SOARING VOICES, SOARING VAULTS

David Galvez and Amaya Arberas

The Museum of the City of New York has mounted a superlative installation of the works of Rafael Guastavino, the Valencian architect responsible for so many of New York City's tiled arches.  The Consulate General of Spain in New York generously sponsored a musical evening highlighting musical works from the same period--late 19th c.

We could think of no finer artists to convey the parallels between music and architecture than soprano superstar Amaya Arberas (previously reviewed and found in our search bar) and guitar virtuoso David Galvez (also reviewed previously, also found by entering his name in the search bar).

We do not hear enough classical Spanish music here in New York which strikes us as a sad state of affairs. The melodic music bears both restraint and passion in delightful balance and the language itself is highly singable with vowels similar to those of the Italian language.  If we were given a single wish for the opera scene in NYC, it would be to have a company present zarzuelas and Spanish art songs.

Ms. Arberas has a brilliant soprano with a finely grained vibrato and a sparkling resonance.  One rarely gets to hear these art songs performed by a native Castilian and there were many moments that produced goosebumps and the teary eyes that come from witnessing beauty, be it musical, painterly or sculptural.

The two songs on the program that were familiar to us were Manuel de Falla's "El Paño Moruno" in which Ms. Arberas slyly conveyed the song's symbolic subtext and Fernando Obradors' "Del Cabello Mas Sutil" in which the tenderness brought tears to our eyes.  A very dramatic piece from Ruperto Chapi's zarzuela , Las Hijas del Zebedeo, absolutely blew us away.

Songs by Fernando Sor and Eduardo Toldrá rounded out the vocal part of the program and the beautiful "Cantares" by Joaquin Turina gave Ms. Arberas an opportunity to show another aspect of her artistry in the melismatic passages.

The vocal selections were stunningly accompanied by Mr. Galvez, a special treat to our ears, especially Miguel Llobet's "El Testament d'Amelia", a barcarolle like song in 3/4 time.  Mr. Galvez had several opportunities to play solos as well.  We have mainly been exposed to the guitar in works of the Baroque period and we realize how greatly we prefer works of the Late Romantic period. 

In Isaac Albeniz' "Asturias" we admired the deft rasqueados of the right hand.  In Sor's "Variaciones de Mozart" we appreciated the subtle dynamic and rhythmic variety and the insistent phrase which we cannot get out of our ears, nor would we wish to do so.  The moving "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" was yet another favorite.

As encores, Ms. Arberas switched to the Italian language, performing two lovely songs by Vicente Martin y Soler--"La Costanza" and "Volubile".  They were as lovely as the Spanish songs and brought the audience to their collective feet.

Sadly, the recital is over but the Guastavino exhibit can be seen until September 7.  There is a video installation on display in "Palaces for the People".  Or you could visit all the places in NYC to which the famous architect contributed his arched tile ceilings.  Or you could do both!

© meche kroop

A TOUCH OF ESPANA

David Shelton

Amaya Arberas

David Galvez

"Always leave them wanting more" could have been the motto for today's most enjoyable recital, given by Spanish coloratura soprano Amaya Arberas accompanied by Peruvian guitarist David Galvez and British pianist/violinist David Shenton.  The encore, composed by late 19th c. composer Ruperto Chapí brought the audience to their collective feet.  It isn't often that we New Yorkers get to hear zarzuela and we  hope that Opera Hispanica will remedy this lack.

We also loved the genuine Spanish flavor of Fernando Sor's "Si dices que mis ojos" and "Mis Descuidados ojos"  as well as Joaquin Turina's "Cantares".  An instrumental by Astor Piazzolla entitled "Oblivion" was performed by Mr. Galvez and  Mr. Shenton on violin, an instrumentation that evoked more subtleties than the bandoneon.

Ms. Arberas has a finely focused voice with a beautiful  fioritura, especially lovely in Mauro Giuliani's "Ad altro laccio" and the better known "Di tanti palpiti" in which she showed some lovely effects on the scale passages and some knockout embellishments of the vocal line in the final stanza. 

Ms. Arberas' French was quite lovely in Reynaldo Hahn's "A Chloris" and Gabriel Fauré's "Après un rêve".  We were less taken with one of her encores "If I loved you" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel; we found the Spanish accent to be not quite fitting.  We hope this marvelous recital will be a harbinger of more Spanish music to come.  Olé!