TO MY FRIEND, WITH LOVE

Samina Aslam, Joseph Krupa, Janara Kellerman, and Amber Smoke

"To My Friend, With Love" was the title of Janara Kellerman's recital yesterday at Rutgers Presbyterian Church. The recital was dedicated to WWII veteran and veteran baritone/coach Charles Dunn; however it also reflects the feelings that members of the audience must have felt in the warm embrace of this welcoming artist with stage presence to spare.

What makes a singer memorable comprises a warm stage presence, a thrilling instrument, well-developed technique, keen dramatic instincts, and linguistic capability. Mezzo-soprano Janara Kellerman is so gifted in each aspect that we wonder why she is not onstage at The Metropolitan Opera.

She was brought to our attention three years ago by Maestro Keith Chambers, Founder and Music Director of New Amsterdam Opera who has a knack for finding grand voices and putting them to good use. We last heard Ms. Kellerman grabbing the lead role of Massenet's Hérodiade in her teeth and running with it.

We have also enjoyed her Preziosilla in Verdi's La Forza del Destino and her Ortrud in Wagner's Lohengrin, as well as her Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana--all with New Amsterdam Opera. Toning down her glamor, she made a fine Mama Lucia in the latter opera, with the Martha Cardona Opera.

Yesterday we enjoyed her generous mezzo-soprano instrument in a varied program that left nothing to be desired (and no post-modern atrocities to be endured), giving ample evidence of her artistic versatility.

Although Ms. Kellerman scarcely resembles Cinderella in her physical appearance, her facility with Rossini's florid writing made "Nacqui all'affanno...Non più mesta" a joy to the ear. Her voice filled the sanctuary of Rutgers Presbyterian Church, soaring to the rafters. The aria was delivered with expressive legato and clean fioritura; the cabaletta was filled with fireworks.

Switching to lieder by Brahms did not faze her a bit and her German was notably accurate. "Immer leise wird mein Schlummer" is a lied we could never  get through without tearing up and Ms. Kelllerman's dramatic delivery painted a picture for us of this dying woman desperate for a visit from a distant beloved. In "Die Mainacht", she wove a melancholy spell and in "Von ewiger liebe", she sang with steadfast tone, echoing the words of the faithful woman.

Dalila is the perfect role for a mezzo with dramatic instincts. This serpent of a woman must appear maximally seductive toward Samson, her prey; but the audience must get a whiff of her manipulative behavior and destructive intent. We have seen some famous artists in the role but don't think we have heard Camille Saint-Saëns' sinuous vocal line better sung.

We heard another side of her artistry in a trio of French mélodies--all little gems. Henri Duparc's "Chanson Triste" was delivered with gorgeous Gallic flavor and we enjoyed the pianissimo passages. "Extase" was performed with lovely languor. Alfred Bachelet's "Chère nuit" was a tender tribute to a lover.

Carmen is a role tailor-made for Ms. Kellerman, a role in which she can let out all the stops. We were fortunate to hear her build the excitement in "Les tringles des sistres tintaient" and later, as an encore to the program, the "Habanera" performed with plenty of gestural emphasis. This Carmen is one wild woman!

Ms. Kellerman is also adept in Castilian Spanish and we loved the varying moods of Manuel de Falla's Siete Canciones Populares Españolas. There is ironic inference, heartbreak, grief, tenderness, and even a gentle lullaby. But it is the insistent rhythm of "Polo" that leaves us shaking.

The program closed with a special treat--the trio in the Finale of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. Ms.Kellerman took the role of Octavian with guest artists soprano Amber Smoke as the Marschallin and soprano Samina Aslam as Sophie. We would have enjoyed it more without those loathed music stands but hey, we are always happy to hear three gorgeous female voices in harmony.

The excellent accompanist Joseph Krupa kept right up to every demand, every line, every rhythm, every mood. We particularly enjoyed him in the exotic music of Saint-Saëns and in the propulsive "Polo".

What a way to spend a Sunday afternoon! It was only 90 minutes of singing; we felt fulfilled but we could have listened for another half hour at least.

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THE PEARL IN THE OYSTER

Corinne Winters  and Ilker Arcayürek in Les Pêcheurs de Perles
(photo by Curtis Brown for the Santa Fe Opera)

Last night was our first night at the Santa Fe Opera and we have nothing but wonderful things to say about their production of Bizet's Les Pêcheurs de Perles. Is this the same production we saw seven years ago? We recall enjoying it but last night's iteration brought the work into sharper focus, both dramatically and musically. This is an opera that is not frequently heard but almost every opera lover is familiar with the famous Nadir-Zurga duet "Oui, c'est elle, c'est la déesse" in which both men make vows going against the nature of love. Almost every competition and recital in New York has this duet on the program.




But hearing the entire opera is a special treat and offers several more arias and duets that merit ones attention. If you, dear reader, have never listened to the opera in toto, we recommend it highly. Even better, come to Santa Fe for one of the two final performances on 8/16 and 8/23.




Much of the credit for this success can be attributed to the excellent casting. In the role of the Brahmin Priestess Leíla, we heard one of our favorite sopranos enjoyed so often at New York Festival of Song--Corinne Winters. Opera, lieder, and cabaret are three very different categories and it is astonishing to hear someone gifted in all three. This petite young woman has a voice that is anything but petite--the timbre and resonance are appealing and the vocal colors with which she imbued the various scenes showed the measure of her artistry. Nor could one fault her superb acting.




As the Hunter Nadir who simply cannot forget her, we heard tenor Ilker Arcayürek, previously unknown to us, but making a fine impression with his pleasing instrument, fine phrasing, and convincing acting.




Equally impressive in the role of Head Honcho Zurga we heard baritone Anthony Clark Evans who sang with beautiful phrasing and heartfelt emotion. He too was successful at coloring his voice in ways that enhanced our understanding of his emotional journey. 




As happy as we were that Leíla and Nadir escaped their death sentence and went off to live happily ever after, we were equally sad for Zurga who overcame his rage at Leíla for preferring Nadir and his pain and anger at Nadir's betrayal. His vengeful anger, his forgiveness, the nobility he expressed in self-sacrifice--all were perfectly portrayed.




Bass Robert Pomakov was scarily convincing as the High Priest Nourabad. His rumbling bass and aggressive postures were chilling.




The chorus of Santa Fe Apprentice Singers performed brilliantly as usual and for this we acknowledge Susanne Sheston, whose fine work has impressed us from one year to the next




Director Shawna Lucey showed us aspects of the story that we had previously overlooked. Although the love triangle and the issues of revenge and forgiveness are universal. Ms. Lucey went a long way toward giving us the  specific context within which the story develops. The trend of setting libretti in exotic locales was common in the 19th c.--a trend that we love--and librettists Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré selected the island formerly known as Ceylon with the action taking place in a community of pearl divers.




The risk of this occupation was made clear with drowned bodies being washed ashore; the devotion in the ensuing funereal Hindu ritual was also made clear. And so we have a greater understanding of the vital role of the visiting priestess Leíla and the importance the community placed on her chastity whilst she sang and prayed all night for their safety.




The issues of love versus duty, betrayal and revenge, all can be generalized from the specific; similarly the domination of a vengeful leader whipping his followers into a frenzy of murderous rage can also be generalized and seems particularly relevant to our time. It is this work the listener performs in finding analogies with the present that we find so woefully missing in "updated" productions.




On the podium we had Maestro Timothy Myers who elicited some fine playing from the orchestra. Bizet's music is inventive of melody, lush of harmony, and colorful of orchestration. Mo. Myers brought out every recurrence of every theme. We heard an outstanding oboe solo and a beautiful chorale of muted brass. We also enjoyed the contributions of the harp. We heard what sounded like a Venetian barcarolle that certainly evoked the seaside nature of the locale.




Jean-Marc Puissant's set was serviceable but not remarkable. The action was surrounded by a gilded frame, reminding us that this is an escapist fantasy. But why did some action take place in front of the frame? And what was meant by the presence of a very European desk and chair that seemed to serve no purpose. In the final act, the gilt frame was askew and the stage was filled with broken furniture and a huge plaster sculpture that we finally figured out was the hand of a Buddha statue. Perhaps all this was meant to suggest the destruction wrought by angry gods over Leíla's betrayal of her vow of chastity.




Lighting by Rick Fisher was augmented by Mother Nature who seemed to provide flashes of lightning at all the right times, as is so often the case at Santa Fe Opera. (We recall a terrific storm one night in the final act of Rigoletto which outdid Verdi's orchestral storm.)




Brigitte Reiffenstuel's costumes for the chorus and principals were apt but Leíla's second costume was breathtaking. She looked like a mermaid sitting on a rock, or perhaps like the Lorelei luring men to their destruction.  Who could resist?




The opera premiered in 1863 at the Théâtre-Lyrique de Paris. Neither comic nor tragic, it was considered insufficiently grand for the Opéra but too serious for the Opéra-Comique. It languished until the mid 20th c. and we are glad that it has entered the repertoire.




Do see it!




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THE FINEST PEARL

Evan Lazdowski, Shantal Martin, Juan Lázaro, Thomas Muraco, Sungah Baek, Laureano Quant, and Esteban Zuniga .   


Conductor/collaborative pianist/coach/educator Thomas Muraco has been on the faculty of Manhattan School of Music for a quarter of a century and we have lost count of how many operas he has conducted for the MSM Opera Repertoire Ensemble; but we haven't forgotten how much we have enjoyed them. His attention to musical detail is highly impressive and his hands are highly expressive.  No baton needed!

Last night he conducted Bizet's 1863 opera Les Pêcheurs de Perles (composed when Bizet was but 25 years old) in a reduction of the score for two pianos, four hands devised by Sungah Baek. Those twenty fingers, belonging to Ms. Baek and Juan José Lázaro, simply flew over the keys and brought out voices we had totally overlooked in orchestral performances. Sitting "up close and personal", certain aspects of the superficially silly libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré began to make psychological sense, thanks to some astute direction by A. Scott Parry.

The absence of sets and costumes (save for Léïla's white dress and exotic veiled headpiece) allowed us to focus on the music. Anyone who has attended voice competitions would be familiar with "Au fond du temple saint", the deliciously harmonic duet sung by the tenor and the baritone early in Act I. The tenor's soliloquy "Je crois entendre encore" is often heard as well.

However, the score offers several more treats worthy of audition or competition pieces, highlighting the singer's expressiveness. We were highly impressed with the authoritative performance of baritone Laureano Quant who created the character of a tragic hero undone by jealousy but redeemed through generosity. At the conclusion of the opera, Zuniga sacrifices his own life to allow his old friend Nadir to escape the funeral pyre, along with the temple priestess whom they both love.

Mr. Quant's rich round tone filled out his song of remorse "L'orage est calmé" which paralleled the subsiding of the storm endured by the villagers-- who believe that the betrayal of Léïla is responsible. He refuses Léïla's request for mercy in "Je suis jaloux" but changes his mind when he sees the deus ex machina necklace that he had bestowed upon her years earlier when she saved his life. All these changes of emotion were reflected in Mr. Quant's phrasing and coloration. It was a masterful and memorable performance.

As Léïla, soprano Shantal Martin was convincing in her acting and excellent in her command of the vocal line. Her conflict was between spiritual duties that she had promised to execute faithfully and her lust/love rekindled by Nadir from a prior period in their lives. Ms. Martin conveyed Léïla's weakness of character without sacrificing vocal strength. She was particularly fine in the melismatic passages that amounted to a gorgeous vocalise. Her voice soared in the upper register making us almost forget that she's a "bad girl".

Nadir is a "bad boy" as well. He has betrayed his friend Zurga in an earlier period, after the two of them had promised to preserve their friendship by giving up their love for the tempting Léïla. As portrayed by tenor Esteban Zuniga, he appears sly, shifty, sneaky, and aware of his guilt. As a matter of fact (or opinion) we thought Mr. Zuniga overacted a bit with an excess of mugging. Sometimes less is more! Mr. Zuniga's light tenor seemed suitable for bel canto opera. He harmonized beautifully with Ms. Martin in their Act II duet, and also in Act III as they faced death.

Evan Lazdowski used his fine bass instrument successfully in the role of the High Priest Nourabad. His character is dour, suspicious, stern and forbidding as one might expect. The unfamiliar ending (from an 1886 revival) has him stabbing Zurga to death. Mr. Quant succeeded in making Zurga a sympathetic character but he did set fire to his village so we guess he deserved his fate.

Particularly noteworthy was the excellent French diction, coached by Elsa Quéron. We did not even need the titles; every word was clear.

Also noteworthy was the performance of the chorus. They sang well and added the necessary backdrop for the drama.

There is a matinée performance at 2:30 on Sunday and we urge you to attend. Although the cast will be different, the music will be the same. We found a great deal of aural enchantment in the repetitive Oriental motifs.

(c) meche kroop

SWEET TO THE TONGUE AND SWEET TO THE EAR

Kyle Pfortmiller, Maestro Keith Chambers, Ira Siff, Aaron Blake, Olivia Vote, and Sandra Lopez

The tantalizing buffet of homemade sweets and the free-flowing champagne might have distracted us from the thrilling entertainment provided by New Amsterdam Opera at their Sweet Surprise Salon.  Indeed sugar is sweet but music is even sweeter and more nourishing to the spirit.

The salon inaugurated NAO's second season; if you, dear readers, read our reviews from the first season you may recall our enthusiasm for their fine Fidelio, their equally fine Forza del Destino, and a compelling gala concert--all performed with impressive professionalism and fine casting decisions.

Artistic Director Maestro Keith Chambers hand picked the quartet of singers for last night's salon and the excellent program which comprised not a single dud.  There were three acts of four selections each with an opportunity to socialize before, after, and inbetween. Many luminaries of Planet Opera were in attendance and we were so happy to learn that Maestro Eve Queler of Opera Orchestra of New York has generously donated all her orchestral scores, giving NAO just the impetus they need to present more operas that deserve to be heard but are not regularly performed.

The evening was hosted by the inimitable Ira Siff--singer/educator/raconteur/writer/radio personality. We know Mr. Siff for a longer period of time than any other singer. One of his youthful performances was responsible for our love of singing. His witty introductions had the audience in stitches.  He began rather straight-faced talking about the need for "budget operas" in today's economic climate but then rattled off a list that seemed to come right out of the late and lamented Gran Scena Opera Company, of which he was the star.  Who remembers Madame Vera???

We always love duets, especially when the voices are well balanced.  Opening the program were soprano Sandra Lopez and mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote (whom we enjoyed so much at Santa Fe Opera) singing "Belle nuit" from Jacques Offenbach's magnificent work Les contes d'Hoffman. Ms. Lopez' instrument is bright and beautiful with Ms. Vote's terrifically textured voice complementing hers to great effect. French diction was just about perfect.

If there is a more gorgeous duet for male voices than "Au fond du temple saint" from Georges Bizet's Les pecheurs de perles, we have yet to hear it. Tenor Aaron Blake joined forces with baritone Kyle Pfortmiller in this male bonding piece; both artists had an opportunity to show their dramatic chops in this emotional roller coaster. Like the two female artists, their French was impeccable.

As far as language is concerned, Mr. Pfortmiller distinguished himself with his superlative German in "Mein sehnen, mein Wahnen" from Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Die tote Stadt. This song of longing and nostalgia ends with the word "zuruck" (apologies for not having diacritical marks available) and Mr. Pfortmiller drew out the final "u" (the one with the umlaut) in an attenuated decrescendo that brought out the sentiment in a way that we have never heard before.

Readers may recall how fond we are of zarzuela and can imagine how delighted we were to hear "Maria la O" from the the 1930's work by Cuban Ernesto Lecuona. We just reviewed the same aria last week and are of the opinion that New York is ready for more zarzuela. Ms. Lopez gave it a fine performance, filled with sazon. To our ears, Spanish sings as well as Italian and caresses the ear.

Of course, there was Italian on the program as well. Ms. Vote performed "Stella del marinar", Laura's prayer for guidance from Amilcare Ponchielli La gioconda. Her vibrato was perfect and filled the room with overtones that bounced off the elaborate piano score, performed by Maestro Chambers, who was accompanist for the evening.

"Parigi, o cara" is the heartbreaking final duet from Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata, a duet filled with false hope and wishful thinking.  Ms. Lopez and Mr. Blake invested it with profound emotional resonance.

Equally heartbreaking is Edgardo's aria of suicidal despair from Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, in which Mr. Blake threw himself into the high notes with thrilling abandon.

It is rare that a piano reduction can come close to Richard Wagner's dense orchestration but Maestro Chambers got it right in "Einsam wachend in der Nacht", Brangane's Act II warning to Isolde, here performed by Ms. Vote.

Three of the artists enjoyed the opportunity to sing lighter works from the American musical theater. Mr. Blake let out all the stops for "Be My Love", popularized by Mario Lanza in 1950. It was passionate, persuasive, and very expressive.

Mr. Pfortmiller performed the English language lyrics to "Stars" from Claude-Michel Schonberg's Les Miserables.  Having heard Alain Boublil's French lyrics, we would have preferred that version, but the English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer are quite good and Mr. Pfortmiller was strong and determined and overcame our preference.

The musical Kismet has Borodin's music written all over it; indeed Robert Wright and George Forrest adapted it for the Broadway stage and it opened in 1953 with an absurdly complicated plot and Borodin's luscious music. If we are not mistaken "And This is My Beloved" comes from the third movement of his String Quartet #2. Forgetting the elaborate plot, Ms. Lopez performed the song with beauty and simplicity.

The program concluded with the festive party song from Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus, which brought this quartet of superb singers together in an exhibition of brotherly love-- "Sing to Love' which we know as "Bruderlein, bruderlein und Schwesterlein".  Again, we prefer the original language but it was just fine.

After this banquet of vocal delights, we repaired to the banquet of gastronomical delights and shared our pleasure with the enthralled members of the audience.

The evening was a fund raiser for New Amsterdam Opera and this yearling company deserves your dollars. Their goal is to identify young talent and to give them performance opportunities right here in New York City. It seems as if the USA provides the best training for singers but is sadly lacking in performance opportunities.  So many of our gifted young artists leave for Europe where their artistry is more highly valued. Let's turn that around!

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MALFITANO MAGIC

Catherine Malfitano's third-year voice students at Manhattan School of Music

Getting a crowd to spend their Saturday night listening to third-year music students sounds like a hard sell but then Greenfield Hall at Manhattan School of Music was filled to the last row with enthusiastic music lovers who were there to celebrate the unique achievements of this wildly talented group of young artists, talented beyond their years.  There must be a cause!  Of course there is!

The ebullient soprano Catherine Malfitano has taken this class of 26 singers and, over the course of a year, transformed them into an ensemble that can use nothing but their voices and their bodies to lead you down the path of enjoyment of works both familiar and lesser known. Sets are superfluous when the acting is so on point. Although we enjoyed the familiar works, we were most interested in the introduction we received to operas we have never seen produced.

The evening comprised French opera scenes, most of them lighthearted, and we are pleased to note that French diction was held to the highest standard.  Even when the scenes were new to us, the French was so well enunciated and the emotions so well revealed that there was no difficulty understanding what was happening.

Gounod and Bizet were represented but the most scenes were given to works by Jacques Offenbach and Jules Massenet. Casting was accomplished with a great deal of flexibility with many roles shared by two or three singers. Occasionally, roles were given to singers from a fach variant to that which the composer intended, but it was never a problem. Every singer sounded absolutely right. That in itself is a small miracle.

We love Offenbach and have seen and adored his 1868 opera bouffe, La Perichole. The heroine is a sassy piece of work and was here performed jointly by sopranos Aleksandra Durin and Tzuting Tsai with tenor Mimi Chiu as her lover Piquillo. The staging allowed for some competition between the two Pericholes. The music, performed on the piano by Eric Sedgwick, was filled with music hall joy.

The composer's 1858 parody of Gluck's Orfeo,  Orphee aux Enfers involved a Eurydice who is not losing any love over her Orphee. We were impressed by the fine tenor Ramon Gabriel Tenefrancia who had two superb Eurydices to annoy with his virtual violin--Ashely Lea and Hyejin Yoon.

The final work on the program was Offenbach's more serious 1881 work, Les contes d'Hoffmann. We got to hear three Giuliettas, all admirable--Shelen Hughes, Monica Gonzalez, and Makila Redick. Baritone Yichen Xue gave a fine performance of "Scintille, diamant" in which Dapertutto convinces Giuietta to steal Hoffman's reflection. Hoffman was portrayed by Joshua Ross with Rong Yue as Nicklaus. This is one of our favorite operas and we were delighted to get a hearing.

Massenet was represented by his often seen 1884 Manon, a tragedy, and his 1905 comedy Cherubin, which seems ripe for revival with its convoluted plot and gorgeous music. In the former, we enjoyed the first scene in which the aristocrats from Paris arrive with their three "actress" companions and, express their quality of entitlement to the beleaguered innkeeper (Clayton Matthews). The aristocrats were sung by Yiqiao Zhou and Yichen Xue. Their companions were portrayed by Blair Cagney, Melanie Hope Long, and Shelen Hughes. We have never seen singers have so much fun with their roles!

Manon herself was sung by the tiny powerhouse Lauren Lynch who captivated one and all with her "Profitons bien de la jeunesse".  In the Act IV quartet, Ms. Long exchanged roles with Ms. Lynch.

Massenet's Cherubin is yet another entry in the tale of the Count and Countess Almaviva and Cherubino, but done more as a French farce. In the scene from Act II, soprano Juliana Levinson sang the part of L"Ensoleillad with mezzo-soprano Gabriella Chea singing the eponymous hero. It was difficult to tell who was seducing whom but the audience loved the uninhibited body language and we loved the way the voices blended.

This opera goes on our wish list, as does Charles Gounod's 1864 Mireille in which the title role was shared by two lovely sopranos who harmonized to perfection--Ms. Redick and Ms. Hughes.

There were also two scenes from Carmen, Georges Bizet's 1875 masterpiece. We always love the scene in which Carmen declines to join her smuggler friends and elicits their hilarity with her protestation of being amoureuse. Mezzo-soprano Catarina Veytia mad a fine Carmen with Gabriella Will and Ms. Cagney as Frasquita and Mercedes. Mr. Matthews sang El Dancairo and El Remendado was sung by Mr. Zhou.

The Act III fortune-telling scene had Cynthia Soyeon Yu as Frasquita and Ziyi Dai as Mercedes. Mr. Sedgwick's piano was particularly wonderful in this portentous scene.

It was a most delightful evening from start to finish and left us incredulous that third-year music students could perform in such an accomplished fashion. What a pleasure to hear healthy young voices in the service of drama, entertainment, and artistry. Ms. Malfitano's magic never ceases to amaze!

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VIVE LES ARTS--in all their Gallic glory.

George Hemcher, Stéphane Sénéchal, and Robert Osborne

Last night we had the privilege of attending a private recital at the magnificently art-filled home of painter Lewis Bryden and his lovely wife Betsy.  Mr. Bryden paints exactly the kind of painting that we want in our home--portraits and representational works of haunting loveliness.

It was the perfect setting for a recital by French tenor Stéphane Sénéchal, whom we heard for the first time, and bass-baritone Robert Osborne, whom we enjoyed so much at the Hispanic Society singing Don Quichotte.

The program, entirely in French, seemed designed to highlight the unique talents of each artist and also to show a contrast between the delicacy of Mr. Sénéchal's lyric tenor and the robustness of Mr. Osborne's sturdy bass-baritone. 

The former has quite a career in his native France and has garnered multiple awards both there and here. His ease with his homeland's mélodies is legendary and he has achieved quite a reputation as an ambassador of the French repertoire. He is also affiliated with Classic Lyric Arts as Artistic Director of L'Art du Chant Français which has contributed so much to French performance instruction.

He opened the program with three selections by Francis Poulenc; our favorite was the lively "Vous n'écrivez plus", setting of a text by Max Jacob.  Later on the program he performed songs from an earlier period, all masterpieces.  In Gabriel Fauré's "Ici-bas", he used his fine phrasing to good effect, employing an exquisite caressing tone.

In Henri Duparc's "Soupir", he used delicate vocal brush strokes to paint a picture of longing. Charles Gounod's "Viens les gazons sont verts" was sung with all the enthusiasm the text required, accompanied by George Hemcher's rippling piano. Déodat de Séverac's "Les hiboux" was given a haunting interpretation by both tenor and pianist.

His final solo selection was Nadir's lilting aria "Je crois entendre encore" from Bizet's "Les pêcheurs de perles".  We loved the floated top notes and the lulling rhythm which seemed borrowed from a barcarolle.

Mr. Osborne is well known on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean for his powerful and versatile singing. His recordings are legendary. He performed two melodic songs by Oscar Straus, a composer of whom we wish to hear more. Mr. Osborne used his larger-than-life personality and ample dramatic gestures to convey the feelings of a hopelessly smitten lover in "Je t'aime". His dynamic variety kept the waltz neatly in romantic territory without pushing it into sappiness.

Mr. Straus' music is replete with melody. The text scans and rhymes, making it the kind of music you walk out humming. The two artists joined forces for "Oui, c'est une valse de Vienne" in which a young man celebrates his carefree youth.

Franz Waxman was a Berliner who fled the Nazis and wrote some marvelous unpublished songs while in Paris; he continued on to the USA where he wrote scores for Hollywood films. What joy to have Mr. Osborne bring to our attention these wonderful songs from Waxman's Paris period !

Mr. Osborne captured the varying moods of the songs with spontaneity and ease. "Sans un mot" had a tender romantic feel and was written in waltz time. "Tout seul" was bluesy and bitter. "La crise est finie" seemed ironic with its martial rhythm. We enjoyed these songs so much and are happy to report that Mr. Osborne has recorded them! And that's a first!!!

The two singers joined forces for "Duetto de la Chartreuse verte", a parodic drinking song from Emmanuel Chabrier's L'Etoile,  in which Mr. Osborne got to show off his formidable lower register. Every drop of humor was captured.

In a display of versatility, he switched gears for "Et toi, Palerme" from Giuseppe Verdi's Les vêpres siciliennes. It is special indeed to hear a bass-baritone achieve such flexibility in the ornamentation.

What program with two male voices could end with anything but "Au fond du temple saint" from the aforementioned Les pêcheurs de perles.  It was the perfect ending for a recital that lasted but an hour but was nonetheless completely fulfilling.  

There was none of the effeteness that can sometimes creep into an evening of French song. The variety of style and attention to dynamics kept it compelling from start to finish. A better accompanist than George Hemcher could not be found; he consistently matched the varying moods and dynamics of the singers.

The evening concluded with a reception and a tour of Mr. Bryden's studio where we admired paintings and sculptures both. Vocal arts and plastic arts in one evening! Only in New York!

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH YING AND NODA

Ying Fang and Ken Noda

Newly landmarked St. Michael's Church played host for yesterday's Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert presented by the Weill Music Institute, as part of the Marilyn Horne Legacy. The gorgeous sunshine outside was no match for the gorgeous sunshine experienced within as the radiant soprano Ying Fang joined her vocal artistry with that of the renowned collaborative pianist, coach, and educator Ken Noda.

We get a special thrill from witnessing the development of young artists over the years and we have been writing about Ying Fang since 2012. She made a grand impression on us from the very start and we can only say that she keeps getting better and better, garnering prizes and roles at The Metropolitan Opera.

What great fortune for us to hear her up close and personal. This young lady has all the ingredients necessary for a major career. Her bright instrument is pure and clear and highly focused.  Her phrasing is gorgeous; her coloratura outstanding; her language skills prodigious.  But all this pales when one considers her ability to share her textual understanding with her audience. Every song becomes a mini-drama.

Three Handelian moods were conveyed in the opening set--the sensuality of "Endless Pleasure, Endless Love" from Semele contrasted well with the desperate supplication of "Angels Ever Bright and Fair" from Theodoro and the pure joy of "Oh, had I Jubal's Lyre" from Joshua. Her English diction was so clear that we forgot that we never enjoy singing in English.  This time we did!

Ken Noda's playing was crisp and precise and well suited to the material.  In the next set of Wolf songs, his playing became more lyrical and legato while Ying's singing brought apt story-telling to the selections from Wolf's Italienisches Liederbuch. We had just heard the sorrowful "Mir war gesagt" the night before but Ying put her own stamp on it.

The final two songs "Du denkst mit einem Fädchen" and "Mein Liebster hat zu Tische" provided opportunities for Ying to demonstrate her delightful sense of humor.

A trio of Bizet songs brought the first half of the program to a stunning conclusion with the seasonal "Chanson d'avril" followed by the charming "La coccinelle", a delightful ditty that gave her three voices to play with--that of the peevish girl, her shy lover, and the wise ladybug. Facial expression and gesture accompanied and amplified the changes in vocal color.

We loved what Maestro Noda and Ms. Ying did with "Ouvre ton coeur"; the piano marched forcefully but shifted continually from major to minor while the voice conveyed a Spanish influence.

The second half of the program opened with a trio of traditional Chinese folk songs by 20th c. composers.  "A little path" and "Spring Yearning" reminded us that all cultures, no matter what their politics are, deal with love, both anticipated and disappointed. The final song "Night Mooring at Maple Bridge", was replete with moody piano writing and evocative images. Ying sustained the image by painting pictures that we could see. It was as if her voice created a hologram of a painting. Moreover, the sound of Mandarin was particularly lovely.

The recital closed with six romantic songs by Sergei Rachmaninoff, all of them gorgeously sung. We enjoyed the contrast between the ethereal "Son" accompanied by Maestro Noda's dreamlike piano, and the passionate "A-u!"

We were completely satisfied by the program and yet we would never have missed the encore--the "Shepherd's Song" from Wagner's Tannhäuser, much of it sung in breath-holding (ours, not hers) a capella. This is a role she has performed at The Met. It was a special thrill!

(c) meche kroop

BEST. CARMEN. EVER.

Avery Amereau and Victor Starsky

We realize that calling New York Opera Exchange's Carmen the best Carmen ever is quite an extravagant statement. But this is the first time we have been totally absorbed in a production from the opening note of the overture until Carmen dies in the arms of her lover and murderer Don José. We have seen and heard this opera dozens of time and are usually quite restless by Act IV and have been known to mutter sotto voce "Kill her already!"

Let us first give credit where credit is due. To begin with, the role of the eponymous heroine was brilliantly sung and acted. Mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau has a thrillingly dark instrument and employs it so effectively that one is never aware of the technique, only aware that she is completely in the moment and giving 110%. After the first couple minutes we forgot that her fine-featured face looks nothing like that of a gypsy. The way she used her body embodied the free-spirited and rebellious nature of the character in a way never before seen by us. It surely came from a deep inner place and was not, as with most Carmens, a case of "acting sexy".

Secondly, we credit the director Matt Dickson who, surprisingly, is new to the world of opera. He apparently applied everything he knew from the world of theater without interfering with the singers' ability to function vocally. There were countless examples of stage business that supported the interactions of the characters and also served to establish the cultural milieu in which the characters were interacting.

This was an authentic Carmen, true to time and place. (We loathed the Carmen set in the 1950's and had no use for the one set in Franco's Spain.) In this corner of Seville, in this particular production, there was tension between the townspeople and the military; they tolerated one another but there was the feeling that a simple confrontation could erupt at any moment into a conflagration. This atmosphere of tension reflected and contributed to the tension between the characters.

Thirdly, we credit the superlative conducting of Alden Gatt. The full-sized orchestra was placed in front of the audience and during the prelude we had a moment's concern about the volume but Maestro Gatt wisely balanced the sound so that it supported the singers and never drowned them out. The flute and oboe solos were particularly lovely.

Tenor Victor Starsky made a fine Don José who grew in dimension as the story progressed. He began as a rather buttoned-up fellow with his future already determined. As Carmen wove her spell upon him he became expressive, conflicted, passionate, and insanely jealous. By Act IV, he had completely decompensated--wild-eyed, wild-haired and desperate. His Act II aria "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" was stellar.

The role of Micaëla, the sweet innocent girl whom Don José is supposed to marry, was winningly performed by soprano Kaley Lynn Soderquist whose bright lovely instrument was perfect for the role. Her Act III aria "Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante" was a convincing blend of terror, courage and faith.

Bass-baritone Kian Freitas sang the role of Escamillo and sang it well but could have used more arrogance in his voice and in his body language. We had the same observation of one of the last Escamillos we saw at the Met. We want to see a torero who struts around with shoulders back and head held high, signalling confidence.

As Carmen's two friends Frasquita and Mercedes, we were very pleased with the performances of NYOE favorite Nadia Petrella who has a fine bright soprano just right for the part of Frasquita and mezzo Kate Farrar who made an excellent Mercedes. For some reason, Costume Designer Taylor Mills, who did a splendid job on all the other costumes, dressed these two singers in hideous short satin skirts and street shoes, even as they trekked up the mountains. Give those girls some boots!

We further enjoyed tenor James Grandjean as Le Remendado and baritone Andrew Luzania as Le Dancairo. The Act II ensemble when these smugglers are making their plans with the women "Nous avons en tête une affaire" was excellently harmonized.

Bass Costas Tsourakis made a suitably repellent Zuniga with a nice booming sound and baritone Jonathan Christopher was fine as Morales.

The chorus of townspeople contributed to the proceedings and managed to distinguish themselves as individuals, thanks to the good stage direction. The children's chorus had only one young man and it was a bit strange to see a group of female children imitating soldiers.

The set by Gabriel Firestone was simple but effective and was lit by Kimberlee Hurley.

Georges Bizet composed Carmen in 1875 with a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy for the Opéra Comique in Paris. It had spoken dialogue and was presented as music theater. It was considered scandalous because of the sexuality and violence. It later came to be considered grand opera with the addition of accompanied recitativi by Ernest Guiraud. It has been a favorite in the canon ever since.

It was brave of NYOE to tackle such a work but we were thrilled with the intimacy and never missed the parade of picadors in Act IV or the mountains in Act III. With acting and singing this good, the imagination supplies the rest.  We have watched NYOE grow over the past few years; the quality keeps improving. We have seen the future of opera in New York City and it's looking great.

(c) meche kroop

WHO IS SILVIE?

Nathaniel LaNasa and Silvie Jensen

Silvie Jensen is a versatile mezzo-soprano who has made quite a name for herself in many genres: opera, lieder, oratorio, and commissioned new works.  We were fortunate to be invited to enjoy her artistry in a private recital at Norton Hall--up close and intimate as lieder recitals are best enjoyed (and should always be, were it not for financial considerations).

The first half of the program was devoted to Schubert, and if there was ever a better composer of lieder we cannot think of one.  His setting of Franz Schober's "An die Musik", which opened the program, is the perfect tribute to the musical arts and an expression of the poet's gratitude.  Ms. Jensen sang it with consummate depth of feeling and communicative skills such that we were reminded of our own gratitude.

We are accustomed to hearing Die Winterreise sung by men and rarely hear it performed by a woman although there is a recording of it sung by Christa Ludwig.  Last night we heard Ms. Jensen sing several selections from it and pushed aside any judgments and just listened to the music.  Her artistry was such that we completely forgot the risk she was taking. Accompanied by the fine piano partner Nathaniel LaNasa, we were swept away to the lonely wintry landscape through which the poet plods, trying to escape from the despair of a broken heart.

Count on Schubert to limn a dozen shades of grief.  In "Gute Nacht", we hear the poet's disappointment as he sets out on his journey.  The song is strophic but our two artists made each verse sound new.  In "Der Lindenbaum" the gentle opening yields to the forceful pianistic and vocal depiction of "die kalten Winde" which chilled us, even in the warm room.

Both artists are experts at coloring the words.  The self-pity of "Wasserflut", the nostalgia of "Auf dem Flüsse", the false cheer of the dreamer in "Frühlingstraum", the menace of "Die Krähe", the morbidity of "Das Wirtshaus", and the mysterious resolve of "Der Leiermann" were all communicated.  Even in the repeated notes of "Der Wegweiser", there was not a hint of tedium.

We must add that Ms. Jensen's German diction was flawless and permitted us to pay full attention to the performance and none whatsoever to the translations.  Her French was just as fine in a cycle of songs by Poulenc entitled La Fraicheur et le Feu.

Although we do not understand Czech, we loved the sound of it and the delightful folk melodies of Bohuslav Martinu who wrote in the same time period as Poulenc.  We particularly enjoyed the charming "Touha" with its frisky piano part, as well as the lament "Smutny Mily".  We would love a second hearing of these songs.

Finally, Ms. Jensen and Mr. LaNasa performed selections from Britten's settings of folk songs.  We always love hearing the tale of "The Brisk Young Widow" and "The Salley Gardens" in which the poetry by W.B. Yeats inspired a lovely vocal line.

We were completely satisfied by this recital; but there was an encore that added a special thrill.  We never would have foreseen the smoky seductive timbre with which this cool Nordic beauty invested the "Habanera" from Bizet's Carmen.  Let us just say WOW and be done with it.

Although we understand that rehearsal time was short, we found the teamwork to be impressive.  Both Ms. Jensen and Mr. LaNasa are excellent interpreters and matched each other beautifully in their phrasing and dynamics.  We would gladly hear the two of them tackle the entire cycle of  Die Winterreise.  Perhaps next Winter?

© meche kroop

LE CERCLE DE CARPEAUX

Brian Zeger, Evan Hughes, Susan Graham, Layla Claire

To augment their exhibit "The Passions of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux", The Metropolitan Museum of Art presented an all-French recital of vocal music by the 19th c. sculptor's friends and contemporaries--Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saëns, Ernest Chausson, Alfred Bachelet, Charles Gounod, Hector Berlioz, Ambroise Thomas, Gabriel Fauré and Léo Delibes. 

Judging by the large crowd who applauded wildly after each and every song, we gather that the audience comprised more lovers of art than lovers of chanson.  Perhaps they were drawn by the fame of the incomparable mezzo Susan Graham; we have a feeling that after hearing this fulfilling recital they will be just as likely to be drawn to recitals by the two phenomenally gifted younger singers--soprano Layla Clair and bass-baritone Evan Hughes.  The beloved Brian Zeger, who wears many hats, here wore his "collaborative pianist" hat, accompanying all three artists with grace and style.

At what point do we abandon the term "rising star" or "young artist" and acknowledge their arrival to full stardom.  It seems to us that these two artists have arrived.  They both captivated the audience with their vocal gifts, dramatic artistry and the ability to communicate to the audience the essence of each song.

Ms. Claire, who just had a phenomenal success in Toronto as Fiordiligi in Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte, opened the program with a set of songs by Bizet.  The seasonal "Chanson dAvril" was the perfect choice.  Ms. Claire has a gorgeous instrument and employs it astutely with great attention to variety of dynamics and phrasing.  Our favorite was the Iberian-perfumed "Guitare" which allowed her to show off some gorgeous melismatic singing.  Mr. Zeger's piano made the most of the rocking currents in "Douce mer".  

Mr. Hughes possesses a warm and generous voice that can be stimulating or soothing and a lively onstage personality that seems to want to tell a story and to tell it well.  In the set of songs by Monsieur Saint-Saëns, the rhythmically energetic "Le pas d'armes du Roi Jean" provided an opportunity for the interpolation of a verse of sad quietude.  "Tristesse" showed a depth of melancholic feeling.  But our favorite was the humorous "Suzette et Sazon" in which our singer is torn between two women.  We enjoyed the rapid piano figures in "Tournoiement".

Ms. Graham next graced the stage with three delights; there is nothing to add to the wealth of praise she has received for her charming way of addressing the audience or her fine voice or interpretive skills.  But it needs to be said that singing "on the book" impairs the connection with the audience.  Every time the singer glances at the score or turns a page there is an interruption of contact.  We are more inclined to forgive this practice when a singer is a last-minute substitution and has not had time to learn the material.

That being said, we did enjoy the rapid-fire "Dance macabre" by Mr. Saint-Saëns which has been heard elsewhere as a violin solo.  Mr. Zeger made the most of the fluttering butterfly wings in Chausson's "Les papillons".

Mr. Hughes returned with some early songs by Fauré and we delighted in two songs in which one could feel the movement of water; "Barcarolle" impressed as a lovely partnership between singer and pianist and "Les berceaux" was filled with significance as the sailors of ships rocking in the harbor are pulled back from their adventures by the rocking of their childrens' cradles.

In a set of Gounod songs, Ms. Claire was at her best issuing a charming invitation to run barefoot through the dewy grass in "Viens! Les gazons sont verts".  The familiar "Sérénade" was given a tender but flirtatious reading with lots of trilling and melismatic singing to delight the ear.

Ms. Graham closed the program with the gorgeously melodic "Connais-tu le pays?" from Thomas' Mignon and Marguerite's lament from Le damnation de Faust--"D'amour, l'ardente flamme".  We were hoping that what she called "the operatic portion of the program" would be "off the book"; sadly, it was not.

The welcome encore was "The flower song" from Léo Delibes' Lakme.  We are not among those who listen to commercials so we never tire of this tuneful duet, here sung by Ms. Claire and Ms. Graham.  It was brilliant.

The recital has ended, the melody lingers on and the sculpture exhibit can be seen until May 26th.  It was organized by a partnership with the Musée d'Orsay.  Any excursion into the 19th c. is a welcome one for our eyes and ears.

ⓒ meche kroop

EXOTIC EROTIC PEARL

Nicole Cabell

Christopher Magiera

Eric Cutler

Could one ask for anything more than gorgeous music, beautifully conducted and sung in the service of  bringing to life the never ending conflict between individual desire and community duty?  It's a problem that exists for every generation and we are glad of it since it provides countless opera plots.  Composed by Georges Bizet when he was only 24 years old, the setting for this conflict is exotic, erotic and totally captivating.  As usual, the Santa Fe Opera got everything right in their presentation of The Pearl Fishers.

We are in the last third of the 19th c. on the island formerly known as Ceylon; we are among a community of pearl fishers whose lives are fraught with peril and whose mentality is given over to superstition.  We have two men in love with the same woman who returns the love of one of them.  Zurga the head fisherman and Nadir have close bonds of brotherhood and have vowed to give up their love of Leila to preserve their friendship.  Zurga has gotten himself chosen to lead the group, a power play that perhaps consoles him for the loss of his love.  Nadir has chosen to live in the woods, but as the opera opens he has returned to his community.  Leila has been selected to be a priestess of Brahma whose role it is to pray and remain chaste to guarantee the safety of this fragile community. If she adheres to her vows of chastity she will be given the most valuable pearl; if she fails, she will be put to death.  Nadir discovers her behind her veil and importunes her until her resistance is nearly overcome.  They are discovered and threatened with the most extreme punishment.  To learn how this plot evades the customary deaths of the star couple, you will have to take a ride up to the Santa Fe Opera to find out.  You won't be disappointed.

Exotically beautiful Nicole Cabell, heard to great advantage a few days earlier at the Santa Fe Concert Association recital, carried the role of Leila with consummate artistry.  Her clarion soprano offered intense feeling supported by admirably precise coloratura technique; her trillssounded like silvery water.  Tenor Eric Cutler, well remembered from his Santa Fe Opera debut as Don Giovanni made a compelling Nadir with his fluid legato and right-on acting, letting the audience know just how conflicted he was by his lust/love for Leila and his brotherly love/loyalty toward Zurga. His "Je crois entendre encore" hit the goosebump level.   Christopher Magiera used his sturdy baritone to great advantage as Zurga, showing the audience just how a man disappointed in romance can seek power as a substitute.  His ultimate sacrifice is heartbreaking.  French diction was so excellent that the titles scarcely needed to be consulted.

Bizet's youthful music is always tuneful, at times evincing a delicate filigree and at other times raw passion.  One readily appreciates the origins from which sprang his Carmen, many years later.  We are only 15 minutes into the piece when we are treated to the gorgeous tenor/baritone duet "Au fond du temple saint" and this heart-stopping melody recurs several times during the all-too-short evening.  But perhaps one shouldn't complain about the brevity since the action moves forward without ceasing and gives a sense of unity and conciseness.  As conducted by Maestro Emmanuel Villaume we hear every motive as it skips around the orchestra.  Particularly notable were some woodwind solos and some lovely harp playing.

Director Lee Blakeley and scenic designer Jean-Marc Puisssant created a production that was straightforward dramatically but a bit puzzling.  We wondered about the vermeil picture frame bisecting the stage on an angle; was this meant to suggest that we were watching a storybook event?  When the erring couple was apprehended the frame was lowered, perhaps meant to be an earthquake that punished them for their violation of vows.  Were the European looking elements at stage right meant to refer to a British presence during the Raj?

We loved the costume design of Brigitte Reiffenstuel.  Leila's exotic costumes were set off by the dull-colored but interestingly styled costumes of the fishermen and their women.  That the chorus of apprentices sang so well under the directorship of Susanne Sheston was another plus in this production.  Each one seemed to have an individual personality and appearance.  In sum, it was another stellar evening at the Santa Fe Opera.  It made us wonder why this gorgeous opera is so rarely performed.  It deserves better.

(c) meche kroop