COURTESANS AND THE MEN WHO LOVE THEM

Jonathan Tetelman, Emily Birsan, and Ethan Simpson

We can think of no opera we like better than La Traviata, nor can we think of a heroine who touches our heart as deeply as Violetta does.  Readers, you are about to hear an extravagant encomium. We have seen dozens of performances of Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece and have never seen one so perfectly cast as the one we saw last night at Merkin Hall.

Who but Daniel Cardona of Martha Cardona Opera takes the time and does the hard work to discover young artists with big impressive voices and fine technique--and to give them a New York stage on which to show their stuff. Production values in this semi-staged production may have been at a minimum but the casting was first rate.

As the tragic heroine Violetta, soprano Emily Birsan used her generous instrument with emotional accuracy by means of vocal coloration and consummate skill in the fioritura, which never seemed gratuitous but always connected with the feelings of Piave's text.

We love Violetta for her dignity and emotional freedom and we love witnessing her characterological growth from the wild spirit of Act I to the desperate frail creature she becomes by the end. We watch and hear her deal with ambivalence in Act I; what independent woman has not felt such ambivalence about accepting love into her life with all its concomitant risks! Ms. Birsan captured it all in a way that no one could fail to grasp.

Just watching her blossom in Act II, only to have her butterfly wings pulled off by the self-righteous father Giorgio Germont, who manipulates her into leaving his love-besotted son by playing the religion card. Stunned by the magnificent performance of baritone Ethan Simpson, we observed this stiff-necked provincial soften when faced with Violetta's dignity and devotion.

In Act III one could observe the outcome of her enormous sacrifice. Love is the best medicine but loss of love is totally toxic. Her frailty and thin thread of hope kept the audience riveted until she collapsed into Alfredo's arms.

And what an Alfredo we had last night!  Tenor Jonathan Tetelman is a star on the rise and if you were there last night, you got to say you "heard him when". Finding a tall handsome tenor with terrific tone is almost impossible, but one with superb technique is beyond belief. We heard marvelous phrasing, lovely legato, superb command of dynamics, and a variety of vocal colors. Significantly, he doesn't push his voice but floats the tone confidently.

Alfredo also grows as a character. He begins as a love-sick pup in Act I and blossoms into a loving man in Act II. His apparent rejection by Violetta creates grief and then anger. The sympathy of his father in Act II becomes disdain and shame in Act III when Alfredo behaves badly toward Violetta.  Only in Act IV is there resolution, when all three principals can share their grief.

What a pleasure to see three young artists interact so believably! It was impressive to watch the young Mr. Simpson convince us that he was a middle-aged father by the manner in which he moved his body and the authoritative tone in his voice! This is surely a baritone to watch! Both his arias in Act II were outstanding.

Another dramatic "deception" was seeing the beautiful young soprano Maria Brea transform herself into the elderly and exceedingly dowdy Annina. Although she had but a few lines, they were well sung.

As the unpleasant Barone Douphol, we had the excellent baritone Eric Lindsey whom we always enjoy.  He and Mr. Tetelman created the requisite tension in Act III without benefit of a gambling table. Tenor Ganson Salmon was effective as Gastone, Alfredo's friend. Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Sanchez made a fine Flora with bass Neil Eddinger as her Marchese.

In a semi-staged production like this, the acting took place in a narrow space in front of the orchestra with only a couple pieces of furniture. It is testament to the vocal and dramatic skills of the principals that we were able to focus on them and to create scenery for them in our mind's eye.

Maestro Gregory Ortega is a conductor of precision; he evoked an excellent performance from the Martha Cardona Opera Orchestra. We could not have asked for better musical values. We might have asked for better titles, but if the only quibble we have is with a recalcitrant projector, that should tell you how much we enjoyed this production.

The highly regarded Jestin Pieper served as backstage conductor (Mr. Tetelman's offstage singing at the end of Act I sounded great as did the Carnival crowd in Act IV) and master of the excellent chorus who portrayed party-goers.

Watch out for these rising stars!  May they fill the operatic firmament with their glitter.

(c) meche kroop

CARDONA DOES RIGOLETTO

The stellar cast of Verdi's Rigoletto produced by Martha Cardona Opera

Last night we had the great pleasure of witnessing yet another triumph of the Martha Cardona Opera. One never tires of Verdi's 1851 masterpiece Rigoletto, with libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Victor Hugo's scandalous play Le roi s'amuse. In mid-19th c. Italy, it was quite a challenge to negotiate with the Austrian censors and many plot compromises were made. Thankfully there were no compromises made with the music and conductor Gregory Ortega led a crisp and insightful reading of the score, from the portentous opening to the lively party music.

Presenting opera in a semi-staged version is a challenge for the audience as well as for the singers. Audience members must mentally invent the setting and the costumes; singers are generally confined to a shallow playing area in front of the orchestra and may have difficulty balancing their vocal  volume with that of the orchestra. None of this seemed to be a problem last night. Minimal but effective direction was provided by Founder and Artistic Director Daniel Cardona.

The singers were undeniably first rate and of the caliber that delights audiences world wide. Highly impressive was baritone Jason Stearns as the eponymous Rigoletto. His acting was so powerful and convincing that his firm baritone seemed only to serve the various nuances of his character. Without any "help" from an artificial hump, he contorted his muscular body and adopted a limp that told us plainly that this poor man had experienced a lifetime of suffering and humiliation. His soliloquy was moving and his duets with Gilda were heartbreaking. This was a performance to be remembered.

Such characters often turn their anger at their bodies toward other people in their pathway and Rigoletto turns his anger onto the corteggani of his employer, the Duke of Mantua. As court jester, he mercilessly pokes, prods, and skewers these courtiers. Thus he incurs the wrath of the elderly Monterone who has come to court to protest the dishonoring of his daughter. Monterone curses him and this maledizione is tragically fulfilled at the end of the opera by the death of Rigoletto's beloved daughter Gilda, the only person toward whom he feels tenderness and love.

Last night's Gilda was played--no, inhabited, by the lovely soprano Yunnie Park, whom we well remember from Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance.  She has a scintillating sound marked by a liquid vibrato and great ease with the fioritura. The very picture of innocence, she is an easy mark for the licentious Duke who has been making eyes at her in church, the only place the lonely girl has been permitted to visit. Ms. Park sang the "Caro nome" with such feeling that she made us remember our first delirious crush.

As the Duke, tenor Galeano Salas, whom we greatly enjoyed in Santa Fe last summer, used his generous sound well and has grown considerably since winning an Opera Index award. His instrument is full-throated with a great deal of breadth to the sound and, happily, no pushing. His appearance is so sweet that we didn't sense any nastiness in his portrayal.  His Duke was more carefree than devious.

Bass-baritone Kian Freitas overcame his youth to effectively portray the aforementioned elderly courtier Monterone. He did this by coloring his fine voice with dignity mingled with outrage.  There are no small roles! He is a Martha Cardona regular and we are glad of it.

As Maddalena, mezzo-soprano Sarah Heltzel sang well and was believable as Sparafucile's seductive sister whose duty it is to set up the victims for her brother's assassinations. She too is taken in by the Duke's flattery and convinces her brother to betray his code of honor as an assassin.

Another mezzo-soprano Meghan Sands did well with the small role of the Countess Ceprano who has captured the Duke's attention. Jeffrey Perez was fine as her husband. As Giovanna, mezzo-soprano Fiorella Velez sang well but did not create a distinctive character.

Our one disappointment was with bass Matthew Anchel who sang well but was dramatically hampered by being "on the book". There must be a story behind this which we do not know.  Tenor Eamon Pereyra sang the role of Borsa;  baritone Lane Johnson made a fine Marullo.  Patricia Vital sang the role of the Page and the other courtiers were sung by Ray Calderon, Lindell Carter, Tim DiFiore, and Robert Pagnani.

The titles were reasonably well translated but unfortunately not always coincident with what was being sung.  At times they fell behind and at other times rushed ahead.  This was our sole quibble with an outstanding performance.

It is an extraordinary pleasure to hear opera up close and personal. Merkin Hall is a fine venue for this purpose. 

(c) meche kroop