FALLING FOR FALSTAFF

 

Juilliard Opera Theater's production of Falstaff 

(photo by Maria Baranova)

One can always count on Juilliard Opera to produce a musically superb production with the young singers showing great artistic promise and the Juilliard Orchestra doing great credit to the music. In this case it was Maestro Joseph Colaneri's baton putting the musicians through their paces with a lively interpretation of Verdi's score.

Writing music with a comedic tilt is just as difficult as directing and performing comedy and Verdi's score manages to be light-hearted but never trivial. Much of the comedic influence can be heard in the wind section.

Let us now credit some winning performances. Minki Hong is not the huge mountain of a man that we have come to expect in the role and if he were wearing a "fat suit" it was not very padded. Nonetheless he gave a fine interpretation of a lovable rascal and employed his baritone instrument to fine effect.

As far as those "Merry Wives of Windsor" (from which Shakespeare play Verdi's librettist Arigo Boito drew, along with material from King Henry IV), each one brought something very special to their respective roles. As Alice Ford, Page Michels used her vocal and dramatic skills to create a believable character, as did Sophia Baete who employed both vocal and thespian artistry as Meg Page.

Lauren Randolph created a Mistress Quickly like no other and Shiyu Zhuo made an adorable Nannetta. We completely relished their plotting their revenge against the Fat Knight, as he is called.

The men were equally exceptional with Titus Muzi admirably limning the character of the jealous Ford. Falstaff was not written with any emphasis on arias but his "È sogno? o realtà?" was a special moment.

As Fenton, Adam Catangui was so cute in his duet with the adorable Ms. Zhuo (the photo above shows them together) that one just wanted to see them wed at the end of the opera. And yes, the voices were fine with color suited to the character.

It was difficult to see the young Chester SeungYup Han as Dr. Caius, the unpleasant elderly suitor intended for Nannetta's hand; however he sang as well as everyone else and we have no complaints on that regard. Nathan Romporti took the role of Bardolfo and Pistola was played by Lin Fan--both fine and funny.

Having dispatched our encomia for the superb singers, let us express our distaste for the production. We most definitely belong to the Werktreue camp, and not the Regietheater camp. Director Marcus Shields is entitled to his artistic philosophy; we read his notes following the performance and found them to be self-referential doublespeak. We are not lacking in intellect but his theories made no sense to us. We prefer our performances to be true to the story, including time and place.

In Mr. Shields production we are in a bare white room with a rectangular hole cut into it and a trap door in the floor. There are two nondescript chairs but singers generally sat on the floor, thanks to Scenic Designer Frank J. Oliva. The final scene in Windsor Park was a great relief. It was performed in near-dark allowing us to use our imagination.

Costume Designer Avery Reed seemed to have no concept whatsoever.  Some of the costumes appeared to be of the 1960's but nothing related to the characters or the story.

Several irritating or disappointing moments come to mind. When the women try to hide Falstaff from Ford and the enraged mob, they put him in what seems to be a pillow case, reminding us of the final act of Rigoletto. The Thames is not even suggestd when servants carry him offstage. When Mistress  Quickly comes to manipulate Falstaff with her "Reverenza!" she has been presumably directed not to manipulate but to seduce by means of weird twerking motions. We could go one and on but we won't.

Was it funny? The audience's laughter seemed to line up with the projected titles rather than with the action onstage. We felt disgruntled until the final scene which we did enjoy to some extent. We were moved to consult our prior reviews of Falstaff, going back to 2012 when Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance (much missed) gave us a magnificently directed and costumed production which she repeated a few years later. Santa Fe Opera did a decent historically accurate production which suffered only from an excess of stage business. Del'Arte Opera did a minimalistic production that worked by means of dramatic validity. Until last night we had never felt so turned off. The performance was only rescued by the voices.

In sum, the operagoer should not need Director's Notes. The work should speak for itself. Verdi's rich orchestration and Boito's clever lyrics are sufficiently humorous and humanistic to not require such directorial interference.  We would say "Keep your theories in a book and keep your directorial arrogance off the stage!" Oh we feel so much better getting that off our chest!

© meche kroop

NUN-PLUSSED

 

Curtain Call for Dialogues des Carmelites

We were privileged to have attended opening night of Juilliard Opera's outstanding production of Francis Poulenc's mid 20th century masterpiece Dialogues des Carmélites, for which he wrote both score and libretto. The choice of this opera, telling a disturbing story taking place during the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, struck us as particularly timely inasmuch as we are on the verge of an upheaval in our own country. It certainly illustrates the consequences of unbridled anger between political factions with horrifying effects on innocent victims.

This is a fictionalized version of the story of the Martyrs of Compiègne, Carmelite nuns who, in 1794 during the closing days of the Reign of Terror  were guillotined in Paris for refusing to renounce their vocation.

Poulenc chose to set the work tonally giving the orchestra great variety of coloration. The vocal lines are predominantly recitativi  and follow the intonation of the French language, making us wonder how that could be accomplished within an ill-advised translation into English. Poulenc himself wished the work to be performed in the vernacular of any given country and indeed the work premiered in Italy--in Italian. Here in the USA, it has been given in French and in English so we were very happy that Juilliard elected to perform it in French.

So if there is nothing like an aria or duet to be enjoyed, one can still appreciate the melodic nature of the spiritual choruses, most notably the Salve Regina in the final scene as the nuns ascend the scaffolding to submit themselves to the blade of the guillotine. As the blade successively falls with a chilling thud, the voices are reduced until there are only the last two martyrs, the former aristocrat Blanche de la Force, excellently sung by mezzo-soprano Ruby Dibble, and the always cheerful Sister Constance, effectively portrayed by Moriah Berry.

A remarkable piece of acting was offered by mezzo-soprano Lauren Randolph as Madame de Croissy, the Prioress of the convent who dies a very unspiritual death, suffering such physical agony that she upsets the two young postulates. Before dying she puts Mother Marie of the Incarnation (well sung and acted by mezzo-soprano Anna Kelly) in charge of Blanche who has been recognized as needing emotional and spiritual support.

Indeed, Ms. Dibble, by means of vocal coloration as well as acting, made it perfectly clear in the opening scene that she was emotionally fragile . The political situation was discussed during that scene by the Marquis de la Force (superbly sung by the rich-voiced bass-baritone Son Jin Kim) and his son the Chevalier de la Force (beautifully sung by tenor Michael John Butler) who would later visit his sister in the convent with an offer of help that she refuses.

Maestro Matthew Aucoin marshaled the forces of the Juilliard Orchestra in a fashion that brought out the varying colors of each section and infused the overall performance with feelings of foreboding and terror, except for the aforementioned religious choruses. We heard some fine solos by a clarinet and great work from the brass section. If we are not mistaken, there were moments reflecting his earlier post WWI short ironic works.

Louisa Muller's direction was tight and straight to the point, fortunately avoiding anything superfluous. It was exactly the way the story needed to be told, holding one's interest throughout and leaving us feeling grief at the end. We do recognize that some very religious viewers might have found the ending spiritually uplifting. We recall a production in Santa Fe in which the director had an actual guillotine right onstage and as the blade fell, cabbages rolled across the stage. It was so convincing that patrons ran fleeing from the theater! It was a relief to be spared such realism.

Kara Harmon's costumes for the first scene had the aristocrats accurately clad in late 18th century glory, as were the soldiers who came in the last act to evict the nuns from their convent. The nuns were, well, dressed like nuns.

Wilson Chin's set design comprised just a few period pieces of furniture for the first scene and a very modern box-like structure with transparent walls to serve as the various rooms of the convent.

Before closing we would like to mention at least some of the other singers that contributed to the success of the evening. Soprano Jasmin Ward impressed as the new Prioress Madame Lidoine. In some "luxury casting" other sisters included Kate Morton and Naomi Steele. Yihe Wang did double duty as a servant and a doctor. Jin Yu was notable as the Chaplain. Jailers and soldiers included Zhongjiancheng Deng, Yoonsoo Jang, Lin Fan, Nazrin Aslan Alyman and Jack Hicks. 

© meche kroop

COSI FAN WHAT?

Minki Hong, Dongwei Shen, Michael John Butler, Maestro Patrick Furrer, Kayla Stein, Tivoli Treloar, and Theo Hayes

All we could think of at the opening performance of Cosi fan tutte at Juilliard was a song from Chorus Line entitled "Dance 10, Looks 3"--only we were thinking "Music 10, Production 3". We heard six superb singers doing justice to Mozart's comedy, and the excellent Juilliard Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Patrick Furrer, filling the Peter Jay Sharp Theater with glorious sound.  The set by Charlie Corcoran was colorful and appealing--but where were we? Surely not in Naples. We are in front of the City Lights Bookstore, so it must be San Francisco.

The costuming by Andrea Hood appears rather odd but it's not the 18th century, that's for sure. As is our wont, we have not studied the Director's Notes prior to the opera. We try to keep an open mind and to let a work speak for itself. This one spoke not with the intention of Lorenzo Da Ponte and dear Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but rather with the political intention of director Mo Zhou who, bless her heart, was trying to make points about women's liberation. What a heavy weight to place on a classic that is perfect just the way it was written. Do we need to sneak into the Metropolitan Museum of Art at night and paint over the Rembrandts and the Degas?

We sense lately a mistrust of the audience who really could be trusted to see this masterwork and enjoy what was apt to the times and compare it with the mores of today. Instead of involving the audience and letting them do the work, Ms. Zhou saw fit to impose her point of view. She even, as the program notes mention, modeled the two sisters after the debutant Nixon sisters and portrayed the two boyfriends as surfer dudes! And the manipulative jokester Don Alfonso as the poet Allen Ginsberg, appearing to be in the same generation.

These sisters have agency! They sense Don Alfonso's plot and get their revenge by walking out on the men. Wooooo!!!!  Very definitive, in spite of Mozart's music that leaves us unsettled, never very sure whether the girls will return to their respective fiancés or stay with their swapped lovers? And what about altering the libretto to suit the "concept".  "Well, we can just fool the audience the way the men in the opera tried to put one over on the young women; maybe we can count on no one knowing Italian, stupid Americans as they are."

Nevertheless, the performance was worth attending for its excellent musical values; we would expect no less of Juilliard students. Some of the singers are pursuing their Artist Diploma and others, their graduate degrees.  All were in fine voice and did exactly what the director asked of them, much of it leaning toward the physically excessive. Similarly, the costumes  were too much of a muchness. Although the 1960's are as remote to us as the 18th century, we have seen enough newsreels to know how Jackie Kennedy dressed and what "hippies" looked like. Only the excellent set was consistent with the chosen epoch and location, with the unmistakable Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

Nonetheless, it is the voices that count and the six singers will leave this production with their respective roles "performance ready". If we were a casting director, we would hire all of them on the spot.

Beginning with the Fiordiligi of Kayla Stein, this super soprano had no problem negotiating the huge jumps in "Come scoglio", the acrobatics of which were reputedly created to skewer Da Ponte's mistress whom Mozart didn't like as she was cast in the role. The more gentle "Per pietà, ben mio, perdona" was affecting and persuasive. Ms. Stein has a lovely generous soprano, marked by agility.

Tivoli Treloar, as her sister Dorabella, successfully portrayed the more adventurous of the two and employed her pleasing mezzo-soprano instrument successfully in the emotional "Smanie implacabili" and later in "È amore un ladroncello" in which she justifies her behavior to her more faithful sister who is more successful at holding out against the importunate Ferrando.

Michael John Butler made a fine Ferrando. The hit tune "Un aura amoroso" is the aria the audience is waiting for but the hopeful sentiment becomes less hopeful in the subsequent "Io lo veggio" commanding a different more hesitant color in his warm tenor instrument.

As Guglielmo, Dongwei Shen's sweet baritonal sound helped to ensure a successful courtship of Ferrando's fiancée Dorabella. "Non siate ritrosi" does not lead to immediate success but before long, he is a singing a sweet duet with Dorabella "Il core vi dono", the two voices melding in perfect harmony. (Who could resist?) We loved the scene in which his gloating over his success triumphs over his sympathy for the less successful Ferrando. Of course, his gloating is short-lived as his Fiordiligi eventually succumbs to the advances of Ferrando.

As the worldly wise Despina, mezzo-soprano Theo Hayes overcame some ludicrous costuming to give a vocally excellent performance, warning the two sisters about soldiers "In uomini, in soldati, sperare fedeltà?" and later, encouraging them to find new lovers after the young men have presumably gone off to (the Vietnam) war. (Drafted in error, according to this "modernization"). We wondered whoever wore a punk hairstyle in the 60's but, there it was.

The character who puts the plot in motion is Don Alfonso and it was difficult visually to perceive Minki Hong as a worldly wise older man due to the costuming but his excellent singing triumphed over both concept and clothing.

As a lover of ensemble singing, we particularly enjoyed "Soave sia il vento" as the sisters and Don Alfonso watch the ship sail off. Additionally there is a scene at the end of the first act in which all six characters are in a frenzy, suggesting to us the seedling that grew into the famous Rossini sextets. Interesting that we never noticed that before.

As noted, Mozart's character revealing music rose above any attempt to make the story "relevant". It may not be politically correct (we of course, are not) to mention that members of both genders in that age group often play fast and loose with the feelings of their lovers. (Maybe all lovers do, even those that transcend genderhood.) One could easily rewrite this opera and reverse the genders but we hope no one does. Our feeling is that if you object to the values and morals of a story, write your own damn opera!  Leave Mozart alone!!!!

© meche kroop
 

TWO OUT OF THREE WERE JUST RIGHT

 Deborah Love and Natalie Lewis (photo by Maria Baranova)

We did not feel at all cheated experiencing two of the three operas conceived by Puccini as a trilogy. There was enough aural beauty that we left the Peter Jay Sharp theater on opening night feeling totally satisfied by a tight production of the tragic Suor Angelica and a rollicking production of the comedy Gianni Schicchi. Fortunately, we eschewed reading the program until after the production, allowing it to speak for itself. Having read  John Giampietro's Director's Note, we think it valid to position both works as pleas for forgiveness and the achievement of moral redemption--valid, but rather a stretch and definitely unnecessary.

The gloomy grey setting used for both operas seemed more like a prison than a convent.  The "Synopsis" tells us that this is a contemporary "community of holy women" but we know, dear reader, that this is a convent and it is not contemporary. Not having read the notes in advance, we just thought of it as a convent since the dialogue makes it perfectly clear with references to the Virgin Mary and penitence and obedience. Whatever those blue scarves the women were fooling with, they were easy to ignore in favor of focusing on the musical values. Bringing set elements up onstage by removing tiles in the floor was just plain silly.

But oh, those musical values! Maestro Daniela Candillari made the most of the resources at hand--the completely magnificent Juilliard Orchestra which we would prefer to listen to than to the NYPhilharmonic. Mo. Candillari brought out more layers in the score than we had heard heretofore and achieved perfect balance to the orchestral sections.

The singing was fine with the heavy lifting done by Deborah Love as Sister Angelica, delivering a moving "Senza Mamma" with passionate intensity. There was quite a contrast with the Zia Principessa of brilliant mezzo-soprano Natalie Lewis (whose arrival in a gilded coach was translated as "vehicle" to fool us into thinking of this as happening in the 21st century).

Only in fundamentalist Muslim cultures are women so badly punished for an out-of-wedlock child; if some daring opera company decides to pick up that ball and run with it, we will probably beg off!

Ms. Lewis' rich lower register and austere body language were most persuasive and the tense scene between punitive aunt and wayward niece was most affecting. We believe it is a far better decision to keep this story in its own time and place--one in which a prominent aristocratic family would have suffered great shame by an out-of-wedlock birth. The marriageability of Angelica's sister would have been a major concern in the late 17th c. and jeopardized by scandal.

The other nuns don't get much chance to sing and it is challenging to tell one from another but we found the sincerity of Song Hee Lee as the guileless Suor Genovieffe to be touching as she confessed to still having desires to pet a lamb as she did in her former life as a shepherdess. There was something very alive and believable about her performance.

The costumes surely resembled nun's habits although they were lilac in color. A jagged golden crack in the wall was meant to suggest a fountain that glimmered from the sun only 3 days of the year. It was not convincing.

COSI FAN JUILLIARD

William Socolof, James Ley, Kathleen O’Mara, Mer Wohlgemuth, Megan Moore, and Erik van Heyningen (photo by Richard Termine)

One cannot find better voices than one finds at Juilliard Vocal Arts. It was a revelation to hear six healthy young voices interpreting the characters of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte just as they should be. In the incredibly challenging role of Fiordiligi, soprano Kathleen O'Mara fearlessly tackled the high lying tessitura and broad upward jumps of "Come scoglio" and "Per pietà" maintaining clarity of tone in two very different emotional states.

As the somewhat more mutable Dorabella, mezzo-soprano Megan Moore dazzled us with her histrionic outpouring in "Smanie implacabili" and later, as her resolve weakens, with "É amore un ladroncello". We particularly appreciated the varying colors as her intention changed.

The role of Despina was splendidly realized by soprano Mer Wohlgemuth whose acting was completely persuasive and whose singing never showed a hint of "technique" but rather seemed completely natural. Her dramatic intention did not vary but she had an opportunity to show off her style in "Una donna a quindici anni".

The men were similarly outstanding. James Ley made a fine Ferrando and did complete justice to the marvelously tender and melodic "Un aura amorosa", then varied his coloration effectively for the bitter "Tradito, schernito".

As his friend Guglielmo, baritone Erik van Heyningen lived up to his full potential, managing to convey both the triumph in seducing his friend's fiancée as well as disappointment in "Donne mie, le fate a tanti".

We were more than usually impressed with the performance of bass-baritone William Socolof who performed the role of Don Alfonso, lightening his substantial voice sufficiently to perform the most exquisitely precise turns in the vocal line. We love to hear voices that possess both size and flexibility.

Duets and ensembles were effectively rendered with perfect balance among the voices, giving Mozart the attention to detail that his interweaving lines demand.

In the pit we had the superb Juilliard Orchestra responding just as one would expect to the astute conducting of Nimrod David Pfeffer. When we could tear our eyes away from the stage we enjoyed watching his expressive hand working in tandem with his precise baton. It was a performance filled with lyricism and subtlety. Nathaniel LaNasa played the harpsichord continuo.

And what about the production? Da Ponte's story was pulled up by the roots and transplanted to contemporary America. The story is set in a high school in a town called West Naples which could have been anywhere but by name alone, suggested the West coast of Florida. During the overture, the four young people have just graduated. They are therefore meant to be about 18 years old and therefore vulnerable to the machinations of the older Don Alfonso, who seemed to be an athletic coach.

Despina was transformed into a teacher and, in an original dramatic subtext, appeared to have had a one time problematic relationship with the aforementioned coach. Instead of a servant offering the girls their morning chocolate, she delivered academic papers.

Kristen Robinson's sets fell in line with this take on the story. Act I takes place in what appears to be a dormitory bathroom, complete with stalls with open doors. The "poison" taken by the "Albanians" is swigged from jugs of bleach drawn from what must be a janitorial closet.

Other scenes take place behind the bleachers of an athletic field where the two girls seem to hang out on beach chairs surrounded by detritus, including a puzzling broken bottom half of a torso--the kind used as window dressing. Or so we thought.

For the final act, the bleachers were turned around and the characters scampered up and down with some risk of stumbles. At the top was a booth to which repaired the newly formed couples for some canoodling, followed by "walks of shame".

Sara Jean Tosetti's costumes also fell in line with the story. Most effective was Despina's reserved suit with sensible shoes. The four young graduates wore motley costumes with doofy hats and, in a clever and original twist, the men did not fool their sweethearts by dressing in exotic costumes. Rather, they wore preppie clothes and neatly trimmed hair. Guess they could have fooled their sweethearts!

In one puzzling scene, Dorabella, newly mated with Guglielmo, pulls off his wig. We expected this to indicate that she recognized the ruse but the remainder of the scene did not fulfill our expectations.

When the phony rescue of the two "Albanians" takes place, Despina appears in a ridiculous and not convincing costume and when the fake marriage takes place, she appears in a white and gold jumpsuit suggesting Elvis Presley as the marriage officiant.

The audience loved all these sight gags and laughed every time the girls took selfies of themselves or used their cell phones. Did we love it?  No, we did not. We felt that the story was shoehorned into a "concept" which worked only partially. We read the notes of Director David Paul when we got home (as we usually do, to avoid coloring our perception of any work of art). His words made a case for the temporal and geographical transposition in terms of contemporary resonance.

However, regular readers will recall that we like to do the work ourself, instead of being spoon fed. We remember with overwhelming pleasure the production from seven years ago, directed by Stephen Wadsworth. It was true to time and place and told Da Ponte's story well, although darkly, with lots of anger and confusion. We spent quite a bit of time thinking about how consistent human feeling is from the 19th c. to the 21st and also about what is different.

Mr. Paul's view wound up similarly dark with no marriage at the end and no pairing off. We will say that we enjoyed the way he directed his cast and, within the framework he chose, the acting was valid and meaningful. We just didn't care for fitting the story into his Procrustean bed.  We guess it's a question of taste. We don't mind updating if such updating tells us something new but this production did not. 

© meche kroop

A LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT

Meghan Kasanders and Maestro Barbara Hannigan onstage at Alice Tully Hall

Yesterday we enjoyed three musical events, back to back, at Juilliard, having decided that music feeds the soul even more than food feeds the body. It was a truly glorious day and indicated the depth and breadth of talent at Juilliard.

We began with a recital by bass William Guanbo Su who, in addition to finalizing his Master of Music degree from Juilliard, just advanced in the Metropolitan Opera National Council competition and has been sharing his artistry all over the map. We have followed Mr. Su since his undergraduate days at Manhattan School of Music and will never forget his performances as the Badger and the Parson in Janacek's Vixen Sharp-Ears.

We noted his facility with languages in his graduation recital, as well as the unique qualities of his instrument. We have been there for numerous galas in which his artistry was recognized and honored with prizes. This is an artist destined for major success.

In yesterday's recital, we saw another side of his artistry which confirmed our belief that American musical theater, when sung by operatically trained voices without amplification, is the direct descendant of European opera. In the second half of the recital, Mr. Su sang "Stars" from Claude-Michel Schönberg's Les Miserables and two selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. The performance was direct and communicative. We loved it!  We also enjoyed Eric Coates' "Bird Song at Eventide" from the early 20th c. Mr. Coates chose some lovely poetry which rhymed and scanned, thus being inspired to create a melodic vocal line. Richard Fu Yu's piano provided the birdsong.

Mr. Su has perfect English diction and made every word count. He also delighted the audience with his encore, sitting at the piano and accompanying himself as he sang a Mongolian folk song. We didn't know about his secret talent.

The communicative aspect that so delighted us in the second half of the program was impaired in the first half by the use of the detested music stand. No matter how hard a singer tries to communicate, the spell is broken when he glances down at the music. We are sure that Mr. Su's recent occupation with performing and competing was the cause but we couldn't help but feeling cheated out of our full enjoyment of our favorite two Bellini songs.

Truth to tell, we have never enjoyed Brahm's Vier ernste gesänge due to their unrelieved grimness but feel they were chosen to highlight Mr. Su's superb lower register. As far as Poulenc's cycle La Bestiare, he successfully met the challenge of the higher register but needed more variety. We found our attention wandering to the piano, as it does when the singer doesn't connect. We heard the variety we wanted in Mr. Yu's piano.

Because of the success of the second half of the recital, which was performed off the book, we left satisfied and ready for more music. It was my great good fortune to attend a vocal arts showcase directed by Jenny Lord. It is your misfortune that reviews are not permitted. Suffice it to say that the students involved introduced the several opera scenes and we were gloriously entertained. If you, dear reader, only knew how difficult it is not to review!

Coasting along on our musical high, we were treated to a marvelous concert by the Juilliard Orchestra, which responded brilliantly to the exciting double threat/double treat young conductor/soprano Barbara Hannigan. The concert grabbed our attention from the start and kept up momentum until the final note.

Richard Strauss' "Salome's Dance" from his opera Salome gets off to a frenzied start, well suited to Mo. Hannigan's energetic and poetic conducting style. The sensual Middle-Eastern melodies accompanying the dance were given to the flute and the percussion section provided the bombast. Although Mo. Hannigan did not shed any of her graceful chiffon attire, one could see that she was living through the dance. And the orchestra followed her lead.

Strauss' massive orchestra was reduced for Haydn's Symphony No. 96 in D Major, which stands as a lesson in the writing of a Classical symphony. The opening movement in Sonata-Allegro form introduced two contrasting themes, followed by an intricate development section in which one could still recognize the themes, prior to the recapitulation. A lilting Andante was followed by a charming Menuet in 6/8 time. The final sprightly movement--Vivace--was a perfect example of perpetuum mobile. When a long sweeping phrase occurred, Mo. Hannigan swept her arm in a long graceful arc.

Claude Debussy's "Syrinx" gave flutist Emma Resmini a chance to shine with pure tonal quality and lovely phrasing, not so different from the artistry of the singer.  In our mind's eye we visualized a mythical world of cavorting nymphs and satyrs. Without a break the Debussy led into what was, for us, the highlight of the evening.  Insert fanfare!

Soprano Meghan Kasanders sang in Finnish "Luonnotar", the opening verses of Jean Sibelius' tone poem based upon the Kalevala, a creation myth peculiar to that culture. As Ms. Kasanders neared the end, where the cracked shell of the seabird became the vault of heaven, her voice soared magnificently. Ms. Kasanders has always impressed us with the size of her voice and the manner in which she uses it.  What a treat that was! We were inspired to attend the upcoming Kulervo, performed by the Oratorio Society, wanting more of this glorious music.

We would have been content to have ended it at that glorious moment but there was one more piece on the program, Béla Bartok's Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin. This is a raucous and dissonant piece of music with a few graceful passages interspersed which were steeped in Oriental eroticism. Guess which parts we favored!

And so our long day and evening came to a glorious end with a renewed appreciation for Juilliard's glories.

(c) meche kroop

JUILLIARD HONORS BERNSTEIN AT CARNEGIE HALL

Onstage at Carnegie Hall:  Ryan McKinny, Aubrey Allicock, Paul Appleby, Amanda Lynn Bottoms, Naomi Louisa O'Connell, and Meghan Kasanders

It's aways gratifying to see a woman on the podium and last night's celebration of the Bernstein centennial put the renowned Marin Alsop up there to conduct an interesting program, which will be followed by a symposium today in Paul Hall at Juilliard from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Maestro Alsop (a Juilliard alumna) is not only a fine conductor, judging by the sound of the always excellent Juilliard Orchestra, but a guiding light to the singers, as expressed by the singers themselves. Her presence on the podium was the right choice since she was one of Bernstein's best known pupils.

The part of the program we wish to focus on is Bernstein's Songfest, a compilation of a dozen songs, each from a different poet. Our enjoyment of the songs lay more in the performances than in the songs themselves. Our appreciation for "modern" poetry and the kind of music it inspires is somewhat deficient but our appreciation for a good delivery is unmatched. It seems to us that the training at Juilliard helps a singer to make sense of even the nonsensical. For this, we credit Steven Blier who has coached these singers (all students or alumni of Juilliard) for his New York Festival of Song. Last year at NYFOS we hear this Bernstein cycle reduced for piano by John Musto.

Unlike his tuneful and rhythmic music for Candide and West Side Story, many of the texts Bernstein set appear uninteresting on the page and don't seem to want to be set to music.  There were a few exceptions.

The 17th c. American poet Ann Bradstreet wrote an encomium to her spouse "To My Dear and Loving Husband", the rhyme scheme and rhythm of which inspired Bernstein to write our favorite selection of the dozen. Sung by soprano Meghan Kasanders and mezzo-sopranos Naomi Louisa O'Connell and Amanda Lynn Bottoms, the many layers of love and adoration filled our heart with joy, and maybe even a touch of envy for such all-encompassing adoration. This is a song we want to hear again and again.

Another song we enjoyed was the Edna St. Vincent Millay sonnet "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed".  Although Ms. Millay belongs clearly to the 20th c. the sonnet rhymes and scans and was a worthy candidate for setting. To hear it performed by Ms. Bottoms was an emotional experience, reminding one of the pain of loss. The metaphor of a lonely winter tree from which all the birds have flown was powerful.

Gertrude Stein's "Storyette H. M." although written in Stein's customary repetitive manner, made sense through the dramatic performance by Ms. Kasanders as the one who was left and bass Ryann McKinny as the one who was leaving. What an effective couple they made!

Ms. Kasanders had a strong solo in "A Julia de Burgos" which was sung in Spanish and invested with Latin rhythms as well.

The versatile tenor Paul Appleby has a way of interpreting contemporary American songs that sets him apart. We have no idea what Gregory Corso's "Zizi's Lament" meant by "laughing sickness", but no matter; the delivery was filled with humor and Bernstein employed a sinuously exotic melody to suggest  the Middle East. Bernstein's orchestration provided plenty of "laughing figures".

Mr. McKinny performed Walt Whitman's "To What You Said" against a background of plaintive strings. Ms. O'Connell performed Conrad Aiken's lament "Music I Heard with You" accompanied by a gorgeous harp solo. Their splendid voices fell beautifully on the ear.

We couldn't call the duet of baritone Aubrey Allicock and Ms. Bottoms "color blind" but that's a good thing in our opinion.  Mr. Allicock performed Langston Hughes "I, Too, Sing America" interweaved with Ms. Bottoms performance of June Jordan's "Okay 'Negroes'" was affecting. What was going through our head was the progress toward true equality that the poets could not imagine. Of course there is more work to be done in this area but progress is encouraging.

Mr. Allicock's solo "The Pennycandystore Beyond the El" tried to make something musical of the Lawrence Ferlinghetti text and succeeded beyond our expectations.

The ensemble of six sounded especially fine together, even in the odd Frank O'Hara text "To the Poem". Even odder was "if you can't eat you got to" with some wonderful sounds emanating from the tuba. Closing the set was Edgar Allan Poe's lengthy paean to the spirit "Israfel" who produces heavenly music, much like Orpheus.

We think of these six singers as incarnations of Orpheus!

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KISSED BY EUTERPE

Maestra Speranza Scappucci and soprano Felicia Moore

Between the Verdi and the glories of Felicia Moore singing Beethoven we felt more at home at a symphonic concert than we usually do.  For this commencement concert, the remarkable Juilliard Orchestra was fortunate to have Maestra Speranza Scappucci on the podium. Juilliard is indeed her home.

One could also say she was kissed by Terpsichore since she used her entire body to elicit a focused and stunning performance from the students. The overall sound was that of a professional orchestra and better than many we have heard.

The program opened with Giuseppe Verdi's overture to La forza del destino, the music of which we hold dearer than that of any other Verdi opera.  Unfortunately the opera is rarely performed due to the three demanding major roles. The overture comprises the melodies from the opera itself and was added a few years after the opera premiered.

It opens with a propulsive theme conveyed by the brass but a lyrical melody follows close upon its heels. There is a wealth of melodic material and we particularly enjoyed the brass chorale. The familiar initial theme which we call the fate theme recurs several times with alterations, lending unity to the piece.

It is sad that Beethoven composed only one opera (Fidelio) so we must content ourself with a concert aria he wrote as a young man.  Who better to sing "Ah! perfido...Per pietà, non dirmi addio," Op. 65 than the stunning soprano Felicia Moore. 

It's the old abandoned woman story but it gives the singer an opportunity to marshal all her gifts in conveying a range of emotions from rage and revenge to self pity and pleading. We are left to imagine the opera Beethoven might have written around such a story.

Ms. Moore has uncommon talent and a huge voice that sails over the orchestral forces. We loved the range of emotion she displayed.

The final work on the program was Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A major, composed in his youth and known as The Italian Symphony. It began with a rhythmic Allegro that any lover of classical music would recognize immediately. Still, we prefer the weary minor key Andante with the basses plodding along. Even better was the third movement in waltz time with some lovely horn calls. The work ends with a Saltarello (an Italian dance form) played Presto. After a forceful introduction there were swirling figures moving through the orchestra that made us think of the music Mendelssohn wrote for Midsummer Night's Dream.

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JUILLLIARD ORCHESTRA AT CARNEGIE HALL

Concertmaster Ashley Jeehyun Park, Maestro David Robertson, and pianist Tomer Gewirtzman

Last night, the esteemed Juilliard Orchestra took the stage of Carnegie Hall and did honor to both Juilliard and to the renowned New York City landmark. We felt as if we were hearing the orchestra for the first time. The sonic landscape took shape before our very eyes, or should we say, ears.  

Dvorák's Symphony No. 9 in E minor, known as The New World Symphony, is one of our favorite symphonies, one we have heard countless times.  Last night, we appreciated it anew as the incredibly talented Juilliard musicians brought an intense sense of drama to the work, under the baton of Maestro David Robertson.

We understand that Maestro Robertson will become the Director of Conducting Studies at Juilliard and, judging by the way the members of the orchestra responded to him, he is a splendid choice. His style is highly energetic, and at times he wielded the baton like an épée, thrusting it at various sections of the orchestra.

This produced a clarity that brought new understanding of Dvorák's melodic and rhythmic gifts. Although every program note we have ever read claims the use of Afro-American and Native American melodic material, what we heard struck us as significantly nationalistic-- Bohemian, not American. 

There was a sense of unity to the work with Bohemian melodies weaving in and out, modified rhythmically, dynamically, tonally, and harmonically. We danced our way out the door, humming the memorable melodies.  For us, this signifies a major musical success.

The 9th symphony was written, along with several other fine pieces, upon the composer's arrival in New York City in the waning decade of the 19th c. when he assumed the directorship of the National Conservatory of Music. 

He lived on 17th Street, just west of First Avenue. We know this because we lived in hospital housing just next door and were invited inside by the man who lived there at that time who saw us reading the brass plaque outside. Sadly, Beth Israel Hospital had the building demolished to suit their expansion. The campaign to "save Dvorák's House" failed.  We wept.

The work begins with a gentle introduction which bursts into a muscular explosion of sound, with plenty of rumbling in the lower end of the register. And then, one glorious melody after another comes tumbling out, bounding from one section of the orchestra to another in endless variations.

The Largo begins in solemnity with mournful themes and plenty of action in the brasses. We somehow felt the expansion of the universe. We heard the night fall. We loved the pizzicati from the basses. We needed the quiet pauses to catch our breath.

There was nothing funny about the Scherzo, just a salad of motifs picked up from the profusion of melodic invention, played with insistent rhythm.

The final movement introduced a powerful martial theme, leading to a raucous dance that held us in suspense.  Of course, everyone has their own response to music; we are only sharing ours.

The program also included the devilishly difficult Piano Concerto No. 3 by Béla Bartók, performed by the much honored Tomer Gewirtzman who is studying for his Artist Diploma at Juilliard but is already famous and sought after worldwide.

This was Bartók's final composition which he almost finished on his deathbed. It was actually finished by his pupil. This story was more interesting to us than the music which challenged our 19th c. ears. Whatever pleasure we found, other than admiring Mr. Gewirtzman's virtuosity, came from the middle movement which was somewhat less dense and allowed us to appreciate some of the nature sounds that were incorporated. Birdcalls were heard from the flutes, and Mr. Gewirtzman's piano demonstrated some lovely rippling figures.

As program opener, we heard Three Places in New England by Charles Ives, a contemporary of Bartók. This is purported to be "programmatic" but nothing we heard produced the visual imagery we enjoyed in the Dvorák. It was interesting to read about the original piece of music and how it was expanded for full orchestra from its original arrangement for chamber orchestra. But again, our ears were not dancing with glee.

We might add that our companion was very satisfied with the two 20th c. works, as was the rest of the audience. We reserve our appreciation for works with melody, just as we do in vocal music.

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JUILLIARD SEASON OPENER

Mirga Gražintyé-Tyla and Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner with the Juilliard Orchestra

What a dazzling manner in which to begin the new season! This may be the first time we enjoyed an evening of symphonic music from the opening note to the final chord. There was not a single longueur. 

To begin with, it was a special thrill to see a woman on the podium--a feeling we get when Eve Queler wields her baton. But Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražintyé-Tyla is only 30 years old and has already achieved fame through her prodigious talent and her unique style on the podium-- which possibly reflects her association with firebrand Gustavo Dudamel.

It's unfortunate that the New York Philharmonic lets exciting conductors slip through its fingers but Juilliard did not, more credit to them. This young woman is fun to watch. She has the petite form, lithe athleticism, and soft arms of a ballerina. The envy of the old biddies next to me was so green that they could have worn it on St. Paddy's Day--what with their criticism of her bare arms.

But those bare arms bore watching as her grace, her flexible wrists, and seemingly boneless arms gently coaxed the young musicians into making the finest music we have heard in a very long time.  When the music called for emphasis, the bones reappeared as she pointed precisely and jabbed angularly.

That being said, the proof of the musical pudding is in the sound and we got the impression that she formed a great relationship with the musicians who played as if their lives hung in the balance. Such gusto!  Such involvement!  Major WOW!

The program was wisely chosen.  The opener was a piece entitled "Fire" by the conductor's countrywoman Raminta Šerkšnyté, and a most accomplished piece it was. It was commissioned by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and premiered in 2012 in Munich.  It was meant to be inspired by and played alongside Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

The program notes were rather academic and went over our head but the music did not.  Some people like to think about music but we like to experience it emotionally. The opening movement, marked "Misterioso" succeeded at creating an air of mystery through some growling percussion and the lower voices of the winds. The mood soon shifted and it became obvious that the piece favored texture over melody.

The second section, marked "Con brio", shifted the mood entirely and the orchestra erupted into an explosion of sound.  It wasn't until the closing bars that we caught the hommage to Beethoven's Fifth in its fate theme.  The audience's applause erupted similarly. It was a piece of startling originality and color. The composer had to be coaxed to come out and enjoy the accolades.

The second selection involved an exceptionally artistic performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto #3 in C minor, Op. 37 by the wildly talented Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner.  Only 19 years old, this prize-winning prodigy is in his second year of the Master of Music program at Juilliard and seems headed for greatness.

The three movement concerto seemed to reflect Beethoven's admiration for Mozart. The first movement, marked "Allegro con brio", established the key immediately with arpeggiated figures and allowed Mr. Sanchez-Werner to dazzle us with trills and scale passages; the second lyrical theme involved melodic elements that seemed to want to belong in an opera that Mozart might have written.

The second movement, marked "Largo", was one of ineffable loveliness and seemed introspective. The "Rondo Allegro" offered a cheeriness and a welcome familiarity as the theme recurred with freshness.

The work was well chosen in that it allowed Mr. Sanchez-Werner to show off his technique in the lively passages and his lyricism in the slow sections.

The final work on the program was Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14. The opening movement featured ascending and descending scales in the violins that showcased the string section's tight collaboration.

Our favorite movement was the second "Un bal" which gave the harps a lovely theme. The third movement was very special with an offstage oboe answering the call of the one onstage and a finale giving the percussionists a real workout.   The wild final two movements gave full rein to emotionality.

Standing ovations greeted the artists as Maestro Gražintyé-Werner strolled around the orchestra, honoring each section.  Honors belong to everyone onstage. This performance is one we will not forget.

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FABULOUS FABIO

Fabio Luisi and Angie Zhang

Beethoven's Leonore Overture No.3, Op.72b closed the program at Alice Tull Hall Thursday night giving us a renewed appreciation for the passionate conducting of Maestro Fabio Luisi as he led the Juilliard Orchestra through a stirring performance. 

Principal conductor at The Metropolitan Opera, Maestro Luisi projects a modest and somewhat reserved mien but when he steps onto the podium his animated conducting style is exciting to watch and even more exciting to hear. It was an "on the edge of your seat" performance that left us humming the major theme from Fidelio for hours afterward.  Whoever tried to convince us that Beethoven was a poor melodist was dead wrong.

We have great anticipation for an upcoming presentation of Beethoven's only opera Fidelio (on June 9th by New Amsterdam Opera) for which this overture served as an appetizer.

There was quite a difference when Maestro Luisi conducted Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491 . He was quiet and self-effacing, focusing his attention on the brilliant young pianist Angie Zhang, whose soft hands were a pleasure to watch. His command of the orchestra allowed him to put her front and center.  Indeed, Mozart himself gave the piano several places where it was unaccompanied which allowed us to appreciate the fine control possessed by Ms. Zhang.

We couldn't stop thinking about the vocal lines in Mozart's operas. Here, the piano took over the runs and trills and arpeggios. Ms. Zhang's piano truly sang! We were particularly fond of the middle movement, a lovely larghetto with a deceptively simple folk-like tune, adorned by Ms. Zhang with extremely expressive ornamentation.

The opening number was Brahms' Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90. It opened with a muscular first theme which led to a dance-like second theme. The development section had an interesting dialogue between the violins and the lower strings. But for some reason, the work failed to ignite; we would not consider it our favorite Brahms symphony.

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GIANANDREA NOSEDA CONDUCTS JUILLIARD ORCHESTRA

Concertmaster Kevin Chen and Maestro Gianandrea Noseda

It's some state of affairs when the Juilliard Orchestra sounds much better than the New York Philharmonic! We don't know why but perhaps it has something to do with youthful enthusiasm and dedication pitted against middle-aged boredom.  Perhaps it has something to do with the students being exposed to different conductors and learning from each.

In any event, the young instrumentalists gave Maestro Gianandrea Noseda exactly what he asked for.  And ask he did! Among so many varied styles of conducting, we give Maestro Noseda the Terpsichorean Prize. He uses his entire body and uses it dramatically to elicit the passion that he wants from his players.

Last night's program at Alice Tully Hall opened with Sinfonia, the overture to a 1932 opera entitled La donna serpente; we have never heard this opera and probably never will but we were happy to hear the overture.  It's a vigorous work that opened with a strong initial attack. There was a sprightly theme in the brass and another theme introduced by the woodwinds. Percussion was there for emphasis and the entire work involved an interesting harmonic language. Our companion heard echoes of Stravinsky.

Second on the program was the expansive 1909 Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor by Rachmaninoff, known as "Rach 3". The orchestra played well but the work never quite came together as the piano soloist Colton Peltier seemed to be rushing through the highly challenging piano part, not giving the work a chance to breathe. The romantic sweep somehow got lost.

The final work on the program was Schumann's 1845 Symphony No. 2 in C major, an idiosyncratic work that provided much aural delight. We were particularly fond of the Scherzo in which we heard echoes of Mendelssohn and several changes of mood that reminded us of the concept of following an aria with a cabaletta.

Most affecting was the third movement, an Adagio filled with lyricism and sorrow. There were horn calls throughout the work which lent unity.  The final movement was forceful and a contrast with the Adagio.

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MEET BASSOON, MY NEW BFF

Harrison Miller and Nicholas McGegan

 

 

We've had our ear on you, bassoon. We had you figured for the class clown.  But last night at Juilliard we saw you a new light. You're really a rather romantic figure with a lot to say. I guess we missed getting to know you better because you hang out with those Baroque guys. But joining the Classical group gave us an opportunity to get to know you better and we want to hear more of you!

Mozart wrote his Concerto for Bassoon in the congenial key of B-flat Major, K. 191 when he was but 18 years old. And bassoonist Harrison Miller is not that much older than that but seems to have mastered the very special idiosyncrasy of the instrument. We are not sure for whom the concerto was written in 1774 but it may as well have been written for Mr. Miller.

For much of the concerto, we experienced the bassoon as a sheep gamboling across a meadow of strings. Wide leaps and clearly articulated scale passages and trills sent thrills up and down our spine. The solo unaccompanied cadenza at the conclusion of the first movement was riveting; it seemed like someone telling their entire life story. The Andante seemed like an operatic aria with an outpouring of affection and devotion.

The remainder of the evening's program left nothing to be desired. We are not among those who crave the new and different; on the contrary we love the "war horses". There is a reason why some music has endured for centuries; it touches the heart and soothes the ear.  Life today has enough anxiety and sufficient challenges!

We were ready to cut the young musicians of the Juilliard Orchestra some slack since it is just the beginning of the semester; this was unnecessary. Under the guidance of Maestro Nicholas McGegan, they came together as a unit and did as well with the Beethoven as they did with the Mozart

Maestro McGegan is a no nonsense conductor; we would call him expressive rather than theatrical.  He pointed his finger, he waggled his hands, he wind-milled his arms, he stamped and he stooped and jumped up and down. None of this was self-serving; all of it was designed to pull the performance he wanted from the orchestra. The end result was he got what he asked for.

Mozart's Symphony No. 35 in D Major, K. 385, is affectionately called the "Haffner" since it was a reworking of a Serenade he wrote for the installation ceremony of a friend of his father who was elevated to the nobility. There is a vigorous opening movement followed by a serene and lyrical Andante with a recurring theme alternating with marcato passages in the strings. The Menuetto is stately yet rustic and employs rhythm in much the same manner as Beethoven's music.

And Beethoven did appear for the second half of the evening, in the marvelous Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, known as the "Pastoral". We are not in agreement with critics of the time who criticized it for not breaking new ground.

We don't care one bit if it is "programmatic". If you want to hear birds singing or volcanoes erupting, that is your privilege. For our purposes we are happy to know that Beethoven visualized a day in the country and we did hear the birds. The storm was unmistakable with dramatic peals of thunder in the tympani. We particularly loved the way Maestro McGegan shaped the phrases of the Allegro by knitting together short motivi.

That's the great thing about a "bread and butter" program. One hears new things in old works and comes to love them even more.

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