TOYS FOR GROWNUPS

 Matthew Wages,  Alexa Devlin and. Ryan Allais

(photo by meche kroop)

We have no idea who was the intended audience for Victor Herbert's turn-of-the-20th c. hit musical Babes in Toyland nor are we experts in what is suitable for children these days.  All we can say is that we spent a most delightful hour with VHRPLive! which, regular readers will know, stands for Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live. We wish that this magical musical hour  had gone on longer!

Let us mention that there is nothing "naughty" that is unsuitable for children and, if you have any, it might be fun to bring them along. Of course, today's children are accustomed to snark and smarm so we dare not predict the extent of their interest.  But for those of us of the adult persuasion, it is very refreshing to watch a work so charming and innocent, played without a shred of condescension. What fun to awaken the child in oneself!

The main attraction is Mr. Herbert's memorable melodies. Contemporary composers could use a lesson from the prolific Mr. Herbert who penned enough operettas to keep VHRPLive! (celebrating its tenth anniversary) going for at least another decade. When is the last time you left a theater smiling and humming? We want to give credit to the late Dino Anagnost for compiling the score some three decades ago.

What is also quite wonderful is the manner in which Founder and Artistic Director Alyce Mott has revised the libretto to bring the story to its charming peak, as she usually does. Furthermore she has tinkered with Glen MacDonough's lyrics to great advantage, with contributions from Craig Timberlake and Mr. Anagnost.  We take umbrage when an opera director alters the original intent and setting of our beloved classic tragedies such that they make no sense. This is a completely different "story", so to speak. We sincerely believe that if Mr. Herbert had been in the audience he would have shared our delight.

The "book" is nothing like Pixar's film Toy Story. The characters are not toys, they are nursery rhyme characters that most of us recall from childhood. Here they are all assembled in an imaginary place called Toyland, under the supervisory eye of Mother Goose, portrayed by mezzo-soprano Alexa Devlin who was costumed exactly as we might have imagined her (no credit for costuming in the program).  Her warm sound introduced us to "Toyland" which is probably one of Herbert's more familiar songs.

The romantic couple comprised BoPeep andTom, Tom, the Piper's Son. Soprano Joanie Brittingham, a VHRPL regular, was adorable in the role which had her being both tearful and fearful, as she searched for her missing sheep. New to the company is tenor Ryan Allais as Tom, as wonderful a romantic lead as we could have hoped for. His singing and dancing were completely on point and we don't mean on point shoes!

The villain of the piece was an almost unrecognizable Matthew Wages whose mellow baritone was twisted into a nasty snarl as he portrayed Silas Barnaby, waving a foreclosing mortgage that threatens to put an end to Toyland. He was accompanied by two henchmen, the brainy Rodrigo, played by tenor Chaz Peacock and the brawny Gonzorgo, played by tenor Andrew Buck. 

Mr. Barnaby wants to marry BoPeep but...(we are not going to give away the plot but we were thinking of the last act of Falstaff).  Does the villain twirl his mustache?  Does he get his just desserts? You are going to have to find out for yourself. We hope you can snag tickets for the two remaining performances and you can thank us later.

You will enjoy the company of Humpty Dumpty (mezzo-soprano Sarah Bleasdale, Wee Willie (baritone Keith Broughton), Mary Mary Quite Contrary, doubling as a gorgeous butterfly  (soprano Gabriella Giangreco), Little Miss Muffet (Maggie Langhorne), tenor Joe Marx and soprano Kathleen Raab (both making their debuts with the company) as Jack and Jill, soprano Mariah Mueller as Curly Locks, baritone Zachary Wobensmith as Simple Simon, tenor Matthew Youngblood as Little Boy Blue, and the familiar veteran baritone David Seatter as Old King Cole. Mr. Seatter is a founding artist of the company and has never missed a performance. We always await his presence with anticipation.

As far as the music is concerned we delighted in the live orchestra under the baton of Maestro Michael Thomas. We might add that The Theatre at St. Jean's is a rare find, a mid-sized theatre with an orchestra pit and raked seating. Everyone gets an unobstructed view and perfect sound. There is some voluntary audience participation in the finale and if you want to participate, learn the words to "Toyland". In terms of clever lyrics, we were particularly fond of "I Can't Do the Sum".

The choreography by Christine Hall was simple and stylish, adding a great deal of interest, as did the colorful but uncredited costuming. 

© meche kroop

SWEETHEARTS

Sweethearts by Victor Herbert, brought to you by Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE!

At the beginning of the 20th century, when modernism began to undermine the basic grammar of music, some of the principles that underpinned the workings of opera inevitably came under attack, too. Those of us who have sat through some pretty tedious atonal bores find relief in the music of Victor Herbert who kept audiences entertained and delighted with silly stories and melodious music. Last night's Sweethearts was the perfect antidote to works liked only by academia.

His Sweethearts premiered in 1913, just before The Great War, with a libretto by Fred DeGresac and Harry B. Smith. As is usually the case, Artistic and Stage Director Alyce Mott has rewritten the libretto to make the story flow smoothly and to appeal to modern taste. Happily, she has not attempted to change the period and we are left free to form our own associations to today's mating behavior and romantic (mis)adventures. Even more happily, Herbert's engaging music has been preserved and given over to the New Victor Herbert Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Michael Thomas with the superb William Hicks at the piano.

The ensemble nature of the company allows us to appreciate the same voices at every production with some new ones thrown into the mix for good measure. Soprano Claire Leyden has a remarkable voice and charming onstage presence that made her performance of the lead role a true delight. The large voiced Vira Slywotzky, generally cast in matronly roles, always tickles us with her humorous delivery. In this case, the excellent Joanie Brittingham played the "bad girl" part whilst the fine soprano Sarah Caldwell Smith was joined by Caitlin Ruddy, JoAnna Geffert, and Emily Geller; they made excellent music together as Dame Paula's four daughters.

They open the story and set the stage right after Dame Paula's narration. You see, Dame Paula, also called Mother Goose, owns a laundry in Bruge where the sisters complain about ironing all day. They are always flirting with soldiers who soon appear--Al-Jabril Muhammad, Drew Bolander, Jonathan Hare, and Keith Broughton.

Adopted daughter Sylvia is in love with a rake, Lieutenant Karl (played to the hilt by Jack Cotterell), who is having a flirtation (one among many) with Liane, a millinery girl played by Ms. Brittingham. Dame Paula warns Sylvia about this rascal but, just like girls of today, she loves him anyway.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Zilania (the fine Jovani Demetrie) falls for Sylvia, not knowing that she is really the heir to his throne, something of which she is ignorant as well.

The story concerns the machinations and manipulations of all the people who would stand in her way--the hypocritical and grasping Mikel, a diplomat of Zilania (played by the very funny Jonathan Fluck); von Tromp, a German diplomat (portrayed by Matthew Wages) who wants to grab the land to build a casino; and Algernon Percival Cuthbert Slingsby (the superb veteran operetta performer David Seatter) who wants to marry the lost princess, whomever she may be, to impress his father.

Liane, a thoroughly nasty girl, is co-opted into the plan but gets what she deserves. The message is of course that the kindhearted folk win in the end and the grasping nasty folk lose out.  Order is restored, romance wins, and we leave with a smile. Of course. Balm for the spirits.

Ms. Mott directed with her customary astuteness and Susanna Organik contributed some delightful choreography, particularly the waltzes and the opening song "Iron Iron, Iron".  The hit tune of Act I "Sweethearts" became so famous that it led to Herbert fighting all the way to the Supreme Court to establish ASCAP!

Beside those, there were so many other delightful numbers. "Mother Goose" was filled with humor, sung by Sylvia and the other four daughters. Von Tromp led the men in singing "Pretty as a Picture" about how women enhance their appearance, a song just as relevant today as a century ago.

Dame Paula, Mikel, and the daughters were engaging in the humorous "What She Wanted..And What She Got". Mr. Seatter delivered the spoken dialogue of "I Don't Know How I Do It, But I Do" in the first example of a number spoken over an instrumental score. 

Ms. Leyden's gorgeous voice maximized the impact of "The Angelus", a tender prayer for guidance. When Prince Franz joins her you just know things will work out for them in the end.

Everything about the music and its performance was topnotch and we loved the combination of instruments in the New Victor Herbert Orchestra. Not only did we have Mr. Hicks' wonderful piano but violin, cello, string bass, flute, harp, and percussion.

This is the end of the fifth season of VHRPL during which 10 staged productions and five concerts have been offered. We are very gratified to have seen the audience swell to capacity. New Yorkers know a good thing when they see/hear it. 

We got a peek at next season's productions and are giving you fair warning, dear readers. If you hope to see what this wonderful company can accomplish, be prepared to get your tickets in advance. It would be a shame to be shut out of such glorious glee!

(c) meche kroop

FALLING IN LOVE WITH VICTOR HERBERT

Matthew Wages, Alexa Devlin, Jovani Demetrie, Claire Leyden, Andrew Klima, Sarah Caldwell Smith, David Seatter, and Joanie Brittingham

The world needs people with obsessions, people who care deeply about something and want to share it with others. Alyce Mott is just such a person. As Founder and Artistic Director of Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! , she is making sure that Victor Herbert's substantial legacy will not be forgotten. His music is timeless and melodic, having provided inspiration for composers such as Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. If only contemporary composers would listen and be inspired!

Last night's program was a compilation of his love songs; the air in Christ and St. Stephen's sanctuary was filled with romance. The superb performer and baritone David Seatter served as narrator, wittily introducing the various sections about longing for love, missing love, awakening love, and curiosity about love. What other composer wrote enough love songs to fill an entire evening!

Music Director Michael Thomas provided the excellent accompaniment for the evening and the singers included the dapper David Seatter himself as well as sopranos Sarah Caldwell Smith, Joanie Brittingham, and Claire Leyden; mezzo-soprano Alexa Devlin; tenor Andrew Klima (new to VHRPL); baritone Jovani Demetrie; and bass Matthew Wages. They sang in various combinations and maintained a true ensemble feeling throughout.

Every song was a gem and no doubt every member of the packed house had his/her own favorites. We will mention a few of ours.

Mr. Klima was at his best in "Mary Came Over to Me" and we found our heart touched by the story of a young man from Ireland who was finally able to bring his sweetheart over to join him. There must have been many stories like that one and probably other songs but this was one that stayed with us.

The last time we heard Ms. Smith and Ms. Leyden sing "For Better or for Worse" in a performance of Princess Pat, we thought the harmonies rivaled those of Délibes in "Dôme épais", a real treat. We were thrilled to revisit it.

Ms. Leyden gave a beautiful performance of "The Angelus" from Sweethearts which will be presented April 30 and May 1, with orchestra. We can scarcely wait for it! She was joined by Mr. Demetrie and the entire company, giving us a great taste of what we can look forward to.

We didn't know that Herbert wrote a show about Cyrano de Bergerac with lyrics by Harry B. Smith, but the excerpt we heard "Let the Sun of Thine Eyes" was filled with humor as Mr. Wages as Cyrano sang a line beautifully  and Mr. Klima as Christian repeated it as unartistically as possible, trying to impress Ms. Leyden. 

Ms. Smith had a lovely solo in "Where the Fairest Flow'rs are Blooming" from Babette, which allowed her to show off her gorgeous coloratura in a prolonged vocalise. From the same show Ms. Devlin and Mr. Wages had a clever duet in which he was arrogant and she was resistant.

From The Debutante, Ms. Leyden and Mr. Demetrie had a cute duet "Never Mention Love When We're Alone", enhanced by some of Susanna Organek's graceful choreography.

From The Wizard of the Nile, Harry B. Smith's clever lyrics for "What is Love?" were given a sprightly melody by Mr. Herbert; Ms. Leyden portrayed the innocent girl questioning the wise senior of Mr. Seatter.

The four men created a delightful ensemble for "My Fair Unknown" from Miss Dolly Dollars. Again we found Mr. Smith's lyrics clever and charming.

Ms. Brittingham had several lovely solos which showed off her bright resonant sound but we favored "When Love Awakes" from Eileen.

Ms. Devlin's superb solo involved some reading of the cards in " 'Neath the Southern Moon" from Naughty Marietta.

The program closed with "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" with the entire company filling the sanctuary with joyous sound.

With our focus so heavily on opera, we might never have discovered this treasure trove of tunes from the turn of the 20th c. and for this we are extremely grateful to Ms. Mott. Long live Victor Herbert!

(c) meche kroop

ORANGE BLOSSOMS

JoAnna Geffert, Jonathan Fox Powers, Sarah Caldwell Smith, David Seatter, Joanie Brittingham, Bray Wilkins, Alexa Devlin, and Drew Bolander

Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! is focusing its fifth season on (hold your breath)...LOVE! And we just loved its production of Victor Herbert's 1922 "play with music" Orange Blossoms. Artistic Director Alyce Mott has called upon her usual literary magic to adapt the libretto written by Fred De Gresac (the gifted female librettist responsible for several of Herbert's best works.

Ms. Mott has called the work a "play with music" because it lacks an overture and no grand finale. That's putting a rather fine point on it since the work has all the sparkling melodies we want in an operetta and a typically silly but enchanting plot.

Lawyer Brassac (played by David Seatter, the always splendid veteran performer of operetta) has a lovely but penniless goddaughter named Kitty (played by the charming VHRPL! regular Joanie Brittingham. She won the hearts of the audience with her ballad "A Kiss in the Dark" in which she recalls a man who won her heart and vanished.

He also has a client/friend, the pompous Baron Roger Belmont (played with high humour by company regular Bray Wilkins). Have you guessed who her vanishing lover might be?

Baron Belmont is engaged to the histrionic and affected Helene De Vasquez (performed in high camp by Sarah Caldwell Smith) but cannot marry her because he will lose his inheritance. It is up to Brassac to find a solution and he does. He plots to marry off his goddaughter to the Baron in a mariage blanc. 

The Baron will support Kitty in fine style and then, having secured his inheritance, will divorce her and marry his demanding Helene. Pretty racy for 1922! The plot twists and turns are enhanced by clever lyrics set to memorable melodies.

The principals sang beautifully and were convincing in their portrayal of stereotypes, enhancing their portrayals with individualizing quirks.

As if that weren't enough, the plot is rounded out with some delightful characters who were also perfectly portrayed. Alexa Devlin, using an hilarious Brooklyn accent, enacted the secretary Tillie. Her inamorata Jimmy Flynn was performed by company regular Drew Bolander who works for the jealous Helene as a detective, pretending to be a gardener who talks about thorns on the carnations!

The always wonderful Jonathan Fox Powers made a fine and funny butler Auguste, flirting with Ninetta, the maid, played by JoAnna Geffert. A duel between Auguste and Jimmy had us in stitches.

Not only does Ms. Mott do an excellent job of modernizing the spoken dialogue, but she also directs with a firm hand. The company choreographer Emily Cornelius staged some lovely numbers for the chorus, comprising Jenny Lindsey, Alexa Clint, Elisabeth Slaten and Susan Case (various clients of Brassac) and their suitors (Colm Fitzmaurice, Quintin Harris, and Keith Broughton).

Maestro Michael Thomas kept the music flowing whilst William Hicks provided the piano accompaniment. We started out placing stars next to our favorite musical numbers but wound up starring everything!

We loved the funny duet between Tillie and Jimmy--"New York is the Same Old Place" in Act I--almost as much as we enjoyed their Act II duet "Way Out West in Jersey". Mr. Bolander had a frisky and funny solo as well, entitled "J.J. Flynn".

The ensemble had a great number as well--"Let's Not Get Married" with the line "That's where happiness ends".  Oh, those Roaring Twenties!  We have a feeling that Herbert got them off to a roaring start!

We don't ever want to miss any of VHRPL!'s productions so we have already entered them in our calendar.  And so should you! "Falling in Love" will be scheduled for February 26 and 27. "Sweethearts", which also has a libretto by Fred De Gresac, will be scheduled for April 30 and May 1.  All performances are at Christ and St. Stephen's Church and tend to sell out. Don't miss your chance for these highly entertaining evenings.

(c) meche kroop

ENCHANTED BY THE ENCHANTRESS

The cast of Victor Herbert's The Enchantress

Our enthusiasm for the oeuvre of Victor Herbert is exceeded only by that of Alyce Mott-- Founder, Stage Director, and Librettist of the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! Ms. Mott has devoted her life to this composer, and the last four years to producing a dozen musicals written by this prolific composer who delighted early 20th c. audiences with his Broadway shows. He could be considered the Rossini of his time and place.

The fact that he can delight 21st c. audiences with his music is testament to his compositional joie de vivre. It is true that Ms. Mott has written new libretti for the operettas she has produced, but the songs are the real McCoy.

The plots are quite silly by contemporary standards but that only contributes to our delight. The roles are always well cast and sung, the choreography delightful, the direction right on point. And now the performances are even better, due to the presence of a "salon orchestra"--what today would be called a chamber orchestra--conducted by Michael Thomas.

The plot that so enchanted us last night involved an impossible romance between the Prince of Zergovia and the beautiful Vivien, made possible by a plot device equivalent to a "hail Mary pass" on the football field.

Prince Ivan, performed by terrific tenor Tom Carle, risks the survival of his nation by his womanizing. The sinister Regent, Prince Miloch (Brian Kilday) would like to take over, with the assistance of the slimy Minister of War Ozir (Drew Bolander). Their plotting against him is continually hilarious.

Trying to protect the Prince are his tutor Poff (the always enjoyable David Seatter) and Troute, the head of the Secret Service (Jovani Demetrie).

Five princesses are vying for the Prince's attention. Pardon our rambling association but we thought we had wandered into Act II of Swan Lake! And then "Odette" appears in the person of the beautiful and sought-after Vivien, sung by the beautiful and sought-after Claire Leyden, who has a magnetic stage presence and a crystalline soprano with an appealing vibrato. She captures the heart of the fickle prince. And the hearts of the audience as well.

She is a commoner and the Prince cannot marry her. Will he abdicate? We speculated that the original librettists (Fred De Gresac and Harry B. Smith) might have been inspired by the love-fueled abdication of King Edward VIII of England but this could not be so. Wallace Simpson was only a teenager when the operetta premiered in 1911.

Complicating the plot is the arrival of a wealthy American woman named Marian who wants to use the money of her lard king father to buy herself a title. Soprano Joanie Brittingham did a great job creating this character, complete with a broad Midwestern accent and exaggerated American mannerisms.

More comedy was provided by Vivien's aunt Mamoute, played by soprano Vira Slywotzky with impressive comic chops. Apparently aunt and niece are one step away from poverty and the plan is for Vivien to snag a wealthy husband.

As usual in these productions, the chorus adds much to the proceedings. The female chorus comprised the five hopeful princesses--Haley Vick, Jane Hoffman, Sonora Dolce, JoAnna Geffert, and Susan Case.

The male chorus comprised Colm Fitzmaurice, Andrew Troup, and Jonathan Fox Powers.

We particularly enjoyed the love duet "Rose, Lucky Rose", Prince Ivan's aria "The Best Little Girl Is You", and Vivien's aria "To the Land of My Own Romance". Jane Hoffman performed a song entitled "Art is Calling for Me" which we recognized as the oft heard "encore song"--"I Want to Be a Prima Donna".  Just to think that we never knew where it came from!!  Indeed!  Now we know.

If we continue telling all the numbers we enjoyed, we will have named them all! But let's just mention one more which brought down the house--"Come to Sunny Spain", sung by Mr. Demetrie (disguised as a Spanish nobleman) and Ms. Slyvotzky who was so tragically ready to be seduced. Susan Organek choreographed their flamenco inflected dance, as well as the many captivating waltzes.

Over the past four years we have observed the growth of the audience and the evolution of a repertory company. Mr. Seatter and Ms. Slywotzky are founding members and several other artists joined the company over the past three years. 

Others made their debuts this year. Ms. Leyden brought charm and freshness, as well as a stunning voice, to the production. Many of the artists are known to us from other companies. It is always fun to see what artistry singers bring to different roles.

Next year will be VHRPLive!'s fifth season and the theme is Season of Love. We will be looking forward to Orange Blossoms, Love Songs, and Sweethearts.

(c) meche kroop

LADIES FIRST

Matthew Wages, Richard Holmes, David Seatter, Sarah Caldwell Smith, Daniel Greenwood, Natalie Ballenger, Joanie Brittingham, Alexa Devlin, Anthony Maida, and Tanya Roberts

Think of a string of beautiful colorful beads, gathered from many forgotten pieces of jewelry and strung together to create something novel. That was the image we got while enjoying Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE! last night. 

Instead of presenting another complete operetta by this most prolific composer, Artistic Director Alyce Mott decided to create an evening of rarely heard gems extracted from a number of his operettas, written with a variety of librettists, including Henry Blossom, Gene Buck, Buddy De Sylva, Glen MacDonough, Harry B. Smith, and Robert B. Smith.

As usual, Ms. Mott supplied the libretto; the performers--gifted vocally and dramatically in equal measure--brought the songs to vivid life, under the direction of Emily Cornelius with charming choreography by Susanna Organic. Michael Thomas ably filled the job of Music Director and pianist.

Over the past couple of years attending these performances, we have developed an affection for what appears to be a repertory company. We can almost predict what roles each performer will play. There is a similarity to Herbert's "ladies" and he loves putting them in ridiculous situations. 

We saw scenes extracted from ten of his lesser known operettas dating from The Idol's Eye in 1897 to his very last one, the 1922 Orange Blossom. Herbert dominated Broadway for a quarter of a century and did not alter his style very much. He had a clear opinion of what his audience wanted and he gave it to them--interesting characters dealing with preposterous situations in a light-hearted manner.

We are glad that Ms. Mott compared Herbert to Sondheim. What other American composer beside Sondheim has ever managed to marry word and musical phrase in such an engaging manner! If only we had clever lyrics like that to listen to today! Which brings us to our only criticism--the clever lyrics were not always clear. But that happened only about 10% of the time and only bothered us because the rhymes were so darned clever.

Tanya Roberts and Anthony Maida did a swell job as narrators, establishing the background of each scene. Ms. Roberts was hilarious as "the 5' lady with the 8' kick". David Seatter delighted us as a hot air balloonist who "just dropped in" as he circumnavigated the world. And Mr. Seatter enunciated each word clearly. Alexa Devlin made use of the lower end of her register in "Song of the Priestess". These three songs from the 1897 The Idol's Eye made us want to see the entire work.

The complex overlapping vocal lines for the Ensemble in "The Face Behind the Mask" was the standout number from the 1914 The Debutante. It revealed Herbert as the gifted composer he was.

From the 1905 Mlle. Modiste, our favorite number was the marvelous satire involving a girl from Iowa--"The Keokuk Culture Club", sensationally performed by Ms. Devlin. It seemed very au courant.

Another sensational performance was that of Natalie Ballenger who portrayed a very catty woman in "She's a Very Dear Friend of Mine" from the 1904 It Happened in Nordland.

Tenor Daniel Greenwood paid vocal tribute to women in "The Century Girl", the hit number from the 1916 show of the same name.

Mr. Maida filled a similar role as he idealized "The Princess of My Dreams" from Ziegfield Follies of 1921. 

The 1922 Orange Blossoms contained two numbers that scored. In "New York is the Same Old Place", Ms. Roberts and Mr. Seatter had complaints about our fair city that seemed not to have changed in almost a century! But the very funny "Way Out West in Jersey" had Ms. Devlin and bass-baritone  Matthew Wages contemplating a move to the wild west across the Hudson River. Richard Holmes was absolutely charming as a former roué in "This Time It's Love".

Joanie Brittingham had fun portraying a woman whose education was deficient in "Professor Cupid" from The Debutante of 1914 and a sadder girl indeed in "The Lonely Nest" (from Orange Blossoms), in which Michael Thomas' piano stood out.

Sarah Caldwell Smith made the perfect ingenue in "If I Were on the Stage" from Mlle. Modiste.

The ensemble work showed evidence of a great team spirit in this company.  The entire evening was sheer delight.

Upcoming in April will be The Enchantress, from which we heard two numbers; but in April we will get to hear them with an orchestra. Yay!

Ms. Mott asked the audience which Herbert operetta they would like to see.  What a difficult choice! Based on what we most enjoyed last night, we would vote for Orange Blossoms. 

(c) meche kroop

MEET EILEEN--OUR NEW BEST FRIEND

Joanie Brittingham, Tom Carle,  and Tanya Roberts

A century ago, eager theatergoers packed into the Schubert Theater to enjoy Victor Herbert's tuneful operetta Eileen.  Last night another generation of theatergoers packed into Christ and St. Stephens church to enjoy a reincarnation of this enchanting work, thanks to Alyce Mott and the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live!

What we saw and enjoyed last night is not exactly what the 1917 audience saw. Alyce Mott has made a name for herself by reworking Herbert's oeuvre to improve upon and enhance the relevancy of the stories.  In this case Henry Blossom's original libretto was rewritten, whilst preserving every note of the original score, which was compiled by the late Dino Anagnost. The 1917 audience relished relief from the threat of war hanging over their heads.  Hmmm!  Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose!

VHRPL! has been growing by leaps and bounds.  This is only their third season and nine of Herbert's operettas have already been performed, to the delight of an ever-growing audience. This was the first time a show was presented with the New Victor Herbert Orchestra and it certainly added a great deal.

The story takes place at the end of the 18th c. and  concerns the Irish quest for freedom from Great Britain. Lady Maude's late husband was unsympathetic to the cause and also toward her niece Eileen who was shipped off to a convent in France where she has fallen in love with "a fine Irish rebel" named Barry O'Day. Lady Maude lives in Castle Sligo  which was seized, along with its land, by her husband Lord Estabrooke, in the name of the British King.

Lady Maude Estabrooke is sympathetic to the Irish cause and would be happy to relinquish the land as long as she can live in the castle. The charming Barry is irresistible to women, apparently!

Of course there are obstacles. The local British authority Colonel Lester is out to get Mr. O'Day, and Mr. O'Day's "best friend" Sean Regan plans to betray him as well.  Of course, there needs to be a happy ending so, not to worry, the guy gets the girl and escapes from the clutches of Lester in a ruse involving false identities and a pawn named Sir Reginald Stribling, In point of fact Stribling is a British Knight, but he is used as a pawn.

As one would expect there are songs both romantic and patriotic, and they were performed with verve and enthusiasm. Some of the ensemble have been there from the start, notably David Seatter who performed the role of Sir Reginald with humor and panache. Others are enjoying their first season with VHRPL! and have already established a fine ensemble feeling.

Soprano Joanie Brittingham, well remembered from Chelsea Opera, appeared in the title role and delighted us with her "Reveries" and harmonized beautifully with tenor Tom Carle who performed the role of Barry O'Day. Their duet "Thine Alone" was a surefire hit.  Mr. Carle's solo "When Shall I Again See Ireland" was sung with deep feeling. We particularly loved "The Irish Have a Great Day Tonight".

Tanya Roberts created the character of Lady Maude who faced life with grace and good will. Her acting was impeccable but we missed some words here and there.  Fortunately, there was a libretto to fill in the gaps.

Jovani McCleary played the traitorous Sean Regan who led his men in a rousing "Free Trade and a Misty Moon", the lyrics of which reminded us of W.S. Gilbert's clever wordplay. Although he was the bad guy, his wonderful singing and acting made us like him very very much.

Another artist we liked very very much was newcomer Christopher Robin Sapp who took the role of Dinny and deserved the big hand he got for "She's Sweet as Any Flower".

Coloratura soprano Haley Marie Vick had a lovely number as well--"Too Re Loo Re" and filled it out with winsome embellishments.

Colonel Lester was portrayed by the excellent Richard Holmes who we have enjoyed on countless occasions with the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players.  His duet with Ms. Roberts "Life is but a Game" had them sparring but, well, you know, love conquers all.

Ms. Mott's direction was effective and moved the action right along, augmented by Emily Cornelius' fine choreography.

Music Director Michael Thomas conducted the chamber orchestra comprising Philip Wharton (violin), Scott Ballantyne (cello), Judy Sugarman (bass), Sheryl Henze (flute/piccolo) and William Hicks (piano). Significantly, the music was not given a new arrangement.  Parts were assigned as they were a hundred years ago, with the piano playing remaining parts.

The fourth season has already been planned and available on www.vhrplive.org. However, one needn't wait until next November because something special is happening at Opera America on June 6th--vocal excerpts from Herbert's Nahoma along with revelations about the politics of American Grand Opera. Plenty of intrigue occurred between Oscar Hammerstein and the Metropolitan Opera.  Listen and learn!  Sounds like our cuppa!

(c) meche kroop

GETTIN' YER IRISH UP

The lassies: Joanie Brittingham, Vira Slywotzky, and Katherine Corle
The lads: Jason Robinette, Ross Brown, Anthony Maida, David Seatter, Richard Holmes and Jovani McCleary

No, no, no, we are not angry.  Au contraire, we are absolutely tickled with our evening spent with Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE! about whom we have written before.  VHRPL is celebrated for bringing the works of this early 20th c. composer to lively life. Last night's concert, in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day, presented a selection of his songs celebrating his Irish heritage.  Imagine the shock of finding out that Mr. Herbert probably never set foot in Ireland, a rather new discovery!

Still, he had an Irish soul, thanks to his mother and maternal grandfather with whom he lived for a period in England. As a matter of fact, he set some of his grandfather's poetry and we were fortunate to hear some of Samuel Lover's text, one of which was sung by the excellent and versatile soprano Vira Slywotzky (one of the founding members of VHRPL) who also narrated the evening with great style and dulcet tone. The song, entitled "Angel's Whisper" was based on the legend that when a baby smiles in his/her sleep it's because of conversation with an angel.  In the song, which touched our heart, a mother is reassured about the safety of her mariner husband when her baby smiles.  Awwww!

Mr. Lover also wrote humorous songs and we just loved "The Birth of St. Patrick" which described the embattled Irish temperament with two camps disagreeing about the date St. Patrick was born. A diplomatic priest added the two dates together and came up with the 17th, thus solving the problem. Too bad "the troubles" could not have been so easily sorted out! The song was performed by tenor Anthony Maida and baritones Jovani McCleary and David Seatter.

Another favorite of ours involving the grandfather's poetry was the romantic "Live in My Heart and Pay No Rent", for which the versatile fellow also wrote the music. Mr. Maida gave it a fine performance.

Of all the gentlemen, the one whose timbre was closest to what one expects in an Irish tenor was Jason Robinette, whose delivery of "Mary Came Over to Me" touched the heart with the joy of a reunion of two lovers when the woman finally arrives in America.

Tenor Ross Brown shone as the Irish Don Juan in "Barney Maguire" from Mr. Herbert's 1906 show "Miss Dolly Dollars". The charming choreography by Director/Choreographer Emily Cornelius brought in the lovely sopranos Joanie Brittingham and Katherine Corle.

The ensemble work was in every instance delightful, particularly when all six men joined in for the drinking song "The Cruiskeen Lawn" which was performed a cappella. The admirably crisp enunciation we had enjoyed in solo pieces carried over and we understood every rowdy word of this folk song arranged by Mr. Herbert.

We wish to alert our readers to the upcoming performance of Herbert's 1917 operetta Eileen on April 25th and 26th because the songs on last night's program taken from that show were so special. If you've never heard "My Little Irish Rose", you will be enchanted. Ms. Corle sang it beautifully. There were three other songs from the show on the program, all memorably melodic. Notably, Eileen will have an orchestra!

Some of the songs were about Ireland's struggle for freedom from oppression and some were about the contributions of the Irish to America's cause in The Great War.

There was still more to interest the listener. Adding to Herbert's Irish heart were the skills of composition that he learned growing up in his father's Germany. Ireland had never produced a song cycle before and Mr. Herbert wrote one entitled The Bards of Ireland which was performed in 1908 for the Society of Friends of the Sons of Ireland. Thomas Moore's lyrics to Old Irish Airs were arranged by Mr. Herbert. We make no claims that this cycle rivals those of Schubert and Schumann but it was surely a treat to hear a work that was never published.  Leave it to Artistic Director Alyce Mott!

Strangely, however, our favorite part of this song cycle was the piano solo "Lament for Owen Roe O'Neill" played on the piano by Music Director Michael Thomas. Sometimes words are superfluous. Baritone Richard Holmes gave a lovely performance of "Remember the Glories of Brien the Brave".

We believe it is important, particularly at this time in our history, to acknowledge the contributions made to the USA by the Irish. Every ethnic group that has come to our great nation has been at first despised, later accepted, and eventually celebrated.  Let us not forget that!  It's time to make America great again!  Yes, by welcoming immigrants.  And you can quote us on that one!

(c) meche kroop

VICTOR HERBERT RENAISSANCE PROJECT LIVE!

Brian Kilday, Drew Bolander, Angela Christine Smith, and Sarah Caldwell Smith

VHRPL! is enjoying their third season and we are a bit dazzled by their growth as a company.  Founder and Artistic Director Alyce Mott has successfully shepherded the fledgling company in such a successful manner that the audience for Victor Herbert's masterpieces is growing by leaps and bigger leaps. This is due partly to her diligent efforts to improve upon the original and partly to her assembling a superb group of singers who can act.

Last night's performance of The Princess Pat was a huge hit and, for the first time, libretti were provided--great to take home and re-read. A chamber orchestra is coming up next! Although we love William Hicks' piano accompaniment, it will be wonderful to see what Music Director/Conductor can achieve with an orchestra.

The Princess Pat premiered a century ago but continues to delight with the freshness of Herbert's melodies and its romantic plot. The work had over 150 performances at the Cort Theater.  The book and original lyrics were by Henry Blossom but Ms. Mott rearranged the order of the musical numbers and rewrote the libretto for this performance to make the characters more relatable--and directed it as well.  And directed it well! We'd say her efforts were wildly successful!

The story might just as well have been called The Fixer because the central character appears to be one Bob Darrow (Brian Kilday) who solves all the problems of the other characters. 

Lovely young Grace Holbrook (Sarah Caldwell Smith) is about to be married off to the wealthy widowed womanizer Anthony Schmalz (David Seatter) who is a German parvenu with a heavy accent; the reason is that her uncle, the amusingly befuddled General John Holbrook (Richard Holmes) has recently lost his fortune.

Holbrook's son Tony (Drew Bolander) is a bit of a slacker who needs a good woman to set him straight; can you guess whom that might be?  Fixer Bob is full of plots and devices to get her married to the right man.

Grace's best friend Pat (Angela Christine Smith) is troubled by conflict with her husband, a jealous and possessive Sicilian Prince Antonio Di Montaldo ( Jason Robinette) . She was unhappy in Sicily and missed her Long Island home, her dogs, and her horses.  Now they have returned to L.I. and he is unhappy. She feels neglected and it's up to Fixer Bob to restore their love.

The work is filled with humor, much of which is provided by the servants and friends. Joanie Brittingham portrayed Marie, Grace's French maid, and Nathan Baer played Thomas, Holbrook's butler. Friends provided the excellent chorus--Tanya Roberts, Merrin Lazyan, Pedro Coppeti, Matthew Billman, and the double-cast Ms. Brittingham and Mr. Baer.

Further humor was derived from the local constable Si Perkins (Anthony Maida) who couldn't believe that people dine at such a late hour. He too had to be appeased by Fixer Bob.

We enjoyed the dancing, choreographed by Emily Cornelius, but we adored the singing.  The duet between Princess Pat and her husband "All For You" was enchanting. Anthony's solo "I Wish I Was an Island in an Ocean of Girls" was a hilarious portrait of an aging lecher; the lyrics are clever as can be. 

A duet between Grace and Pat "For Better or for Worse" deserves as much fame as "The Flower Song" from Leo Delibes' Lakme.  Perhaps that inspired Herbert to blend two female voices so magnificently.

Si's song  "The Shoes of Husband Number One as Worn by Husband Number Two" was not only hilarious but insightful.  The male chorus was excellent in "Let's Drink One Toast", led by the General and the Prince.

And finally, we loved the romantic "Neapolitan Love Song" sung by the Prince--partly in Italian. Perhaps Herbert was influenced by Tosti who died at just about the time this work premiered.

Ms. Mott's direction was excellent, as it usually is; Mr. Thomas' conducting worked along with her direction to keep things moving at a rapid pace. This work was part of VHRPL!'s Irish season.  Watch out for more to come!

(c) meche kroop

SORROW FOR THE SUOR

Leonarda Priore and Megan Nielson (photo by Janette Pellegrini)

Although not billed as a  "site specific" work, Chelsea Opera's choice to set Giacomo Puccini's Suor Angelica in Christ and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church was a fine idea, in spite of the uncomfortable pews and poor sightlines. The acoustics are excellent and the atmosphere suggestive of the 17th c. convent to which poor Angelica had been hustled seven years before the opera began.

In 21st c. America, women may deliberately have the babies they want without "benefit" of matrimony; indeed, many of them do.  But until very recently, bearing a child out of wedlock was considered shameful, sinful, and deserving of scorn.  In many parts of the world it still is.

 In Suor Angelica's case, she has dishonored her prominent aristocratic family and was given no choice but to be locked away for life.  Nonetheless she appears to have made a life for herself within the convent walls, becoming an expert in herbs and flowers.

Soprano Megan Nielsen was superb in the title role. Her voice filled the church with a ringing tone and her vocal colors varied according to the emotional changes she underwent-- from her almost cheerful entrance to the grief when she learned that her child had died, to the resolute decision to take her life, to the panic she felt when realizing she had committed a mortal sin, to the rapture she felt when she believed herself to be forgiven by the Virgin Mary and to be reunited with her lost son.

No less wonderful was mezzo-soprano Leonarda Priore who inhabited the role of La Zia Principessa as if she were born to it.  She has come to the convent to visit her niece Suor Angelica and if you were in the latter's shoes, you might have been delighted about the visit and wondering if you'd been forgiven for your transgression.

But no, such is not the case. This stunningly remote character has nothing but scorn for her sister's child and has come to the convent to get her niece to sign away any rights to her inheritance because her younger sister is to be married. The frigid air with which Ms. Priore colored her rich mezzo-soprano was chilling, even in the warmth of the church. The confrontation was so painful, we felt all of Zia Principessa's rejection; the coldness with which she told her niece that her child had died had our eyes brimming over with tears.

The huge cast did not have a weak link. Many of them have a history with Chelsea Opera and some were making auspicious debuts. Soprano Terina Westmeyer portrayed La Badessa and the role of the punitive Suora Zelatrice was portrayed by mezzo Juliana Curcio. Soprano Joanie Brittingham was lovely as the young Suor Genovieffa.

The other sisters were beautifully sung by Juli Borst, Samantha Geraci-Yee, Evelyn Carr, Kimmy Norrell, Mary Kathryn Monday, Jennifer Allenby, Rachel Weishoff, Ali Funkhouser, Alexandra M. Priore, Erin Brittain, Elizabeth Moulton, Loren Silber, and Sandy MacDonald.

Carol Wilson did a fine job of directing, establishing a functional community of women. Costuming  by Brent Barkhaus involved simple white habits for the nuns but a long black dress for Zia Principessa that perfectly echoed her stiff personality. Although there was no set, the astute lighting of Alexander Bartenieff was effective in showing the changing emotional content.

The four-member male chorus sounded fine as the voices of angels, adding to our impression of strong musical values.

This powerful and tightly focused opera is the centerpiece of Puccini's Il Trittico and clocks in at under an hour. As "curtain raisers", Maestro Benjamin Grow did an admirable job of conducting the superb Chelsea Opera Chamber Orchestra in three short pieces, with the most interesting (to us lovers of vocal music) the "Salve Regina" beautifully sung by soprano Samantha Kantak, accompanied by Daniel Ficarri on the organ--a very special treat.

There will be one more performance tonight and we urge you to "get to the church on time" because last night there was "standing room only".

(c) meche kroop

OH THOSE MERRY WIVES!

Heather Antonissen, David Morrow and Marie Masters (photo by Brian Long)

The film Amadeus would lead one to believe that Salieri killed Mozart.  This is a lie. But it is the truth that we nearly died laughing over his opera Falstaff as presented by Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble.  The libretto by Carlo Prospero Defranceschi departs from Shakespeare's comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor in many ways but it does preserve the theme of some high-spirited women collaborating to puncture the pride of the womanizing fat guy.  Furthermore, the lively and tuneful music serves to advance the plot.

Readers may have observed how contemptuous we are of "concept" and updating the classics; in this case we applauded it.  First of all, this is not a beloved classic that is rooted in time and place; it comes without baggage.  Secondly, it has no references to period and the only reference to place is Windsor.  Surely there are towns in the USA named Windsor.

Stage director Louisa Proske has chosen to set the opera about a half-century ago, which is nearly as remote as the late 18th c. but a lot funnier--a time when husbands were still possessive and when people could still afford servants.  Stewart Kramer's excellent titles were created by Artistic Director Christopher Fecteau, Karen Rich and J. Spence. The translation from the Italian employed modern American slang without trashing the original language.

Maestro Fecteau had his work cut out for him, lacking a decent manuscript, but the end result was some mighty gorgeous music not very different from Mozart's. With only eleven members of the Festival Orchestra occupying stage left and Maestro Fecteau conducting from the harpsichord, nothing seemed missing.  We particularly enjoyed the frothily charming overture and Samuel Marquez' clarinet solo.

Soprano Marie Masters (a winner of the Osgood/Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble Prize) brought a bright resonant sound to the role of Mrs. Ford.  Her intonation was as secure as her acting.  In this opera, Mrs. Ford is a bit naughty, or rather, mischievous.  She is curvy and dresses provocatively; no wonder Mr. Ford (tenor Erik Bagger) is suspicious.  His friends try to talk him out of his jealousy but he is relentless.

As Mrs. Ford's friend, the excellent Heather Antonissen sang in perfect harmony in her duets with Ms. Masters.  Her voice has the sparkle of a soprano and the weight of a mezzo.  Her character, Mrs. Slender, mostly supports Mrs. Ford's plot to trap Falstaff.  She has a very funny moment with a pair of floral shears in her hand.  Use your imagination!  Her husband was portrayed by baritone Scott Lindroth who was one of the finest male voices onstage; he sang with beautiful tone and phrasing.  His second act aria was superb.

Soprano Joanie Brittingham was a sprightly Betty, servant in the Ford household. Her major moments came in the second act when she imitated Falstaff trying to emerge from the ditch into which he was thrown with the laundry.

Bass-baritone Jonathan Dauermann, sporting a hippie wig, created the character of Bardolfo as an overworked and somnolent fellow.  

As the obnoxious, corpulent and bibulous Falstaff, bass David Morrow created a character that was self-important and self-deluding.  He imagines that he is irresistible to women and means to extract money from them.  In the opening ensemble, he has crashed a party and is making a complete pest of himself.

The ladies spend the entire opera making a fool of him.  But Mr. Ford also suffers the indignity of being proven wrong.  It's a rather feminist opera and way ahead of its time.  

Sets were simple and costumes seemed to be appropriate to the mid 20th c.  Which brings us to the dance moves.  There were entirely too many, not only in the party scene with its line dancing, but all through the production.  There was also an excess of mugging. At times it felt like a sit-com on TV.  But these are tiny flaws in a gem of a production.

We cannot close without mentioning the two female members of the ensemble who portrayed laundry boys.  Sara Ann Duffy and Kristin Gornstein assumed a total deadpan look and were all the funnier for it.  Brave to all the fine women onstage.

There will be one more production on Saturday.  LYAO!

(c) meche kroop

YES, WE ARE IN KANSAS

Chad Kranak and Joanie Brittingham (photo by Robert J. Saferstein)

Aaron Copland's The Tender Land premiered sixty years ago at the now defunct (and sorely missed) New York City Opera.  If it has been performed since then we have missed it and are doubly glad that the Chelsea Opera decided to revive it for the final work of their tenth anniversary season.  Originally written for television, its intimate nature makes it far more suitable to a small company like Chelsea Opera.

Like most 20th c. operas, it strikes us as a play with music--and what fine music it is indeed.  With the impressive Maestro Samuel McCoy on the podium, the excellent Chelsea Opera Chamber Orchestra comprising thirteen musicians filled St. Peter's Church with Copland's accessible music.  The score reduction is attributed to Murry Sidlin.

The opera was well cast with soprano Joanie Brittingham starring as the young Laurie Moss; her petite stature gave no evidence of the substantial size of her voice but went a  long way toward convincing us that she was perhaps 18 years old and about to graduate high school.  She successfully colored her voice to sound young and then (spoiler alert) added more mature coloration when she stands up to her possessive family and leaves home for the wider world outside the farm.

Her splendid performance was matched by tenor Chad Kranak in the role of Martin, an itinerant farmhand who stops by the farm and wins her heart.  Mr. Kranak also has a lovely instrument and his love duets with Ms. Brittingham were, well, lovely.  His "should I stay or should I go" ambivalence was well reflected in his singing and acting.

Accompanying Martin is his drifter buddy Top who is the "player" in that duo, always on the make, a less winning character perhaps but the voice of reality which Martin needs to hear.  Baritone Peter Kendall Clark, often seen/heard at Chelsea Opera, did not pander to the audience but used his ample sound and dramatic presence to bring out every unlikable nuance of the character. 

The production was anchored by mezzo Leonarda Priore, co-founder of Chelsea Opera, who totally convinced as Ma Moss who worries about her two daughters.  We have heard Ms. Priore in recital but it is on the stage that her talent best expresses itself.  We were moved by her aria (actually, a folk song) "Long Time Ago", sung with beauty and deep feeling.  The piano accompaniment was done by polymath Assistant Conductor Dean William Buck, composer and conductor and co-founder of the excellent Brooklyn-based Loft Opera.

Another superb performance was delivered by bass Steven Fredericks as Grandpa Moss whose ample rumbly voice was perfectly expressive of the loving but controlling patriarch of this family, often making us wonder how they all have his name and why there is no father around.

In the role of the postman Mr. Splinters, tenor David Kellett fit right in with the Depression Era and the Midwestern locale.  Only Evelyn Carr as younger sister Beth stood out as being stagey and actorish.  The ensemble of friends and neighbors were excellent.

The libretto by Horace Everett is burdened by every cliché one could imagine from that time and place.  Nonetheless, who could not identify with a young woman's coming of age, spreading her wings and leaving home for the world outside?

There were some special moments in the evening beside Ms. Priore's solo--a chorale "The Promise of Living" with tenor joined by soprano and then additional voices one by one was thrilling to hear. 

The budget of Chelsea Opera is small (donations always welcome) and production values are modest.  A picket fence and a table and a chair made up the set; a rocking chair on the porch would have made sense.  More might have been done with the lighting to suggest the time of day but these are small quibbles.  Costumes were rustled up from the TDF costume collection and were appropriate to time and place.

There is only one more performance today at 4:00 PM and there may still be a few tickets available.  Last night the house was packed in spite of the deluge outside and the back-breaking pews inside. Bring a cushion!

© meche kroop