MUSIC AND WINE

The Verona Quartet: Jonathan Ong, Abigail Rojansky, Jonathan Dormand, and Dorothy Ro

Imagine being in a glamorous penthouse in Tribeca.  Imagine being surrounded by a bunch of the "beautiful people" of New York City. Imagine being entertained in this private salon by a world class string quartet. Imagine a charming sommelier introducing you to some interesting beverages including champagne, hard cider, and stout. Imagine nibbling on interesting cheeses.  (No pepper jack or generic Swiss here!)

If you were a member of Mise-en-Scène Studios, affectionately called MESS, you might have shared this stellar experience with us. This was just one of three exciting experiences this week created by MESS founders Lachlan Glen and Ben Bliss.  Just in case you don't know them, Mr. Bliss is the Metropolitan Opera's new star tenor and Mr. Glen travels the world as solo pianist, conductor, and collaborative pianist.

MESS programs allow for lots of socializing between sets of music and sommelier Andrew Stenson (who also happens to be a terrific tenor) curated the wines to match the musical program.

Guests were treated to several movements of Beethoven's final String Quartet Op. 135, of which we preferred the slow movement.  As a matter of fact, we would have preferred to hear the work in toto and in its proper order but no one else seemed to mind its balkanization.

The Beethoven was interspersed with movements of Jánaček's "Intimate Letters" Quartet which was informed by the composer's unfulfilled longing for a young married woman. We heard some of this work this week at other MESS events but, in this venue, it was easier to concentrate on just how engaging is the artistry of the Verona Quartet.

Each member seemed totally involved with the music. Moreover they have engaging personalities and each one shared a bit about themselves as well as information about their respective instruments--some new and some centuries old.

They also played a work they commissioned from contemporary composer Julia Adolphe. I appreciated their description of the composer's intent but regular readers will recall how strongly I believe a work should speak for itself. Whatever the message of "Star Crossed Signals" was, we unfortunately failed to get it. Not a criticism.  Just our taste.

Speaking of taste, we loved Mr. Stenson's taste in beverages and admire the way he tried to pair them with the music.

We absolutely cannot wait for the next MESS event on December 11th in Williamsburg. We never miss the annual "Goyishe Christmas", devised by the beloved Steven Blier of New York Festival of Song, and comprising Christmas music written by Jewish composers.  Don't miss it!

(c) meche kroop

M.E.S.S.n AROUND

Lachlan Glen and Ben Bliss at Mise en Scene Studios event

The gestation period for Mise en Scene Studios is a long one. There are excellent physicians and midwives in attendance. The embryo is healthy--viable and kicking. The nursery is well-furnished and friends and relatives are lined up to greet the newcomer. This love child will reflect the many gifts of its parents and will be quite different from any other--a unique offspring.

We have been present since the egg was fertilized and cannot wait to welcome the new opera company to its New York home. While we are waiting the parents have invited us to some baby showers, along with all the other citizens of Planet Opera who are just as excited as we are.

Last night, in a spacious loft in the East Village, we socialized with a great group of equally enthusiastic folk.  We dined on custom made pizza, we drank wine, we talked about music, we toasted the happy parents-to-be. And, most importantly, we heard some exciting music that gives us a taste of the quality we can expect from this nascent group.

Entertaining us royally were tenor Ben Bliss and collaborative pianist Lachlan Glen (both graduates  of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program), along with soprano Leah Hawkins and The Verona String Quartet. Mr. Bliss has had a meteoric rise and sings at The Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Glen tours the world and captivates audiences everywhere as a solo star of the keyboard and as a collaborative pianist.

Soprano Leah Hawkins came to us from the Washington National Opera Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. She is one of those big beautiful women with big beautiful voices. She performed two songs by Francis Poulenc, the first a 1938 setting of text written in 1912 by Wilhelm Kostrowicki (known as Apollinaire). Ms. Hawkins fine vibrato and word coloration made clear that the song "La grenouillere" (the Froggery) was about nostalgia for les temps perdus.

Her second offering was "Les chemins de l'amour" the 1940 setting of text by Jean Anouilh, which shared the nostalgic feeling and had a similar "old-fashioned" feeling as the first melodie, a quality that we treasure. Ms. Hawkins knows how to spin a decrescendo into a fine silken thread of sound.

The Verona String Quartet, comprising Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violins, Abigail Rojansky, viola, and Warren Hagerty, cello are all graduates of Juilliard and have achieved significant fame in the four years they have spent together. Residencies at Caramoor and at the New England Conservatory have been added to their graduate residency at Juilliard.

Last night we got a taste of their talent as they performed with Mr. Glen a most successful arrangement of an excerpt from Prokofiev's 1936 Romeo and Juliet, a suite for orchestra. It was so evocative that we couldn't keep from visualizing the ballet itself, which we love.

They also performed the second movement of Borodin's 1881 String Quartet No. 2 which was made popular by being "borrowed" for the 1953 musical Kismet. The writing is lush and melodic and is one of our personal favorites among so many string quartets.

Joined by Dominik Belavy and Alex Rosen for the "Laughing Trio", Mr. Bliss blissed us out with "Un aura amorosa" from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. He will be performing the role of Ferrando at The Metropolitan Opera this coming Spring and audiences will surely go mad for him. His ardent lyric tenor is perfectly suited to Mozart.

Mr. Glen then joined The Verona Quartet for the fiendishly difficult and spirited final movement of Brahms' Piano Quintet in G minor, following which the four strings gave us the first movement of Ravel's String Quartet which sounded just as anxious as the first movement of the Grieg which we heard a couple days earlier.

Not to worry because we were soothed by a duet from Franz Lehar's Die lustige Witwe. Mr. Bliss sang the role of Camille, persuading Valencienne (Ms. Hawkins) to join him in the little pavilion for a fond farewell. We were very glad to hear it in German!

The final offering was "This is My Night to Dream" by James Monaco and Johnny Burke, popularized by Nat King Cole. We thought the entire night was a dream!

Before we end, we would like to direct you to www.messnyc.com/membership. Did we tell you that YOU TOO can become a member of this vibrant and rapidly growing organization. A mere $99 for an entire year will give you admission to several evenings similar to the one we just described. This should keep all of us entertained and engaged until the opera season begins. That's the baby for which we are all waiting.

It is clear that those of us addicted to great music will find the quality we demand, whilst curious friends can be invited to share in the good fellowship, food, and drink and be introduced to the best the music world can offer in a relaxed and sociable environment. We do believe that the best way to get "newbies" on board is to offer quality.

(c) meche kroop

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL--A GLORIOUS M.E.S.S.

Mezzo-soprano Renee Rapier with Verona String Quartet and Lachlan Glen at the piano

We have wanted to share M.E.S.S. with our readers for some time but were sworn to secrecy on this innovative and daring project which seems destined for success.  Tenor Ben Bliss and pianist Lachlan Glen are not just amazing artists but thoughtful and industrious entrepreneurs.  Anyone who attended the year long survey of Franz Schubert's 600-plus song output in one season will know just how dedicated is Mr. Glen and how able to follow through on his ideas.

The idea for M.E.S.S., which stands for Mise-en-Scene Studios, is one which virtually guarantees the further life of opera for the next generation of opera goers and stands a good chance of bringing new life into the art form. The founders are not alone in their goals and several of their ideas have already been put into practice by other companies who are taking opera out of the concert hall and utilizing unusual venues.

What is new about this project is the consideration of every detail within a novel concept that appears to benefit everyone. We all want affordable opera in intimate spaces. We all want to see artists well remunerated for their work. We love the idea of spontaneity of attendance without tying ourselves down a year in advance. We all love the idea of making opera a social event, providing opportunities for artists and their fans to mingle over edibles and libations.

Last night was a great example of what this model will look like. Throngs of young people crowded into a loft, never mind the inclement weather, to enjoy drinks and crepes and music.  And oh, what music! For us, the highlight of the evening was being THIS close to top tenor Ben Bliss singing "Una furtiva lagrima".  It was our first attempt to make a video with our iPhone and it is posted on our FB page Voce di Meche. (This is the same Ben Bliss who starred in Die Zauberflote at the Met which would have seated you as far away as the length of a football field.) His performance of "Maria" from Bernstein's West Side Story was matchless.

There were no "low-lights". We were introduced to mezzo-soprano Renee Rapier who delighted us with Ernest Chausson's "Chanson Perpetuelle" and also sang some cabaret material with beautifully modulated dusky tone and affecting expression-"My One and Only Love", "Orange Colored Sky" and "Dream a Little Dream of Me". The combination of mezzo and tenor is not all that common (We don't believe that Ferrando and Dorabella ever sing together in Cosi fan tutte) but we loved every moment.

The instrumental entertainment was provided by the Verona Quartet who, among a legion of honors, are enjoying their second year as Graduate Resident String Quartet at The Juilliard School. The quartet comprises violinists Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violist Abigail Rojansky and cellist Warren Hagerty. They performed two movements from Ravel's String Quartet in F Major and, best of all, the first movement of Dvorak's Piano Quintet #2 in A. We would have killed to hear the rest of the work, a personal favorite. Mr. Glen's piano knitted everything together in a terrific tapestry of sound.

Let us not forget Mr. Bliss' performance of two songs by Vaughn Williams which could absolutely change our mind about singing in English. He is a consummate storyteller and made every word as clear as crystal in "From far, From Eve and Morning" and "Bredon Hill".  If he wants to sing an editorial about politics we would still want to listen!

Of course, the purpose of this glamorous Saturday night was not just to wine and dine and entertain us, but to introduce the audience to this novel concept, some elements of which have been borrowed from other successful companies. The business model has been thoroughly worked out. Membership will replace rigid subscription commitments. Adequate endowments will substitute for expensive fundraising efforts. There will be several levels of involvement in M.E.S.S., from free entertainment for students all the way to elite membership for big donors.  Everyone will have a place. Venues will shift. Flexibility will be a key word. There will be no attempt to have "a house". But there will be "a home".

We have counted ourselves in and will keep you, dear readers, informed of future events.  M.E.S.S. expects to have a full season of opera with a resident ensemble company within three years but there will be more events starting in the Spring.

(c) meche kroop