SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

            Maestro Will Crutchfield and The Teatro Nuovo Cast and Orchestra

Last night's production of Gioacchino Rossini's comic masterpiece Il barbiere di Siviglia at Damrosch Park was a joy to behold and a night to remember. The New York City opera community has been starved for live opera for over 16 months (but who's counting?) and Maestro Will Crutchfield served up a tasty dish that was completely satisfying but also left us eager for the next meal.

There was something for every taste.  Those who appreciate scholarship had access to some extensive program notes online which we were glad to have read in advance. Readers who are of the same mind can find them here

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/j8glxrj6qhmcrc5/The%20Barber%20of%20Seville%20-%20Preview%20Program.pdf?dl=0#

It was fun to learn more about the background of the opera, some of which we knew and other facts that were new to us. We never knew, for example, how flexible the composition was in terms of numbers that were created by the singers themselves. We were also unaware of the relative absence of fach in Rossini's operas. 

We'd always been told what a departure it was for a soprano to take on the role of Rosina, written for a mezzo-soprano. Not so; categories had yet to be written in stone. Last night's Figaro, for example, was sung by bass Hans Tashjian--and very well sung we might add. We hadn't heard Mr. Tashjian since his multiple appearances with Dell'Arte Opera about seven or eight years ago and were delighted to witness the growth in his artistry.

Maestro Crutchfield devoted a great deal of time and effort in stripping the opera of years of accretions and, truth to tell, we didn't miss the shtick. Thankfully, in spite of a few judicious cuts (necessitated by consideration for the neighbors living around Lincoln Center), all of the scintillating melodies were there, melodies which are still spinning around in our head. Our feet were dancing their way down Broadway, thanks to Rossini's rhythmic gifts.

We can't help wondering where is today's Rossini. He or she is probably writing for Broadway, not for the opera house. We sometimes fail to remember that in the 19th c., opera was a popular art form, an entertainment; it was not about someone grinding a political axe.

Do we care if opera is "relevant"?   No we don't. Do we criticize the presence of stock characters and stereotypes?  We do not. Do we judge the opera for its sociocultural sensitivity? LOL.  We want to have a good time, and last night we did. Pardon our rant but we just had to go there!

As much as we encourage you to read Mr. Crutchfield's exegesis, one didn't need to know a thing about operatic history or scholarship to delight in the wacky story of Cesare Sterbini's libretto. The familiar 19th c. story of a possessive old goat and his subjugated ward has been turned on its head by Sterbini's creation of the subversively rebellious Rosina who outwits the old goat with the help of the wily Figaro, one of opera's most endearing characters.

The role of Rosina was sung by mezzo-soprano Hannah Ludwig who possesses  plenty of strength in the lower register and a brilliant upper register, well employed in a spate of highly original embellishments which, as we learned, Rossini encouraged his singers to devise, as did Maestro Crutchfield  We hope that Ms. Ludwig's artistic evolution involves knitting the two registers more seamlessly, since the decorations often served to highlight the lack of continuity.

The role of Count Almaviva was portrayed by tenor Nicholas Simpson whom we remember as a superb Charles II in Little Opera Theater of New York's production of Carlisle Floyd's Prince of Players and also as having risen above the world's worst production of Wagner's Tannhaüser in the title role. His bright clear tone was perfect for the role; we wanted, however, more clarity in the scale passages and fioritura.

Scott Purcell made a marvelous Doctor Bartolo with first rate singing and acting. The lecherous Doctor is not a likable character but in Mr. Purcell's hands he became a figure of sympathy.

Soprano Alina Tamborini came to our attention just 2 years ago, not only through Teatro Nuovo but also through Talents of the World Competition. We can never forget her performance of "Adele's Audition Aria" from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus. How happy we were to hear her again in the role of Berta to which she lent her crystal clear soprano and lovely phrasing.

Daniel Fridley made a fine Don Basilio; we just loved the scene in which the other characters tried to get rid of him. It occurred to us that this is a theme of this particular opera. In Act I, Almaviva tries to get rid of the noisy musicians. Later, Dr. Bartolo tries to get rid of Almaviva who is disguised as a drunken soldier.

Wil Kellerman made the most of his role as an officer, singing with clarity and acting with purpose and conviction.

Kyle Oliver was successful as Fiorello trying to control his boisterous band of musicians accompanying Almaviva's serenade.

With the shtick removed from the big arias, we were able to focus more on the beauty of the duets and the elaborate construction of the ensembles which Rossini used to bring each act to a climax-- leaving everyone exhausted.

The Teatro Nuovo Orchestra filled the plaza with a gorgeous carpet of sound. Maestro Crutchfield led from the cembalo, following the tradition of the early 19th c. First violinist Jakob Lehmann made significant contributions, as did Peter Ferretti who handled his contrabass as one of the characters in the drama.

We would hope to see Maestro Crutchfield "version" with sets and costumes some day, although we think the cast did a fine job of getting the drama across in what is called a "semi's staged" production. So delighted were we to hear live opera, we were in no frame of mind to attack the amplification; nonetheless, it did not exactly improve upon the singers' natural voices.

Furthermore, we were feeling rather tolerant of the titles projected behind the orchestra.  Lucy T. Yates and Maestro Crutchfield himself were given credit for the titles which rhymed but were not direct translations from the Italian. We dealt with it by ignoring them when we couldn't reconcile them.

Those were our only quibbles with an evening of delights, made even more delightful by sharing the experience in public with fellow opera lovers. We began by describing the opera as having something for everyone. Academics could enjoy the research that went into restoring the opera to something close to its origins. Neophytes could enjoy it for its good humor and tunefulness. Many might not have been aware of the cuts, the eliminations, or the original contributions. But everyone had a good time!

© meche kroop

BEL CANTO BANQUET IN A PALAZZO

Areti Giovanou, Madison Marie McIntosh, Claire Stadtmueller, and Paolo Buffagni

All the way up in Washington Heights, near the George Washington Bridge, is a magnificent venue called United Palace. Resplendent in gold leaf and carvings with impressive chandeliers, the building appears to have originated in the 19th c. but was, in fact, built in 1930 as a house for film and vaudeville. It comprises a 3400 seat theater that made us wish that the audience for opera would grow to fill it. But it also has an intimate foyer that seats about a hundred people, just right for an intimate recital.

Sitting there and listening to arias and duets by Bellini and Rossini, we felt as if we were back in the 19th c.  There is even a grand staircase down which our starring soprano descended in a flowing gown and cape, with golden ornaments suggestive of Druid priestesshood (if that's even a word).

It's been some time since we've seen a full production of Norma and we hope we won't have to wait too long for another one. Meanwhile we are content with hearing the important arias and duets performed by a cast who could take on the difficulties. For Bellini, one needs powerful voices that retain the subtleties required to weave the composer's long legato lines, yet have the flexibility for his elaborate embellishments.

In the role of the Roman Pollione, we heard tenor Paolo Buffagni whose performance as Mario Cavaradossi impressed us so much in an Opera Ithaca production of Puccini's Tosca a couple months ago. We believe he comes from Pavarotti's birthplace (Modena) where there must be something special in the food or the wine. His expository "Meco all'altar di Venere", which opened the program, was marked by dynamic subtleties and the phrasing of a true Italian.

The final duet "In mia man" required a different more emotional approach as Pollione tries to reason with Norma, performed by the powerhouse soprano Claire Stadtmueller. Ms. Stadtmueller has a powerful instrument with an interesting vibrato that lends emotional import to her singing. Her portrayal of a scorned woman, whose fury has not been equalled in Hell, was arresting.

In "Casta diva" we particularly enjoyed the vocalise part and Bellini's lovely arpeggi in the piano, so well played by Areti Giovanou. In "Ah, bello a me ritorna" we admired the clarity in her upward leaps and the fireworks of fioritura. "Dormo entrambi", with its lovely piano introduction, was so well acted that we could actually see the sleeping children through her eyes and felt our heart pounding when she drew a dagger from her belt.

Perhaps, however, our favorite moment was when she joined voices in perfect harmony with the impressive young mezzo-soprano Madison Marie McIntosh, whose growth we have been following for a few years now. The two women go through a panoply of emotions until accord is reached, and Ms. McIntosh negotiated Adalgisa's embellishments in the upper register with accuracy and aplomb.

The dessert of this bel canto banquet was Ms. McIntosh's performance of "Una voce poco fa" from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. We have heard her sing Rosina's aria many times and it just keeps getting better and better. The spunkiness of the character was expressed through some rather original decorations of the vocal line. The upward skips were smoothly negotiated. The strength in her lower register, combined with the agility in the upper register, makes her a unique talent.

The evening was part of the Lobby Series, events showcasing local artists for the community of Washington Heights. The United Palace of Cultural Arts, under the direction of Mike Fitelson, is performing a highly worthwhile service to the community. Admission is free; donations are encouraged. Although 175th and Broadway sounds very far away, it was easily accessible on the A train, and only a half block walk from the subway station. We were delighted by this discovery as well as by the artistry of the program.

(c) meche kroop

HONGNI WU....WOOOO!

Jeremy Chan and Hongni Wu

Showered with flowers! Not every recitalist commands this much admiration and affection from her colleagues but Hongni Wu is special in many ways. Her recital last night at Manhattan School of Music marked her achievement of a Master of Music degree from that esteemed institution. We first heard Ms. Wu as Prince Orlofsky in Johann Strauss Jr.'s Die Fledermaus last summer as part of Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance. It was a breakout performance. We heard her again as Sesto at the MSM production of Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito. We wondered at this young woman who could do justice to two such very different roles.

Ms. Wu has a distinctive mezzo-soprano instrument that has unique overtones and resonance. It sounds like chocolate tastes, rich and creamy.  But there is a sparkle to it as well. This puts her head and shoulders above the many mezzos who all sound alike. Moreover, she has an abundance of onstage presence and the ability to get a song across.

We asked her about her singing in French, Italian (Venetian dialect, no less), and German without actually speaking those languages and were told that she learns the songs phonetically but knows what each word means.  This is amazing to us because, as she sings, the phrasing is easy and fluent--just as fluent as it was when she closed her program with songs in Mandarin.

She opened with a trio of songs by Gabriel Faure--the romantic "Chanson d'amour", the melancholic "Automne", and the bitter "Fleur Jetee".  The long luxurious lines were well phrased and each song elicited a different coloration.

Rossini loved mezzo-sopranos and wrote his best music for them. La regata veneziana is a show-piece and gives the singer three different moods to establish. The heroine Anzoleta is flirtatious before the competition, excited during it, and celebratory afterward. It also requires singing in Venetian dialect, a challenge even for speakers of Italian.

Robert Schumann's Frauenliebe und leben is another cycle that requires changes of mood and coloration and Ms. Wu was wise to have chosen such pieces to highlight her unique artistry. "Seit ich ihn gesehen" was sung with the wonder of discovery and a bit more rubato than we are accustomed to but the fermata was actually quite lovely. In "Er, der Herrlichste von allen", the singer is overcome by idealization; in "Ich kann nicht fassen, nicht glauben", by excitement. The devotion in "Du Ring an meinem Finger" is quite plain;  the young woman begins to grow up and accept the responsibilities of womanhood. All this was made clear. 

We have only one small nit-picky criticism. Ms. Wu has the habit of so many non-German-speaking singers of inconsistency with the "ch" sound. At times it was perfect, at other times it was glossed over.  This should be easy to remedy with a little attention.  Most people would probably not notice it but our ears always pick it up. Some day we hope to hear Ms. Wu sing the entire cycle and by then, the "ch"s will be perfect.

If there is one mid-to-late 20th c. composer whose works we enjoy it would be William Bolcom. We have gone long distances to hear cabaret artist Kim Smith sing "Song of Black Max".  Ms. Wu's interpretation was different but rivaled his with one exception. Her accent made a few words unintelligible and this is a song in which every word counts. The same problem was noted in "Amor" which is our favorite encore piece. The expression and gestures were perfect in both songs but there needs to be a little work on English enunciation.

In Bolcom's "Waitin'" the words are simple and less important so it didn't matter.  The hymn-like melody was delivered simply and effectively.

The program concluded with songs from China. Jeremy Chan brought out the beautiful melody of Rui Zhang's "Condolent speech" which was written in A-B-A form. We do love the sound of Mandarin! The second piece Xianglin Zhou's "A glass of wine" was lighthearted and rhythmic, strangely reminding us of Latin music.

The encore was also in Mandarin--"My Love is Waiting for You".

We are so happy to learn that Ms. Wu will continue her profession studies at MSM because it means we will have further opportunities to hear her.

(c) meche kroop

BARE OPERA ON A BARE STAGE

A Brilliant Success for Bare Opera

Well, the stage wasn't entirely bare; there were three benches and enough newspaper to remind us of our former neighbor "The Hoarder". The staging of Rossini's first opera was unusual with rows of seats on either side of the theater facing inward with the stage at one end and marvelous Maestro Sesto Quatrini and his fine chamber orchestra at the other.

Stage Director Cecilia Ligorio had some fine ideas and utilized both the stage and the central playing area, giving the singers lots of room to tell this humorous story. Maestro Quatrini at one end could conduct in full view of singers, musicians, and audience members. The only problem was that at times one felt as if one were watching a tennis match; if one needed to read the titles at the top of the stage this head swiveling became constant. But there is no denying that the experience was up close and personal, making it very very special and full of impact.

Rossini was only 18 years old when he composed La cambiale di matrimonio, which premiered in 1810 in Venice. (And what's YOUR 18-year-old doing tonight?). The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is a farsa comica, based on an earlier play which was probably based on commedia dell'arte. 

There is a mercenary older man, played with bluster by baritone Suchan Kim, who always turns in a great performance. There is a rebellious daughter, portrayed by the superb soprano Liana Guberman. There is her impoverished lover, effectively sung by terrific tenor Sungwook Kim. And there is a wealthy suitor from Canada (!) sung by the fine baritone John Allen Nelson. And of course there are two clever servants--Norton (the fine Colin Whiteman) and Clarina (the very gifted Kirsten Scott).

The successful introduction, written by Assistant Director Elias Markos, was delivered by the spunky mezzo-soprano Ms. Scott (who also happens to be the Executive Producer and Co-Artistic Director). Ms. Scott is not only a superb singer but also made an impressive interlocutor, explaining in English what the opera is about.

A wealthy English merchant wants to arrange a marriage between a wealthy Canadian and his daughter, who is in love with a poor fellow. The servants  help the young lovers to defeat the father's plan.

The directorial concept rapidly dealt with any reservations an audience member might have about watching something so old-fashioned as to be based on a man selling his daughter. Cast members read aloud articles from the plenitude of newspapers scattered about, dealing with such issues taking place contemporaneously in several foreign cultures as well as sex-trafficking closer to home. This introduction allowed the audience to experience the work as relevant and also to enjoy the high jinx and the music.

And what music! There is something quite exciting about hearing a composer's earliest works. One could hear the influence of Mozart and one could also hear the origins of Rossini's prodigious gifts. There was a gorgeous romantic duet for Ms. Guberman and Sungwook Kim. There was a face-off duet between Mr. Suchan Kim and Mr. Nelson. And there was a marvelous oppositional duet when Mr. Nelson tries to court the unwilling Ms. Guberman. The two servants also got plenty of stage time for frisky involvement and sang so well together.  And there was a terrific ensemble number as well.

Costumes by Laura Kung were modern and suited the characters.  Mr. Suchan Kim wore a "grandfather sweater", Mr. Sungwook Kim wore a motorcycle jacket, and Mr. Nelson was dressed like a clueless rube in plaid pants.

Music Director (and pianist) was Laetitia Ruccolo whom we just heard Thursday night at the Classic Lyric Arts Gala. Lighting Design was by Anthony Tornambene.

We are feeling particularly grateful to Bare Opera for bringing this work to our attention and for casting such superb artists; we were given all the best of musical and dramatic values, brought up to date without sacrificing the original intent--to entertain!

(c) meche kroop

ALEX MOVES ON

Daniel Fung and Alexandra Razskazoff at Juilliard

Spring is a bittersweet season for us.  The singers we have been enjoying all year are graduating and giving their final recitals. Many of them take off for distant shores and we never know when we will hear them again. Fortunately, we will have more opportunities to hear the splendid soprano Alexandra Razskazoff who will be awarded her MM degree from Juilliard--first in the upcoming Zauberflöte at Juilliard and then in August in Santa Fe, where she has been invited back as a Second Year Apprentice.

On the opera stage, Ms. Razskazoff is distinguished by her warm generous soprano and excellent acting. How well we remember her performance as the Countess in Nozze di Figaro! She made a fine Eva in Die Meistersinger.  In recital, she is distinguished by a relaxed and confident stage presence and the ability to honor the text in a meaningful manner.

Last night's recital was a challenging one and a rewarding one; she opened by welcoming her audience, describing her program, and graciously thanking her teacher, Robert C. White, Jr., and her most able collaborative pianist Daniel Fung.

Predictably, our favorite part of the evening was the all-too-short set of Rossini songs. We imagined we were at a salon, chez des amis, back in the 19th c.  A glamorous diva has been invited to entertain us guests with "La Promessa" and "L'invito". We do so love to be transported and indeed we were. The songs are pure delight with typical Rossini melodies and they were charmingly sung.

We also loved the Russian songs. Those of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov are not often heard and we love the idea that his "Nimfa" is different from the German "Lorelei" immortalized in Franz Liszt's song. This one does not lure sailors to their death! His "The lark sings louder" is a paean to Spring. This joyful song was followed by Sergei Rachmaninoff's  anxious "I wait for thee!" in which Ms. Razskazoff illuminated the very particular pain of anguished waiting.

Her performance of the Liszt songs was equally fine. Daniel Fung's delicacy on the piano was perfect for "Freudvoll und leidvoll" and the delicacy, so different from the forceful piano we expect from Liszt, extended through "Lasst mich ruhen" and "Du bist wie eine Blume".  But oh, that bad girl Lorelei!

Also on the program was Benjamin Britten's On This Island, Op. 11, which we just recently heard. We grant that Britten rose to new heights in his setting of Auden's text but this will never be among our favorite song cycles. That being said, Ms. Razskazoff lent an appealing resonance to the work and sang with exquisite dynamic control. We related best to the final two songs--the solemn "Nocturne", sung with great expressivity and plenty of room in the lower register with rumbly low chords in the piano--and the ironic "As it is, Plenty" with its jazzy piano writing. The only problem was that several words of the text were lost and needed to be enunciated better.  This was not a problem with the German, Russian and Italian.  English is just so difficult to sing!

Olivier Messiaen's  Poèmes Pour Mi, Book II has never interested us but Ms. Razskazoff gave the four selections an impassioned delivery. It is a tribute to her artistry that we didn't run out of the theater screaming. We do not like his music or his text. Just give us more Rossini!

(c) meche kroop

TARA ERRAUGHT

Tara Erraught (photo by Kristin Speed)

Some singers are equally adept at opera and art song recitals whereas others come off better in one or the other situation. We have no complaints whatsoever about the lovely recital given by Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught in her New York debut at Weill Recital Hall; but we did, however, notice a greater sense of involvement during the encores when she sang two operatic arias, the kind of involvement that says "I'm having fun and I hope you are too".

The first encore was Annetta's aria from Michael Balfe's Falstaff. We were previously unacquainted with the works of this Irish composer but we hope to remedy this situation in the future. Mr. Balfe wrote this opera in 1838, long before Verdi took it on. It is replete with thrilling bel canto flourishes and we are highly grateful to Ms. Erraught for bringing it to our attention.

We wonder if Mr. Balfe's opera might have achieved greater popularity had it not been eclipsed by Verdi's late life masterpiece. We have learned that Ms. Erraught sang this role in a recording recently made of the opera. (It is interesting that Salieri also wrote a Falstaff which was produced by Dell'Arte Opera Company in the summer of 2014). Shakespeare's works are nothing if not inspiring!

In any case, Ms. Erraught sang it with abundant charm and impressed us with her accurate handling of the florid fioritura. Similarly, (after singing Danny Boy-- and how could she not?) her performance of "Non piu mesta" from Rossini's Cenerentola was riveting.

And what shall we say about the recital per se? There was plenty to enjoy but nothing reached the heights achieved during the two operatic encores. We thought Ms. Erraught's instrument is the most soprano-y mezzo we have heard recently; her performance of six early songs by Richard Strauss impressed us with her passion and purity of tone. There is plenty of drama in these songs and the varying moods were captured--the anxiety of "Die Nacht", the enticements of "Ständchen", the longing of "Allerseelen", the passion of "Zueignung".

She opened the program with a set of songs by Liszt, who was wise enough to choose poets like Victor Hugo, Friedrich von Schiller, and Heinrich Heine. The songs were quite well performed except when the enthusiastic piano of collaborative pianist Henning Ruhe overwhelmed Ms. Erraught's voice. When the piano became more ruhevoll, she sounded fine--but it is a slender instrument.

There were two songs by Frederick Delius that were marked by some splendid English diction. The texts, based on Norwegian tales, rhymed and scanned such that Ms. Erraught was able to make good sense of them with apt phrasing. We loved the horn call in Mr. Ruhe's piano in "Twilight Fancies".

There was also a set by Roger Quilter who likewise chose his texts well.  One cannot go wrong with Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Shelley!

Brahms' songs are always a pleasure to hear and lend themselves to simple unfussy delivery which Ms. Erraught gave them--with the exception of "Mädchenfluch" which rose to the heights of passion. Perhaps we could sum things up by saying that Ms. Erraught does best when she is less measured and enjoys her passion.

(c) meche kroop

MARVELOUS MADISON MARIE MCINTOSH

Keith Chambers, Madison Marie McIntosh, and Alexander Charles Boyd

How do you say Marvelous Madison Marie McIntosh?  We say....MMMM!

Planet Opera is replete with light coloratura sopranos whom we enjoy but we would be hard pressed to tell one from another with our eyes closed.  Not so with Ms. McIntosh whose sound is uniquely hers, both distinctive and special. Last night's program went a long way in showing off her rare talent.

Her voice is as beautiful as her appearance with a distinct vibrato and bright shiny timbre. The first half of the program comprised Rossini and nothing but Rossini. There was a selection from his Péchés de vieillesse--"La fioraia fiorentina" in which the divine Ms. M allowed her vibrant personality to shine through as a flower seller wanting to buy bread for her poor mother. In "L'invito" from Soirées musicales, there was a nice contrast of color in the middle section.

We also heard selections from Rossini's operas. Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia is generally sung by a mezzo-soprano but this is not the first time we have heard the role sung by a soprano. "Una voce poco fa" is fertile material for fioritura to express character and Ms. M. did not disappoint. We heard some impressively elaborate embellishments and dazzling cadenze.

The fine baritone Alexander Charles Boyd served as her Figaro for the duet "Dunque io son" in which Rosina's cleverness and determination exceeded his expectations. Their respective vocal lines blended beautifully.

Rossini's final opera in Italian, the 1823 Semiramide, was the source for another aria and another duet. "Bel raggio lusinghier" was filled with joy and the duet (again with Mr. Boyd) "Se la vita ancor t'è cara" was filled with anger and spite. 

Vocal fireworks were present not only in the Rossini of the bel canto period but also in the baroque compositions of Händel. "I can conjure you fire from the heavens" was repurposed for The Enchanted Island, a pastiche produced at The Metropolitan Opera in 2011,and quite successfully so. Ariel sings this song to Prospero in Act I. Ms. M. filled the aria with her own fire and the only thing missing was clarity of diction. This is not Ms. M's fault. English just doesn't sing well, especially in the upper registers. We had no problem understanding her Italian, even at the very upper reaches.

From Semele, she sang "O sleep, why dost thou leave me?". This aria gave her the opportunity to sing a long melismatic phrase on "ah". It was gorgeous. She even embellished her embellishments.

"Hello! Oh, Margaret, it's you" from Gian Carlo Menotti's The Telephone gave her a chance to show her acting skills and to inject another note of humor into the program.

The revelation of the evening occurred when composer Theodore Christman took over the piano duties from the excellent Keith Chambers and accompanied Ms. M. in his own song cycle, a setting of poetry by Nicola Rossi Lemeni. Although reading the poetry later did not do much for us, the setting illuminated the words and the mood of the text.

Readers may have noticed how dissatisfied we have been with contemporary song and we were over the moon to find a contemporary composer who knows how to write for the voice and can write melodic phrases. Mr. Christman here favored the rhythm of the barcarolle but his "La morte di Don Giovanni" was a dirge and "Gioia conclusa" a waltz. The composition surely captured the Italian flavor and color.

Ms. M. related how she heard Mr. Christman play and wanted him to write for her. She herself chose the poetry. This was the proverbial match made in heaven. We would dearly love to hear the songs again, particularly if Ms. M. could sing them "off the book", thereby communicating with the audience in the same way she did for the remainder of the program.

Mr. Chambers not only satisfied as accompanist but had a chance to shine as a soloist in Amy Beach's Ballade, op.6. a most accessible and lovely piece. How rare it was for a woman to succeed in the music world of the Gay 90's.

As encore, Ms. M. performed Poulenc's "Air vif" from his Airs chantées. We are pleased to note that her French is just as fine as her Italian. The evening was a most satisfying one! We are looking to the future and wondering whether Ms. M. has considered Queen of the Night!

(c) meche kroop

DISCOVERING MRS. ROSSINI

Thor Abjornsson, Katie Andrews, Ashley Galvani Bell, Augusta Caso, Luigi Rizzo, and Lucy Yates

The life of Isabella Colbran would make a wonderful opera, if only we had a Rossini-equivalent composer to do her justice! Born in Madrid in 1785 she achieved fame as a singer by the age of 20 and became the prima donna of Il Teatro di San Carlo in Naples where she inspired Gioacchino Rossini to create several operas that are still being performed today. They were married for several years.

Sergio Ragni's book, Isabella Colbran, Isabella Rossini (which we have not read) was used as the basis for an enthralling musical performance presented by Divaria Productions at the perfectly sized auditorium of the Sheen Center.

The speaking part of the impressario of Il Teatro di San Carlo, one Domenico Barbaia, was played by Luigi Rizzo, who narrated the events. The arias were finely sung by soprano Ashley Galvani Bell and mezzo-soprano Augusta Caso. It was said that Ms. Colbran's voice could not be replaced by just one singer; she was said to be a soprano sfogato, a mezzo soprano with a very high extension. Tenor Thor Abjornsson sang the male roles and we enjoyed everything about his voice with one exception. He tended to push his voice when going for volume at the upper register.

Not only did we get to hear arias and duets from operas by Rossini, but arias from operas by Carafa and songs composed by Ms. Colbran herself which were quite lovely. Accompanying on the piano was the multi-talented Lucy Yates and the extraordinary harpist Katie Andrews.  We found ourselves in bel canto heaven.

Ms. Caso evinced great skill in this genre in her performance of "Quanto è grato all'alma mia...questo core" from Elisabetta Regina D'Inghilterra, with its fireworks of fioritura. We half expected the company of firefighters to return! (The start of the evening was delayed due to an evacuation of the building relating to a gas leak. We consider the artists to be real troopers, one and all.  The show must go on and it did!) We are sure no one in the audience failed to notice the similarity of the cabaletta to that of Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia--"Una voce poco fa".

From the same opera, Ms. Caso sang a lovely duet with Mr. Abjornsson--"Perché mai destin crudel".  Ms. Bell joined her later for an exciting duet from La Donna del Lago with Ms. Caso performing the pants role of Malcolm. Ms. Bell and Mr. Abjornsson sang a lovely duet from Armida.

From Carafa's opera Gabriella di Vergy, Ms. Bell sang the sad "Perché non chiusu al di". From Carafa's Medea, Mr. Abjornsson sang "I dolci contenti".

Ms. Colbran's compositions delighted the ear and Ms. Andrews harp brought out all the pathos she wrote into them. One hears a great deal of romantic suffering in the text and in the music. Ms. Caso shone in "T'intendo si mio core".  Ms. Bell delighted in "Quel cor che mi prometti" accompanied by the piano and in "Povero cor tu palpiti" accompanied by the harp.

The musical values were high all around and the storytelling was effective. The set was simple--a velvet settee, two bentwood chairs and a table, with harp and piano in full view. Costuming was simple. The work was directed by Ignacio Garcia-Bustelo.

It was a most enjoyable evening that left us wanting more. Should a reader know a good old-fashioned composer, do propose this interesting woman as a subject for an opera. She deserves one!

(c) meche kroop