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

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

NINETEEN YEARS OF CAREER BRIDGES

 Honoree Adam Guettel and 2023 Award Rccipients

Career Bridges has been providing assistance to young opera singers for 19 years, far longer than we have been writing about them. Career Bridges provides mentoring, support, and performance opportunities to singers at the early stages of their careers, assistance lasting for three years, bridging the period between education and professional life.  Co-Founders David Schuyler Bender and his lovely wife Barbara Meister Bender are unique in being a beautiful "power couple" who are busy putting good into the world. Their goals are consonant with our own and we are proud and pleased to spread the word.

Tuesday night we were thrilled to be in attendance at this year's gala, held at 

The Metropolitan Club. Guests comprised not only luminaries of the opera world, donors who fund the program, and a number of voice students who no doubt hope to have Career Bridges' help in their future.

Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award was Joan Dornemann, famed vocal coach and Artistic Director of The International Vocal Arts Institute (of which we are a great fan). Many of us know her from her work at The Metropolitan Opera. We recall first meeting her as she conducted a coaching of Olga Makarina for her role as Mimi. Hearing her speak about getting her start as a prompter was most engaging.

Honored with a Distinguished Achievement Award was composer/lyricist/teacher Adam Guettel whose 2005 musical Light in the Piazza has remained in our memory. His projects are many and eagerly anticipated.

The young singers, accompanied by Musical Director Ted Taylor, were of uniformly high quality. Strangely there was only one male but we will put the ladies first. Let's begin with the sopranos, of which there were eight. They were all excellent in the same way--polished performers whose vocal technique was notable. If some of them sounded too much like each other, they will soon develop their own individual colors. That's what advanced training accomplishes.

Natalia Gonzalez-Santaliz performed "Chacun le sait" from Donizetti's La fille du regiment with a bright perky sound,  making a fine Marie. Seongeun Park made a lovely Nanetta, impressing us with her trill in "Sul fil d'un soffio etesio" from Verdi's Falstaff. Abigail Raiford exhibited the requisite bell-like tones in "Ou va la jeune Hindoue" from Delibes' Lakmé. We enjoyed the precision in  the affecting upper register of the devilishly difficult "O zittre nicht" from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, performed by Kira Kaplan.

Other sopranos chose arias that showed off voices with a bit more heft. We are not familiar with Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tsar' Bride but Hana Lobel-Torres sang the aria "Ivan Gergeitch" with an interesting vibrato and texture. The same could be said for Kristin Gillis' performance of "Glück, das mir verblieb" from Korngold's Die tote Stadt, which she made her own. 

The huge but flexible soprano of Marieke de Koker was just right for "Tacea la notte placida" from Verdi's Il Trovatore. This stunning performance was a bonus and not in the program. We wouldn't have missed it for the world.

We also liked the mezzo-sopranos and their choice of material. Maggie Renée gave a highly dramatic performance of the witch's aria from Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel, calling to mind Jamie Barton's Jezibaba in Dvorak's Russalka. (It's so much fun to perform evil characters!)  Junyue Gong's Carmen benefitted from good pacing and a sense of time and place in the "Seguidilla". "O ma lyre immortelle" from Gounod's Sapho was sung with deep feeling by Chelsea Laggan. Tackling some Wagner was Shanley Horvitz, singing "Geliebter! Komm' sieh' dort die Grotte" from Tannhaüser. We liked her German and the seductive quality.

Our sole male voice belonged to baritone Kevin Godinez who gave Ford's aria "È sogno? O realtà" from Falstaff an excellent reading. The evening ended with Mr. Godinez leading the ensemble in a rousing performance of  "The Impossible Dream" from Leigh's Man of La Mancha. This choice was rather ironic since it seems to us that the night' young artists have possible dreams, made possible by Career Bridges.

Let us not forget to share one final performance--that of Meghan Picerno who sang one of our favorite arias--"Glitter and Be Gay" from Bernstein's Candide, a marvelous work that has been fought over by both Broadway camp and opera camp. We call it an opera.

© meche kroop