AMORE AND MORE AMORE

Thomas Massey as Rodolfo and Michelle Pretto as Mimi in Amore Opera's La Bohème

We enjoyed Amore Opera's La Bohème so much that we returned for the New Year's Eve Gala, eager to see how the work held up with a different cast. Although vocal artistry is the most important aspect, it certainly doesn't hurt to have a Rodolfo who looks like a young poet. 

Tenor Thomas Massey convincingly portrayed youthful high spirits in Act I, a lovesick poet in Act II, a troubled young man in Act III (breaking up is hard to do) and an anguished sufferer in Act IV. With superlative vocalism and Italianate phrasing, his performance added a great deal to the evening. The one downside to such perfect casting is that his three fellow bohemians seemed to come from a different generation.

As his Mimi, Michelle Pretto's generous soprano and winsome presence made her a fine romantic partner. Elisabeth Slaten did well as the flirtatious Musetta.

Marcello was sung by Gustavo Morales and Brian J. Alvarado made a fine Schaunard. As was the case the prior night, the "Vecchia zimarra" of Colline (Brinson Keeley) did not register the symbolic pathos that we wanted to hear.

Rick Agster made a very funny Benoît and Parpignol was portrayed by Federico Campisano in Santa Claus attire. David Owen made a fine Alcindoro. The passive-agressive customs officials were played by Thomas Geib and Peter Nasonov.

Maestro Scott Jackson Wiley continued his efforts to pull together a somewhat ragged orchestra which suffered from intonation problems and also problems of balance. There was one part which we particularly enjoyed--the beginning of Act III when the lovely sound of the harp (Sonia Bize) played off the delicate percussion. We have never before focused so intently on Act III and again found it truly the turning point for these young bohemians.

It was a most enjoyable evening with dinner served between acts. The audience was having a marvelous time and most audience member elected to remain after the midnight champagne toast for a very special concert.

Cast members and choristers had the opportunity to perform solos and ensembles. Of course we had "Libiamo" from Verdi's La Traviata. After all, it was New Year's Eve and we all needed a good drinking song. The "Champagne Song" from Johan Strauss III's Die Fledermaus added more fuel to the alcoholic fire. The "Czardas" from the same operetta was similarly well performed by Kristina Malinauskaite.

A major highlight was hearing Nathan Hull (President and Stage Director) sing the "Mikado's Aria" from the eponymous Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Mr. Hull, as we know from his writing for Scrooge, has a real feel for G&S, as do we. His delivery was a source of not-so-innocent merriment.

We enjoyed Elisabeth Slaten's delivery of "Vilja" from Franz Lehár's Die Lustige Witwe and Lindsey Marie Wells' sang the "Italian Street Song" from Victor Herbert's Naughty Marietta, reminding us to check in with Victor Herbert Renaisssance Project Live for their next offering.

Allegra Durante sang "Prendi" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. We also had some vocal fireworks from Elizabeth Treat who treated us to some of the Queen of the Night's rage, with some excellent work in the coloratura passages. 

We heard a duet from Verdi's Forza del Destino performed by Michael Celentano and Gustavo Morales, who also sang Agustín Lara's "Granada". Mr. Morales' son Mario sang "Lonely Town" from Bernstein's On the Town. Mr. Celentano's solo piece was "Dein ist mein ganzes herz" from Lehár's Das Land des Lächelns.

Jay Stephenson tackled "Ja vas liubliu" from Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame and also a song from Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schonberg.  "Warm as the Autumn Light" from Douglas Moore's Ballad of Baby Doe was sung by Alan Smullen. From Rodgers & Hammerstein's  The King and I  "My Lord and Master" was sung by Kazue Kazami Kiyono.

The singing went on and on until your intrepid reviewer was "the last one standing"--well actually sitting! Of the Seven Deadly Sins, we own up to Gluttony but the opera/operetta/musical theater banquet was lavish and we wanted to taste it all.

(c) meche kroop

AN ELISIR TO LOVE

Sarah Moulton Faux and Aaron Blankfield

Amore Opera has found an excellent new home at the Sheen Center on Bleeker St. The small theater has a pit allowing the singers to project over the orchestra and is just the right size to permit a feeling of intimacy.  We are gratified that they have chosen Gaetano Donizetti to honor this season with one staple of the repertory and one rarely produced opera. Last night we had the pleasure of experiencing L’Elisir d’Amore up close and personal; next week we are looking forward to Poliuto, a drama about the 3rd century martyr. 

Donizetti is a melodist par excellence and he lavished his 1832 masterpiece L’Elisir d’Amore with a profusion of tunes that gladden the heart and touch the soul. Happily, his librettist Felice Romano adapted Augustin Eugène Scribe’s Le Philtre, a charming story with lovable characters. The setting is a small Italian village and the time has been updated to the early 20th c., which neither added new insights nor detracted from the story. (We have been terribly distressed by productions updated to the 20th c. because they just didn’t make sense.)

The production has been triple-cast and we very much enjoyed the cast we heard. We were quite impressed by Aaron Blankfield's performance as the timid lovesick Nemorino.  Not only did he exhibit a fine sweet tenor but he appeared to be drawing from someplace deep inside to create a most believable character whose ultimate success at love we wished to happen.  His “Una furtiva lagrima”, introduced by the most legato bassoon solo we have ever heard, was the epitome of soulfulness.

As Adina, the wealthy and educated landowner (here the owner of a bookshop), soprano Sarah Moulton Faux graced the stage with her beauty of form and voice. There was a bit of difficulty at the start getting the middle register to sail over the orchestra but that passed quickly and her brilliance with the coloratura passages was pure delight.

Baritone Gustavo Morales made an appropriately arrogant Sergeant Belcore, a rather ridiculous figure but ultimately a good-hearted chap and a gracious loser in the battle for Adina’s love.

As the traveling con man Dr. Dulcamara, we enjoyed the veteran performer Gary Giardina who really knows how to create a character. He arrived in high style and was accompanied by two lovely female assistants, Adrienne Chu and Angela Joy, whose antics were choreographed by Cara Chapman.

Merrin Lazyan sang the role of Giannetta while Marlene Williams filled several small roles. The chorus added greatly to the proceedings, especially the bumbling soldiers that did nothing to destroy the reputation carried by the Italian military. The children’s chorus fulfilled the adorable quotient.

Fine things happen when production personnel have experience in opera.  In this case, Stage Director (also Artistic Director) Nathan Hull and Conductor Daniele Tirilli both have backgrounds as opera singers and this clearly informed their performance of their tasks.

Maestro Tirilli’s conducting created plenty of room for the singers and Mr. Hull’s direction introduced lots of clever and original stage business that did not make the singers uncomfortable. (The Metropolitan Opera would do well to follow his example.) One touch we really liked was in the first scene when Nemorino is expressing his feelings for Adina; the action on stage froze as he enacted his fantasy of dancing with Adina.  This little twist was most touching. Another moment we cherished was the fumbling when Belcore is obliged to present Adina with flowers. 

Richard Cerullo's Scenic Design was simple but effective with a painted backdrop and two opposing shops between which was the village square, crowded with villagers. Simple costumes by Ghislaine Sabiti seemed appropriate to the early 20th c. 

But the most important thing for us was the singing and the lovely connection between Nemorino and Adina.  We were delighted that he overcame his faint heart and won the fair lady.

(c) meche kroop