A MEMORABLE IOLANTHE

David Wannen, Angela Christine Smith, Claire Leyden, and David Macaluso

Although not as frequently produced as The Mikado and Pirates of Penzance, lovers of Gilbert and Sullivan's works must count Iolanthe as one of their masterpieces. It was a fine selection to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. Although we were not here 50 Years ago, throughout  our theater going days we have watched this venerable company increase in artistry and prestige until last night when we watched enthusiastic fans filling the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, a sizable and comfortable venue with (thankfully below ground level) orchestra pit, well filled by Maestro Albert Bergeret and his superb orchestra. 

As a matter of fact the first thing we noticed was the sparkling overture. Once the action started one's attention became riveted upon W.S. Gilbert's lyrics which are so clever that they take one's full attention; one might miss just how skillfully the music establishes both situation and character. Focusing on the overture with its alternation between the lyrical and the pompous, the romantic and the official, informs us of Sullivan's mastery of tunefulness and orchestral colors.

The plot has something for everyone. The story, like most of those by G&S, focuses on satire of British institutions, in this case the British Parliament and its  self serving custom of the Lords marrying off their wards to the highest political bidder, so to speak. If the theme of political corruption and the emotional tendency for self-justification are insufficient to entertain you, there is always a love story between a beautiful soprano (in this case, the wildly talented and operatically trained Claire Leyden) and a tenor who must overcome obstacles to win her love--in this case the tenorrific David Macaluso.

Opera lovers may catch bits and pieces the Savoyards borrowed from the world of opera and ballet, bits both musical and physical.  For example, during the patter song "When you're lying awake" (sung by the marvelous James Mills as The Lord Chancellor), Maestro Bergeret, who also directed, kept bidding the increasingly exhausted Mr. Mills for encore verses until the poor singer was on the verge of collapse, only to be wound up again just like Olympia, the mechanical doll in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman. Ballet lovers may have noticed reflections of the "Dance of the Cygnets" in Swan Lake as the fairies danced in Act I.

The story is a charming one in which the fairy Iolanthe (portrayed by Amy Maude Helfer)  had escaped the death sentence reserved for fairies who marry mortals by the leniency of the Fairy Queen (played by contralto Angela Christine Smith, so amply of body and voice). She had born a son Strephon (Mr. Macaluso) in her forbidden marriage with the Lord Chancellor (Mr. Mills).

Strephon has become a shepherd and has fallen in love with a charming girl who is a ward in Chancery of The Lord Chancellor who does not accept his suit. Strephon is overheard speaking affectionately with his mother who, as a fairy, has not aged and appears to be romantically involved with Strephon, sending poor Phyllis into a fit of anger and determination to marry one of the Lords, never mind which. Both The Earl of Mountararat (marvelous Matthew Wages, with resonant low tones and exquisite comic timing) and The Earl of Tolloller (tenor Daniel Greenwood, with similar comic talent) vie for her hand in a delightful duet. 

Let us not forget the similarly superb comic chops of David Wannen whose huge bass tones were just perfect for Private Willis of The Grenadier Guards whose "When all night long a chap remains" struck us as perfect political commentary.

If we have said very little about the voices, it is because amplification never gives us a true picture of the singers' instruments.  However, the only one in the cast whom we have often heard unamplified on the opera stage is Ms. Leyden and to her vocal gifts we can attest.  Everyone else is in the cast sounded just fine but simply not describable. The acting was flawless as was Bergeret's direction.

Gail J. Wofford's costumes were marvelously colorful and period apropos (1885). Jack Garver's set design was simple but effective. David Auxier's choreography was well suited to the fairies and to the Lords who somehow reminded us of the Rockettes.

I was an extraordinarily satisfying lighthearted evening at a time when our own nation is ripe and ready for political satire. Unfortunately, all we get are memes and cartoons on FaceBook and on Instagram. We wish we had a team as clever as Gilbert and Sullivan to write something pertaining to contemporary times.

Since we always have a minor quibble, let us just suggest that titles be provided. We spent some time reading the libretto and marveled at Gilbert's skills with wordplay and rhyming. That much of the words were lost during the performance seemed particularly unfortunate. Naturally, low voices are more easily understood so Mr. Wannen and Ms. Smith were always clearly understood. The female chorus, whilst charming, was the least comprehensible.

© meche kroop

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

 

--

THE EXTINCTIONIST

Philip Stoddard and Katherine Henley

(photo by Russ Rowland) 

 

                                                                                                
                Katherine Henley and Claire Leyden

                 (photo by Russ Rowland). 

  

How interesting that our companion for the evening (an opera singer) came up with the same thought as we did at the conclusion of Heartbeat Opera's production of The Extinctionist. "This would have made a great play!" Upon return home we took a look at the program for the first time, only to learn that the work was adapted from a play by Amanda Quaid!  She wrote the libretto for this work, which is the first commission ever made by this risk-taking company.

There seemed to be two interwoven themes at play. One was a woman's fear of bringing a child into a dying world and the other theme being marital discord over the issue of starting a family. Fortunately, the play is not polemic and leaves the audience to decide for themselves. Good theater makes us think. We have heard that art is a mirror that gets us to see ourselves plainly.

Th woman in the story is well performed by Katherine Henly and her ambivalence about pregnancy resulted in palpable anguish. That she is the only character who feels threatened by catastrophic global warming makes us focus on her dilemma. On the one hand, a potential child comes to her in her dreams and we learn that she and her best friend, winningly played by Claire Leyden, had long planned to get pregnant at the same time (as did two sisters of our acquaintance). On the other hand, she is terrified by what she alone perceives as the end of the world as we know it.

A meeting between the two women had our main character shocked and distanced by her friend's rapture at being pregnant. "How could anyone bring a child into the dying world?"--a thought we ourself have shared.

The woman and her husband had been trying to achieve pregnancy for some time and one gathers that they may have married believing that they both wanted the same thing. The husband, ( played by Philip Stoddard) is not exactly sympathetic.

The most awkward scene we have ever seen onstage was the woman being given a pelvic exam by her gynecologist and later given a diagnosis which we will not reveal. We do wish the production team had consulted  a genuine doctor as we found a couple inaccuracies in the dialogue and action; but perhaps the scenes with the physician (played by Eliam Ramos) were meant to be the woman's perception, rather than reality.

The work was well directed by Shade Ghaheri and Kate Noll's scenic design was stunning.  The couple's bedroom was tasteful and modern, indicating that they were financially comfortable. It occupied one side of the wide stage whilst the other side served at times as a living area and at others as a gynecologists examining room. Bare trees and dying plants were scattered about the stage.  Reza Behjat's lighting design subtly contributed to the mood of each scene  Projection design by Camilla Tassi was apt, as is seldom the case. Scenes of weather disasters served to remind us what stirred the woman's anxiety. Costume design by Haydee Zelideth and Asa Benally was apt. The child puppet, created by Afsaneh Aayani, was adorable.

So, Dear Reader, as drama it worked.  But, and this is a big but, this was billed as an opera. Was the music good? Yes, it was. Dan Schlosberg's original composition for piano, violin, viola, electric guitar and percussion would make an excellent curtain raiser on any symphonic program. 

Although the instrumentals served to heighten the mood, the vocal lines were entirely unmusical. We wondered how the cast managed to learn their parts. And to sing with such excellent diction! This is a common feature of contemporary operas and the reason that they are rarely seen a second time. We want to leave the opera humming a melody.  Our brains are programmed to want this!

It is likely that some of you, Dear Reader, will disagree with us and that is fine. We all attend live events for different reasons. We would just as soon have seen the play.

© meche kroop

MADELEINE

Shane Brown, David Seatter, Keith Broughton, JoAnna Geffert,
Claire Leyden, Jonathan Hare, Andrew Klima, and Thomas Woodman

There was much to enjoy in Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live!'s production of the composer's 1914 one-act opera Madeleine. The talent onstage was excellent. The chamber orchestra played beautifully under the baton of Jestin Pieper. William Hicks' superb musicianship on the piano was augmented by violin, cello, bassoon, and harp. Alyce Mott's direction was on point, as usual.

Mr. Herbert's enormous contribution to the music theater canon is vast. He can be considered the source for American Musical Comedy. Few people know that he wrote two operas. After finishing the grand opera Natoma, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 1911 (and was produced a century later by VHRPL!), he created Madeleine, with libretto adapted by Grant Stewart from a play by Decourcelles and Thibaut. Frankly, the words were dated and stilted, something one doesn't recognize when opera is sung in a foreign language.

Probably, the story was more charming in French. A highly narcissistic opera diva, much spoiled by suitors bearing gifts, is alone on New Year's Day. Every one of her suitors has declined her invitation to dine at her home because each one is dining with his mother. Even her maid has refused her. We guess that spending time with mama on New Year's Day was a French custom.

She throws a terrible tantrum and fires everyone. A visit from a good-natured childhood friend Didier restores her balance. Narcissists require a great deal of admiration and support, rarely considering the feelings of others. However, his invitation to dine with his humble family touches her. She considers the invitation but realizes what an intrusion it would be and stays home dining with a painting of her mother which Didier has restored.

It is evidence of the vocal and dramatic artistry of soprano Claire Leyden that we were able to care for this self-centered woman and to consider how narcissists act out their inner emptiness by manipulating and preying upon others.

As Didier we enjoyed the believable performance of baritone Jonathan Hare who has a lovely warm tonal quality. We remember well his charming portrayal of Figaro in Christman Opera Company's Il barbiere di Siviglia.

As the maid Nichette mezzo-soprano JoAnna Geffert created a lovely unselfish character to which she lent her finely textured instrument.

As the suitors we had three fine gentlemen--Andrew Klima, Keith Broughton, and Thomas Woodman--all of whom sang well and created interesting characters. 

The servants were effectively portrayed by Shane Brown and David Seatter, who has appeared in every single VHRPL! performance.

The musical scholarship that went into reducing this work for such an unusual combination of instruments impressed us. William Hicks spent a year and a half performing what one could call a "labor of love". All of Herbert's music was preserved with the lines distributed among the instruments. This "experiment" parallels Herbert's experiment in writing opera, indeed a huge pushing of boundaries all around.

Critics in 1914 were not enthralled with the work and we would be inclined to agree. The story was fine and character driven, whereas Herbert's operettas were story driven.  No problem there. The problem for us was the lack of tunes. What we have enjoyed of Herbert's operettas has been the luscious melodies and the set pieces of waltzes and marches as well as the chorus.  None of that here!

In a lecture by Ms. Mott, we learned of the influences upon this opera by Debussy, Strauss, Wagner, and Puccini--all composers we like. But we were unable to discern the leitmotifs for each character. Possibly if one were to listen to the opera several times it might have become apparent.

There were some musical moments that made the evening worthwhile. To have heard Ms. Leyden sing "When I am Happy" made us happy. Her crystalline soprano opened to a ringing top. For Didier's aria about the pursuit of elusive happiness, Mr. Hare's performance was affecting. We heard a lonely bassoon when he left.

The conclusion moved us, with piano and harp mourning the loss of Madeleine's own mother, whose portrait would be her dinner companion.

In sum, it was a worthwhile project to undertake and a rare opportunity to experience a musical titan pushing his own boundaries. We wouldn't have missed it for the world. We are looking forward, however, to VHRPL!'s resumption of operetta with Mlle. Modiste on May 5th and 6th!

© meche kroop

THE DEBUTANTE

The cast of Victor Herbert's The Debutante

Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! began their 6th season at Christ and St. Stephen's Church, having presented 15 glorious operas since their inception. Artistic Director Alyce Mott has found a winning way of presenting the legendary operettas of Victor Herbert; without altering a note of the music or a word of the lyrics, Ms. Mott manages to create a new libretto that tells each story in a cohesive and entertaining fashion, even when the original book failed or has become less than compelling with the passage of time.

Last night we attended the closing night of Herbert's 1914 The Debutante, a work just as wacky and wonderful as the others we've seen. The silly but entertaining plot is very much of its time with deception, jealousy, romantic rivalry and mistaken identity all playing their part.

The company is consistently wonderful. Not all 35 members appear in every performance but, as a regular attendee, we love seeing the same faces and hearing the same voices in one production after another. And what voices! Herbert's music is eminently singable with melodies pouring out treble over bass, ready to be sung and played to the delight of the audience.

As the headstrong and clever heroine Elaine, we heard the lovely songbird Claire Leyden--not just a splendid soprano but a marvel of convincing acting. Elaine has been promised at birth to Philip (the tenoriffic Drew Bolander) who was her childhood sweetheart; sadly he is no longer interested in marrying her, having become infatuated with the opera singer Irma, performed by the larger than life Alexa Devlin.

Philip is the son of the widowed American industrialist Godfrey Frazer (the excellent John Nelson) who has also adopted the young Elaine. He too is infatuated with Irma who lives in Paris. 

Trying every ruse known to operetta fans, Ezra Bunker tries to escape his bossy suffragette wife Zenobia to get to the same salon in Paris to premiere his "music of the future". He is portrayed by the reliably funny David Seatter, with the equally hilarious Vira Slywotzky as his wife. In a satiric moment, his "new music" sounds like some of the music being composed today, the kind we deplore. This marks Herbert as some kind of prescient visionary!

Also contending for Elaine's affection is the malaprop-spouting Marquis de Frontenac (played with high comedy by baritone Nathan Hull) who helps Elaine with her plot, and the handsome British Navy Lieutenant Larry Sheridan, soulfully sung and played by Christopher Robin Sapp.

The chorus comprised four naval officers, played by Jonathan Hare, Anthony Maida, Keith Broughton, and Shane Brown. On the female side we had Hannah Holmes, Stephanie Bacastow, Charlotte Detrick, and JoAnna Geffert. 

The action begins in Plymouth, England and ends in Paris at an artistic salon in which Scott Ballantyne portrays the famous cellist Testlavitz--and actually plays the cello quite beautifully.

Music Director Michael Thomas conducted effectively and William Hicks did his usual fine job playing a piano reduction of Herbert's score. And what a score it is! If we tried to tell you about all of the songs, we might be going on for several more pages but it is extremely difficult to select the best.

Mr. Sapp led the ensemble in "Love Is a Battle" in which we could truly appreciate Robert B. Smith's clever lyrics. He was also wonderful in "Peggy's a Creature of Moods" in which he gives an accurate description of a cyclothymic personality.

 "Married Life" gave Ms. Slywotzky and Mr. Seatter a chance to express very different views of their marriage. Ms. Leyden and Mr. Bolander had a charming duet in "The Golden Age", describing their happy childhood together.

Ms. Devlin played her role as a diva to the hilt in "When I Played Carmen". Ms Slywotzky got a side-splitting dancing lesson from Mr. Nelson who was disguised as a Spanish dancer.

What a sextet we heard in "The Face Behind the Mask"! The very operatic "Fate", sung by Ms. Leyden, Mr. Bolander, and Mr. Sapp led to a reprise of the same.

There were some unforgettable lines, especially when Mr. Seatter did a send up of opera, insisting upon scent as well as color in the vocal lines. And Irma, pursued by both father and son, uttered the following--"What am I, a family heirloom?" Priceless!

Emily Cornelius worked her customary magic as Choreographer. No one was credited as Costume Designer but there was no need. Women wore long gowns and the men wore naval uniforms or dinner jackets. Only Mr. Nelson was wildly dressed as some version of Escamillo.

Unfortunately, by the time you read this, it will be too late to see it. We have tried to give you as complete a description as possible. However, let us give you fair warning about the upcoming Madeleine which will be presented on March 3rd and 4th. We urge you to mark it on your calendar now, and to secure tickets as early as possible. As VHRPL! gains traction, tickets are getting ever harder to come by. This run was a sellout. Don't be among the disappointed!

© meche kroop

SWEETHEARTS

Sweethearts by Victor Herbert, brought to you by Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE!

At the beginning of the 20th century, when modernism began to undermine the basic grammar of music, some of the principles that underpinned the workings of opera inevitably came under attack, too. Those of us who have sat through some pretty tedious atonal bores find relief in the music of Victor Herbert who kept audiences entertained and delighted with silly stories and melodious music. Last night's Sweethearts was the perfect antidote to works liked only by academia.

His Sweethearts premiered in 1913, just before The Great War, with a libretto by Fred DeGresac and Harry B. Smith. As is usually the case, Artistic and Stage Director Alyce Mott has rewritten the libretto to make the story flow smoothly and to appeal to modern taste. Happily, she has not attempted to change the period and we are left free to form our own associations to today's mating behavior and romantic (mis)adventures. Even more happily, Herbert's engaging music has been preserved and given over to the New Victor Herbert Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Michael Thomas with the superb William Hicks at the piano.

The ensemble nature of the company allows us to appreciate the same voices at every production with some new ones thrown into the mix for good measure. Soprano Claire Leyden has a remarkable voice and charming onstage presence that made her performance of the lead role a true delight. The large voiced Vira Slywotzky, generally cast in matronly roles, always tickles us with her humorous delivery. In this case, the excellent Joanie Brittingham played the "bad girl" part whilst the fine soprano Sarah Caldwell Smith was joined by Caitlin Ruddy, JoAnna Geffert, and Emily Geller; they made excellent music together as Dame Paula's four daughters.

They open the story and set the stage right after Dame Paula's narration. You see, Dame Paula, also called Mother Goose, owns a laundry in Bruge where the sisters complain about ironing all day. They are always flirting with soldiers who soon appear--Al-Jabril Muhammad, Drew Bolander, Jonathan Hare, and Keith Broughton.

Adopted daughter Sylvia is in love with a rake, Lieutenant Karl (played to the hilt by Jack Cotterell), who is having a flirtation (one among many) with Liane, a millinery girl played by Ms. Brittingham. Dame Paula warns Sylvia about this rascal but, just like girls of today, she loves him anyway.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Zilania (the fine Jovani Demetrie) falls for Sylvia, not knowing that she is really the heir to his throne, something of which she is ignorant as well.

The story concerns the machinations and manipulations of all the people who would stand in her way--the hypocritical and grasping Mikel, a diplomat of Zilania (played by the very funny Jonathan Fluck); von Tromp, a German diplomat (portrayed by Matthew Wages) who wants to grab the land to build a casino; and Algernon Percival Cuthbert Slingsby (the superb veteran operetta performer David Seatter) who wants to marry the lost princess, whomever she may be, to impress his father.

Liane, a thoroughly nasty girl, is co-opted into the plan but gets what she deserves. The message is of course that the kindhearted folk win in the end and the grasping nasty folk lose out.  Order is restored, romance wins, and we leave with a smile. Of course. Balm for the spirits.

Ms. Mott directed with her customary astuteness and Susanna Organik contributed some delightful choreography, particularly the waltzes and the opening song "Iron Iron, Iron".  The hit tune of Act I "Sweethearts" became so famous that it led to Herbert fighting all the way to the Supreme Court to establish ASCAP!

Beside those, there were so many other delightful numbers. "Mother Goose" was filled with humor, sung by Sylvia and the other four daughters. Von Tromp led the men in singing "Pretty as a Picture" about how women enhance their appearance, a song just as relevant today as a century ago.

Dame Paula, Mikel, and the daughters were engaging in the humorous "What She Wanted..And What She Got". Mr. Seatter delivered the spoken dialogue of "I Don't Know How I Do It, But I Do" in the first example of a number spoken over an instrumental score. 

Ms. Leyden's gorgeous voice maximized the impact of "The Angelus", a tender prayer for guidance. When Prince Franz joins her you just know things will work out for them in the end.

Everything about the music and its performance was topnotch and we loved the combination of instruments in the New Victor Herbert Orchestra. Not only did we have Mr. Hicks' wonderful piano but violin, cello, string bass, flute, harp, and percussion.

This is the end of the fifth season of VHRPL during which 10 staged productions and five concerts have been offered. We are very gratified to have seen the audience swell to capacity. New Yorkers know a good thing when they see/hear it. 

We got a peek at next season's productions and are giving you fair warning, dear readers. If you hope to see what this wonderful company can accomplish, be prepared to get your tickets in advance. It would be a shame to be shut out of such glorious glee!

(c) meche kroop

FALLING IN LOVE WITH VICTOR HERBERT

Matthew Wages, Alexa Devlin, Jovani Demetrie, Claire Leyden, Andrew Klima, Sarah Caldwell Smith, David Seatter, and Joanie Brittingham

The world needs people with obsessions, people who care deeply about something and want to share it with others. Alyce Mott is just such a person. As Founder and Artistic Director of Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! , she is making sure that Victor Herbert's substantial legacy will not be forgotten. His music is timeless and melodic, having provided inspiration for composers such as Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. If only contemporary composers would listen and be inspired!

Last night's program was a compilation of his love songs; the air in Christ and St. Stephen's sanctuary was filled with romance. The superb performer and baritone David Seatter served as narrator, wittily introducing the various sections about longing for love, missing love, awakening love, and curiosity about love. What other composer wrote enough love songs to fill an entire evening!

Music Director Michael Thomas provided the excellent accompaniment for the evening and the singers included the dapper David Seatter himself as well as sopranos Sarah Caldwell Smith, Joanie Brittingham, and Claire Leyden; mezzo-soprano Alexa Devlin; tenor Andrew Klima (new to VHRPL); baritone Jovani Demetrie; and bass Matthew Wages. They sang in various combinations and maintained a true ensemble feeling throughout.

Every song was a gem and no doubt every member of the packed house had his/her own favorites. We will mention a few of ours.

Mr. Klima was at his best in "Mary Came Over to Me" and we found our heart touched by the story of a young man from Ireland who was finally able to bring his sweetheart over to join him. There must have been many stories like that one and probably other songs but this was one that stayed with us.

The last time we heard Ms. Smith and Ms. Leyden sing "For Better or for Worse" in a performance of Princess Pat, we thought the harmonies rivaled those of Délibes in "Dôme épais", a real treat. We were thrilled to revisit it.

Ms. Leyden gave a beautiful performance of "The Angelus" from Sweethearts which will be presented April 30 and May 1, with orchestra. We can scarcely wait for it! She was joined by Mr. Demetrie and the entire company, giving us a great taste of what we can look forward to.

We didn't know that Herbert wrote a show about Cyrano de Bergerac with lyrics by Harry B. Smith, but the excerpt we heard "Let the Sun of Thine Eyes" was filled with humor as Mr. Wages as Cyrano sang a line beautifully  and Mr. Klima as Christian repeated it as unartistically as possible, trying to impress Ms. Leyden. 

Ms. Smith had a lovely solo in "Where the Fairest Flow'rs are Blooming" from Babette, which allowed her to show off her gorgeous coloratura in a prolonged vocalise. From the same show Ms. Devlin and Mr. Wages had a clever duet in which he was arrogant and she was resistant.

From The Debutante, Ms. Leyden and Mr. Demetrie had a cute duet "Never Mention Love When We're Alone", enhanced by some of Susanna Organek's graceful choreography.

From The Wizard of the Nile, Harry B. Smith's clever lyrics for "What is Love?" were given a sprightly melody by Mr. Herbert; Ms. Leyden portrayed the innocent girl questioning the wise senior of Mr. Seatter.

The four men created a delightful ensemble for "My Fair Unknown" from Miss Dolly Dollars. Again we found Mr. Smith's lyrics clever and charming.

Ms. Brittingham had several lovely solos which showed off her bright resonant sound but we favored "When Love Awakes" from Eileen.

Ms. Devlin's superb solo involved some reading of the cards in " 'Neath the Southern Moon" from Naughty Marietta.

The program closed with "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" with the entire company filling the sanctuary with joyous sound.

With our focus so heavily on opera, we might never have discovered this treasure trove of tunes from the turn of the 20th c. and for this we are extremely grateful to Ms. Mott. Long live Victor Herbert!

(c) meche kroop