LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES

Samuel Kidd, Megan Moore, Christine Taylor Price, and Greg Feldmann

Thinking of Forrest Gump on the way home from Tuesday eening's New York Festival of Song recital seemed odd to us until we realized that NYFOS recitals are always varied, always delicious, and one never knows what one is going to get. Some songs are sweet, some are nutty, and others are fruity. This most recent evening comprised songs with women's names as titles and we would never have guessed that there were enough to fill an entire program.

The three singers worked well together (or played well, if you prefer) and comprised a baritone we admired at a prior NYFOS recital (Samuel Kidd) and two female singers about whom we have been writing for a decade. It always gives us a special thrill to witness a singer's professional growth. Mezzo-soprano Megan Moore has been having some great successes in her career development and so has soprano Christine Taylor Price who seems to have accomplished something that writers are not supposed to talk about. We will anyway. She has shed some weight and achieved a glamorous appearance that provides a swell setting for her lovely voice. She is also making great strides in her career, moving readily between opera and musical theater.

It is rare that we enjoy every single song in a diverse program, but there is a first for everything. Let us just point out the ones that stayed in our memory over the past few days. We do so love duets and when Ms. Moore and Ms. Price  joined forces for Schubert's "An  Sylvia" we broke into a wide smile and we are smiling now as we recollect the performance. It was in the same set that Mr. Kidd performed Beethoven's "Adelaïde". Well I guess we are just revealing our preference for the classics, which will not surprise regular readers.

Mr. Kidd's delicate delivery was just perfect for Henri Duparc's "Phidylé" and his artistry with Gallic style was matched by Ms. Price's performance of Reynaldo Hahn's "A Chloris" which carried the loveliness into the 20th century. Schubert's "Ganymed" gave Ms. Moore an opportunity to show a special kind of artistry. She appeared to savor each German word and, in her mouth, the lanuage lost any trace of harshness.

The final section entitled "Rogues Gallery" included Ms.Moore's unique ballad style arrangement of the famous Beatles song "Michelle"and the marvelously funny song by Tom Lehrer called "Alma". Most classical music lovers are aware that Gustav Mahler's wife Alma had quite the reputation for her affairs and Mr Lehrer had quite a bit of fun with his clever rhymes. It was a fun way to end a delightful evening. Having sampled all the chocolates in the box we were able to pick our favorites, as did everyone else in the audience. No one left unsatisfied.

Accompaniment was provided by Steven Blier and Nathaniel LaNasa. An unnamed musician accompanied occasionally with guitar and banjo; Greg Feldmann showed up for an encore.

© meche kroop