struggle related to his ignorance of the values of a foreign culture. Rhythmically, "four square" must be avoided and more dynamic variation is called for. 

Another day we got to observe his work on "Ah! lève toi soleil" from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette. Subtleties such as a diminuendo on "l'amour" lent authenticity to the character. Imbuing the phrases with direction involves enhancing the legato nature. The aria must unfold and never succumb to choppiness.

We got a further look at Ms. Esler in her "Prendi" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.  The singer must use her imagination making each aria a duet. She must make choices that distill the essence of the character. One must find motivation for each cadenza. That is a point that we truly understand. Coloratura for "show" is just not enough. 

The workshop continued along these lines with insight piling on top of other insights. These fortunate singers must have been carefully chosen for their willingness and ability to absorb new and valuable information!

We can remember when Carnegie Hall was strictly a world famous performance venue. Its recent role in musical education within the Weill Music Institute has magnified its influence in the musical sphere. Not only do singers grow and evolve but so do our cherished institutions!

© meche kroop

WHO IS MARCELLA SEMBRICH AND WHY WE SHOULD CARE

 Michael J. Butler, Lucy J. Altus, Ruby Dibble, Gemma Nha, Rose Naggar-Tremblay, and Magdalena Kuzma at the Marcella Sembrich Awards Ceremony

What a fine Sunday evening we spent at The Kosciusko Foundation! We learned something new and impressive, we heard six superlative young singers, and we dined on Polish delicacies. Before we get to the pierogis, let us share with you an interesting story related to us before the concert by Ewa Zadworna, who seems to keep the Kosciuszko Foundation running. 

Marcella Sembrich, a Polish soprano and star at The Metropolitan Opera House at the turn of the 20th c. was not only a great singer with a 30 year career, but also a founder of voice programs at Juilliard and at Curtis Institute, and a great philanthropist, helping to establish the Kosciuszko Foundation in 1926. She worked tirelessly to promote the music of her homeland, which had been partitioned and virtually ceased to exist-- except in the hearts and souls of its people.

The Russian occupiers forbade the use of the Polish language and, of course, the programming of Polish songs. Having been warned several times against singing Polish songs at her recitals, Sembrich risked her life by singing a Polish song at the invitation of the court of Nicholas II. Not only was she not punished but he enjoyed it. We love when music trumps politics!

And here we are today, always yearning to hear Polish songs at recital programs and, having enjoyed works by Moniuszko and Szymanowski (Halka by the former and King Roger by the latter), wanting to hear more.

At the awards recital, we got our wish granted. Magdalena Kuzma performed Halka's tragic aria  “Ha! Dzieciatko nam umiera “ from the Moniuszko opera of the same name. We also heard two lovely Chopin songs.  Gemma Nha sang the lovely "My Darling" and Michael Butler did equal justice to his "Melodia".

There were several other outstanding moments in the recital. We were floored by the powerful contralto of Rose Naggar-Tremblay singing Fricka's “Weiche, Wotan, weiche” from Wagner's Das Rheingold. We rarely hear such power and intensity from someone so young and if Wotan was not persuaded, we certainly were!

Both Lucy Altus and Ruby Dibble sang the "Composer's Aria" from Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos and we were impressed by how each talented mezzo-soprano was able to extract  different riches from the same mine. We have never been to a competition in which the judges requested the same aria from two different singers. In a way we wished they had performed it back-to-back.

Ms. Nha was hilarious in the playful "Non monsieur ma Marie" from Poulenc's Les Mamelles de Tiresias. Mr. Butler was soulful in "Salut! Demeure chaste et pure" from Gounod's Faust.

Not only were the young singers of exemplary quality but the chosen accompanists, Katelan Tran Terrell and Michal Biel, are both well known to us. They were outstanding in terms of sensitivity to the singers and flexibility of approach to arias from different musical periods. 

The recital went from one high to the next, convincing us that these emerging artists will all go on to success in the opera world. We enjoyed every moment until the very end when the awards were given. We hate to criticize an organization that provides so well for young artists but a misstep like this needs to be remedied.

 If you have six finalists onstage and five of them are given award certificates and bouquets of roses, how do you think the sixth singer feels? Our heart was breaking for her. Obviously competitors have to have nerves of steel and we personally know several semi-finalists whose talents were equal to the five major winners. But they were not onstage putting smiles on their faces. Singers cannot afford to be sore losers but they should never be humiliated in that fashion. This is the same objection we have to the Laffont Competition at The Metropolitan Opera when half of the finalists get awards and the other half do not. This situation exceeded that one in poor taste and should have been avoided.

That bit aside, it was a splendid show of vocal excellence and we are glad not to have been doing the judging. We were happy to be introduced to an important figure in opera and to learn of her outstanding legacy.

© meche kroop

SLAYLEM WITCH TRIALS

 Judge and Witches at Heartbeat Opera's "Slaylem"

 Those Heartbeat Opera mischief-makers were at it again with this year's version of their annual drag show, this year held at the venerable and oh-so-appropriate Judson Memorial Church, home to wild theatrical events since our earliest days in Manhattan.  Here's a little secret "dish" for you, Dear Reader. Someone very famous in the opera world got his start there portraying The Operatic Prince in Al Carmine's radical interpretation of the fairy tale Snow White. What a glorious thing to return to our very first exposure to NYC's radical theatrical scene!

We have never missed any of Heartbeat Opera's annual drag shows, always marveling at the creativity, originality, and gender bending. One can always count on stunning performances and fabulous costuming and makeup. This year was no exception and an enormous crowd of revelers had the time of their lives enjoying the exposure of hypocrisy from America's past history. 

In the 17th c. the colonies were not immune to the witch hunting craze consuming Europe. Arthur Miller chose to dramatize this embarrassing piece of history with a serious drama The Crucible, referencing McCarthyism, whilst Heartbeat Opera's devilish crew chose to treat the subject with satiric ridicule, which mass hysteria richly deserves. We hope at least some members of the audience were able to draw parallels with some of the issues being dealt with even today four centuries later.

It appears to us that Heartbeat is moving in a more popular direction than it has in prior years, engaging more of the audience by adaptation, changing of lyrics, and inclusion of more contemporary references for which we needed some assistance from our companion who is more familiar with pop culture and pop music than we are.

Some pieces were instantly recognizable such as the "Lacrimosa" from Mozart's Requiem, and "I am the Wife of Mao Tse Tung" from John Adams' Nixon in China. Our opera singer companion was able to identify some bel canto numbers that we missed. And who could have failed to identify Copland's "Simple Gifts" although we did not know it came from a ballet Appalachian Spring, written for the Martha Graham Company.

But this was not the point. The point was to entertain, to amuse, to play mind games by means of double entendre and gender bending, to poke fun at the pompous, and, above all, to make everything outrageously sexual as seen through the LGBTQ lens.  The work brought the audience to their collective feet.

The performers got into their characters with glee, intensity, and over-the-top humor. The always notable John Taylor Ward made good use of his long lanky frame to portray The Judge and Jamilyn Manning White went from Abigail to a sexy red-clad devil. The similarly long and lanky Hans Tashjian portrayed Misery; Bernard Holcomb took the role of Clemency; Angela Yam performed the role of Rebecca; Mercy was portrayed by Rodolfo Girón; Chastity was brought to life by Curtis Bannister. Needless to say, the voices are operatic and nothing was out of their vocal reach. It was a real mind fuck to hear familiar melodies with new English lyrics and to be unable to identify the music!

These unexpected lyrics were supplied by Director Nico Krell, violinist Jacob Ashworth, and Co-writer Garrett Bell. Mr. Krell did a fine job of keeping the story moving with raunchy vignettes. All three are credited as "Creators".

Under the direction of Dan Schlosberg, the orchestra comprised Mr. Schlosberg himself at the piano, Mr. Ashworth playing violin, with Mira Williams playing viola and Julia Henderson playing cello. Just as fantastically costumed (see our entries on Facebook and Instagram) as the stage performers, they did a fine job moving seamlessly from classical music to numbers of the popular genre.

The fantastic costumes were designed by David Quinn and we were most impressed by Ms. White's red devil costume. A sexier devil we have never seen! The costumes of the Pilgrims were grim on the outside but often hid racier elements. Maiko Ando's makeup added to the effects.

This queer extravaganza ended with a touching group sing of "Make Our Garden Grow" from Bernstein's Candide. As Generation Z would say "They ate and left no crumbs.

© meche kroop

YOUNG CHINESE MUSICIANS SHOW THEIR STUFF

 

2024 Inaugural Chinese Young Artists Showcase

In what we hope will become an annual event, the Key Foundation presented an exciting evening of music performed by young Chinese artists. For two and a half hours without intermission we were enraptured by a wealth of musical talent--without a single moment of boredom.  Sixteen singers and instrumentalists graced the stage of Zankel Hall in rapid succession, each one contributing to our awareness of the wealth of talent in the Chinese community.

We have no idea how Artistic Director Mo Li assembled such a group of young artists of prodigious talent, but there they were! Some are enrolled in our local conservatories, some were from other American conservatories, and some seemed to have come from Chinese musical institutions.

Let us focus for the moment on the singers, as we usually do. We were completely delighted by the bel canto artistry of soprano Xiaoya Jiang whose highly focused instrument was just perfect for "O! Quante volte" from Bellini's I Capuleti e I Montecchi. The recititavo involved very exposed a cappella sections alternating with the piano and then, during the aria we heard Bellini's long luxurious vocal lines spun out with beautiful phrasing and clean coloratura embellishments.

Shakespeare's tale of star-crossed lovers was given its due when tenor Hongrui Ren performed "Ah! Leve-toi, Soleil!" from Gounod's Roméo et Juliette. The excellent performance was marked by the sweetness of his vocal coloration and we couldn't help but notice the embouchure contributing to the warm romantic vowels.

Soprano Siyu Zhao used her expressive instrument in a contemporary piece by Tinghang Hu entitled "Mayila Variations", augmenting her vocal agility with generous gestural elements which added greatly to the effect. It was the only vocal piece on the program that was unknown to us but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

Mezzo-soprano Qirong Liang enchanted us with her performance of "O ma lyre immortelle" from Gounod's Sapho. The French was fine and we heard a great deal of depth in the chocolatey richness of her instrument. We were impressed by her French diction that permitted us to understand the lyrics and also by the emotional intensity which was sustained throughout.

Baritone Lewei Wang was obliged to abandon a difficult Mozart aria due to illness, but, not wanting to disappoint the audience, graciously offered a less demanding piece, Schubert's "An den Mond". We have heard him in the past when he performed the Notary in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi and we will count on hearing him again.

Tenor Jin Yu offered Don Jose's desperate plea to the fickle Carmen in "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" from Bizet's opera of the same name. We liked his voice the best in the pianissimi passages which surely would have moved a woman less obstinate than Carmen.

Tenor Zhongjiancheng Deng closed the program with the passionate "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" from the 1929 Lehar operetta Das Land des Lächelns. This aria was made famous by Richard Tauber singing the role of Prince Sou-Chong. But, Dear Reader, we are most familiar with it since watching a student production at Manhattan School of Music, brilliantly directed by Dona Vaughn, a performance that left us smiling. As legend has it, Chinese are wont to smile in spite of disappointment. We do not know if that is true or not  Our smile was not one of disappointment!

Having "closed the program", let us now back up and give some well-earned credit to a few of the instrumentalists who added so much value to the evening. We loved the joyful performance of pianist Jingyi Zou who clearly loved the variations on Johann Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz" written by Adolf Schulz-Evler, a piece we had never heard before.

Also unknown to us was Alejandro Viñao's "Burritt Variations" performed by Ye Tian on an instrument we believe to be a marimba. Not only did we love the sound but also Mr. Tian's "dancing hands".

We also enjoyed the dramatic suspense in the opening of Chopin's "Scherzo#2 in B-flat Minor", marked by the composer's typical abrupt changes of mood. Pianist Fengming  Zhang got it just right. 

For lovers of guitar music, there was Mathias Duplessy's "Oulan Bator" played by Qiancheng Gong who limned the various colors between soulful and spirited; he paid attention to the complex rhythms and added a technique we had never before witnessed. Dear Reader, please pardon us if words fail us here but we confess ignorance of guitar technique.  Suffice it to say that the sound came across as some kind of wizardry.

We have run out of space and beg forgiveness of the artists we neglected. It was a most special evening and it certainly thrilled us to see Chinese artists getting the attention they deserve. We can scarcely wait for next year. 

We might add that our companion, new to classical music, was similarly taken with the evening. It was wise of the organizers to include such variety.

© meche kroop

SILVER SONGS

 Grant Wenaus, Daniel McGrew,  Abi Levis, and Mischa Bouvier

(Photo by Richard Termine)

Mirror Visions Ensemble’s performance on Monday, September 30 at Merkin Hall of Kaufman Music Center, “Silver Songs,” was a dazzling fusion of Hollywood glamor and classical artistry. This ambitious program went beyond celebrating the allure of the silver screen; it dissected our relationship with it, taking us on a journey through the cultural landscape shaped by movies.

The ensemble’s juxtaposition of contemporary perspectives with mid-20th century reflections created a fascinating dialogue across time. At the heart of this conversation was the world premiere of Griffin Candey’s Silver Songs cycle. By setting poems by living writers alongside Frank O’Hara’s work, Candey’s piece became a prism, refracting our evolving attitudes towards cinema. From the immutability of film to our parasocial relationships with stars, the show explored how flickering images on screen have seeped into every aspect of our lives.

Each performer brought their unique strength to the ensemble. Abi Levis’s mezzo-soprano demonstrated impressive range and versatility, effortlessly transitioning between rich, dark tones and clear, bell-like notes. Her fitted bodice and draped skirt, reminiscent of Hollywood’s golden-age chic, added visual authenticity to her performances. In “Humphrey Bogart,” Levis captured the intensity of a fan’s obsession. Who among us hasn’t felt that mix of intimacy and distance with our favorite actors, as if we know them personally through their roles?

Daniel McGrew’s lyric tenor soared throughout the evening, particularly shining in more playful passages. His exquisite diction and sustained notes were especially noteworthy in “The B Movie,” where his delivery of Jeanne Murray Walker’s poetry painted a vivid picture of cinematic loneliness and rejection. The comment on the desolate lover’s “[p]oor knuckles, which are a no-man’s land,” invited us to reconsider such tropes that we so unconsciously absorb.

Mischa Bouvier’s warm baritone was perfectly suited for the Chansons de Don Quichotte, capturing the endearing delusion of the character with tenderness and humor. These songs by Jacques Ibert demonstrated how cinematic adaptations can breathe new life into classics, while Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s songs, derived from his film scores, brought us back to an era where the emotional language and rich melodies of opera reigned over all cliché.

The ensemble not only entertained, but also provoked thought. The solemn, choral-like harmony of “The Film” elevated the everyday ritual of going to the movies into something sacred. It reminded me of my own cinematic pilgrimages, those times I’ve lined up for midnight premieres or rewatched beloved films with devotional fervor. In the last line of “Poem,” McGrew delivered “oh Lana Turner” with passion commonly found in an aria professing a tenor’s love for his lady, transitioned into a gentle falsetto for the reverential “we love you,” and finally settled into an anticlimactically curt command — “get up” — for the actor, a jarring depiction of the sense of ownership we feel over the personal lives of those we see on screen.

The program’s clever use of “mirror visions” — different musical settings of the same text — was particularly effective. The contrasting interpretations of Howard Moss’s poem “Horror Movie” by William Flanagan and Chris DeBlasio served as a masterclass in how musical context can dramatically alter our perception of words. Flanagan’s version, with its playful interaction between singers, captured the thrill of watching horror films with friends, each scream and laugh a shared experience. DeBlasio’s more ominous interpretation felt like a dim, fine mist of darkness, delving deeper into the psychological appeal of the genre, reminding us of those late nights alone, heart racing, unable to look away from the screen.

Exemplary accompanist for the evening was Grant Wenaus whose fine playing kept up with the superlative singing.

Guest review by Chloe Yang

(NOT SO) SILENT NIGHT

Brittany Renée and Daniel Okulitch

We approached Paula Prestini's production of Silent Light as we generally do, avoiding the reading of Director's Notes. We like to see if a work of art speaks for itself, without explanation.  As we recall from 15 years ago, The Carlos Reygadas film with the same title, although not our favorite, spoke for itself. By means of the absence of music, relying strictly on sound effects, visual metaphor, and spare speech by the principles, Reygadas drew a portrait of an unusual subculture, that of Mennonites living in Mexico, near Chihuahua.

Whilst watching the film, never once did we wish for a musical soundtrack. The visuals had a melody and rhythm of their own. We fail to understand why the esteemed composer thought it a good idea to compose music to decorate this work which never asked for it. We will not comment on the quality of the music, only point out that we found some pleasure in the rare quieter passages and some pain in the more raucous ones. 

During the love-making scene the music was particularly discordant; we couldn't help thinking of the music Richard Strauss composed for the opening scene of Der Rosenkavalier which was luscious and sensual, and referenced the climax with a series of "whoops" that let us know we were in for a light-hearted comedic ride.

Speaking of the sex scene (and we generally have no negative reactions to them) we found this one particularly gratuitous, in that it told us nothing about the relationship between the two lovers. (What we recall from the film is that the man left his children sitting outside in his truck whilst having it on with his paramour. And that told us something!)  By comparison, the stoic appearance of the characters in other scenes told us a lot about this laconic community.

For those of you who do not know the story, it is about a supposedly pious married man who is devoted to his wife and many children--but not sufficiently devoted to avoid an entanglement with a single woman member of the same community. He confides in his friend and in his father and to all appearances, seems tortured by this conflict. He claims to be "in love" with this woman but what we witness is lust, not love. It is an old story with an interesting twist. He has told his wife about the affair and watches her suffer. The two women know each other.

Onto this framework, Ms. Prestini has composed music that did nothing to add to our understanding. Esteemed and awarded as she may be, this is just not our kind of music. The vocal lines offered nothing to hold one's ear. Royce Vavrek's libretto was often impossible to hear over the brass-heavy music.

It is difficult to evaluate a vocal performance under such circumstances although a most illustrious cast was assembled. Under the direction of Thaddeus Strassberger, the performances were admirable. Daniel Okulitch was persuasive as the tortured husband Johan and Brittany Renee was completely convincing as the miserable wife Esther.  Julia Mintzer portrayed Marianne, Johan's paramour, and we are sure she was directed to be non-seductive; there was no way to understand the attraction the husband had for her. This must be intentionally left mysterious and undisclosed.

Our favorite performance was that of Anthony Dean Griffey as Johan's friend Zacarias because, of all the singers, he handled the English diction the best. When there are no subtitles, we must rely completely on the singer. Margaret Lattimore did an excellent job as Esther's mother, and her expressive face told us how she felt about her son-in-law.

As Johan's father we heard James Demler and Margaret Carpenter Haigh took the role of his mother. The pair appeared to be dairy farmers and the cows were portrayed by female members of the chorus (The Choir of Trinity Wall Street) wearing cow masks on their heads. We were not alone in feeling uncomfortable watching them being "milked". We wondered if the director wanted to say something about the role of women in this community.

Perhaps it was just part of the intention to make the experience an immersive one. As the work opened and the projected stars faded in the sky, Johann pours himself a cup of coffee. Then Esther comes in and prepares breakfast for the group. Yes, she actually cooks in real time and we were reminded of our very first theatrical experience in which a solo artist baked "Sweet Nut Bread to Make Your Mouth Water" while delivering her monologue, and then served it to the audience. No, Esther did not share the pancakes with us but then we expect to remember the former work long after Silent Light will be forgotten.

Mr. Strassberger's set design was apt, the furniture appearing no more than spare and functional. A complete kitchen occupied  one side of the stage and a workshop on the other side which was also utilized as a farm. A raised platform served as the cab of a truck. Bruce Steinberg's lighting was most effective as were the projections by Greg Emetaz.  Whilst Johann and Esther are driving in the rain, the illusion of being in a truck or auto was created with the projection of the shadow of a windshield wiper. Other special effects lent a sense of reality. When Esther runs out into the rain with an umbrella, water fell from above in torrents--in the same spot that was previously used to create the illusion of a pond where the children frolicked.

The performing area was wide, as were the two rows of seating. Therefore, one's point of view varied with one's location. The fortunate few sitting in the center of two long rows got an excellent view, but the rest of us, sitting to the sides, had our view blocked by the members of the chorus who were sitting directly in front. Such are the discomforts of an awkward playing space, as is the problem of the placement of the musicians. In this case, the conductor Maestro Christopher Rountree was only a couple feet away and the musicians--heavy on the brass with trumpet and trombone, as well as a cello and violin and a percussionist, playing behind what appeared to be a plastic screen.

The Foley effects (by Nathan Repasz) like chirping crickets and a loudly ticking clock were intense. Amanda Gladu was responsible for the costuming--overalls for the men and shapeless drab dresses for the women.

We always try to bring someone new to the opera, hoping to make converts. Alas, the visual artist who accompanied us may never be willing to set foot in an opera house. What a gap there is between traditional opera and what is currently being called opera!

© meche kroop

YALE OPERA MEETS GERDA LISSNER

Gerald Martin Moore, Jillian Tate, Leah Hawkins, Rosario Armas and Ryan Capozzo

(photo by Rezi Aliaj)

One didn't need to be outdoors last night to watch the stars. They were all inside at WQXR's Greene Space, introduced by the lovely Midge Woolsey. This dazzling array of opera stars all had connections to Yale Opera, past or present, and the concert was generously sponsored by The Gerda Lissner Foundation. Both institutions can be honored for supporting the careers of young singers. The evidence of effective training was readily available to the thirsty ears of the attendees.

Let us begin with the prodigious achievements of mezzo-soprano Rosario Armas whose total investment in her artistry is immediately evident. Zarzuela is such an immediate art form that goes from ear to heart and when Ms. Armas sang "Al Pensar" from Ruperto Chapi's La hijas del Zebedeo, the emotions of a woman crazy about her man came through loud and clear, (her man being the one on the front row, the gifted accompanist Ahmed Alom Vega). This was IRL, not acting! This challenging aria has rapid fire vocal effects that were brilliantly executed but our attention was riveted by Ms. Armas' total emotional immersion.

This quality was also noted in her duet with Ryan Capozzo, a very engaging young tenor who was new to us, but one we cannot wait to hear again. The pair performed the scene from Act II of Bizet's Carmen that takes place in Lillas Pastia's taverna (hopefully not in a gas station as The Metropolitan Opera would have it!). We treasure the moments when singers show us something new about the characters and that can only happen when the vocal technique is so exemplary and so revealing of character that we can forget about the technique and focus on the interpretation.

We came to realize, as Ms. Armas' Carmen went from seductiveness to disbelief, to rage, to vindictiveness, that the volatile Carmen lives from moment to moment, responding with immediacy and emotional honesty. Mr. Capozzo drew a portrait of Don Jose who was on a more steady arc, one of obsession. His hamartia is that he is unable to shift emotional gears. One could actually believe that Carmen has cast a spell on him. The scene was nothing short of riveting.

Mr. Capozzo distinguished himself elsewhere in the program. His warm tone and ardent expressiveness were evident in the Prince's aria "Vidino divna přesladká" from Dvořak's Russalka. We cannot comment on his facility with the Czech language but we can say that he gave the vowels full measure so that it sounded as beautiful as Italian.

We do speak German so are in a position to comment favorably on his diction in "Dein ist mein Ganzes Herz" from Lehár's Das Land des Lächelns. A new tenor on the horizon who is both talented and handsome is always welcome.

Famous soprano Leah Hawkins made a stunning appearance and gifted the audience with the lighthearted "Nobody's Business", a traditional song arranged by Peter Ashbourne. She also lent her powerful instrument to a pair of French mélodies--Lili Boulanger's "Nous nous aimerons" evincing a subtle vibrato and a pianissimo note that seemed to hang in the air, and Poulenc's "Les chemins de l'amour" to which she added far more dramatic intensity than cabaret singers we have heard. Once again we were taken with a  pianissimo spun out of silver. 

A young soprano new to us, Jillian Tate, performed a text by Toni Morrison which was so densely set by André Previn that her voice was rather overwhelmed. We liked the text of "Take my Mother Home" from the cycle Honey and Rue but we can't say we were thrilled by Mr. Previn's piano score.

We got a better appreciation of Ms. Tate's vocal skills when she joined Ms. Armas and Ms. Hawkins for the final trio from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. She made a very fine Sophie and the balance between the three voices was perfect. Since the singers were "on the book", we took the opportunity of closing our eyes and just listened to the manner in which Strauss wove three very different voices together into a rich tapestry.

The superb accompanist for the evening was the well known and well loved Gerald Martin Moore. It was a thrilling recital, giving us the opportunity to hear two voices we have admired for several years, and to be introduced to two voices we look forward to hearing again.

© meche kroop

A PAIR OF NEW STARS

Pianist Kanae Matsumoto Giampietro, soprano Alexandra Razskazoff, and baritone Yeongtaek Yang

Nothing gives us greater joy than observing the growing accomplishments and concomitant fame of young singers. The recital we heard yesterday at The American Opera Center celebrated the prodigious talents of two winners of awards from Opera Index, a most worthwhile foundation that supports the same young singers whose careers we diligently follow. One could not have imagined a more thrilling afternoon.

The recital went from one high to another; by the time intermission rolled around we were breathless from excitement, hoarse from repeated "bravos", and sore of hands from applauding. We would have been completely satisfied if the recital had ended there but there was another half, leaving us giddy with enthusiasm.

We have written about soprano Alexandra Razskazoff for about nine years, admiring the way she gave consummate vocalism and dramatic artistry to such an amazing variety of roles as a student at Juilliard and as an Apprentice Artist at Santa Fe Opera.   Baritone Yeongtaek Yang did not appear on our horizon until about two years ago as a student at Manhattan School of Music when it was plain to see that he embodied the qualities necessary for operatic success. The mark of James Morris is upon him!

Leaving the past aside (although, Dear Reader,if you wish to know more about the past glories of these two young artists, you may enter their names in the search bar), let us create a snapshot of the present. The recital opened with Mr. Yang delivering the Prologue to Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci. It was the perfect introduction to the concert itself, speaking of what we had to look forward to, with Mr. Yang embodying the persona of Tonio who, in his moment of fame, gets to prepare the audience for the upcoming performance. Audience members did not fail to notice a well-trained voice, skilled at the refinements of singing, and lavish at dramatic intent and focus.

Ms. Razskazoff followed with a group of songs by Puccini, sung with delicacy and charm, saving the ample breadth of her instrument for material later in the program that requires those qualities. We suspect that "Sole e amore" was a study for the role of Mimi in La Bohême. We loved the expressivity of her voice, the delicate diminuendos, and the floated high notes which would be the envy of many a tenor. The sorrowful "Do not Sing to Me" by Rachmaninoff captured the extent of the poet's grief so successfully that we were more than close to tears.

In a set of Duparc songs, performed with excellent Gallic flair, we preferred the existential terror of "La vague et la cloche", the images limned solely by Mr. Yang's vocal coloration. Notes that reached deep into the lower register were delivered in fine pianissimo.

The second act of Verdi's La Traviata presents a challenge for both Violetta and for Germont Père. The latter must shift from an angry father to a position of respect for his "wayward" son's mistress. The former must also make a profound shift from a dignified woman angry at Germont's invasion of her home to a submissive position, willing to accept reality and sacrifice her present happiness. We have previous written our theory about why she does so. For the moment we will not repeat our psychoanalytic musings and just say that the scene worked brilliantly. Ms. Razskazoff clearly showed the exact moment in which Violetta makes the emotional adjustment, demonstrating a clear understanding of her character.

Mr. Yang gave a thrilling rendition of Gérard's aria "Nemico della patria" from Giordano's Andrea Chenier. This is a cynical moment in the opera when Gérard realizes that, in spite of The Revolution, he is still a servant, just of another master. Mr. Yang captured it all with strong singing in realismo fashion.

Ms. Razskazoff astonished us with the aforementioned breadth of tone in the cavatina "Tacea la notte placida" from Verdi's Il Trovatore in which Leonora sings of her love for Manrico. The cabaletta was exquisitely rendered.

To add some humor to the evening, Mr. Yang offered "The Green Eyed Dragon" by Wolseley, showing off some impressive skills with comedic storytelling. If you never heard this song, Dear Reader, you owe it to yourself to look up the lyrics. It is in such comic works with short phrases that the English language sings best.

Proving our point that the operatic tradition is well represented by 20th c. American musical theater, Ms. Razskazoff offered "Somewhere" from Bernstein's West Side Story and "I Could Have Danced All Night" from Loewe's My Fair Lady. While well done, we prefer a more British style but the artist made it her own by Americanizing the accent and the acting.

The evening ended with a charming duet from Mozart's Die Zauberflôte in which Pamina and Papageno get acquainted--"Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen".

As encore the pair gave us an English translation of the waltz from Lehar's Die Lustige Witwe. We cannot write a review without finding some small quibble and that was it. Although well sung, it missed the particular marriage of text and music that makes the duet so charming. Well, maybe next time they will sing it in German!

The excellent piano accompaniment was provided by Kanae Matsumoto Giampietro who has an admirably delicate touch.

To those of you who are not aware of the great and generous support given young artists by Opera Index we urge you to find out. There will be more recitals like this one with exposure to young singers on the brink of world stardom. Indeed these singers have had multiple awards showered upon them by various foundations who believe in their respective futures as much as we do. Note that Sir Bryn Terfel will be honored by Opera Index on January 19th at The Metropolitan Club, a yearly event that draws the luminaries of Planet Opera, many of whom were in attendance at yesterday's recital.

© meche kroop

A THING OF BEAUTY AND A JOY FOREVER

Brian Holman and Julio Mascaro

A tenor voice can be "a thing of beauty and a joy forever", to borrow a phrase from Keats. The fact that it is often not is a pain in the throat, at least to our throat which closes up every time a tenor presses for volume and emits a harsh sound. The voice of tenor Julio Mascaro is of the first type, a voice one could listen to forever, a voice that lingers in the ear long after the concert ends. The total silence during the performance can be taken as evidence that we were not alone in our rapturous attention.

At Friday night's recital at Opera America, Mr. Mascaro's interpretations were so well calibrated to the emotional content of his selections, one might have gotten lost in the effect. It took a great deal of effort to note the fine technical points that underlay the vocal performance. We were impressed by the stunning messa di voce, the delicately floated high notes, and some final decrescendos that trailed off into fine filaments of sound hanging in the air. Climaxes were achieved without bombastic shouting. German and French were as successfully pronounced as Mr. Mascaro's native Spanish.

And now, let us say more about the well-curated program, the first half of which was sung in Spanish. Could one have chosen two better Mexican songs than Manuel Ponce's "Estrellita" and Maria Grever's "Te quiero, dijiste"?  Let us mention that a wonderful way to connect with the audience is to tell them something interesting about a song. Some people in the audience might have been surprised to know the true and sad story of the Grever song which we would be happy to share with you someday.

From the cycle Cinco canciones populares Argentinas by Manuel Ponce, we heard the lament  "Triste", followed by a more modern work by Jaime León Fierro entitled "Letra para cantar al son del arpa"  which provided a grand opportunity for collaborative pianist Brian Holman to show his stuff. As we have written before, Hispanic composers never fell for serialism and atonality. There is always a lovely melody to enchant the ear. 

To close the set, we heard a passionate rendition of "No puede ser" from the zarzuela -La tabernera del puerto by Spaniard Pablo Sorozabal. This is arguably one of the top ten zarzuela arias and a most affecting cry of a hopeful lover. We were inspired to read the very complex plot of the zarzuela and are happy to share with you the fact that the singer of the aria, young Leandro, does get the girl.

The second part of the program revealed Mr. Mascaro's operatic artistry and linguistic skills. We heard  "Vainemant ma bien aimée" from Edouard Lalo's Le Roi d'Ys followed by "Lonely House" from Kurt Weill' Street Scene. Italian passion was brought to the forefront in Tosti's "Vorrei morire".

If we have heard a better Nemorino than the one brought to life by Mr. Mascaro we cannot remember it. "Una furtive lagrima" can be considered a turning point ("the worm turns") in Donizetti's charming L'elisir d'amore. Nemorino is one of our favorite male characters in opera because he achieves emotional growth during the opera and we love cheering him on in his quest to win Adina.

"Ich baue ganz auf deine Stärke" from Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail was sung in perfect German and in true Mozartian style.

The evening ended with a unique and highly personal event which profited from an introduction. Mr. Mascaro's maternal grandfather, José Ernesto Monzón, was a well known artist in Guatemala and our singer brought onstage his late grandfather's guitar before sharing three of his songs with the audience. They say a playwright shouldn't bring a gun onstage unless he plans to have one of his characters shoot another. So, Dear Reader, we were waiting for Mr. Mascaro or Mr. Holman to play said guitar. Sadly, this was not the case.

All is forgiven, however, because the songs are delightful. "Canto a mi Guatemala" was filled with patriotic fervor and was followed by the charming "Muñequito" and the highly rhythmic  "La Sanjuanerita". Dear Reader, do yourself a favor and listen to this on YouTube. You are sure to be as charmed as we were!

© meche kroop

BRUSH UP YOUR SHAKESPEARE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

©  meche kroop