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

HIGH DRAMA!

Pavel Nersessian and Katrin Bulke

What makes a great recital?  Of course, one wants to listen to a voice that stirs us; a close partnership between singer and collaborative pianist is essential; and there is also the matter of the program. Sometimes a great singer can give us pleasure even when singing material that is not to our taste; but when a singer we love sings songs that we love, we are over the moon.

Last night at St. John's in the Village, soprano Katrin Bulke, in partnership with pianist Pavel Nersessian, put us well over the moon in a program we couldn't have enjoyed more if we had chosen it ourself. Ms.Bulke has appeared a number of times in our reviews so it would be redundant to describe her impressively clarion tone, musical phrasing, and impeccable linguistic ability.

So, let us focus now on the dramatic interpretation. Schubert's songs are like mini operas.  Take for example "Die Forelle" in which there are three characters which the singer can bring to life: the titular trout, the predatory fisherman, and the observer who seems sympathetic to the poor deceived fish. Listening to the perfect marriage between Schubert's music and Schubart's text, sung as only a native speaker of German can, we felt at one with the observer standing on the bank of a river.

Similarly, "Gretchen am Spinnrade", Goethe's tale of a deceived woman,  reminded us of every woman who's ever been ghosted-- filled with despair at one moment but also ecstasy in the memory of a lost love. Schubert's music kept the spinning wheel spinning and Ms. Bulke gave us every emotion of the poor girl. In this lied, one can almost hear what came before and what will come after.

In "Auf dem Wasser zu singen", the metaphor of the boat gliding over the water stands for the soul and whilst Ms. Bulke's voice floated above the piano line, we thought of the transitory nature of life.

Mozart's concert aria "Vorrei spiegarvi, O Dio!" is made devilishly difficult by unbelievably wide upward skips into the vocal stratosphere; it was in no way  daunting for the intrepid Ms. Bulke. The aria sounds as if it came from an opera and it did, but not from one by Mozart. It was an "insertion aria" for an opera by Pasquale Anfossi. It predated Mozart's Die Zauberflöte by several years and shares some of the challenges he would pose in the arias for the Queen of the Night.

Ms. Bulke's operatic interpretations are as artistic as those for lieder. We were so enthralled with "Ah, non credea mirarti" from Bellini's La Sonnambula that we recorded it on our cell phone and posted it to Instagram where you can watch and listen to the dramatic artistry for yourself (IG: vocedimeche). You may also find it on our personal FB page (meche kroop).

Of course, there is no more dramatic scena than Violetta's Act I excursion into female ambivalence. "Girls just want to have fun" does battle with the possibility of true love. Every emotion was limned from recitativo to aria to cabaletta. We would gladly have heard it repeated.

Ms. Bulke's talent for lighthearted fun was exhibited in the encore--"Mein Herr Marquis", otherwise known as Adele's "Laughing Song" from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus; in this aria, Adele in disguise tweaks her employer who is also in disguise.

Ms. Bulke's dramatic artistry utilizes not just vocal coloration but the generous use of gesture and facial expression. The overall effect is deliciously involving.

We have nothing but praise for the fine supportive accompaniment by Pavel Nersessian. Still, it took a few piano solos for us to appreciate his versatility. It's been some time since we failed to master Schubert's Impromptus so we were thrilled to hear them the way they are meant to be played. Mr. Nersessian's hands are soft on the keys with fleet fingers. Schubert seems to like arpeggi in one hand and melody in the other with roles exchanged readily. We particularly enjoyed #4 which totally defeated us in spite of significant labor; Mr. Nersessian made it seem easy. The several sections are varied and the overall effect was profound.

The #2 from the same op.90 has a great deal of filigree and Mr. Nersessian succeeded in bringing out the melody. He also played a few pleasing works by Georges Bizet.

We walked on air for the rest of the night! 

This concert was sponsored by Get Classical and The Foundation of the Revival of Classical Culture.

(c) meche kroop

WONDER WOMEN

Elad Kabilio and Kirsten Scott at Interface

Elad Kabilio's "Music Talks" are designed to break down the barriers between musicians and audience. Guests at the comfortable Interface on 30th St. are invited to get a drink, to sit on comfortable sofas in an informal arrangement, to learn from the lively and knowledgeable Mr. Kabilio, and then to listen in a new way.

Last night's theme, part of Women in the Arts Festival, was a celebration of Women's History Month and paid tribute to the strong heroines of opera. The liberation we take for granted today was not always the case and these operatic heroines were ground breaking exemplars.

A most interesting feature of the evening was the choice of artists. Mezzo-soprano Kirsten Scott and maître de chant Laetitia Ruccolo are two strong women themselves who got together and formed Bare Opera, an alternative female-run opera company that utilizes unusual spaces to present fresh takes on opera--immersive and intimate. Ms. Scott is Artistic Director and Ms. Ruccolo is Music Director. We have been writing about them for about 3 years. We love what they do.

Mr. Kabilio interviewed Ms. Ruccolo about her role at the piano. She doesn't like the phrase "collaborative pianist" and prefers the French title "maître de chant" to express her wide ranging work in coaching singers, preparing the program, and multiple other tasks.  Ms. Scott was given the opportunity to describe each operatic heroine about whom she was singing. The two women selected the arias to be performed.

We are not sure what the compelling Ms. Scott sang at her Carnegie Hall debut last weekend but everything she sang last night was stellar. The program opened with "Cruda sorte" from Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri.  Isabella is a strong woman who goes off to Algiers to rescue her lover. The delivery was superb.

Rossini loved his strong female roles, mostly mezzo-sopranos. We have heard Ms. Scott on a prior occasion singing "Una voce poco fa" from Il Barbiere di Siviglia and we loved the way she handled the various sections of the aria and limned Rosina's character through the fioritura. The performance has only gotten better with even more attention to the details of her personality. As she explained, this is an "entrance aria" meant to establish the character. She added that Rosina "keeps me on my toes".

From Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas, she sang the sad aria "When I am laid in earth", explaining that Dido's strength was not one of accomplishment but an inner reserve that helped her face death fearlessly.

Strength of character is also exhibited by Charlotte in Massenet's Werther and Ms. Scott gave us a lovely performance of "Va! Laisse couler mes larmes" which illustrates the manner in which a tearful catharsis allows women to be strong. She not only captured Charlotte's character but did so with long melodic lines.

Mezzo-sopranos are often called upon to sing en travesti, and Bellini gave the part of Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi to a mezzo. We enjoyed hearing Romeo's aria "Deh tu, bell'anima" in which Ms. Scott used her vibrato to express the character's grief when he believes Juliet to be dead.

In Les Contes d'Hoffman, the hero's muse assumes the identity of a friend Nicklausse who must be strong where Hoffman is weak; she extricates him from some hairy situations. We heard Ms. Scott perform the "Violin Aria" and it took us back to 2013 when she performed this role with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance.  Again, she has only refined the character.

Similarly, we reviewed her Cherubino in 2013 and remember well how persuasive she was in the role, exhibiting all of the character's anxiety and energy.  It was a pleasure to revisit "Voi che sapete" from Mozart's Nozze di Figaro and we enjoyed hearing her tell the audience some of the excitement and challenges of singing en travesti.

Before bringing out the big guns for Carmen, the stage was turned over to the lovely cellist Laura Metcalf who played Hollman's Carmen Fantasy for Cello and Piano. Mr. Kabilio explained the function of these "fantasies" as a means of bringing the operas into the home in an era before radio, TV, CD's and internet. Ms. Metcalf and Ms. Ruccolo played beautifully together and yes, all the big tunes were heard within ten minutes.

Concluding the program were selections from Bizet's opera. The strength of Carmen is undeniable. She lived and died on her own terms--fiercely and fearlessly. We heard the "Seguidilla", the "Habanera", and "En vain pour eviter" from the card-reading scene. All were vocally splendid and dramatically affecting.

This was the perfect evening to have introduced newbie friends to opera.

(c) meche kroop

OPERA INDEX WINNERS

Michael Fennelly, Leo Radosavljevic, Emily Pogorelc, Jane Shaulis, Andres Benavides Cascante, and Jaeman Yoon

Last night was the Opera Index annual membership party which consisted of some exciting entertainment and a buffet supplied by the members, who, we might add, are all given to l'abbondanza. We love great food to go along with great singing.

And great singing was definitely on the menu. Five splendid singers entertained us royally in between les hors d'oeuvres and le grand buffet.

Soprano Hayan Kim performed first since she was on her way to an audition. With a crystalline soprano at her disposal she performed "Je veux vivre" from Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette. We were impressed by her ability to engage the audience with her charming stage presence and involvement with the text. She conveyed all the youthful passion required by the role. A fine vibrato ensured that the molecules of air danced around the hall.

Gounod was not the only composer to have tackled Shakespeare's tale of young love. Vincenzo Bellini took a different tack and we were fortunate to hear soprano Emily Pogorelc sing "O quante volte" from I Capuleti e i Montecchi. This aria comes along later in the plot when Juliette has already fallen for Romeo and we had the impression that Ms. Pogorelc knew exactly what she was singing and sang it in beautiful bel canto style.  We liked her phrasing of Bellini's long lines and use of dynamic variation.  And we loved the way pianist Michael Fennelly played Bellini's arpeggi.

Bass-baritone Leo Radosavljevic employed perfect French in his performance of "Riez Allez" from Jules Massenet's Don Quichotte. In this aria Sancho Panza is scolding the people who made fun of his master Don Q. We particularly enjoyed the texture of Mr. Radosavljevic's instrument and his expansive delivery.

Baritone Andres Benavides Cascante evinced a great deal of vocal flexibility in his portrayal of Count Almaviva in "Hai gia vinta la causa" from Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. The poor Count is clueless and covers it up by being indignant.  All this was conveyed to the audience because Mr. Cascante knew the text and knew it well. 

Baritone Jaeman Yoon wowed the audience with his big round sound and pleasing vibrato as he performed an emotionally intense "Nemico della patria",  Gerard's aria from Umberto Giordano's verismo opera Andrea Chénier.

Three of the artists graciously provided encores of a lighter nature. Ms. Pogorelc performed "Kiss Me Again" from Victor Herbert's comic operetta Mademoiselle Modiste. This is a lovely tuneful song which Ms. Pogorelc graced with some divine portamenti.

Mr. Radosavljevic performed William Bolcom's "Black Max" (our all time favorite Bolcom song). Not since we heard cabaret artist Kim Smith's interpretation have we truly enjoyed this song which requires an enormous amount of dramatic interpretation. We were very impressed by Mr. Radosavljevic's ability to paint a picture with his voice.

And finally, Mr. Cascante sang "Mi Aldea" the opening aria of Jacinto Guerreros' zarzuela Los Gavilanes.  In this opening scene, Juan returns to his village from a long sojourn in Peru. The delivery was delightful and readers may recall how greatly we treasure zarzuelas.

This year Opera Index has awarded $55,000. to 16 singers.  Judging by tonight's sampling, the judges of the competition did a great job winnowing from a large field of applicants. There will be a gala on January 21, 2018, at which we will hear more of the winners.

Opera lovers who have not yet joined Opera Index are encouraged to do so at the modest membership cost of $45. There will be many opportunities to meet fellow opera lovers and help young singers. The list of winners from bygone years is astounding and includes so many of the greatest names in opera.

(c) meche kroop

TRANSATLANTIC OPERA

Danny Miller, Vasilisa Atanackovic, and Alison Miller

They call themselves TransAtlanticOpera and they made quite an impression last night at the National Opera Center, the end of their tour of Canada and The United States. They comprise a most unusual ensemble, of whom only three are pictured. The other two members are Brian Holman (the pianist with magic fingers) and the fine clarinetist Krishna Veerappan. They met in Sicily and formed an ensemble of interesting proportions and sonorities.

We are accustomed to hearing voice with piano or guitar accompaniment or with full orchestra so the novelty of the arrangements by violinist Danny Miller allowed us to hear familiar works with fresh ears.

Aside from arias performed by the engaging soprano Vasilisa Atanackovic, the four member ensemble performed instrumental versions of operatic highlights. When they played Mozart's "Porgi amor" from Nozze di Figaro, we could see the Countess and hear her voice in our head.

The "Meditation" from Massenet's Thais was absolutely gorgeous and featured Alison Miller's violin. "Casta diva" from Bellini's Norma featured Mr. Veerappan's clarinet. Similarly gorgeous was the "Intermezzo" from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. Mr. Holman's piano was exceptional in the "Intermezzo" from Puccini's Manon Lescaut.

But it was the singer we came to hear, so let us praise Ms. Atanackovic's bright and beautiful soprano and her passionate involvement in getting the arias across. Dvorak's shimmering score for Russalka lost little in translation (or rather arrangement) and Ms. Atanackovic melded beautifully with Mr. Holman's piano part. We loved the Bohemian harmonies and the way her voice swelled in the upper register.

Liu's plea "Tu che di gel" from Puccini's Turandot came across well and we loved the Rachmaninoff song "Polubila ya" (I have grown fond of sorrow).

We hate to harp on things that detract from an otherwise stellar performance but the dreaded music stand appeared, disappeared, and reappeared on several occasions.  It truly is a barrier between singer and audience. The singer makes contact and then that slender thread is broken every time she glances down and turns a page.

Actually, we were quite surprised that this happened with a singer so intensely intent on communicating--especially at the end of a tour!  In "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi (the opening piece) she lost us and we found ourselves shifting our attention to the unusual instrumental arrangement. Since Lauretta is pleading for something, it was particularly egregious to not focus on an imaginary Babbo in the audience.

Also on the program was the famous Neapolitan song "O sole mio" and the famous Spanish song "Besame mucho" performed with just the piano and marked by dynamic variety and rubato.  "Black Swan" from Menotti's The Medium (just reviewed a couple days ago) would have been so much better off the book!

There was a very emotional delivery of "Vissi d'arte" from Puccini's Tosca (an opera we are going to review in a couple days) but we have saved the best for last because this must be Ms. Atanovackovic's signature role--"Senza mamma" from Puccini's Suor Angelica. Everything was there and we could appreciate not only the wonderful instrument but the phrasing and, above all, the connection with the audience that allowed us to really feel the text. A major score!

We hope that when this excellent ensemble returns that the music stand will have been relegated to the ash heap!

(c) meche kroop

HIDENORI INOUE RECITAL

Jonathan Heaney, Seok Jong Baek, and Hidenori Inoue

A Masters Degree recital marks the commencement of a singer's career, but, as often as not, the singer has already begun singing roles in small companies.  Such is the case with bass Hidenori Inoue whom we have heard and admired on a few occasions. His performance as the eponymous hero of Donizetti's Don Pasquale was a revelation and we later enjoyed his appearance with New Amsterdam Opera as Leonora's father in Verdi's Forza del Destino. And we will soon be hearing his Don Magnifico in Rossini's Cenerentola with A.R.E. Opera.  That's quite a range of roles!

Yesterday's recital at Manhattan School of Music was his first foray into lieder which thus demonstrated his versatility as an artist. Basses have a long "shelf life" as does Mr. Inoue's teacher James Morris. So it makes sense to try everything whilst one is young. The problem with lieder recitals for the basso fach is that most of the songs are dark in color and it is difficult to establish variety.

The three songs by Schubert that opened the program are a case in point--they are all grim. Jonathan Heaney's piano established the mood in the introduction to "Der Tod und das Madchen" and we would have enjoyed a more tender color from the maiden than we heard from "Death". We enjoyed the eerie tone and anguish of "Der Doppelganger" and found the German to be quite good. Overall we like the quality of Mr. Inoue's instrument and the appealing vibrato. And he has plenty of strength at the lower end of the register.

It was evident in the three songs by Henri Duparc than Mr. Inoue can sing with a more tender color, as he did in "Phidyle". It was also clear that he knew what he was singing about and we saw les abeilles and les oiseaux through his eyes. "Extase" was lovely but "La Vague et la Cloche" took us right back to "grim" with its disturbing nightmare.

After intermission, Mr. Inoue was back on more familiar territory. He is a natural on the opera stage and gave a superb performance of Fiesco's aria from Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. Although Fiesco is an enemy of the hero, Verdi's music and Mr. Inoue's performance stimulated our sympathy for the character who has just lost his daughter. He is filled with grief which he transmutes into anger at Boccanegra and at the Virgin. We enjoyed it so much that we were moved to listen to several of the great basses singing the same aria--Cesare Siepi, James Morris, and Nicolai Ghiaurov. Mr. Inoue can be proud of his performance!

Four songs by Aaron Copland were well handled and injected some variety into the program. "The Little Horses" has rhythmic variety and some notes at the top of the basso range which the artist handled well. His English is sung with only the slightest accent which didn't interfere with our understanding of the text. We particularly liked the lively and spirited reading he gave to "Ching-A-Ring Chaw".

The program closed with the marvelous duet from Bellini's I Puritani which we recently saw at The Metropolitan Opera.
We have heard the rousing "Suoni la tromba" often at award recitals because it it a stunning showpiece for baritone and bass. In this case the baritone was Seok Jong Baek, whom we always enjoy. The two artists shared a beautiful blending of tones.

Although Mr. Inoue's upcoming schedule will take him to Maine and to Oklahoma, we suggest you catch his upcoming performance in the afore-mentioned Cenerentola. We believe he is destined for great success and you will be able to say "I heard him when...".

(c) meche kroop

A BLISS-FUL RECITAL

Lachlan Glen and Ben Bliss

Our writing skills are insufficient to do justice to the artistry we witnessed onstage yesterday at the recital of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. We felt enthralled for 80 short minutes and wanted more. How do we find the words to convey what it's like to have one's heart and soul swept away in torrents of music? We may fail but we must make the effort.

Tenor Ben Bliss has a remarkable instrument, the timbre of which has a near magical effect on the very cells of the body. The phrase "liquid balm" comes to mind. One hears the tone and it's as if one is in touch with the music of the spheres.

Add to this the musicianship--the phrasing, the diction, the pacing--and every song became a mini-opera. Mr. Bliss seems to be so involved with the emotional tone of each song and conveys it so successfully that it becomes a shared experience. We sat with moist eyes, partly from the sheer beauty we heard and partly from identifying with the emotions in many of the songs.

To add to the intensity of the experience we had the piano partnering of Lachlan Glen who touches the keys and thereby touches the heart. He seemed to become one with the instrument and brings forth joy and sorrow, delicacy and passion, each in its own turn.

The first half of the program included songs of Vincenzo Bellini and Ottorini Respighi. The three canzone by Bellini are well known to us and much loved. "Malinconia, Ninfa gentile", "Vanne, o rosa fortuna", and "Ma rendi pur contento", which was rendered with great delicacy. We are sure that Bellini would have loved the interpretations which were imbued with a great variety of color.

As far as the Respighi songs, they belong to the category of songs that we've heard that never made much of an impression on us. All that was changed by Mr. Bliss and Mr. Glen who took them to an entirely new level. 

In "Pioggia", the poet (Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj) speaks of "il tumulto dei colori" and Mr. Bliss sang in such a tumult of colors!  In "Nebbie" the lonely unloved feelings of the poet (Ada Negri) came through with such clarity that we wept. The gradual crescendo led to feelings of near horror at the conclusion. We have written before about how a deeply felt performance can change the way we feel about a song and such was the case.

Franz Liszt's "Pace non trovo" from Tre Sonetti di Petrarca was filled with passion and clearly illustrated the poet's bafflement over his contradictory feelings towards the mysterious Laura. Each feeling came through by means of adept and artistic word coloring. There was a suspenseful pause just before the final pair of lines ("In questo stato son") in which we realized we were holding our breath!

The second half of the program included the participation of The Kleio Quartet: violinists Christina Bouey and Clare Semes, violist Isabel Hagen, and cellist Madeline Fayette. Ralph Vaughan Williams composed the evocative On Wenlock Edge in 1908, scored for tenor, piano and string quartet. The influence of Maurice Ravel is marked. The text is from A.E. Housman's A Shropshire Lad.

The instrumental effects are poignant and add greatly to the tenor's storytelling. We heard "From far, from eve and morning", followed by the very sorrowful " 'Is my team ploughing" in which the texture of cello and piano alternated with the voices of the violins and viola. Mr. Bliss brought out the chilling end, as a storyteller must.

Mr. Glen employed his piano artistry well in "Bredon Hill"; there was no missing the pealing of the church bells. This sad tale had the violins weeping.  And we wept along.

Mr. Glen had his chance to shine in his performance of Ravel's "Jeux d'eau" for solo piano. He addressed the audience and shared that the piece represents the river goddess laughing as the waters of the Fountain of Versaille tickle her. Needless to say, our ears were equally tickled as Mr. Glen's fingers tickled the ivories.  What a performance!

The program closed with a few unusual choices. Mr. Bliss began "As I went down to the river to pray" a capella and with great simplicity.  Then the piano entered and each verse grew in fervor. It became a work of wonder.

Ann Ronnel's "Willow weep for me" was followed by "Orange colored sky" by Milton De Lugg and Willie Stein, a jazzy number that Mr. Bliss sang with flair and more than enough facility with "scat".

As encore we heard in impeccable German the luscious arietta "Magische Töne" from Karl Goldmark's 1875 opera Die Königen von Saba. The music and the words are equally seductive and Mr. Bliss floated the notes of his upper register in a lingering pianissimo. We could feel the "milde abendluft".  Pure Bliss!

(c) meche kroop

A-VERY FINE RECITAL

Sophia Muñoz and Avery Amereau

Let us begin by saying that we love Avery Amereau's voice.  We have enjoyed listening to her as she made her way through the Juilliard Vocal Arts Department and last night's recital marked her upcoming achievement of a Master of Music degree. So many singers who are billed as mezzo-sopranos sound like sopranos who don't have the high notes; not so Ms. Amereau whose voice reminds us of a creamy chocolate stout, or maybe a Guinness. It is a very special voice.  A true mezzo.

Last night we heard her sing Bellini with a warm Italianate song, Poulenc with fine French diction, Brahms in perfect German, and English in an emotionally demanding piece by Britten.

Bellini's songs require a long sustained line and Ms. Amereau's phrasing was just right. We loved the choice of songs which were all familiar to us. "Malinconia, ninfa gentile" has such a lilting melody but perhaps our favorite was "Dolente immagine di Fille mia" with its sorrowful image. The long lines were beautifully embellished.

In "L'abbandono" we appreciated the phrasing and dynamic control. In "Torna, vezossa Fillide", Ms. Amereau gave equal attention to tempi and to color, especially at the transition from major to minor key, as did Ms. Muñoz.

Poulenc's Banalités are always fun and we generally seem to favor the shorter ones like the languorous "Hôtel" and "Voyage à Paris", filled as it is with charm and excitement. In "Sanglots" we heard some really fine piano work from Ms. Muñoz.

Thanks to Ms. Amereau's programming skills, we heard for the first time (and hope it won't be for the last time) Two Songs for Viola and Alto, Op. 91 by Brahms. With the fortunate participation of violist Matthew Lipman we heard "Gestillte Sehnsucht" and "Die ihr schwebet" with its two catchy melodies, one in the viola and the other in the voice.  Supported by Ms. Muñoz on the piano, the artists played off one another to the delight of our happy ears.

Our ears were not so happy with Britten's Phaedra. Readers may have anticipated that this 20th c. work would not be our favorite. It was very intense and we could admire the artist's delivery without wanting to hear it again. It is an emotionally demanding work and Ms. Amereau had the goods to deliver. We just didn't think Greek tragedy required such a musical interpretation. The words could have done as well in a dramatic reading.

We are happy to report that Ms. Amereau can be seen and heard in Carmen at the New York Opera Exchange, coming up in May. We are seriously excited about this and hope you will be as well. Watch on our Facebook page (Voce di Meche) for further announcements.

(c) meche kroop

NATHAN HALLER, MM

Nathan Haller and Leann Osterkamp

Graduation recitals are always cause for bittersweet feelings.  We are joyful to mark the occasion of an artist's achievement and excited about their future; at the same time we feel sad that we will miss seeing and hearing them perform.  For the most part we have been watching their artistic growth from the sidelines and have developed feelings of involvement.

Yesterday superstar tenor Nathan Haller performed his final recital at Juilliard and impressed us with his suave stage presence, his linguistic skills, and his versatility. He opened his program with scenes from Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail.  

This was not just a performance of arias; Mr. Haller as Belmonte enlisted the help of two superb colleagues--tenor James Edgar Knight in the role of the goofy Pedrillo and bass Önay Köse as the growly grouchy Osmin. Not only was the singing glorious but the acting was as fine as one would wish for, had the opera been fully staged. Mr. Haller is a natural for Mozart and made excellent use of his refined messa di voce.

Vincenzo Bellini set a text by Metastasio to a gorgeous simple melody; Pavarotti recorded it with James Levine in 1988.  We could listen to it over and over again; Mr. Haller's performance required no comparisons.  He sounded terrific in his own right, singing with highly expressive sincerity and a lovely legato.

Fauré's "Adieu" was sung with a long lean Gallic line and excellent French diction. Benjamin Britten's "Before life and after" was impassioned.

A set of Schubert songs closed the all-too-brief program.  It was in this set that we got to appreciate collaborative pianist Leann Osterkamp, especially as she matched the variety of Mr. Haller's colors in our personal favorite, "Erlkönig". The matter-of-fact narrator yielded to the frightened piping child, the steadfast reassuring father, and the slimy seductive titular Erlkönig.  It was such a stunning performance that we wished it had been the closing lied.

It had such a strong emotional impact that we had to struggle to "let it go" and focus on the rest of the Schubert--all of which were excellent.  "Liebesbotschaft" permitted Mr. Haller to show sweeter coloring while "Kriegers Ahnung" took him into his lower register where he assumed darker coloring.

The romantic "Ständchen" always melts our heart and Mr. Haller's delivery reached perfection.  He accurately portrayed the pain and futility in "Der Atlas".  "Der Doppelgänger" was appropriately spooky, anguished and intense. The final lied "Taubenpost" is a cheerful one which left us smiling.

Unfortunately, there was no encore; we would have happily enjoyed another hour of music by Mr. Haller and Ms. Osterkamp.  Mr. Haller has an excellent position next season in Switzerland and we are consoling ourself over our loss by thinking how much the Swiss will embrace his prodigious talent.

(c) meche kroop

LOVELY LYRICAL LAURA LEVOIR

Art Williford and Laura LeVoir

When we hear young singers we naturally have higher expectations of those further along in their career than we do of, let us say, undergraduates.  But sometimes we hear someone whose performance exceeds their level of education.  Such was the case last night when soprano Laura LeVoir, about to receive her Bachelor of Music Degree from Juilliard,  captivated our eyes and ears with a completely stage-worthy and accomplished performance.

Equally adept in Italian, German, French and English Ms. Levoir seemed ready to captivate any audience with her secure vocal technique, poise and consistently fine diction.  She has a warm and welcoming stage presence that seems to invite you into her world of song.

She opened the program, accompanied by the excellent collaborative pianist Art Williford, with three Italian songs.  In Vincenzo Bellini's "Vaga luna, che inargenti", she made the most of the long and luscious vocal lines we love so well.  We don't recall hearing Verdi's "Ad una stella" or Puccini's "Sole e amore" on many recital programs but we certainly want to hear them again.

Accompanied by Zsolt Balogh, she next sang selections from Robert Schuman's Liederalbum für die Jungend.  These are charming songs about the sandman, shepherds, a butterfly, a snowdrop and the welcome arrival of Spring.  Ms. Levoir makes a fine story-teller but never lets the dramatic emphasis interfere with her superb vocal technique. 

For "Viola" Schubert's lengthy tale of the arrival of Spring and the lonely snowdrop, Mr. Williford returned and provided sensitive piano interludes between the many verses.  His playing was sensitive and supportive throughout indicating a fine sense of partnership with Ms. Levoir.

The three delicate French songs which followed had all been translated by Ms. LeVoir herself and fulfilled all the Gallic requirements; the vocal line was even without any troubling emphases and the diction was perfect.  One was by André Caplet, one by Lili Boulanger and one by Francis Poulenc.

The program closed with selections from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson set by Aaron Copland.  Mr. Williford had some interesting moments on the piano in "Nature, the gentlest mother" and Ms. LeVoir created a wonderful moment in "Why do they shut me out of Heaven?"  But our favorite was the last song "Going to Heaven!" which hints at the loss of children and was very moving.

The audience was thrilled throughout and showered Ms. Levoir with applause and roses.  Thus, an encore was earned--George and Ira Gershwin's 1937 hit "They Can't Take That Away From Me".  Ms. LeVoir graciously thanked the audience and her family, her teacher Edith Bers and all the people who contributed to her growth.  They can be Very.  Very.  Proud!  This is a young woman to watch!  We had the same feeling the first time we heard Isabel Leonard sing and expect no lesser success of Ms. LeVoir.

© meche kroop

ALEK SHRADER FIVE YEARS LATER

Keun-A Lee

Alek Shrader

We well recall the 2007 Metropolitan Nation Council Auditions when tenor Alek Shrader won after dazzling the judges and astonishing the audience with his aria from Fille du Regiment.  It's almost exactly five years down the road and he still astonishes.  Last night's performance at Weill Recital Hall could be described in one word as operatic.

With the extraordinarily gifted piano partner Keun-A Lee, a program was planned that had something for everyone and allowed Mr. Shrader to show off his skills in five languages.   The opener was Rossini's frisky "La danza"; Mr. Shrader exploded onto the stage without waiting for welcoming applause and launched the song with an abundance of gesture and dancing about the stage, illuminating the exultation and excitement as we have never before heard.  One had no doubt which ladies he found attractive and which one was dull.  This was followed by Bellini's deeply sad "La Ricordanza" in which Mr. Shrader's attention to the long arching phrases made the suffering particularly poignant.  When he exults, he truly exults and when he suffers, he truly suffers.  He appeared to lose himself in the mood of each song.

The set of bel canto songs was followed by three of Gabriel Fauré's gems; we especially liked the way Mr. Shrader pulled in his oars and illuminated the delicate phrases of "Lydia".  Next he sang Richard Strauss' Vier Lieder; he was so persuasive in "Cäcilie" that we were prepared to incline our heart, come to him and live with him, as the words of the song suggest.  But, it was in the delicate "Morgen" that he pulled back on the high octane delivery and made the most impression.  It was at this point that we realized how his intensity may get in his own way at times and that some subtlety can be a welcome relief.  Less may indeed be more.

Ms. Lee had a perfect opportunity to show her stuff at this juncture when she began Joaquín Turina's Poema en forma de canciones with the haunting "Dedicatoria".  We enjoyed Mr. Shrader's "Los dos miedos" and "Las locas por amor" the best and it seemed likely that he enjoyed performing them the most as well.  Actually he seems most comfortable in Spanish and we were most receptive to the language having just attended two consecutive events by Opera Hispanica.

Vicente Martín y Soler's "Oh ciel!" from La Cosa Rara gave the artist an opportunity to have his way with fioritura and what a way it was!  Then he moved on to perform the world premiere of Iain Bell's The Undying Splendour, settings of tragic texts by John William Streets about World War I.  The writing was spare as suited the text.  Next we heard three witty/silly songs by Virgil Thomson and, to close the program Ms. Lee performed a lovely piano solo by Ethelbert Nevin and was joined by Mr. Shrader for some of Nevin's Victorian parlor songs that were simple and direct.  The final one "Nocturne" was particularly charming; a white rose climbing the trellis under a lady's window is seen by the poet (Thomas Bailey Aldrich) as a bold lover daring to climb Romeo's ladder.  What a charming metaphor!

As encore, we got "If You've Only Got a Moustache" a humorous song by Stephen Foster, performed with both artists sporting bushy fake moustaches. This brought the evening to a rousing end.

We have often be disappointed by singers who "park and bark".  No one would accuse Mr. Shrader of this flaw.  If anything we would like to see him "kick it down a notch".  His acting adds greatly to the song delivery but there is entirely too much grimacing and excessive "indicating".  For example, during the Thomson song "Was this face the cause?" he found it necessary to count on his fingers the "nine bad" and "yet one good in ten".  It reminded us of signing for the hearing impaired.  It seems churlish to be nit-picking after such a fine recital but we would also like to see Mr. Shrader lower his gaze and allow the audience to connect with him; for the entire evening he seemed to be singing to the Family Circle, of which the Weill Recital Hall has none.  Please let us know if your experience was similar to ours.

(c) meche kroop