TAKE THIS GIRL TO BROOKLYN!

Dan Saunders, Nathan Gunn, Ying Fang, and Aaron Blake

The stars came out in the sky overhead just as the opera stars finished their concert at Brooklyn Bridge Park. We cannot say which shone more brightly. The concert is part of The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series. Unwilling to spend hours waiting in line to attend the recital in Central Park we made the trek to Brooklyn where cheerful opera goers with amazingly quiet children gathered to share an experience that could only win more converts to opera.

It would be impossible to listen to these three superstars, accompanied by Dan Saunders at the piano, and not become a convert. Each one brought something unique and special to this program comprising predominantly famous arias and duets of the canon, with some American musical theater added at the end.

Soprano Ying Fang dazzled us the first time we heard her and she has grown in artistry since then. Ms. Fang has it all--a sparkling coloratura of remarkable flexibility, and a gracious stage presence that can only add to her physical beauty. At the opera, one is not supposed to care about appearances but between us, dear reader, eye candy is always a plus. A tasteful and flattering gown completed the picture.

We witnessed great emotional variety from this stunning artist who seems to lose herself in whatever character she portrays. Whether it be the perky Pamina sharing a moment with Papageno (Nathan Gunn, whom we will get to later), Zerlina responding to an importuning Don Giovanni (Mr. Gunn again), the lovely Lauretta begging her father to enable her marriage, the seductive Alcina (although "Tornami a vagheggiar" is sometimes sung by Alcina's sister Morgana), the aristocratic Adina, the pleading Servilia, the wistful Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, or the love besotted Maria from West Side Story--all these characters she portrayed would be immediately identifiable. What astonishing versatility!

It would be impossible to choose our favorite but we must make note of her vocal artistry in the Händel; the fioritura was perfect and the ritornello after the plaintive B section was incredibly exciting. We would also like to mention the Chinese song she chose as an encore, translated as "The Bridge". Not only was the vocal line marvelously melodic but the piano accompaniment was rich in texture. What an appropriate choice since we were in full view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge!

Baritone Nathan Gunn is a regular at The Metropolitan Opera but we are quite sure we first heard him many years ago singing a Schubert song cycle accompanied by his wife Julie. He brings to the stage an authoritative presence and a mellow voice that seems able to make the most of whatever role he assumes. He too slips readily into a variety of characters. We enjoyed his winning Papageno, his seductive Don Giovanni, the yearning Zurga, the irrepressible Figaro, the reminiscing Pierrot, the fantasizing Billy Bigelow, the loyal Lancelot, and the excited Tony.  

Each one received full vocal and dramatic value. Perhaps our favorite was Billy's soliloquy from Carousel in which Mr. Gunn's voice, gesture, and face altered with each new emotion and each new idea.

Tenor Aaron Blake made a fine addition to the program, filling in for an ailing Ben Bliss. What we liked best about Mr. Blake was that his immersion in each character was so intense that we felt we were seeing everything through the eyes of each one. As Nadir, in his duet with Mr. Gunn, we could see the crowd of worshipers and the beautiful but inaccessible Leïla. As the tormented Lensky, we felt his anguish. In the famous "Dein ist mein ganzes herz", the passion could be cut with a knife. We don't think we have ever seen a better Nemorino as he swigged from a bottle and did a crazy jig around the stage. Don Ottavio's challenging "Dalla sua pace" was marked by some fine embellishments in the repeat when he filled in the notes of the scale. His encore "O Sole Mio" was filled with garlic.

The only thing that we would like to see Mr. Blake accomplish would be floating the high notes, since he tends to push the volume in the upper register. We noted Mr. Gunn's floated high notes in Pierrot's "Tanzlied" from Korngold's Die Tote Stadt and loved the ethereal quality, much as we loved the pingy sound of Ms. Fang's upper register. 

It was a glorious night and well worth the trek to Brooklyn!

(c) meche kroop

THE MOUNTAIN COMES TO MOHAMMED

Dan Saunders, Gabriella Reyes de Ramirez, Gerard Schneider, and Adrian Timpau

We have no idea whether the audience members who cheerfully sat in the drizzle last night are regulars at The Metropolitan Opera, or whether they have ever been there.  No matter. The Met brings operas to the boroughs of Manhattan and we applaud the institution for spreading the culture far and wide. We would be surprised if they didn't make some new converts, based upon the very high level of artistry we witnessed.

With the always wonderful Dan Saunders accompanying, three impressive talents joined forces for an all-too-brief (but nonetheless satisfying) recital of operatic favorites. We wanted the evening to never end!

Tenorrific Gerard Schneider opened the program with the rousing "Questa o quella" from Verdi's Rigoletto, leaving us no doubt about the Duke's fickle personality. What we love about Mr. Schneider's technique is that he knows how to float a high note and never pushes his voice. To hear a delicately floated pianissimo is a delight; to produce such a phenomenon seems out of reach to most tenors who think that their top notes must be fortissimo. 

Baritone Adrian Timpau brought Da Ponte's clueless Count Almaviva to vivid life in "Hai già vinta la causa" from Mozart's Nozze di Figaro. He nailed Almaviva's personality and did so with a unique tonal quality that made us think of corduroy, for some strange reason, perhaps because it is plush like velvet but with more texture.

Soprano Gabriella Reyes de Ramirez gazed upward when singing "Stridono lassu" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and we saw the birds through her eyes whilst her voice trilled away with its gorgeous vibrato. The illusion was fostered by Mr. Saunder's piano.

With those three fachs on hand, of course we had to hear the trio from Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. Adina gets to relish the enviable position of having Nemorino and Belcore competing for her attention in "Tran, tran, tran, tran". We know how singers love to do drunk scenes and Mr. Schneider did not fail us.

No one will ever replace Hvorostovsky but we have no worries about the next great Verdi baritone. Mr. Timpau was superb as Rodrigo, expressing friendship to Mr. Schneider's Don Carlo, who engaged our ear once more with his gorgeous pianissimo.  ("Work it Gerard!", we thought.) "Dio, che nell'alma infondere" had a great rhythmic thrust with Mr. Saunders producing the thrumming chords in the piano. The vocal harmonies were delicious.

Turandot's aria "Tu che di gel sei cinta" is often screamed out. Not so in Ms. Reyes' portrayal which was as dramatically valid as it was musically effective. The high tessitura and high drama held no terrors for her.

Mr. Timpau wowed us with his well modulated performance of Yeletsky's aria "Ya vas lyublyu" from Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame. Here's the strange part--we only know about a dozen words in Russian but his performance left us feeling that we understood every word, as well as experiencing every feeling!

We do love serenades and Faust's serenade of Marguerite from Gounod's masterpiece was given a sincere and tender performance by Mr. Schneider who once again delighted us with his pianissimo. His French was given lovely pronunciation and phrasing and Mr. Saunders joined in with some lyrical and tender piano.

"La ci darem la mano" from Mozart's Don Giovanni was sung by Mr. Timpau, who got into the role of the seducer, and Ms. Reyes who seemed not to have much point of view about Zerlina as to whether she was frightened of the lord of the estate or a willing participant, or ambivalent.  Vocally fine, she just needs to think about what kind of Zerlina she wants to be.

Mr. Schneider had no such deficit in his delivery of "Kuda, kuda", Lenski's aria from Eugene Onegin. The young man is filled with conflicting emotions as he faces death at the hands of his friend. The various colors Mr. Schneider employed, as well as his facial expression and gestures, took us right to the heart of Lenski's maelstrom of feelings.

We do not know Carlisle Floyd's Susannah very well but we've heard lots of sopranos sing "Ain't it a Pretty Night". It will never be among our favorite arias; at times the words feel shoehorned into the music. That didn't stop up from enjoying Ms. Reyes' performance which was filled with youthful longing. Her English diction was flawless and we understood every word, something we don't take for granted. The high note was stunning.

We have never seen Wagner's Tannhaüser but have loved the aria "O du, mein holder Abendstern" since we heard it in a film by the Taviani Brothers. (We thought it was in Padre Padrone but seeking an answer online, we read that it was used in La Notte di San Lorenzo. If any readers know the correct answer, please add it to the comment section.)

In any case, Mr. Timpau sang it in gorgeously rendered German, not to overlook the melismatic passages. We were transported!

The program ended with  "O soave fanciulla" from Puccini's La Bohème, one of the world's great romantic duets, sung by Ms. Reyes and Mr. Schneider, who walked offstage arm in arm.

But wait! There would be three encores which was like a meal with three desserts! Ernesto de Curtis' 1912 "Non ti scordar di me" was given a beautiful performance by Mr. Timpau. Mr. Schneider sang the open-hearted "Dein ist mein ganzes herz" from Franz Lehar's Das Land des Lächelns and he sang it with his finely spun pianissimo which we enjoyed all night.

Finally Ms. Reyes enchanted the entire audience with "Carceleres" from Ruperto Chapí's zarzuela Las Hijas del Zebedeo, sung with high style and lots of sabor. Readers who know how we feel about zarzuela will know why we floated out of Jackie Robinson Park with feet not touching the ground. Good singing will do that to us!

(c) meche kroop

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

Dan Saunders Petr Nekoranec, So Young Park, and Hyung Yun

Under each umbrella in Jackie Robinson Park was an opera lover, thrilling to a perfectly chosen program performed by three magnificent voices, accompanied by Dan Saunders on the piano. Everything on the program was a "war horse" but the performances were unique and freshly interpreted.

Having a scintillating soprano, a terrific tenor, and a brilliant baritone on hand permitted a splendid selection of arias and duets. The threatening weather might have discouraged some folks from attending but we would risk life and limb, let alone a little rain, to hear three such major talents share their artistry. We brought our own little group to share in the fun and all agreed that it was worth getting wet. No one shrank. No one faded. The threatened thunderstorm did not ruin our pleasure. Good old Thor decided to spare us.

We've only heard tenor Petr Nekoranec a couple times but he has made a strong impression on us with the sweet timbre of his instrument, which lends itself beautifully to the bel canto repertory.  His technique is flawless and his execution of the challenging showpiece "Ah! Mes amis...Pour mon ame" could not have been better. Aside from his musicality, he has the ability to create a character one cares about. Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment only works when you really want Tonio to win the love of Marie and overcome the obstacles of nationality and social class.

Similarly, one must have affection for Nemorino and root for him to win Adina's hand in Donizetti's other delightful comedy L'Elisir d'Amore. Last night, he proved himself to be a superb scene partner with soprano So Young Park in "Caro Elisir! Sei mio!...Esulti pur la barbara" First we laugh at his ignorance as he swigs from the wine bottle and develops "Dutch courage", acting careless and indifferent to Adina. But he has won our heart and we want him to win Adina's as well.

When Mr. Nekoranec's Nemorino gets around to singing "Una furtiva lagrima" we are cheering him on and never comparing his performance to anyone else's. The fine vibrato of his voice was effectively employed with a new shade of joyful anticipation. No doubt the stunning arpeggio toward the climax, the subtle portamento, and the carefully modulated dynamics were well thought out but everything sounded organically spontaneous.

Nadir's lovesick aria from Act I of Bizet's Les Pecheurs de Perles, "Je crois entendre encore" was sung movingly with fine French phrasing and some floated high notes that seemed to hang in the air for a long time. The final note was spun out into a delicate thread of sound. Incredibly gorgeous!

From the same opera, the famous duet  "Au fond du temple saint", was performed with the impressive baritone Hyung Yun. It  gave the two artists an opportunity to produce harmonies that were beyond beautiful. Moreover, you could accept that Nadir and Zurga were both friends and rivals, thanks to some excellent acting.

Mr. Yun impressed us with his versatility. He did justice to the "Toreador Song" from Bizet's Carmen by filling the verses with more subtle variations of color than we usually hear. We liked his interpretation far more than the usual bombastic one. Escamillo became, for us, a real person, not just a rival for Carmen's affection.

Just consider how differently he came across in the elegiac "O du, mein holder Abendstern".  We never want to hear anyone tell us that German is not a beautiful language! Wagner's exquisite poetry and Mr. Yun's soulful singing drew us into Wolfram's world and made us want to hear Tannhauser again as soon as possible.

In yet another demonstration of versatility, he performed "Cortigiani vil razza dannata" from Verdi's Rigoletto. This aria requires the baritone to be vicious at first toward the members of the court who abducted his dear daughter, then to become contrite and beg them for information. We needed no limp or padding on the shoulder to understand the deformed character of the poor hunchbacked court jester. It was a gripping performance.

Yet another manifestation of versatility had Mr. Yun enacting the role of Don Giovanni trying to seduce Zerlina in the Mozart opera of the same name. We saw and heard him becoming increasingly forceful until his prey was secured.  Another impressive performance to add to the list.!  Zerlina was sung by soprano So Young Park who did her best to resist the irresistible.

Ms. Park shone in a couple of challenging arias. Adele's "Laughing Song" from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus, "Mein Herr Marquis" showed off the singer's bright voice, charming personality, and skilled coloratura technique.

Similarly, she was excellent in "Les oiseaux dans la charmille", Olympia's song from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman. This challenging song requires extraordinary flexibility in the voice combined with rigid mechanical movements of the body. This must be like patting your head and rubbing your stomach simultaneously!  Ms. Park was completely convincing.

Moreover, she showed an entirely different side of her artistry in Musetta's aria "Quando m'en vo" from Puccini's La Boheme. In this aria, Musetta has to feign indifference to her on-again off-again lover Marcello while letting the audience know that she really wants him back. We loved the way she performed it. 

After all that very special entertainment, each artist offered an encore in a more popular vein; what we would call American classics. Ms. Park sang "I Could Have Danced All Night" from Lerner and Loew's My Fair Lady in a most winning manner. Mr. Nekoranec sang "Be My Love" and we'd be surprised if there were a woman in the audience not ready to comply!

 Mr. Yun sang "Some Enchanted Evening" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, and that just about summed up our experience, an enchanted evening indeed. The wonderful arrangements of these songs were created by Dan Saunders who added so much to the evening's success.

The Metropolitan Opera must be appreciated for bringing opera to all five boroughs and making it available free of charge. Had this been our first exposure to opera we would have been a convert for life.

(c) meche kroop

LEND ME A TENOR

Dan Saunders, Susanna Phillips, Elizabeth DeShong, and Petr Nekoranec

What to do when the star tenor has taken ill? Just raid the ranks of The Lindemann Program and create a new star tenor! 

Our disappointment at missing Stephen Costello last night at The Metropolitan Opera's Summer Recital Series evaporated 5 seconds into Petr Nekoranec's performance of "La Donna e mobile" from Verdi's Rigoletto. This young tenor is a stage animal with an appealing presence and a thrilling sound. It is quite difficult to evaluate an amplified voice in an outdoor venue although we admit that the sound was as good as could be expected.

We had only the briefest introduction to Mr. Nekoranec last Spring at a Lindemann recital when we loved his voice but not the material.

We could tell that he knows how to use his vocal assets to good advantage and has great skill with the three languages in which he sang, that he modulates his phrases effectively, and knows exactly how to shape a decrescendo. If he holds onto the "money note" a bit too long you will not hear a word of complaint from us.

We will want to hear him unamplified to learn whether the gorgeous timbre and vibrato impress us as much as it did last night. Likewise we will withhold judgment regarding his suitability for Verdi, which sounded just fine with amplification. But we have no doubt that his bel canto technique is perfectly suited for any type of ornamentation.

In "Ah! Mes amis...Pour mon ame" from Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment, he delivered all the high C's without strain, all the while conveying the youthful enthusiasm and excitement of Tonio as he realizes he has won Marie's love. He has a real feel for French and the long luxurious lines of "Je crois entendre encore" from Bizet's Les pecheurs de perles were exquisite. His diction was so fine that we understood every word.

He also gave a stirring account of Agustin Lara's 1932 song "Granada", and a charming performance of the strophic aria "Au mont Ida, trois Deesses" from Offenbach's La Belle Helene. 

Moreover, he "plays well with others", creating the charming Act II "Cherry Duet" from  Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz with soprano Susanna Phillips as his Suzel--and also with the Act I meeting between Rodolfo and Ms. Phillips' Mimi from Puccini's La Boheme. Of course, he had a sensational Mimi/Suzel to work with!  We confess to being a bit star-struck by this splendid soprano and have preferred her Mozart characters to many others'. 

Her "Summertime" from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess showed off her gleaming upper register and the portamenti were absolutely stunning. But when she got to "Come scoglio" from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte we realized once again how this artist comes across best when there is a dramatic situation to illuminate. Not only was she astonishing in the wide leaps of this challenging aria, but she put her technique in the service of her character Fiordiligi.  This seems a bit trivial but every time she rolled an "r" we got a little thrill. Never too little or too much but just right for the character's personality.

With entirely different colors she performed "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's Rusalka. Although we don't understand Czech (and we'd love to ask Mr. Nekoranec how it sounded to him) we could appreciate the way the music and the lyrics matched so well. The beauty of her singing and the intensity of her dramatic expression brought tears to our eyes as we considered the unhappy end that comes to those who try to be what they are not.

Ms. Phillips had some outstanding duets with mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong who debuted at the Metropolitan Opera the same year (2008) as Ms, Phillips. Ms. DeShong has a rich texture to her instrument that reminds us of a Guiness--dark, rich, smoky, with a creamy top!  From the Venice act of Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, we heard "Belle nuit o nuit d'amour" and cherished the stunning harmonies and barcarolle-type rhythm.

The two voices were equally matched and effectively employed in "Serbami ognor si fido...Alle piu calde immagini" from Rossini's Semiramide. We have never seen this potboiler and are thrilled to learn that we will get our chance next season at The Met when Ms. DeShong will sing Arsace, a warrior who finds himself in an oedipal predicament. (Soprano Angela Meade will fill the title role).

Thankfully, Ms. DeShong will not be confined to trouser roles. Last night she excelled in roles made famous by legendary mezzo-sopranos making comparisons unnecessary. Her "Cruda sorte!", Isabella's aria from Rossini's L"Italiana in Algeri was nothing short of  powerful. The singer's skill with fioritura was employed in the service of the character.

Her versatility as an artist was manifest in "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" from Saint-Saens's Samson et Dalila. Not only was Samson seduced but so was the audience, yielding to Ms. DeShong's seductive coloring. She was impish in "Nacqui all'affanno e al pianto...Non piu mesta" from Rossini's La Cenerentola, making us wonder what kind of dramatic arc she might create in the entire opera.

Orsini's brindisi "Il segreto per esser felici" from Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia was given a spirited performance; yet another aspect of her talent was revealed in "Sein wir wieder gut" the Composer's aria from Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos.

The fireworks onstage far outweighed the discomfort of the sultry weather. It was a highly exciting evening both from the standpoint of relishing the performances of vocal superstars and from the standpoint of witnessing the versatility of an exciting new tenor. There will be five more recitals in this series; folks in every borough should get a chance to enjoy this gift from The Metropolitan Opera and the Department of Cultural Affairs.

Host for the evening was Mary Jo Heath and Dan Saunders provided the superb piano accompaniment.

(c) meche kroop

OPERATIC THRILLS IN BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK

Angel Blue, Alexey Lavrov, and Ben Bliss

We have been fans of tenor Ben Bliss and baritone Alexey Lavrov for some time now and readers can find several reviews of their incomparable interpretations through the search bar on this website.  Soprano Angel Blue is new to us but is on the same impressive professional level; we hope to hear her again soon since her performance, like those of dear Alexey and dear Ben, left us tingling with pleasure.

Thanks to the City Parks Foundation Summer Stage and the Metropolitan Opera, New Yorkers in all boroughs have the opportunity to enjoy great artists singing great music. The selections chosen were all popular arias and duets with nothing dissonant or "challenging".  It was a program of pleasure.

This particular concert was first performed in Central Park but we attended the reprise in the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park, overlooking the skyline of lower Manhattan. The audience was held spellbound for nearly two hours with not a single cell phone to distract from the entertainment. Even the children were quiet.  Such is the power of artistry!

It must be difficult for singers to deal with the elements and with amplification, but the strain did not show. Accompanied by the versatile Dan Saunders, the sound balance was fine and one could appreciate the skillful performances almost as much as one could in an indoor theater with fine acoustics.

This week as been filled for us with Romeo and Juliet (both opera and ballet) but hearing Ms. Blue's opening number "Je veux vivre" from Gounod's opera let us know immediately that we were in the presence of a fine talent. She was a touching Micaëla in "Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante" from Bizet's Carmen.

No matter how many times one has heard "O, mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi one is never bored. One might think that all the amateur singers on TV might have spoiled it, but hearing Ms. Blue's performance wiped out all those aural images.  Ms. Blue's sizable voice and warm personality are perfect for Puccini and we heard selections from La Bohème and Tosca that bowled us over.

Readers may recall how fond we are of zarzuela and we were thrilled that Ms. Blue chose Luisa's fiery aria "Carceleras" from Rupert Chapi's Las Hijas de Zebedeo. She has all the flexibility to make the Arabic-inflected flamenco passages exciting.

Readers are probably aware of how impressed we are with the appositely named Mr. Bliss. We are so pleased to be witnessing his meteoric rise through the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and his stage-worthiness at the Met and on opera stages worldwide.  What a perfect Alfredo he made last night in "De' miei bollenti spiriti" from Verdi's La Traviata!

The gentler passions of Mozart's "Un'aura amorosa" from Cosi fan Tutte and "O wie ängstlich" from Die Entführung aus dem Serail were no less stirring and gave him the chance to show off his flawless German in the latter.

There was also an aria from an opera unfamiliar to us that was striking in its loveliness--"Magische Töne" from Karl Goldmark's 1875 opera Die Königin von Saba (The Queen of Sheba). We love discoveries and, for us, this was a real winner and perfectly suited to Mr. Bliss' "magic tone".

As encore, Mr. Bliss blissed us out with  (you guessed it!)  an aria from a zarzuela. "Flor Roja" from Jacinto Guerrero's Los Gavilanes was recorded by Alfredo Kraus and Placido Domingo; we hope Mr. Bliss will record it!  The timbre of his voice, the amazing vibrato, and his skillful control of dynamics made it unforgettable.

Baritone Alexey Lavrov, another gifted artist coming out of the Lindemann program, gave us the exciting "Mab, la reine des mensonges" from R&J as well as the lovely serenade "Deh vieni alla finestra" from Mozart's Don Giovanni from which he also sang everyone's favorite duet "Là ci darem la mano" with Ms. Blue as his Zerlina. 

He also sang everyone else's favorite duet "Au fond du temple saint" with Mr. Bliss and went on to the very sad duet "O Mimi tu più non torni".  And yet another duet with Ms. Blue "Lippen schweigen" from Franz Lehar's Die Lustige Witwe which involved some charming waltzing around the stage.

But we most enjoyed Mr. Lavrov in his Russian selection from Sergei Rachmaninoff's Aleko--"Vyes' tabor spit" and in his garlic-inflected encore "Parlami d'amore Mariù" composed in 1932 by Cesare Andrea Bixio and Ennio Neri.

It was a most fulfilling evening which, we hope, won converts to opera. Judging by the prolonged standing ovation, we think so.

There will be more of these concerts and you may just find one you will love by visiting the Met website.

(c) meche kroop

A COOL TREAT ON A SCORCHING EVENING

Dan Saunders, Ginger Costa-Jackson, Mary-Jane Lee and Yunpeng Wang (photo by Ellen Godfrey)

It seemed as if the theme of last night's recital (one of several in The Metropolitan Opera's Summer Series) was seduction.  We the audience were seduced into sitting attentively in the nearly unbearable heat under a threatening sky.  And many of the well-chosen arias, duets and trios were about someone seducing or being seduced.  The fact that the three singers were bursting with sex appeal made each scene totally believable.

Take the gorgeous sultry-voiced mezzo-soprano Ginger Costa-Jackson singing the Habanera from Bizet's Carmen--both onstage and mingling with the audience.  If she doesn't own that role in her generation we will be very surprised.  In "Dunque io son" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, she is planning on seducing Lindoro (actually the Count) but must first seduce Figaro into being her go-between.

The wonderful baritone Yunpeng Wang as Figaro was the perfect foil for her foibles.  The two worked very well together, as seen/heard in the duet "Là ci darem la mano" from Mozart's Don Giovanni.  He was seductive and just a bit menacing while she demonstrated her ambivalence and eventual yielding.  It is such a pleasure watching singers who can act so well that the scene comes to life without scenery or costumes.

Mr. Wang was also a perfect match for the beautiful soprano Mary-Jane Lee in the duet from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.  In this case, he portrayed Silvio importuning the unhappily married Nedda to leave her husband and run off with him.  We would be surprised if there weren't a few women in the capacity crowd who fantasized running away with him.

Ms. Lee was riveting in "Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss" from Lehar's Giuditta, showing as great a facility with German as she demonstrated in Italian.  Not only that but she also sang in Czech--"Song to the Moon" from Dvořák's Russalka, one of our favorite arias.

Mr. Wang also has a facility with languages and did a fine job with "O vin, dissipe la tristesse" from Thomas' Hamlet, showing interesting variety of color in the central section.  We enjoyed his "Di Provenza" from Verdi's La Traviata, yet another seduction, convincing Violetta to break off with his son.

The two lovely ladies harmonized beautifully in "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann and, joined by Mr. Wang, "Soave sia il vento" from Mozart's Così fan tutte.  It was so convincing that we almost felt a breeze in the sultry summer air!

We loved the way each artist introduced him/herself and presented the story of each work before singing it.  This added a great deal for people who may not have been familiar with the operas. As if this excellent program were not enough, the lily was gilded with three encores, all solos.

The lovely Ms. Lee sang "Lovely" from Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and she sang it with great style.  Ms. Jackson sang "I Could Have Danced All Night" from Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady.  And oh, how she danced! Readers may feel free to disagree with us but we put these songs, sung by classically trained singers, in the same category as operatic arias.  They truly earned their place on the program.

Mr. Wang's encore was a heartfelt rendition of a song in which the singer yearns for his homeland.  It was composed by a Chinese composer living in Europe in the 1950's and had a moving folk-like simplicity that touched the heart.

Dan Saunders did a yeoman's job as accompanist, switching effortlessly from one style to the next.  The wildly enthusiastic crowd gave the quartet of artists a standing ovation which they richly deserved.

The necessary amplification for an outdoor concert was not excessive but, of course, somewhat impaired the ability to appreciate the colors of the voices and the accuracy of the fioritura.  For the "full Monty" you will have to buy a ticket!

ⓒ meche kroop

AHHH-PERA

No star in the sky dazzled with as much brilliance as the glamorous Danielle de Niese at the Central Park Summer Stage last night.  A favorite of ours since her days in the Lindemann program, Ms. de Niese just keeps getting better and better, her voice as sparkling as crystal and matched by some mighty fine interpretations and some gracious hosting of the first evening of the Metropolitan Opera's Summer Recital Series.  Our favorite moment was hearing for the first time a concert aria composed by Mozart to accommodate the wishes of a soprano who wanted to replace his "Deh Vieni" from Nozze di Figaro--as Ms. N. explained before singing--"something with a lot of high and low notes".  She was equally fine in several arias and duets by Donizetti, so light-heartedly perfect for a warm summer evening.  Likewise for her "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi which surely made all the men in the audience want to satisfy her wishes.  The coloratura was always quick and clean.

Partnered by venerable bass-baritone John Del Carlo in duets from Don Pasquale and L'Elisir d'Amore, not a shred of drama was lost; in the absence of sets and costumes, it is all up to the singers and, so good were they that the mind's eye supplied what was missing. Mr. Del Carlo commanded the stage in "A un dottor della mia sorte" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Dan Saunders accompanied and the orchestra went unmissed.  Tenor Dimitri Pittas sang with equal  dramatic intensity and some truly lovely diminuendi.  Sadly, he tended to push his high notes instead of floating them.  Not that the attentive audience had any reservations, judging by the applause for his "Una furtiva lagrima".  His duet from L'Elisir d'Amore with Mr. Del Carlo was hilarious.

These outdoor events are generally plagued by much distraction from munchers, quaffers and texters.  Let it be said that even opera neophytes who applauded in the middle of arias were more than usually attentive.  That's what happens when such stellar beings take the stage.  There are more performances to watch out for.  Take note.  Don't say we didn't tell you!

(c) meche kroop