MISSION

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

Sunday, February 9, 2025

SALOME

Summer Hassan, Jeremy Harr, and Nathaniel Sullivan
(photo by Andrew Boyle)

It's been a decade since we saw a production of Richard Strauss' Salome in Santa Fe. Director Daniel Slater set it in the period in which it was written, giving it a strong Freudian interpretation. The petite soprano Alex Penda was convincing as a willful teenage girl suffering the consequences of a traumatic childhood. It was an unforgettable evening. Our only other exposure to the opera was a couple years earlier at the Metropolitan Opera and all we can remember was a rather confusing production and a surprisingly effective (and shocking) Dance of the Seven Veils by the superb soprano Karita Mattila. who stunned us by the power, range, and lyricism of her voice.

Last night we attended an English language presentation of the opera by Heartbeat Opera, reputed for its original takes on the classics. It was well worth the trip to Brooklyn and the lengthy climb upstairs, both for its original musical take and for its riveting dramatic impact. Before sharing the details of this worthy production, we would like to muse a bit on the psychohistorical aspect of the story as it transmogrified through the centuries in response to cultural norms.

As reported by Plutarch, the elder Seneca, a Roman historian and Senator, was the first to make reference to such a depraved beheading preceded by a dance. In the Bible, the Gospels of Matthew and Mark make reference to an unnamed girl, used as a tool of vengeance by her mother to end the life of John the Baptist. John's strength of character is contrasted with Herod’s spiritual and moral weakness. and the mystical ascetic John is portrayed as the precursor of the coming Jesus.

As the reputation of John the Baptist grew in the centuries after the death of Christ, so did the myth of Salome’s evil. The story was used to illustrate the need to resist sexual temptations and the potential spiritual risks created by the diversion of dancing. This anti-feminine emphasis was to endure for quite a long time.

In the late nineteenth century, and throughout the twentieth century, the myth has been refigured time and time again, pointing to a peculiar fascination with the way sex and power intersect in the drama. Oscar Wilde's play (which he never got to see due to being imprisoned for the crime of homosexuality) was important in making Salome a creature with desires of her own. She is elevated to more than merely her mother’s pawn, becoming the autonomous agent of John's death From the nameless dancer in the Bible story she has become the focus of the drama, whose actions symbolise the sexual power of modern woman.

Richard Strauss, composing under the influence of Freudian theory, was undoubtedly taken by the duality of Thanatos and Eros. It is Salome's erotic drive that leads to her death. And so, after this brief bit of rambling, we come to the production of the opera by Heartbeat Opera, renowned for revising and reinterpreting the classics. In this pared down version, Director Elizabeth Dinkova has focused on the central characters with extraneous characters and the arguing Jews confined to a video screen and deprived of voices.

Captain Narraboth (David Morgans) lusts after Salome (Summer Hassan). He dies, by his own hand (pistol subbing for the dagger). Salome lusts after Jokanaan (Nathaniel Sullivan). She dies at the hands of her uncle/step-father Herod (Patrick Cook).  Actually, in this version, everyone dies, including Herodias (Manna K. Jones) shot by a character known as the Page (Melina Jaharis). We are not sure whether the soldier (Jeremy Harr) survives. We might add that the cast was uniformly excellent, not only by virtue of strong voices but also by impactful acting. 

Although we much prefer the opera sung in German, we can see the merit of using an English translation (from English National Opera). In our opinion, it is not for the benefit of the audience, who definitely need titles to understand the words in the upper register, whether the opera is sung in English or German. Rather it benefits the singers who are able to connect more to the text. Admittedly, this production lacked nothing in terms of immediacy.

The cast was pared down to seven and Strauss' humungous orchestra was pared down to 8 clarinets (yes, you read that right) and two very hard-working percussionists. Did Maestro Dan Schlosberg's reduction/arrangement work? We thought it worked splendidly, employing clarinets of every register with an assist from a recorder, saxophone, and an electric guitar. All were utilized to heighten the action and effectively distinguished the varying colors of each character. We are quite sure that Music Director Jacob Ashworth had a major part in arranging the score.

Ms. Dinkova's direction excelled at storytelling and Emona Stoykova's set heightened the storytelling. Jokanaan was imprisoned in a glass cage center stage.  The band of clarinets were placed on one side of a square, with a bank of video monitors on the facing side. Audience members sat on the two remaining opposing sides; the singers did a good job of giving both sides equal opportunity, which is not always the case.

We were grateful for Nicholas Betson's titles. Mika Eubanks' costumes were mostly apt, although poor Ms. Hassan looked stuffed into an unusual get up with a fluffy skirt of pink tulle.

And now, Dear Reader, we know you are dying to hear about the shocking Dance of Seven Veils. Well, you must go and see for yourself. We guarantee you will be shocked! There will be another week of performances which you can see on the Heartbeat Opera website.

© meche kroop

Do we need to mention that AI was not utilized in our writing and never will be?


Friday, February 7, 2025

CHELSEA GIRL


 Chelsea Guo

A fulfilling concert last night at Merkin Hall left us in awe of the multitalented. Chelsea Guo and of the Young Concert Artists sponsorship. It's been but a year since we heard Ms. Guo when we singled out her performance in an event at which YCA partnered with New York Festival of Song. Both institutions have a knack for finding and promoting the very best young artists at the beginning of their careers. Last night was a real event and it prompted our thoughts on the issue of artistry and fame. We hear so many gifted young artists whose careers stagnate. What factors in to the rapidly advancing careers of some of them?

There may be a better term but the one that pops into our mind is a strange one.  It's "show biz". It is some undefinable quality that engages the public on a level deeper than musical artistry and talent.  Perhaps it is personality manifested by a look, a self confidence, body movement, eye contact-- something that draws the audience in and holds their interest. Ms. Guo, like her colleague Joseph Parrish (another YCA sponsored singer), captures the audience and wraps them in her arms and doesn't let go. No wonder she is winning prizes and performing all over the world, and at such an early stage of her career. If we are not mistaken, she just graduated from Juilliard!

This is an artist who knows exactly what she wants to give her audience.  No one at Merkin Hall could fail to be reached by her singing, her piano playing, and most impressively, her ability to do both simultaneously--not casually in the manner of a lounge singer but as an artist accomplished in both fields. We observed this most intensely when she performed Liszt's lavish transcription of Schumann's simple art song "Widmung" (which he renamed "Liebeslied") whilst singing the Rückert text which Schumann had set. We have observed singers before who played art songs and accompanied themselves, but they did not turn and face the audience, enveloping them in the depth of feeling. What a star turn!

The rest of the evening's two hour program was equally impressive with interesting choices including a pair of songs by Fauré in which she accompanied herself on the piano, giving herself complete control of the many factors that compose an art song performance. A "Nocturne in E Major" by Chopin captured the pensive melancholy of the composer that one senses even in his works written in the major mode. We liked the way she emphasized a three note motif that recurred throughout the piece.

Liszt may have elaborated on Schumann's simplicity whilst removing the vocal component, but Pauline Viardot elaborated on Chopin's Mazurkas by adding sung text and we were delighted to be introduced to three selections out of the dozen in the group. Somehow we believe that Ms. Guo chose the three best but we would love to hear the other nine. We were enchanted by the first two which focused on women's feelings about love.

Two "spirituals" were sung to accompaniment by the excellent collaborative pianist Francisco Barfoed whom we remember from his Juilliard days. Furthermore we were privileged to be introduced to a composer and his pianistic interpreter, both of whom we look forward to hearing more of. Composer A Bu contributed two songs to the evening's  program and it awakened our hope that 21st century piano music might just become lyrical with lovely melodic lines. "Lullaby" and "Signature" were given their World Premiere and we found our attention focused on the piano part-- so well performed by Eden Chen. The lyrics did not impress us and we hope that Mr. Bu will find text that will match his lovely melodies.

Kurt Will's "Lost in the Stars" gave Ms. Guo the opportunity to tell a dramatic tale and Sondheim's "Putting it Together" closed the program. We have no idea how it came that Barbra Streisand revised Sondheim's lyrics from the Broadway show Sunday in the Park with George; we'd never heard them before. It occurs to us that the alterations were not so different from what Liszt did to Schumann's work and what Viardot did to Chopin's. We dare to say that Ms. Guo, among some other unique qualities, has an attraction to transformation.

Finally, we would like to call attention to Ms. Guo's excellent posture at the piano. Singers who hunch over the keys give us cervical distress, much in the same way as tenors who tighten up when reaching for the top note give us an ache in our throat. A small point, but a curious one.

© meche kroop

Thursday, February 6, 2025

A WORTHY DISCOVERY


Maestro Patrick Quigley conducting Opera Lafayette Orchestra's world premiere performance of 
Edmond Dédé's Morgiane, ou, Le Sultan d'Ispahan
Singers L to R: Joshua Conyers, Mary Elizabeth Williams, Chauncey Packer, Nicole Cabell, 
Kenneth Kellogg, and Jonathan Woody 
(photo by Jennifer Packard, Courtesy of Opera Lafayette)

After such a satisfying evening, we scarcely know where to begin. In an era when the field of opera is getting bogged down in prosy unmusical polemics, a few companies stand out by mining the past for undiscovered treasures. Teatro Nuovo brings to life forgotten gems from the Bel Canto period, whereas Opera Lafayette brings to the table a scholarly approach to rarely heard operas of the 17th, 18th and 19th c. The D.C. company's annual visits to New York City bring us education with our entertainment. Both companies achieve sold out status, proving that opera is not a dying art form.

There is room for contemporary opera just as there is for modern art. They just fail to provide nourishment to our classical eyes and ears. We would happily attend Nozze di Figaro, La Traviata, and La Bohême several times a year (and we have). Just the same, to be introduced to a work from the past that has lain forgotten gives us a thrill like no other.

A great deal of scholarship went into the recreation of Morgiane, ou, Le Sultan d'Ispahan and Opera Lafayette partnered with OperaCréole to bring this work to the stage, just in time for Black History Month. The composer Edmond Dédé was a Free Man of Color whose lifespan occupied the greater part of the 19th century. The opera is probably the first four-act opera by a United States born composer of African descent. Born in New Orleans, he established his reputation in France in the second half of the 19th century and his rich melodies reveal an exposure to various forms of music from café-concerts to high opera. We hope to hear some of his songs on recital programs!

The libretto he set was an exotic tale by Louis Brunet and probably was inspired by Europe's 19th century fascination with Asian exotica. The Islamization of Persia began in the 7th century and we can assume that the opera takes place after that time since the ruler in the opera is the tyrannical Sultan Kourouschah. Prior to the time of the opera, his mistreated wife had fled with their infant daughter in her arms and had been rescued by Hagi Hassan, a good man who raised the child with love and care. At the time of the opera, the girl, named Amine has just wed a worthy young man named Ali when Beher, a henchman of the Sultan, abducts her to be the consort of the Sultan. Yikes!!!!

We are sorry to have given away the secret surprise reveal of the 4th act. Actually, as is our wont, we did not read about the opera in advance, hoping that the work would speak for itself, which it surely did. Nonetheless, we were probably not the only member of the audience to have anticipated the surprise!

The work was exceptionally well cast. Although the production was given as a concert version with music stands, exotic atmosphere was provided by the gorgeous "Arabian Night" costuming, even for the chorus. Yes, we know that Iran (the country formerly known as Persia) is not Arabic but you, Dear Reader, know what we mean. This colorful costuming was designed by Amy Amos, Givonna Joseph, and Aria Mason. In spite of the music stands, the singers, especially the women, managed to inject their characters with dramatic intention, looking at the character they were addressing.

The role of Morgiane was played by Mary Elizabeth Williams whose spinto instrument filled out the emotion of the lines in a way that created a character of depth and determination. Her way with the vocal line was exemplary and the tonal quality admirable. Although she is the eponymous heroine, her best music and dramatic performance was saved for Act IV when she performed a stunning aria replete with arpeggios. She created a character that was forceful and spunky, proving that women can change their fates, and we are on board with that! 

Nicole Cabell is an entirely different type of soprano, a coloratura possessing an instrument of great agility. The ease with which she handled the fioritura whilst maintaining a warm coloration delighted our ears. Like Ms. Williams she always gazed upon whichever character she was addressing. She was completely believable as Morgiane's daughter Amine. Dédé gave her the most interesting music with a number of excellent arias and also duets.

As her new husband Ali, tenor Chauncey Packer sang sweetly with a lovely legato vocal line and a warm coloration, making his character most likable. One could really feel his anguish at losing his bride and his determination to recover her. In the duets, his voice blended beautifully with Ms. Cabell's, notably in Act I, in which the pair set the tone for the story by means of their mutual affection and deep devotion.

Joshua Conyers has a warm baritone that was just right for the role of Hagi Hassan. He conveyed all the warmth of a pater familias, protector of his family, a man who will go to any lengths to ensure their safety. And yet, one could imagine him as a shining knight on a white horse some two decades earlier, rescuing the poor Morgiane as she fled from her abusive husband--just the kind of hero who will raise another man's child as his own.

There was something very touching about a family banding together to try to save one of their own at a risk to their own lives. This is operatic in a way that contemporary stories cannot manage. We heard a stunning trio in which the parents and new husband vow vengeance for the abducted Amine. The composer's quartets showed his skill at weaving vocal lines into a multi-textured fabric.

The role of Beher, the Sultan's henchman, was well portrayed by bass-baritone Jonathan Woody who sat stony-faced but managed to sing with a snarl.

And finally, the role of the arrogant Sultan was sung by bass Kenneth Kellogg whom we didn't get to hear until Act III. Of all the singers, his French was the most comprehensible; of course, that is partly due to the low register, but also due to his crisp enunciation. He undergoes an Act IV transformation that was made believable by his skill at altering vocal coloration.

Just imagine!  An opera with a happy ending!  We left smiling because of the successful resolution, but also because of the marvelous music. Maestro Patrick Quigley was in full command of his resources and drew many colors from the orchestra. The music was varied with many contrasts of orchestration and rhythm.  In the opening chorus, members of the OperaCreole Ensemble, sang about nature in lilting waltz time. Later, we heard martial music in 4/4 time. 

Orchestral colors rivaled those of the rainbow. We even had the opportunity to hear the rarely heard ophicleide, an unusual brass instrument with a wide register, played by keys. We were so curious, we looked it up and learned that it was used mainly in the 19th century. and was featured in works by Mendelssohn and Berlioz. This was surely a night of discovery! We realize we have mentioned colors and coloration a great deal and perhaps this is one of the reasons we enjoyed the evening so much.

Let us finally mention that smaller roles were played by members of OperaCréole, including Valencia Pleasant, Taylor White, and Antonio Domino, Jr.

We believe a recording is forthcoming, in which case, Dear Reader, we urge you to have a listen. How impressive it is when two companies join forces to resuscitate a forgotten work. We in the audience only get to see and hear the end result. One can only imagine the happy accidents and diligent labor that went into creating such a memorable event.

© meche kroop

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

MUST THE WINTER COME SO SOON

Reinhard Mayr and Irena Portenko

Our favorite song cycle is Winterreise, composed by Franz Schubert in 1828, a setting of text by Wilhelm Műller. We never miss an opportunity to hear it live and recall hearing it sung beautifully by students at our local musical conservatories. This gives the lie to the opinion that only a mature singer possesses the depth of feeling and finely developed artistry to do the work justice. Indeed the work is the pinnacle of German Romanticism, with elements of nature expressing emotion--in this case, the abject despair over the loss of love that can only be felt by the very young. Is the histrionic hyperbole of the text foreign to our age of irony and "kewel"? We think not! To this day, unstable teenagers commit suicide over romantic rejection.

This leads us to question the occasional practice of putting this cycle into the hands of female singers and men of various fachs. We ourself prefer the youthful coloration of a lyric tenor, as Schubert intended.  We were curious to hear how it sounded sung by a bass and we did not enjoy it at all. Enjoyment is not quite the right word. We have always been moved to the core, fighting back tears as we recalled our own pain of lost love when we were but thirteen years old. And who among us has never experienced such pain?

Well, Dear Reader, last night at Weill Recital Hall, we fought off boredom, not tears. Two well-regarded musicians worked their way through the hour-plus cycle without reaching our heart. We will do our best to explain our lack of emotional connection and how the performance failed to draw us in. We cannot attribute it to our mood which was one of anticipation. Nor can we blame distance from the stage, since we were sitting as close as was possible.

Part of the problem may have been the quality of the bass fach. Tones often sounded angry and stentorian; perhaps that is the way Reinhard Mayr interpreted the story of a jilted youth wandering alone through the countryside. Nowhere did we hear any variety of coloration, whereas Schubert's piano part often gives us many shades of sadness--melancholy, disappointment, grief, despair, sorrow, loneliness, false hope, and resignation. The vocal performance was monochromatic. There was, however, a great variation in dynamics. When the volume was high, it was stentorian. When low, one could barely hear it over the piano.

Even worse were the exaggerated body movements. Mr. Mayr swayed back and forth constantly with his trunk forming circles. However, his hands remained locked in front of his body with fingers pressed together in the manner of men of the cloth delivering a sermon. We found this distracting.

There was no audience engagement, neither visual nor emotional. We wanted so much to see the barren wintry landscape through his eyes but there was nothing. We searched for something positive in the performance and the best we can say is that we understood his German, which is to be expected since he is of Austrian nationality. Singing in one's birth language should have given the singer an advantage in interpretation but there was none to be heard.

There also seemed to be a disconnect between the piano of Irena Portenko and the singer. One never had the feeling that they breathed together, something we have observed in good partnerships between singer and pianist. Ms. Portenko occasionally lost her place and kept the bass line going whilst scrolling through the score with her right hand. This lack of preparation is something we might have ignored had we been wrapped up in the emotional content but we were not.

Schubert's cycle is replete with harmonic interest and rhythmic variety that tells us what the protagonist is feeling and, sadly, this rarely came across. Schubert was already quite ill with syphilis when he composed this cycle and clearly mined his own grief so thoroughly that it seemed strange to be sitting in Weill Recital Hall feeling nothing. Schubert's genius expressed itself in his depiction of natural elements. One should be able to feel the snow, the ice, the menacing crow, the bareness of the landscape.

To our surprise, the audience applauded enthusiastically at the conclusion and we wondered whether there was something wrong with us. However, our opera singer seat mate was similarly bored and agreed with our criticism, offering some of her own. Not a very good night!

Just to find out whether we had grown bored with the cycle we played the first recording of Winterreise that we could find. It was Jonas Kaufman with Helmut Deutsch as collaborative pianist--from twenty years ago. We really needed to erase the memory of the live performance and reassure ourselves of the greatness of Schubert's masterpiece.

© meche kroop


Monday, January 20, 2025

OPERA INDEX 2025 WINTER GALA


 Jasmine Ward, Abigail Raiford, Magdalena Kuzma, Luna Seongeun Park, Shelen Hughes, Joseph Parrish, Benjamin Sokol, Son Jin Kim, and Minghao Liu with Jane Shaulis at the podium

Opera Index is an organization that fulfills a number of needs within our opera community, providing financial and career support to emerging opera singers; it is run by volunteers and sustained by donors. To look through the list of their honorees is to look at a Who's Who of Planet Opera. This year's honoree was renowned Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, given the award by Barry Tucker son of the late great tenor Richard Tucker.

It has been our great pleasure to be a member of Opera Index lo these many years and to have written about the galas and also the less formal recitals at which we get a more substantial hearing of some of the winners. Among the 2024 winners were several young artists that have thrilled us with their undergraduate and post-graduate performances, artists well deserving of awards, attention, and future success.

As is our wont, the ranking of prizes and their commensurate cash value will not be mentioned here; for us these artists are all grand prize winners. If such is your need to know, let us refer you to www.operaindex.org where you can learn more about this storied foundation and (of course) make a donation. President Jane Shaulis opened the evening with some very welcoming remarks, and then....let the excitement begin!

Opening the program was soprano Luna Seongeun Park who let her voice and personality shine in "Chacon le sait" from Donizetti's La fille du regiment, showing not only vocal beauty but capturing Marie's lively temperament. We haven't enjoyed the aria this much since Natalie Dessay performed it at The Metropolitan Opera.

More soprano superiority was to follow with Shelen Hughes showing a melting legato and rich tone in Suzel's charming aria "Son Pochi Fiori" from L'amico Fritz, Mascagni's second most famous opera. Mascagni meant for his music to show us how Suzel won the heart of the landowner and, similarly, Ms. Hughes won the hearts of the audience.

Figaro's unjustified suspicion of Susanna's infidelity is always a crowd pleaser and bass-baritone Son Jin Kim made the most of "Aprite un po' quell occhi" from Mozart's masterpiece Le nozze di Figaro. Mr. Kim's phrasing, dynamics, and rhythmic acuity brought his character to vivid life.

Taking us from comedy to tragedy was soprano Jasmine Ward whose soaring soprano did justice to the tragic lament "My man's gone now" from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, the only American opera represented in last night's program. The audience's rapt attention was palpable.

Moving on from tragedy to rage, Abigail Raiford tore into the role of Queen of the Night in "Der Holle Rache" from Mozart's Die Zauberflote. Always a showpiece and a chance for a coloratura soprano to show her stuff, Ms. Raiford evinced clarity in the lavish fioritura and skill with the high tessitura.

From rage to fear we go! So much emotion in one evening!  In Verdi's Macbeth, Banquo senses the upcoming slaughter of himself and his young son in "Come dal ciel precipita". Bass-baritone Benjamin Sokol used the excellent resonance of his instrument to create the character, a superlative performance indeed.

Tchaikovsky's Iolanta is not often produced and we welcomed hearing the heroine's Arioso sung with sensitivity and dynamic variety by soprano Magdalena Kuzma, whose warm voice was echoed by a warm stage presence.

Who doesn't enjoy a good Belcore! Bass-baritone Joseph Parrish delighted us with "Come Paride vezzoso" from Donizetti's  L'elisir d'amore, employing his lustrous tone and charming personality to create a likable and amusing character. Having heard Mr. Parrish sing mostly in Russian and English, we relished the opportunity to enjoy his Italianate phrasing and legato. (With three excellent bass-baritones on the program, we were dying to learn what Sir Terfel thought, but we were sure he would not say!)

Closing the program was the sole tenor of the evening Minghao Liu who is having a fine career in bel canto roles, as well he should. His instrument has tonal warmth which he employs with consummate legato. We particularly enjoyed the way he used the entire staging area for Lindoro's aria. "Languir per una bella" from Rossini's dramma giocosa, L'Italiana in Algeri. We mentally cast him in a few other bel canto roles.

As Collaborative Pianist we had Matthew Lobaugh who easily changed mood and color to suit the varying emotions onstage. Indeed, all the artists succeeded in carrying us from comedy to tragedy to anger to charm. What a splendid celebration of young artists, all of whom are well on their way to successful careers. Bravi tutti!

© meche kroop






Sunday, January 5, 2025

SINGING PIRATES AND DANCING COPS


                                                       Those kindly thoughtful pirates


"No, Frederic, it cannot be. I don’t think much of our profession, but, contrasted with respectability, it is comparatively honest." Thus spake The Pirate King to his apprentice Frederic revealing to an ever enthusiastic audience the hypocrisy of the respectable. In the present day, news sources are full of tales about genuine and very scary pirates who attack merchant ships for political causes or for economic benefit. Not so the pirates of Gilbert and Sullivan's masterwork The Pirates of Penzance.

Spoiler Alert! One doesn't find out until the final scene that the pirates are all nobleman gone astray, fine fellows all with a soft spot for orphans, and eligible to wed the numerous wards of Major-General Stanley, whose patter song "I am a Model of a Modern Major-General" is a model of clever rhymes that tickle the ear. W. S. Gilbert was a whiz of a wordsmith indeed.

The beloved Savoyards skewered British social customs and legal systems to the delight of their Victorian audience and continue to delight modern audiences, even though there are words that are somewhat unfamiliar. We read the libretto in advance and were obliged to look up such words as "costermonger" and such terms as "a Ward in Chancery" but one can enjoy the story, the tunes, and the sound of the rhymes and rhythms even if one does not understand every word.

Still, there are a plethora of couplets that one can appreciate such as our favorite: "You shall quickly be parsonified, Conjugally matrimonified, By a doctor of divinity, Who resides in this vicinity". That Arthur Sullivan's melodies amplify Gilbert's wordsmithery does not make it a periphery, but it does make us so dithery.  Oh dear!  Their wit is contagious and a bit outrageous. (No more, we promise!)

Although we have been fortunate enough to have seen the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company when they toured the United States some time ago, we prefer the performances of New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players who always deliver a performance that is dramatically valid and musically rewarding. We've never been disappointed by the artists who seem to enjoy being onstage as much as we enjoy being in the audience.

2025 marks their 50th season and last night we were thrilled to be in the audience for opening night of The Pirates of Penzance. Directed by Albert Bergeret, the performance was full of wit and over-the- top shenanigans. We would hate to spoil it for you! David Auxier's  witty choreography added greatly to the fun and, in a highly amusing modernizing twist, employed some choreography suggestive of Bob Fosse with appropriate use of headgear. 

Joseph Rubin's conducting made every sparkling tune come to life and the melodies are still ringing in our ears. Even the lighting by Benjamin Weill added to the fun; in a clever bit, the  Sergeant of Police, played by the loose limbed Mr. Auxier himself, interacted with the person handling the spotlight, motioning for it to be directed towards himself. This was only one of several inventive and amusing moments.

But we are talking about musical theater (operetta?) so let us concern ourselves with the voices. Regrettably amplified (my companion and I both found the sound a bit muddy at times with some artists sounding clearer than others), it is difficult to evaluate vocal quality with the exception of that of soprano Claire Leyden. Her coloratura was crisply and musically rendered, with Sullivan's writing sending up Lucia's mad scene from Donizetti's Lucia de Lamermoor. 

The acting was superb all around with Alex Corson portraying the innocent Frederic about to "graduate" from his apprenticeship with a pirate band, due to the disarticulation of the word "pilot".  He has never seen a woman except for his nursemaid Ruth who would like to marry him. These days, everyone is butt-hurt about something or other and protests abound from those experiencing racism in the theater. As a middle-aged woman, we personally object to the ageism in this work, since Ruth is discarded as being too old for Frederic! We are laughing up our sleeve since we wouldn't change a word of this delightful piece.

The loyal Ruth was wonderfully performed by Angela Christine Smith. The aforementioned Ms. Leyden was charming as Mabel, the only one of Major-General Stanley's passel of wards willing to show interest and affection for the "Poor Wand'ring One" whose profession as a pirate was deemed unacceptable for respectable young ladies. 

The role of Major-General Stanley was taken by James Mills who dazzled us with his rapid-fire patter song "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in which he pretended to be groping for Gilbert's clever rhymes.

Matthew Wages made a marvelous Pirate King and convinced us that "it is indeed a glorious thing to be a Pirate King"! As his Lieutenant Samuel, Adam Hirama Wells had just the right spirit.

Three of Stanley's wards were named in the program -- Hannah Holmes, Alexandra Imbrosci-Viera, and Laura Sudduth but there was no way to tell which artist played which girl.. Well, one of them performed some lovely ballet moves.

We will repeat how excellent was the direction and staging. Among the  numerous sight gags we particularly enjoyed the one in which the gaggle of girls created a train with twirling parasols as wheels. Their beautiful and most apropos costumes were created by Quinto Ott and Gail Wofford, whose artistry most radical made sense of  costuming piratical (Oh, stop us before we begin speaking like Gilbert!)

We cannot keep from mentioning how successful this company is at attracting audiences without directorial co-opting. We are in Victorian England where duty is a major value as is love of The Queen. Thanks for honoring the time and place without attempts to make the work "relevant".

By the end of the performance, our face was sore from smiling. Dear Reader, next weekend offers more opportunities to enjoy this experience and you should make sure that you do!

This review was NOT written by AI. We take full responsibility for it, errors and all.

©meche kroop

 






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Wednesday, December 25, 2024

COMFORT YE 2024

Artists raising money for the homeless at Lauren Flanigan's annual "Comfort Ye"

It doesn't really feel like Christmas until we experience the annual event called "Comfort Ye", a most engaging concert created by acclaimed American Soprano Lauren Flanigan joined by Maestro Kamal Khan at the piano. For 29 years funds and goods have been donated by audience members who join to hear great music and to alleviate hunger in the homeless population of New York City. The emphasis has always been on working for social change and promoting a culture of self reliance.

Ms. Flanigan is renowned for her work with young singers in her Music and Mentoring House, by means of which we have discovered young talent who need all the help they can get. We have felt a special bond with this amazing woman who does so much social good and has given the opera community so many memorable performances. We admit that our favorite was always her Lady Macbeth in a characterization that grabbed Verdi's music and amplified its emotional impact by a power of ten.

The superstar herself graced the stage a few times last night singing music by Ricky Ian Gordon (his tango-inflected "Coyote") and William Bolcom (his unsettling "George" from Cabaret Songs). Mo. Khan thrilled us with Chopin's "Barcarolle, Opus 60". One after another, opera stars graced the stage, wowing the audience with their favorite arias and songs.

Since our focus is on young singers we would like to begin with mezzo-soprano Shengnan Yang who initially impressed us as a student at Mannes.  My, how her voice has grown! We noticed the same intensity that we have always admired in Ms. Flanigan as she threw herself into "Condotta ell'era in ceppi", the very upsetting aria sung by Azucena in Verdi's Il Trovatore. What was quite remarkable was the power at the very bottom of the register. It pleased us no end that Ms. Yang has been cast in the role of Carmen which will suit her beautiful appearance far better than the role of Azucena.

Another performance that struck us was that of coloratura soprano Lusilla Mazi whose interpretation of the Queen of the Night in "O Zitt're Nicht" from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte managed to show us the dangerously manipulative purpose underlying the character's warmly seductive approach to Tamino. This was a revelation because we have seen so many performances that showed us only a powerful woman who just wanted to protect her daughter.

J'Nai Bridges, whom we recently reviewed, performed the sad and moving "Ah! Je vais mourir" Didon's lament from the final act of Berlioz' Les Troyens. This superlative mezzo-soprano succeeded in conveying the grief of a woman who has loved and lost, since Énée has been persuaded by the gods to leave Carthage for Italy. Ms. Bridges just garnered superb reviews for her performance as Didon at the Seattle Opera. We can certainly see why!

Another suicidal character, the eponymous La Wally from the Catalani opera was brought to life by soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs who also performed the moving "O patria mia" from Verdi's Aida with a most generous sound. Her accompanist was Michael Recchiuti.

Ziwen Xiang offered everyone's favorite tenor aria "Ah mes amis" from Donizetti's La fille du régiment. Perhaps the rest of the audience was reveling in the high C's but our attention was drawn to the manner in which Mr. Xiang conveyed both the exuberance of announcing his new found love and the tenderness he felt toward Marie.

The diva quality of a famous actress' "humble bragging" was capture by soprano Brittany Olivia Logan in "Io son l'umile ancella" from Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. Umile, she ain't!

The humorously satirical song "Twelve Days After Christmas by F. Silver was performed by Olanna Goudeau; the lyrics were so clever that we had to look them up online.

Soprano Manna K. Jones offered a selection from Handel's Messiah and bass Daniel Sumegi offered Wotan's aria from Das Rheingold-- "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge". Yet another bass, Seth Malkin offered a couple Christmas songs, and the entire company joined vocal forces for Adolphe Adam's beautiful "O Holy Night".

It was an altogether memorable night, one to treasure, an event that benefited the audience as much as the homeless, and, we hope, left the artists feeling as elevated as we did.

© meche kroop