SLEEPWALKING

 Abigail Lysinger, Abigail Raiford, Teresa Castillo, and Christopher Bozeka

"Nothing with kings

Nothing with crowns;

Bring on the lovers, liars and clowns"

The clever lyrics of Stephen Sondheim from the 1962 hit musical Something Happened on the Way to the Forum came to mind, contrasting Teatro Nuovo's production of Bellini's 1831 La Sonnambula with the prior evening's performance of Verdi's Macbeth which we just reviewed. Will Crutchfield's instructive program notes call this work an opera semiseria, differentiating it  from opera buffa, a genre we are all familiar with, thanks to the earlier creations of Rossini.

It is serious because it deals with real human emotion but the comic designation comes from the fact that it has a happy ending. (Truth to tell, it didn't seem so happy to us that the sweet and innocent young Amina (sung  by soprano Teresa Castillo in sensational coloratura form) would be shackled for life to the immature and narcissistic land owner Elvino (played by tenor Christopher Bozeka). 

He is so mistrustful of his bride that he is ready to abandon her on their wedding day and so fickle and vengeful  that he plans to immediately marry another woman. Well, autre temps, autre moeurs. Amina seems a forgiving sort and we hope that the immature Elvino will grow up. It might have seemed less dire if the role had been played by a jejune youth who seemed ready to grow up.

What thrilled us about this performance were the musical values of this period-correct orchestra . Elisa Citterio served as Primo Violino e Capo d'Orchestra often conducting with her bow; Mo. Crutchfield served as Maestro al Cembalo; Derrick Goff was Maestro del Coro.  Bellini's long lyrical lines melded with Felice Romani's flowing poetry to excellent effect. The vocal artistry was nearly perfect, which we will get to later.

What bothered us most was the lack of staging and costuming. At the previous night's Macbeth, we scarcely noticed these deficiencies but there was something a bit "off" about the staging and acting in this Sonnambula. It seemed as if the characters were each performing in a different mode and time period. At times we perceived a sly "meta" wink at the story; at other times a period appropriate sincerity. All in all, the women came across better than the men.

The villager Alessio (bass-baritone Vincent Graña) is in love with the inn-keeper Lisa (soprano Abigail Raiford) who is pursuing the afore-mentioned Elvino, who is about to marry Amina. Amina's somnambulism is not understood by the villagers and, when accused of unfaithfulness, only her mother Teresa (mezzo-soprano Abigail Lysinger) stands by her side. It is the arrival of the long absent Count Rodolfo (bass-baritone Owen Phillipson) that both precipitates and then resolves the crisis.

Ms. Castillo's performance was impeccable with stunning execution of the difficult fioritura; no doubt some of the cadenzas were devised by the artist herself but there were some outstanding embellishments of the vocal line that had been written by Bellini himself but never performed! We invite you, Dear Reader, to hear Mo. Crutchfield's demonstration online in a brief clip including Ms. Castillo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSX8kuNc6l4.  We would love to hear your comments below.

Unfortunately, we have no equivalent encomia to offer about Mr. Bozeka's performance. He seemed to be having a bad night, particularly in Act II when challenged by the high tessitura. The work was performed in its original key which is higher than that which audiences have previously heard.

Both Abigails performed their parts well with Ms. Raiford playing Lisa for contemporary laughs. The audience loved it and, if the comic emphasis had been consistent, we might have loved it as well. Still, the story is so not contemporary by virtue of the villagers' ignorance and belief in specters that we doubt it would have worked. Sometimes it's best to treat an historical work with authenticity and leave out the irony. 

In sum this was a rare and rewarding opportunity to hear the work as Bellini meant for it to be heard. With appropriate Swiss peasant costuming and a firm directorial hand, this production would put that of any famed opera house to shame.

© meche kroop

THE SCOTTISH OPERA

 

Romeo Lopez, Martin Luther Clark, Ricardo José Rivera, Alexandra Loutsion, and Cumhur Görgün

Verdi's masterpiece Macbeth does not seem to be burdened by the superstitions surrounding Shakespeare's brilliant tragedy. There were no mishaps Wednesday evening at New York City Center when Teatro Nuovo produced an absolutely riveting performance of Verdi's original 1847 version of the opera, composed during his early period. This version is rarely performed, having been supplanted by a revised version Verdi created nearly twenty years later, at a time when his compositional style had evolved. 

Our first contact with the opera was a quarter century ago, before we began writing about opera. Nevertheless we will never forget Lauren Flanigan's performance as the ambitious Lady Macbeth. Since then we have seen a few productions that were well done, especially one by Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble, which also brought the earlier version to light. 

Thanks to Maestro Will Crutchfield and Teatro Nuovo we were able to appreciate an intensely blood and guts creation, heavily influenced by the bel canto period with its plethora of audience favored cabalette.  Crutchfield's pre-performance lecture, given as usual without notes and drawing from an inexhaustible fund of knowledge, went a long way toward our appreciation of Verdi's incomparable skill in expanding the bel canto tropes of the period to great effect on the emotions. We have no opportunity to compare the two versions side by side but trust Crutchfield's instruction. We heard a few cabalette that were dropped for the later version as Verdi's architecture became more sophisticated. We found them rousing and most satisfying.

Sometimes we appreciate the sophistication a composer achieves in his later years, as in Mozart's final few symphonies. At other times we prefer works of an artist's early period when he or she was more daring and searching for a new voice. (In the world of visual arts we were surprised to learn how much we liked Picasso's work before he evolved into cubism). But as far as Macbeth goes, the early version we heard affected us emotionally on a deeper level. For example, in the final act when the chorus (here given a larger part) mourns the sad fate befalling Scotland, we couldn't help but think of the sad path currently being forced upon the United States by power mad forces. This is exactly what art should do--confront us with our situation in an indirect manner that allows us to draw the connection ourselves. Just as the English came to help the ailing Scotland, we fantasized that Canada would come to rescue the United States from the scarily burgeoning Fascism.

It was interesting to learn how enthusiastic the Florentine audience was in 1847, demanding many repeats. It is even more interesting when we learned that no one in Italy knew of Shakespeare's play or the glory of iambic pentameter in his use of the English language.  Probably largely responsible for the roaring success was the combination of Verdi's passionate music and Maria Piave's adaptation of Shakespeare's tale. What a partnership this pair created!

 Jakob Lehmann has the commanding presence of a man twice his size. As Maestro Concertatore e Direttore he was in full command of the orchestra, organized as is customary with Teatro Nuovo with all musician's facing each other. Lehmann conducts with his entire body and sitting close was a real treat for us.

We have nothing but praise for the singers. As the eponymous hero, tenor Ricardo José Rivera managed to color his excellent instrument with increasing darkness, having started out rather mildly but, driven by his wife's ambition and the dark work of the witches, the colors became suitably darker. Embellishments of the vocal line were clean.

Soprano Alexandra Loutsion made an equally compelling Lady Macbeth, at times seductive and at times driving, coloring her huge instrument to the text. The lavish fioritura seemed no challenge for her flexible instrument. Although it was difficult to feel sympathy for Macbeth, the gentle compassion of Lady Macbeth's  lady-in-waiting toward the sleep-walking "heroine" rubbed off on us, an amazing emotional shift.  But no wonder! It was the superlative young soprano Jihye Seo who impressed us so thoroughly this year in her performance of Cio-Cio-San and here did such a fine piece of work as the lady-in-waiting.

Another young artist that grabbed our attention was the up-and-coming tenor Martin Luther Clark whose grief-stricken Macduff tore at our heartstrings . We also enjoyed Derrick Goff as Duncano, the doomed King of Scotland, Macbeth's first victim. Bass Cumhur Görgün did well with the role of Banquo, killed off to early in our opinion! As Duncan's son Malcolm we heard Romeo Lopez who, by contrast, appeared too late. What we mean to say is we would like to hear more of them!

Let us say a few words about the staging. In place of sets we had projections--not the annoying distracting moving variety.  Just a series of still photos establishing the various locations in the castle, a woodland clearing, and Burnham Wood. There was no stage furniture save for a lone modern chair on which Lady Macbeth sat briefly. The sole attempt at staging was a roaring success-- the scene for the witches in which they danced around an impressive cauldron. The scene was inordinately powerful with young artists singing and dancing around the flaming cauldron. 

The minimal staging is quite likely due to a lack of funding which also called attention to itself in a lack of costuming a more serious lack, one which might have been remedied at minimal expense. We have seen small impoverished companies create costuming suggestive of period and place; so, we surmise, the priority of Teatro Nuovo is on top quality  music as evidenced by the superlative singing and outstanding orchestral performance. Oddly, the child Fléance sported a white tunic. Everyone else dressed in black garb or suits. With such intensely satisfying musical values, please, Dear Reader, take this as an observation, not a complaint.

Indeed, this will go down as one of the year's best productions, by virtue of its musical values, it's dramatic impact, and the unique novel effect of being introduced to a rarity.

© meche kroop

© meche kroop

ANCIEN REGIME

 

The Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra

We are, by default, members of the Second Estate in late 17th c. France, guests of a gracious host, being royally entertained and plied with drink and nibbles, witnessing all manner of entertainment in a rococo palace,  We do not realize we are the last remaining exemplars of the French aristocracy .

Well, actually, we are attending a gala event at the rococo fashion emporium Printemps, produced by prominent New York impresario Andrew Ousley who knows well how to do "immersive". Putting together such an event requires an inordinate amount of coordination and contacts, as one can well imagine.

The centerpiece of the evening, for us classical music addicts, was the first United States performance of the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra which performed on instruments of the Baroque period with winds softer and gentler than modern winds, conducted by Concertmaster Stefan Plewniak.

 The anachronistic program included works by Rossini who was not due to arrive on the musical scene for well over a century later. We recognized  works from Tancredi and Semiramide and enjoyed the performance of countertenor Franco Fagioli, as did the rest of the rather large audience.  An unknown piece (unknown to us, that is) was identified by a seatmate as K-Pop, about which we may choose to remain ignorant.

There was more music to delight the ear, much more. The second floor space of Printemps in downtown Manhattan is vast with many rooms connected by corridors, each space affording a new delight. There was a string quartet and a theorboist Dušan Balarin accompanying soprano Ariadne Greif. Adam Young performed on the viola da gamba.

After working our way through the corridor of music we arrived at a series of tableaux vivants, set up within spacious repurposed fitting rooms, illustrating scenes from the "Affair of the Poisons" that created a tumultuous tidal wave in the court of Louis XIV. This led us to inform ourself about this period of French history, about which we knew nothing. Lots of secret poisonings, arrests, and executions.  Live and learn! What good is art if one doesn't also learn something thereby.

The many salons and corridors were peopled by members of Company XIV, actors and performers in lavish period appropriate costumes and powdered wigs. There was also some period dancing which we missed. There was so much going on that one would have had to clone oneself to take it all in. We did catch the end of a sword swallowing act in which the woman swallowed something that was at least as long as a sword but seemed to be neon lit.

Our attention, toward the end of the evening, was riveted by Creatine Price, a singer of our acquaintance who shall remain unidentified  until he gives us permission to reveal it. We admit to loving drag performance, but especially so when performed by a genuine opera singer with a great voice. We particularly enjoyed the no-hold-barred "Habanera" from Bizet's Carmen.

Having enjoyed such a dazzling evening of entertainment and revelry, we have a special reason to mention the high quality wines which were poured, courtesy of Bouchaine Vineyards in Napa County, California. What made this significant is the participation of the owners, Tatiana and Garrett Copeland, who not only provided the wine but were responsible for bringing the Versailles Opera Orchestra to North America for their first tour, including performances in Napa Valley, Toronto, and Montreal. Although the Versailles Opera Orchestra was not in existence at the time of Louis XIV, they were founded in 1770 by Louis XV--before the colonies here declared independence from Great Britain.  Now that's history.

There will be another performance by the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra tonight at Florence Gould Hall of the Alliance Française but we regret to inform you that the event has long been sold out. Next time Mr. Ousley announces an event we advise you to jump on it. Of course, Dear Reader, you already know about his Death of Classical events at The Crypt? If not, just ask us.

© meche kroop