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.

(c) meche kroop

HÉROdiade!

Maestro Keith Chambers and Cast of Massenet's Hérodiade

The title of this review is not a typing error. We see Maestro Keith Chambers as a HERO on Planet Opera for introducing us to works that are insufficiently performed and for finding the perfect cast to fill the roles. 

We might also mention that Maestro Eve Queler is similarly a HEROine for providing New Amsterdam Opera with the score. She last presented Massenet's Hérodiade in 1995 with a young Renée Fleming as Salome. It seems to us that Maestro Chambers is similarly gifted in choosing singers destined for major success.

We pondered why this opera is so rarely produced and this led to the following speculation. A very worthy opera can readily be eclipsed when another composer tackles the same material in a way that pleases the public more. For example, Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia stole the thunder from the Paisiello iteration, one we enjoyed immensely when produced by On Site Opera. Similarly, Otto Nicolai's Die lustigen weiber von Windsor, recently presented by Juilliard Opera, and Salieri's Falstaff, recently produced by Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble, were both overshadowed by Verdi's Falstaff.

No doubt, Richard Strauss' 1905 Salome, adapted from an 1891 Oscar Wilde play, drew attention away from Jules Massenet's 1881 Hérodiade by means of its lurid story and modern music. This is a shame because Paul Milliet and Henri Grémont's libretto tells the tale from a different point of view (based on an 1877 novella by Gustave Flaubert) and Massenet's music is compelling although refined; the melodic nature of the arias causes them to be sung in recitals and competitions.

Strangely, neither composer nor librettists were mentioned in the program! However, the synopsis was quite complete and a minimal knowledge of French allowed the members of the audience to follow along quite well, assisted by some superlative diction by the singers. Titles might have been helpful but were not absolutely necessary.

Maestro Chambers led the New Amsterdam Opera Orchestra with Stephan Fillare as a most effective concertmaster. The orchestra occupied the entire stage with the fine chorus elevated behind the orchestra. The singers stood in front of the orchestra and we couldn't figure out how they were able to follow the conducting so well but they did. We have nothing but good things to say about the pacing and the balance. We were happy not to have to watch the ballets that are so much a part of French opera but are rarely well done.

The singers were superb across the board and everyone's French was clear. The title role was performed by mezzo-soprano Janara Kellerman whose tone is plush and dusky. Her character has (backstory here) abandoned her daughter to wed King Herod and is consumed with jealousy by his interest in Salomé even before she acknowledges her as the abandoned daughter. We all know about denial, don't we? She is also vengeful and wants Jean (John the Baptist) dead because he insulted her. Her "Ne me refuse pas" was delivered with intense passion, a touch of manipulation and an affecting pianissimo.

Soprano Mary Stonikas was similarly superb in the role of Salomé, a very different character than the one in the Strauss opera. This young woman is victim, not predator. Her only consolation in her abandoned state has been Jean for whom she has developed a deep devotion and a pure love. Her character gets the first major aria of the opera "Il est doux, il est bon"; the way Ms. Stonikas colored her voice along with a fine vibrato revealed her sweetness. She has a lovely "ping" in the upper register.

The character of Hérode was magnificently realized by baritone Jason Duika. His character had more dimension than the others as he struggled with his lust and political issues. He seemed to care for his wife but was obsessed with Salomé. His virile instrument is of fine and full tone and his delivery of "Vision fugitive" was impassioned and moving. When he approaches Salomé he repeats her name countless times and always with a different color!

Like any ruler, he has his hands full trying to deal with Roman occupation and a people who seem to want freedom from Roman rule but are easily "bought" by promises from Vitellius, the Roman consul--a role excellently sung by young baritone Charles Eaton. Hérode's position is complicated by the presence of Jean who also has a following. He would like to enlist Jean's help but his wife wants the prophet dead. In this admirable performance, Mr. Duika was able to convey all kinds of emotions vocally since singing behind a music stand prevents the gestures and movements that tell us so much about a character.

As Jean, we heard tenor Errin Duane Brooks who delivers the final memorable aria "Adieu donc, vains objets qui nous charment sur terre" with ringing tone.

The role of Phanuel was sung by the rich-voiced bass-baritone Isaiah Musik-Ayala and the very pretty young soprano Brooklyn Snow sang the role of a Babylonian woman who provides an hallucinatory potion for Hérode. She has a well-focused instrument with pleasing colors that should take her far.

We particularly enjoyed the blending of voices in the quartet which ends Act II--Hérode, Hérodiade, Phanuel, and Vitellius--and the sextet which ends Act III. Orchestral playing was remarkable throughout with Maestro Chambers showing a keen ear for Massenet's lovely music. We enjoyed the heraldic moments given to the brass which told us when we were in the palace-- as effectively as any scenery might have. And the hints of exoticism in the score were not neglected.

What a special evening! We would love to see a full production with the same cast, unconstrained by music stands and able to move around the stage. Won't someone build a mid-size theater with an orchestra pit?

(c) meche kroop

WAGNER LEIT by NEW AMSTERDAM OPERA

Terina Westmeyer, Maestro Keith Chambers, Maestro Thomas Bagwell, Janara Kellerman, Hyona Kim, Megan Nielson, Kirsten Chambers, Thomas Hall, Melissa Citro, Heather Green, Tyler Smith and Errin Brooks

A late afternoon of Wagner on a cool Autumn afternoon seemed like a great idea and drew us up to Riverside Theater, the comfortable venue within Riverside Church where New Amsterdam Opera makes its home. But we can't help recalling that Wagner's own concept was that of "gesamtkunstwerk"--a work bringing together all the arts, aural and visual.

Planning a few arias in concert version gave us an opportunity to hear some new singers and to hear some others with whom we are acquainted and who are now essaying the Wagnerian repertory, with some interesting results. But we missed the staging, the costumes, the drama, and the sets. That most of the singers were on the book made attempts at acting look just plain silly. Supposed lovers rarely made eye contact!

At this point, let us give props to dramatic soprano Terina Westmeyer who sang Brunnhilde in "Wotan's Farewell" with dramatic baritone Thomas Hall as her father. The two sang without music stands for which we were grateful. We have favorably reviewed Ms. Westmeyer as Lady Billows in Britten's Albert Herring at the Bronx Opera and as La Badessa in Puccini's Suor Angelica. Three years ago we loved her singing of Verdi.

But we have not been present for her Wagner and we were delighted with the power of her voice and the tonal beauty. We see a lot of Wagner in her future and hope to hear more of it. Mr. Hall did not sound beautiful but he followed this scene with Siegfried's confrontation with Erda in which he sounded far better. Perhaps he just needed to warm up.

Erda was sung by mezzo-soprano Hyona Kim, whose dark chocolate sound was excellent for the role.  Ms. Kim first appeared on our radar screen four years ago when she won the Joy of Singing Award. Indeed, she is a superlative lieder recitalist who has been making inroads into the operatic repertory. She is such a fine actress that she dissolves into the part, as she did when she sang Suzuki in Puccini's Madama Butterfly with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance and Wokli in his Fanciulla del West with New York City Opera.

We are also familiar with the work of mezzo-soprano Janara Kellerman whom we enjoyed greatly in the role of Preziosilla with New Amsterdam Opera's recent production of Verdi's Forza del Destino. Her plush sound was enjoyed and noted in the role of Mamma Lucia in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana with Martha Cardona Opera and Santuzza with New Amsterdam Opera. It was a thrill to hear her expand her repertory into Wagnerian territory.

Soprano Megan Nielson has delighted us as Tatiana in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin with Utopia Opera and as Nedda in Opera Ithaca's production of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. We also remember her performance as the eponymous Suor Angelica presented by Chelsea Opera. Yesterday, she showed a lot of promise in Wagnerian territory singing Elsa in a scene from Lohengrin, with Ms. Kellerman adding some interesting texture as the conniving Ortrud and Mr. Hall as fellow conniver Telramund.

Tenor Errin Brooks seems to have gotten his huge instrument under better control and did well as the rejected Erik with soprano Heather Green as Senta in a scene from Der fliegende Hollander.

New to us is tenor Tyler Smith whose sizable instrument was colored with tenderness in the "Liebesnacht" from Tristan und Isolde with the beautiful soprano Kristin Chambers as his scene partner. We liked the way he modulated, successfully employing dynamic variety.  We have enjoyed Ms. Chambers more in other roles such as Fidelio. Ms. Kellerman lent gravity to the situation as Brangäne.

Mr. Smith appeared once again in the final scene of the program in which he has awakened the sleeping Brünnhilde, sung by soprano Melissa Citro.

We found no fault with the German. Alles klar!

Accompanists for the evening were beyond superb. Both Maestri Keith Chambers and Thomas Bagwell elicited most of Wagner's orchestral magic on the piano. Often, when the singers fail to connect with us (usually due to flipping pages on the music stand) our attention shifted to the piano and we heard things in the score that we might have missed.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of New Amsterdam Opera's first Pathfinder Award to Maestra Eve Queler who broke the glass ceiling for female conductors. Ms. Queler is a girl after our own heart, and we are calling her a girl because she has never lost that youthful quality that we so admire.

We have so many memories of hiking up to the highest level of Carnegie Hall, where the sound is best, to be introduced to rarely performed and forgotten operas and new singers--right up until last year's production of Donizetti's Parisina d'Este. Ms. Queler founded Opera Orchestra of New York in 1971 when there were no female conductors. Brava Eve!

She has plenty of European fame that we haven't experienced but we tend to personalize things and the above describes our Eve Queler. Just one more note of interest is that she has shared all of her scores with New Amsterdam Opera. Dare we hope that we will hear repeats of these rarely produced operas?  Let us hope!

(c) meche kroop

LA FORZA!

Errin Brooks and Kelly Griffin in New Amsterdam Opera's production of La Forza del Destino

How long we have yearned to hear Verdi's La Forza del Destino! Is it rarely performed because the roles are difficult to cast? Or does it have something to do with the superstition that surrounds it, much like Shakespeare's so-called "Scottish play" the name of which actors are reluctant to pronounce. We are happy to report that New Amsterdam Opera succeeded without any mishaps of which we are aware. The audience filled The Riverside Theatre and the applause was thunderous.

Artistic Director Keith Chambers conducted a pick-up orchestra which he pulled together quite well with only a few rough patches that were easy to overlook. But we could not overlook the fortuitous "flutery" of Rosa Jang and the happy "harpery"of Melanie Genin. Both were outstanding in their contributions. The overture is a masterpiece with one memorable theme following another. The initial "fate" theme is propulsive and highly rhythmic. Then along comes a sorrowful one, a lyrical one, a heraldic one, and a playful one. Although the 1869 opera is rarely performed, the overture is a concert staple.

New Amsterdam Opera aims to give young singers the opportunity to perform a role before a live audience in concert version. When one hears young singers eight nights a week one gets to recall quite a bit about them and to form a well-rounded picture of where their strengths and weaknesses lay and how they are growing.

For example, Kelly Griffin, the dramatic soprano who sang Leonora was possibly one of Daniel Cardona's "discoveries" about 3 years ago when she bowled us over with....(you guessed it, didn't you?)..."Pace, pace mio Dio". We heard her sing it again a few months ago; she has grown into the entire role and performed it with passion and intensity, well served by her generous instrument, which has an agreeable vibrato.

Her lover Don Alvaro was sung by Errin Brooks whose sizable tenor won him the Wagnerian prize from the George London Foundation. This is one of those huge voices that will take awhile to bring under control and fulfill its promise. In Act I, although we could understand every word of his Italian, he sang the line unmusically, as if it were English. As the evening progressed he did remember his legato and needed only to lighten up. He tends to emphasize volume and thereby squelches the overtones we want to appreciate in the tenor instrument. He would do well to bring his voice forward and to avoid pushing.

We loved the performance of mezzo-soprano Janara Kellerman as the gypsy Preziosilla. We have previously enjoyed her as Santuzza. This is an artist who throws herself into a role and clearly enjoys herself, seeming effortlessly.  Her "Rataplan" was a delightfully light moment in a heavy opera; she is urging the Spaniards to throw off the Austrian yoke. How Verdi must have loved that theme!

Leonora's brother Don Carlo was excellently sung by the polished Verdi baritone Stephen Gaertner whom we last heard at Lauren Flanigan's Comfort Ye recital. His duets with Mr. Brooks' were highlights of the evening. He was out to kill Don Alvaro but, unwittingly the two men became military buddies until their true identities were discovered.  Uh-oh!

Leonora's father the Marquis was sung by bass Hidenori Inoue whom we greatly enjoyed as Don Pasquale at The Manhattan School of Music this season.  His character got killed off in Act I and we were sorry not to hear any more of him! But we will surely hear a lot more of him in the future, since his bass is fully mature and ready for so many roles, needing only costuming and makeup to age him. 

We also liked Stefan Szkafarowsky, the bass cast as Padre Guardiano, the abbot of the monastery that gives Leonora a secret dwelling to hide from the cruel world. He sang his role with a nice legato and secure presence. The irritable Fra Melitone was sung by bass-baritone Daniel Klein whose over-the-top acting impressed us more than his grainy voice. It is rare for a singer to show so much acting chops in a concert performance!

Veteran tenor Robert Brubaker sang the role of Trabuco.  How well we remember his performance as Anna Nicole's husband in the opera of the same name, and his performance as Herod in Salome at the Santa Fe Opera.

Mezzo-soprano Melissa Serluco appeared briefly as Leonora's maid. We enjoyed her performance not too long ago as Dorothee, one of Cinderella's step-sisters in the Utopia Opera production of Massenet's Cendrillon.

And finally, we were introduced to a new voice, lyric baritone Wil Kellerman who nicely filled the roles of the Alcade (Mayor) and that of the surgeon who decides that the hero will survive his injuries.  We hope to hear more of him.

And we hope that some opera company in NYC will decide to produce this outstanding opera in a full production.  Hint, hint!

(c) meche kroop

MARTHA CARDONA OPERA'S CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA

Natalie Rose Havens, Janara Kellerman, Ann McMahon Quintero, Ta'u Pupu'a, and SeungHyeon Baek

Our admiration for Daniel Cardona's hard work knows no bounds. He has assembled a group of superb singers and a fine orchestra, led last night by Maestro Gregory Buchalter, and presented a semi-staged performance of Pietro Mascagni's powerful opera Cavalleria Rusticana that is not likely to be equalled.

Since The Metropolitan Opera carelessly and thoughtlessly discarded their gorgeous production of this opera (substituting a sadly stripped down minimalistic production) we had given up hopes of enjoying this 1890 verismo masterpiece. But last night, by dint of powerful voices conveying all that Sicilian passione, we were able to experience the story in a more powerful and intimate manner.

The story is most affecting--it takes place on Easter morning in a small Sicilian village and involves a love triangle. Santuzza, movingly sung by Ann Quintero, is in love with the faithless Turridu, powerfully sung by tenor Ta'u Pupu'a (in better voice than we have ever heard him). He has seduced her and she has been excommunicated because of this "sin". But he has abandoned her and returned to his old love Lola (mezzo-soprano Natalie Rose Havens) who is married to the carter Alfio (the wonderful baritone SeungHyeon Baek).

Turridu's mother, sung magnificently by Janara Kellerman, was here portrayed as quite sympathetic toward Santuzza which contributed to the audience's sympathy toward her. The story plays out in accordance with the customs of that epoch and that part of the world, in which "honor" is everything--leading to a tragic conclusion. No wonder that the judges of the one-act opera competition awarded Mascagni the coveted prize! No wonder that the critics and audience went wild at the Rome premiere.

Merkin Hall at the Kaufman Music Center has great sight-lines but no orchestra pit. Maestro Buchalter and the excellent Martha Cardona Opera Orchestra occupied the stage while the singers used the narrow strip of real estate downstage, as well as the aisles. It all worked out just fine since all the singers are excellent actors and interacted in dramatically valid ways.

There were powerful scenes between Santuzza and Mamma Lucia, between Santuzza and Turridu, between Turridu and Mamma, and between Turridu and Alfio. There was not a wrong "note" anywhere and nothing to criticize. The Italian was so clear and so well projected over the orchestra that nothing got lost, even when the recalcitrant titles failed.

The orchestra played exceptionally well for Maestro Buchalter. The introduction set the scene with its luscious melody and the Maestro achieving impressive clarity. The string section lay down a thick carpet of sound and the harpist (Melanie Genin) achieved a predominance in the introduction. We would like to acknowledge all the fine musicians who contributed to the memorable intermezzo. Jesse Pieper's electronic organ was impressive. Notable solos by flutist Katie Barbo and oboist Mark Sophia were heard, among others.  Apologies to those we haven't mentioned by name!

The chorus of village folk not only sang well but participated in the action.  Kudos to whoever directed the activity but went uncredited in the program.

David O. Roberts was responsible for the simple costuming. Wisely, he put everyone in black as befit the time and place. The men wore hats; the women covered their heads.

The Martha Cardona Opera has come a long way since we have been writing about them. Daniel Cardona always puts on a fine show but last night he outdid himself. Everything came together beautifully. He accomplishes all this at a modest ticket cost and depends upon your tax-deductible contributions to make up the shortfall. 

We would love to see what he could do with a budget large enough to have a theater with an orchestra pit and some scenery.  In the meanwhile, we have no complaints. This performance will stay in our memory as a landmark.

(c) meche kroop

NEW AMSTERDAM OPERA GALA CONCERT

New Amsterdam Opera Gala Concert at Riverside Theater

What a great variety of singers we heard last night!  Concerts of operatic arias are most fun when there is a variety of artists and the piano accompaniment is supportive. Both requirements were met as the New Amsterdam Opera presented their first gala concert in the comfortable theater belonging to Riverside Church. Their first event, a terrific Fidelio (review archived) was somewhat marred by some pretty awful acoustics.  We hope this theater will be their new home.

The opening duet is one of our favorites--"Belle nuit" from the Venice act of Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann. The sweetness of Alyson Cambridge's Giulietta harmonized perfectly with Janara Kellerman's resonant Nicklausse.  Conductor Keith Chambers was the piano accompanist for the evening and set up the feeling of the imaginary gondola.

Another admirable duet was performed by mezzo-soprano Madison Marie McIntosh who created a wily Rosina for baritone Suchan Kim's Figaro in "Dunque io son" from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. We love the moment when she produces her secret note for Count Almaviva and Figaro gets flummoxed. Ms. McIntosh's upper extension remains the most impressive aspect of her voice with flexibility to spare for the fioritura.

Everything Mr. Kim does is superb. We were impressed with his creation of the deformed character of the eponymous hunchback in Verdi's Rigoletto which he accomplished without any humping or limping.  It was all in the voice! The part of Sparafucile was well handled by burly bass Kevin Thompson who projected just the right degree of menace in "Signor. Va! Non ho niente"

Another duet we enjoyed was "Là ci darem la mano" from Mozart's Don Giovanni. Coloratura soprano Amy Owens made a sweet Zerlina who was converted from her initial resistance by a most persuasive Don, portrayed by the robust baritone Luis Ledesma whom we so enjoyed in Florencia en el Amazonas.  

He is another artist who seems to do everything well.  His solo "Nemica de la patria" from Giordani's Andrea Chenier was powerful and affecting.

Another fine soloist was soprano Zhanna Alkhazova who created the unhappy character Elizabetta from Verdi's Don Carlo. Hers is a substantial instrument which she colored effectively in her exploration of the character's musings in "Tu che le vanità". We were hoping to hear more of her but that was her only appearance on the program.

From the same opera we heard veteran bass Stefan Szkafarowsky in "Ella giammai m'amo" making the hateful character of King Philip somewhat pitiful. Kevin Thompson sang The Inquisitor but being "on the book" detracted from his ability to connect with Mr. S.

The use of music stands also impaired the full impact of the stunning final trio from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. Ms. Owens made an appealing Sophie with mezzo-soprano Sarah Heltzel a fine Octavian. As the Marschallin, the excellent soprano Kirsten Chambers, whom we so enjoyed in Fidelio, came on too strong for Strauss' delicate writing which Mr. Chambers so elegantly captured on the piano.

There were other examples of performances too intense for the material. We love soprano Jessica Rose Cambio's powerful instrument but found it too heavy for the role of Nedda in the duet "Nedda! Silvio" from Leonavallo's Pagliacci. She also oversang and overacted as Cio-cio San in "Una nave da guerra" with Ms. Heltzel as her Suzuki.

The closing duet was "Tu qui, Santuzza" from Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana in which baritone Ta'u Pupu'a Turiddu was a fine match for Janara Kellerman's desperate Santuzza. This redeemed him from his awkward performance as Des Grieux in "Tu, tu, amore, tu" in which he and soprano Kelly Griffin failed to gel as a romantic couple and just seemed miscast.

Ms. Griffin was far better however in "Pace, pace mio Dio" from Verdi's La forza del destino.  Our companion shared our opinion that this opera needs to be produced more often and we were absolutely thrilled to learn that this will be New Amsterdam Opera's next production!

One other duet failed to come together--Ms. Cambridge's Mimi did not connect with Mr. Ledesma's Marcello in "Mimi?...Speravo di trovarvi qui" from Puccini's La Bohême. We could not put our finger on the cause but she was excellent performing "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's Russalka, with great depth of feeling.

A late edition to the program was soprano Ashley Becker who sang “Ben t’io invenni…Anch’io dischiuso un giorno” from Verdi's Nabucco.

The Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening was the famed soprano Diana Soviero. We would have been happier had she contributed more to the evening than a hasty recitation of the revised second half of the program.

(c) meche kroop