THE RETURN OF AARON BLAKE

 Aaron Blake and Ken Noda

 

Yesterday we had the good fortune of hearing a fulfilling recital at the Morgan Library given by tenor Aaron Blake with collaborative pianist Ken Noda. We have written about Mr. Blake for years; our familiarity with his artistry goes way back before he won the George London Competition in 2017 and now the George London Foundation had invited him back as a mature artist.

But we first heard him 10 years ago at the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Competition Winners Recital when he sang "Oh Mimi, tu più non torni" from Puccini's La Bohème.  And how his career has blossomed! Since then, we have heard him singing with several opera companies and in various venues, from the lead in Gregory Spears' opera Fellow Traveller to an intimate gathering at one of Elad Kabilio's "Music Talks" where he dazzled us with Schubert's "Erlkönig". We even heard him sing in Czech (a rather bizarre Martinu opera) and in an adventurous production of Die Zauberflöte at the Mostly Mozart Festival.

This recital just added more lustre to his reputation.  The theme was "love in its many forms" and leaned heavily on our favorite period--Bel Canto. We thought we had our fill of this period the prior night at one of our salons at home (which we did not review, wishing to avoid a conflict of interests.) However, one can never have too much bel canto--like champagne.  The songs of Bellini and Donizetti served to highlight Mr. Blakes warm and flexible tenor and his artistry with fioritura.

Selections alternated between the two composers and moods varied. It is difficult to say which was "best" but we can say which ones moved us. We loved the contrast between the spirited "Me voglio fa' 'na casa" (Donizetti) and the propulsive "Malinconia ninfa gentile" (Bellini). The 6/8 time signature of Donizetti's "Il barcaiolo" had us swaying in our seat.

Mr. Noda, one of the most selfless collaborative pianists we have heard, was consistently superb.  Bellini's "La ricordanza" has a lovely piano introduction that he rendered with supreme delicacy.

The Bel Canto section was followed by another interesting set of contrasting composers--Richard Strauss and Tosti. If there is a more haunting melody than Tosti's "L'ultima canzone" we cannot name it. We love the contrast between the sorrowful introspection of the narrative interspersed with the lilting love song recalled by the narrator from happier days

Strauss' "Allerseelen" was meant to be sung at George London's centennial birthday, another casualty of Covid. We loved the way the final note just hung in the air; the entire audience seemed to be holding its collective breath.

A pair of Liszt's setting of the Petrarch songs lifted the excitement level. Again there was a lovely contrast between the anxious obsession of "Pace non trovo" which was introduced by the piano and the lyrical "I vidi in terra" with the piano inhabiting the upper register.  Again, the final note may have resolved harmonically but the effect was that of being suspended in air.

Perhaps our very favorite part of the program was Edgardo's aria "Tombe dei avi miei"  from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. We heard Mr. Blake sing this before (perhaps with New Amsterdam Opera?) and from it he wrings every drop of suicidal despair.

The last set of songs confirmed our opinion that American songs of the 20th c. belong in the art song canon without apology. We do believe that Steven Blier sees it the same way! We enjoyed George Gershwin's  "A Foggy Day" and Cole Porter's "It's De-lovely" meant to describe Nora London, and accompanied by a little Gene Kelly dance. Who knew Mr. Blake had such terpsichorean talent!

These jazzy numbers alternated with songs by Aaron Copeland.  "The Dodger" is amusing and Mr. Blake endowed the lyrics with abundant personality. The strophic nature of "Long Time Ago" must be Copeland's setting of a folk song; it reminded us of Brahms.

We were sitting there wishing the concert had ended on a more upbeat note; Mr. Blake and Mr. Noda made sure that it did.  The encore was the ever-popular "O sole mio" (by di Capua and Mazzucchi) expansively delivered. We left with a big smile.

What a well curated concert that was--a  real adventure departing from the standard "one set, one composer" tradition. Mr. Noda's piano was a true equal partner and Mr. Blake's admirable artistry was accompanied by a warm generous manner of addressing the audience, including some personal stories that left us feeling closer than in the usual concert.  Bravi tutti!

© meche kroop

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MORGAN LIBRARY

Ryan Speedo Green and Latonia Moore

Our readers are probably already familiar with the top notch recital series at the Morgan Library sponsored by the George London Foundation. The Foundation runs a highly regarded competition that provides generous awards to young singers and is at the top of our list of worthwhile organizations supporting the very people we write about.

If you have not subscribed to this series of concerts or attended the annual competition, now is the time to do so. The competition features young artists and the recitals feature former winners who have already established major careers.

Yesterday's concert featured soprano Latonia Moore and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, both stars at The Metropolitan Opera and also worldwide. As a young rising star at the Lindemann Program, we wrote about Mr. Green a number of times. Possibly our first exposure to his artistry was in 2012 when he won our attention with "La calunnia" from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. We heard a great deal of him in the next few years as he won awards from the Marcello Giordani Foundation, Opera Index, The Richard Tucker Foundation, and of course the George London Foundation. One might say he took the opera world by storm.

Strictly because of our taste, we have always preferred his comic performances, like Osmin's aria from Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Among our favorites was his grand performance as Don Pasquale. On a more serious note, we remember a stirring performance of Banco's aria "Come dal ciel precipita".

Yesterday was a gloomy rainy day and we had hoped for something more lighthearted than the dark philosophical songs on the program. Liszt's "Die Vätergruft" surely showed off the breadth and depth of his timbre as well as his keen dramatic instincts, as did Wolf's Michelangelo Lieder--both of which we have heard him sing before. Every word was appropriately colored; every gesture was motivated from within. 

Not that it is cheerful, but there was something about Mahler's "Urlicht" that touched us to a greater extent, especially when he shared with us why he was dedicating it to the memory of Jesse Norman. We are surely a fan of Mahler and had never heard Mr. Green perform any of Mahler's songs; this one seemed to us a perfect fit for his voice. The always wonderful collaborative pianist Ken Noda made much of the mysterious theme of the interlude after the first verse, a move which lightened the mood considerably.

We were held enraptured by his performance of Ferrando's aria in Verdi's Il Trovatore, as he told the backstory that always leaves the audience confused. The staccato section was particularly chilling. Mr. Green definitely knows how to tell a tale!

What we enjoyed most perhaps was the scene from Carlisle Floyd's Susannah in which the lustful Reverend Blitch tries to get the innocent young Susannah to confess her "sin" and pray. When she stands up for herself he rapes her (offstage, although there was a chilling scream) and then, having learned of her virginity, Blitch expresses shame and remorse. It wasn't Floyd's music which got to us; it was the intense and persuasive dramatic interaction between Mr. Green and soprano Latonia Moore.

Ms. Moore's instrument is a powerful one with overtones upon overtones. We have only heard Ms. Moore once before when she won a prize from the Licia Albanese Foundation with "Un bel di" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly, a performance which left us in an altered state.

Her French songs were lovely, ranging from the exotic eroticism of Duparc's "L'invitation au voyage", supported by rippling figures in the piano, to the excitement of his "Le manoir de Rosamonde" with Mr. Noda's propulsive piano as a backdrop. A pair of songs by Roger Quilter were pleasant and her English diction made every word clear.

What excited us the most was the hopeless lament of a woman driven to madness; we are referring of course to "L'altra notte in fondo al mare" from Boito's Mefistofele, which offered Ms. Moore the opportunity to let out all the stops, both dramatically and vocally.

Furthermore, she made a persuasive case for the Countess Almaviva in "Dove sono" from Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. With expressive gestures and lovely legato phrasing, she conveyed a bereft state of mind with hints of hopefulness.

Her encore piece was "The Lord's Prayer" sung a capella.

Mr. Green's encore was the rueful "This Nearly was Mine" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. This gorgeous aria confirmed our belief that the American Musical is the true inheritor of the operatic tradition. Mr. Green announced his choice by saying it wasn't opera but his performance told us otherwise.

© meche kroop

LONDON'S LOVELY LADIES

Ken Noda, Julie Adams, and Emily D'Angelo

After two weeks of operas about women being suppressed and abused it came as quite a relief to enjoy a George London Foundation recital in which two women made a strong showing of artistry and presence. Soprano Julie Adams and mezzo-soprano Emily D'Angelo have no qualms about showing both beauty and strength. We couldn't have imagined a better recital, well worth the soaking we got from yet another rainy day.

The big surprise was how Ms. D'Angelo's artistry surpassed our inherent dislike of American 20th c. songs. We have suffered through Copland's settings of Emily Dickinson's poetry on a few occasions and we were not expecting to be so drawn in. But, there it is! True artistry can bring out hidden qualities in anything. (We are thinking of how Moroccan Cauliflower Soup changed our mind about that previously detested vegetable.)

We felt as if this gifted young singer were composing the poetry as she sang it but actually, she was "merely" channeling Ms. Dickinson. Words on a page became experienced reality. "Heart we will forget him" was particularly affecting. She is a true story-teller!

She performed two works about eerie myths in a single set. In "The Seal Man" by 20th c. composer Rebecca Clarke, she related the story of a woman so madly in love that she follows her beloved into the sea and drowns-- quite a metaphor! We preferred Clara Schumann's telling of the tale of "Die Lorelie", probably because we prefer German lieder of the 19th c. better than 20th c. songs in English. The former rhymes and scans; the latter is prosy.

Ms. D'Angelo's instrument has a wonderful texture and her artistry has earned awards and recognition including a 2018 George London award. All the ingredients for success are there; it is gratifying to read about the many roles for which she has been chosen.

It take courage to include Schoenberg and Berg on a recital program. The vocal lines are strange to the ear and the text even stranger. And yet she made sense of them with her precise German and apt phrasing.

Nonetheless, our favorite among Ms. D'Angelo's selections was "Sein wir wieder gut" from Strauss' comedy Ariadne auf Naxos. She captured all the enthusiasm of a young composer who recognizes the reconciliation required of this most sacred art.

Ms. Adams is likewise the recipient of many awards including a 2015 George London award; she too has earned recognition for her powerful dramatic soprano which lent itself so well to "Elsa's Dream" from Wagner's Lohengrin. She sang with ardent passion and ringing tone, bringing out the yearning in Elsa's character. We loved it!

Lovers of Strauss (and we count ourself in that group) could not help but thrill to her performance of two songs--"Morgen" and "Beim Schlafengehen". Both songs are of a peaceful nature, the first one a shared peacefulness, and the second one a solitary peace. In "Morgen" we realized we were holding our breath! At the word "stumm", her coloration and diction took us into a new place. The violin accompaniment by David Chan echoed the vocal line to great effect.

And look how she interpreted a pair of songs by Rachmaninoff! We generally expect "Ne poy, Krasavitsa" to be sung by a man so it was an interesting choice. It is so filled with Russian soul that we could feel the pain in our heart. We love the way the piano echoes the Oriental mode of the vocal line and vice versa. In "Son" we enjoyed the dreamlike rippling in the piano. This seems like a good place to tell how much we appreciate Ken Noda's playing, about which we will have more to say further along.

Grieg too wrote about a dream. In "Ein Traum" the dreamer's dream becomes reality and what passion we heard in Ms. Adams' coloration! This set of songs included some low lying passages but this did not daunt our singer, not even in the regret filled "Zur Rosenzeit".

We were thinking how perfect the recital would have been had there been a duet. Lo and behold, these two lovely ladies provided an encore that was the perfect cherry on the sundae--"Belle nuit" from Offenbach's Contes d'Hoffman. We had just heard it Friday night but would be happy to hear it again tomorrow. The harmony of the two contrasting voices was delicious and it didn't hurt that these two ladies looked the parts they played. There was shapely Ms. Adams with flowing blond locks, very believable as an enchanting courtesan; and next to her the stately Ms. D'Angelo with her short hair and androgynous attire, looking like a young student.

We could end here on a high note, so to speak, but we would be remiss not to say more about the superb violinist Mr. Chan who opened the program playing the "Allegro vivo" from Debussy's Sonata in G minor. We know very little about violin technique but we know artistry when we hear it and noticed how similar the violin is to the human voice in terms of dynamics and phrasing. Both Mr. Chan and Mr. Noda began with a delicate touch that quickly swelled into passion. Mr. Noda's piano produced purling figures to accompany and support the wordless voice of the violin.

The two instrumentalists were even more impressive in the "Méditation" from Massenet's Thaïs in which the violin sang its secrets supported by some gorgeous arpeggi in the piano. We love the way tenderness gave way to passion.

What an exceptional concert! We love the fact that the George London Foundation supports these young singers at the early stage of their careers and then invites them back a few years later so we can assess their growth. We love witnessing promise becoming perfection!

(c) meche kroop

LARGER THAN LIFE

Ken Noda, Will Liverman, and Michelle Bradley at the Morgan Library

Soprano Michelle Bradley and baritone Will Liverman are two artists whose careers we have been following for some time and whose performances we have been reviewing. Ms. Bradley has dazzled us with her sizable voice heard through the Lindemann program and Mr. Liverman has been on our radar screen since he won an award from Opera Index. Mr. Noda has been one of our favorite collaborative pianists for many years.

What a pleasure to have all three onstage at the same time yesterday at the George London Foundation recital series, held at the Morgan Library. The recital hall there has very lively acoustics which have been helpful to smallish voices but these acoustics kind of overwhelmed us when applied to such large voices, voices which easily fill the farthest reaches of The Metropolitan Opera House.

We heard a varied program of opera and art songs, with a generous helping of Christmas music as encore pieces. Given the size of the voices we preferred the operatic arias to the art songs. Ms. Bradley's voice is perfect for Wagner, Verdi, and Strauss. We greatly enjoyed "Es gibt ein Reich" from Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos which we just reviewed Friday night in an evening of scenes at Manhattan School of Music.

Ms. Bradley's upper register has power and brilliance but the depth in her lower register betrays her mezzo-soprano roots. She was every inch an abandoned princess waiting for Death. Later in the program Strauss' Ständchen was delivered with delicacy and romance, a nice contrast.

We adore Verdi's La Forza del Destino and wish it would be produced more often. Still, we grab any chance we get to hear Leonora's "Pace, pace, mio Dio", even though we know that poor Leonora will never get the peace she longs for. Ms. Bradley performed magnificently in this aria and Mo. Noda's piano limned the forceful theme with urgency.

We liked all of the above far more than Barber's Hermit Songs which we have heard a bit too often this year. Still, every singer gives her own interpretation and we liked the contrast between the joyful "The Heavenly Banquet" and the sorrowful "The Crucifixion". "The Desire for Hermitage" was quietly moving.

Mr. Liverman was at his best in "Heiterkeit und Fröhlichkeit" from Albert Lortzing's 1842 comic opera Der Wildschütz. We were so taken with Mr. Liverman's performance that we put Lortzing's opera on our "must see" list. We believe that this joyful song is sung by the Count.

Another favorite was "Grigory's Aria" from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tsar's Bride, an 1899 tragedy in which Grigory tries every trick in the book to win Marfa who is in love with another man but also chosen by the tsar as his bride.  You just know this will not end well. Our Russian speaking companion pronounced Mr. Liverman's Russian to be excellent. We are grateful to be introduced to some wonderful music, so well sung by Mr. Liverman, and hope someday to see this potboiler onstage!

In contrast, the Quatre Poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire by Francis Poulenc seemed downright lighthearted with surreal poetry and plenty of irony in both voice and piano.

We are not crazy about Ralph Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel which seem to be a favorite of baritones. We found ourself listening more to Mo. Noda's piano which produced some amazing ripples in "Let Beauty Awake" and some gorgeously modulated arpeggi in the lively "The Roadside Fire".

This banquet of music was served with a seasonal dessert. Mr. Liverman accompanied himself on the piano with a jazzy arrangement of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" which incorporated riffs from other carols. Ms. Bradley's encore was a gospel arrangement of The Lord's Prayer.  

The final encore was sung a capella. Both singers took turns singing verses of "Silent Night" with a gospel inflection. The third verse was sung in glorious harmony with both artists joining voices. Several audience members were overheard commenting that the encores were their favorite part of the program.

(c) meche kroop

A FLAWLESS LIEDER RECITAL AT WEILL RECITAL HALL

Ying Fang, super-star soprano (photo by Dario Acosta)

A perfect performance of the kind of music one prefers to hear can totally transform one's mood. The rainy day glum gave way to a sunshine-y kind of joy under the influence of Ying Fang's artistry. With the superlative collaborative pianist Ken Noda, we heard the kind of music that formed the basis for the art song recital.  Happily (for us), no new ground was tilled. We don't go to lieder recitals to be intellectually challenged by obscure texts.  We go to be delighted and emotionally moved. 

Ms. Fang has been the object of our adoration for at least six years. What great fortune for the opera world that Mr. Noda discovered her in Shanghai! Her advanced studies at Juilliard brought her to our attention.  Perhaps the first review was for her Zerlina. We also adored her Susanna. Several appearances in recitals just continued to impress us with her artistry.

It was a coup for Carnegie Hall to snag her for this eagerly awaited recital. Weill Recital Hall was a perfect venue for her intimate performing style. Although she has the physical beauty and fashion sense to come across as a diva, she does not. She commands the stage by virtue of confidence and professionality. She draws us into her world with a nod, a smile, or a well-timed glance.

In programming this recital, she took us to the very roots of lieder, with a few other selections to pepper the tasty stew. Her focused bell-like soprano delights the ear and her lightness of touch seemed perfect for Mozart. She knows exactly what she is singing about and brings out the subtext with subtle artistry. This may be the first time we appreciated the symbolism of a flower that blooms too early, or one that willingly sacrifices itself for love.

Mozart's melodic magic was everywhere evident and his abrupt shifts from major to minor were strongly delineated by Ms. Fang and the very present Mr. Noda. The German text was clearly enunciated and the word coloration conveyed every nuance, amplified by Ms. Fang's expressive face.

This made us think about the artifice of the lieder recital. The preparation is intense but the performance must seem spontaneous and natural. 

The sets alternated between Mozart and Schubert, who came along a generation or two later, but seemed to have composed with Mozart whispering in his ear and guiding his pen. If only one of them could return to earth and guide the pens of today's composers! That they both chose wonderful texts, texts that rhyme and scan, like those of Goethe and Müller, surely affected the flow of melody and phrasing. Ms. Fang and Mr. Noda seemed totally tuned into these aspects and gave each text apposite phrasing.

We loved the sweet and happy songs like Mozart's "Un moto di gioia" and "Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben",  an aria from his unfinished opera Zaide. We had similar pleasures from Schubert's passionate "Ganymed". But there were other emotions to hold dear, like the angry "Als Luise die Briefe" by Mozart, and Schubert's wistful "Im Frühling".  But our most profound feeling came from Mozart's "Abendempfindung" which brings tears to our eyes when it is well performed.  It was and it did!

Mr. Noda's artistry always impresses us.  Last night we loved the hymn-like prelude to Schubert's "Im Abendrot" and the rocking piano which gave "Nacht und Träume" the feel of a lullaby.  There was plenty going on in the piano part of "Viola" and we observed how deeply the two artists listened to one another and reflected upon each other. This lengthy lied comprises multiple moods and varied tempi.

For opera lovers, we had Susanna's final aria from Mozart's Nozze di Figaro, a role in which we have enjoyed Ms. Fang's performance. Without excess, she subtly let us know that Susanna was "performing" for her new husband. The wide upward skips were artistically negotiated.

The final work on the program was Mozart's concert aria "Misera, dove son"; the opening messa di voce grabbed our attention and the lavish embellishments reinforced the character's anguish.

Thankfully, we were gifted with two encores, loudly demanded by the capacity crowd--"In trutina" from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (sung in Latin), and Rachmaninoff's "The Dream". We could say that the entire evening was like a dream come true!

(c) meche kroop

A WINTER ROSE

Ken Noda and Hyesang Park

It was a cold and nasty late winter day outside, but inside the vast St. Michael's Church on the Upper West Side, Spring was in the air and in the ear. Ushering in the delights of the upcoming Spring was star soprano Hyesang Park with the incredibly sensitive accompaniment of Ken Noda. The occasion was a Neighborhood Concert produced by the Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall in partnership with St. Michael's church. The concert is part of the Marilyn Horne Legacy at Carnegie Hall, and the divine Ms. Horne was in the audience for this very special event.

We have reviewed Ms. Park over a half dozen times (all reviews archived) and fell all over ourselves the first time we heard her in 2013. But she just keeps getting better and better, even when there seems to be no room for improvement. Her instrument is bright but never shrill; her technique is flawless; but it is something else that draws the listener in, as if the fragrance of a rose slipped around your heart.  To hear her is to love her. Her voice is like a bell that summons one away from whatever dark place you may have been stuck in.

Perhaps the rose analogy came out of the gorgeous rose-colored gown she wore but there is no denying that her inner beauty, revealed when she modestly addressed the audience, informs everything she sings. We don't know of another singer who can close her eyes in rapture without losing contact with the audience. 

We have been most familiar with her bel canto roles and a Mozart concert aria.  Yesterday's recital revealed a number of other aspects to her versatility. Our companion, fluent in both French and German, agreed with our high opinion of Ms. Park's linguistic skills. We can attest to her authenticity in Spanish.

The program opened with Joaquin Rodrigo's Cuatro madrigales amatorios, four memorably tuneful songs of widely divergent moods; the mournful "Con que la lavare" and the teasing "De donde venis, amore?" were our two personal favorites. These songs are heard frequently on recital programs but Ms. Park made them fresh and new.

Also in Spanish were three selections from Enrique Granados' Canciones amatorias, with which we were unfamiliar. In these, Mr. Noda's collaborative piano was outstanding. He always impresses us with his profound involvement with the singer and the two of them made marvelous music together.

Clara Schumann's songs deserve to be on more recital programs and we were happy to hear five of them, all sung with superlative German diction and a remarkable depth of feeling. Mrs. Schumann's song output was certainly overshadowed by her husband's but she was no minor talent! Just hear her setting of "Liebst du um Schonheit", the Ruckert text that was famously set by Gustav Mahler!

We have often heard the vocalise of Heitor Villa-Lobos' Bachianas brasileiras No. 5. When Ms. Park sang it, our thought was "Angels can speak without words".  We cannot recall ever hearing the beautiful text about nightfall. Ms. Park handled the vocalise, the text, and the humming section with equal skill. We are not familiar with Portuguese but we shall assume that it was perfect.

Poulenc seemed to favor surrealistic texts to which we have trouble relating; however, Ms. Park's dramatic gifts allowed us the illusion that we understood! Now that is a strange phenomenon. She captured a sort of cabaret feeling to them without depriving them of their seriousness. We particularly enjoyed "Paganini" from Metamorphoses and the pictorial "C" from Deux poemes de Louis Aragon. The ironic "Fetes galantes" was performed at rapid-fire speed without missing a single syllable.

It is a courageous act for a Korean woman to sing Tosti songs, usually best sung by an Italian tenor breathing garlic into every phrase. We go on record here as saying that Ms. Park did them justice, even bringing something new to them. In "Aprile", she painted an aural picture of Spring along with Mr. Noda's lilting arpeggios. "L'ultima canzone" was so heartbreaking we could scarcely breathe. (We managed to make a one minute video which you can find on our Facebook page Voce di Meche.) The joyful "Marechiaro" was sung in accurate dialect.  We loved every moment.

Ms. Park closed the program with a lovely setting of the 23rd Psalm by N. Unyoung. Although religious music is not our favorite, the words are in Korean and Ms Park sang from the depths of her soul. It is clear from what place she derives spiritual sustenance, the more power to her.

As encore, she offered "O, mio babbino caro" from Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. As the true artist she is, Ms. Park made this oft-heard aria completely her own.  She made the church her own.  She made the audience her own. This beautiful young woman is destined for stardom on the world's stages; and she deserves it!

(c) meche kroop

 

MARILY HORNE SONG CELEBRATION

Ken Noda, Gerald Martin Moore, Javier Camarena, Eugene Villanueva, Mario Chang, Valeriya Polunina, Michelle Bradley, J'Nai Bridges and Warren Jones

Whether we call it "Marilyn Horne's Birthday Week" or "The Marilyn Horne Legacy" or "The Song Continues 2017" it still adds up to be the exciting week in January when we get to celebrate the art of the song recital  Last night's "Marilyn Horne Song Celebration" at Zankel Hall (of Carnegie Hall) delivered the goods, bringing together four rising stars in the vocal firmament and superstar tenor Javier Camarena. The programming was superb and the audience was highly appreciative.

Several of the singers and collaborative pianists are well known to us and have been reviewed multiple times. Readers will recall how exciting it is for us to watch their growth over the half dozen years we have been writing. Among these singers, and standing out in our memory for having delivered a performance of perfection, is mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges whose constant appearances at award recitals stands as testament to her talent.

Ms. Bridges has always had a flair for French with consummate skills at diction, phrasing, and the creation of long lyrical lines. Dressed in a slinky turquoise gown that made her look like a mermaid, her voice was as seductive as that of the Loreley of German fame, the one whose compelling voice lured sailors to their doom.  But in this case, the luring was toward acoustic delights. Her interpretation of Claude Debussy's Chansons de Bilitis was right on point. She captured the innocence of the young girl in "La flute de Pan", the developing sensuality of the young woman in "La chevelure" and the disillusionment of a mature woman whose love has gone sour in "Le tombeau des naiades".

Warren Jones' delicate touch served to add to the spellbinding performance, no less excellent in Ernest Chausson's melancholic song of regret "Le temps des lilas" and in two songs by Georges Bizet. We loved the long arching phrases of "Chanson d'Avril" and the "Orientalist" fantasy of "Adieux de l'hotesse arabe" who cannot seem to keep her young European lover. There are endless colors in Ms. Bridges' vocal palette.

Variety of vocal colors seemed to be exactly what was missing in the otherwise fine performance of Richard Strauss' Vier Letzte Lieder by the powerful soprano Michelle Bradley, about whom we have also written before. This is a grand and glowing instrument with great promise and one that will take some time to get under firm control. The composer's swan song comprised the four last songs he wrote that were put together by his publishers. They are autumnal in quality and begged for more variety and gesture. Valeriya Polunina's accompaniment served her well with notable inclusions of the song of larks.

Warren Jones' piano contributed similarly to the performance of baritone Eugene Villanueva, whose talents are new to us. After hearing a set of Brahms songs and a set of Hugo Wolf songs, we have concluded that this fine young singer is far more interesting when he has a character to portray. And Wolf gives the singer plenty of characters! In "Der Rattenfanger", he gave the character a seductiveness of menace, not like Schubert's jolly ratcatcher!  Mr. Villanueva really got into the role and showed a great deal of personality.

A different sort of personality was called for in "Abschied" in which Morike's text describes an unwelcome visit from a critic whom the poet kicks down the stairs with great relish. Mr. Villanueva clearly enjoyed singing these characters and we enjoyed his performance. We would propose that the next time he sings Brahms' lovely "Von ewiger Liebe",  he might put himself into the mind of the cautious young man and the passionately committed young woman. We longed to hear the two voices colored differently. We enjoyed his voice most when he sang pianissimo.

Tenor Mario Chang is another singer we have been enjoying for several years; we were pleased that he chose several Spanish songs. Joaquin Turina's early 20th c. cycle Poema en forma de canciones begins with a selection for piano entitled "Dedicatoria" in which collaborative pianist Ken Noda established an Iberian flavor for the songs that followed, all expressing various ironies of love.

Mr. Chang has some beautiful technique at the ready and we heard a delicate decrescendo in "Nunca olvida". Similar to our critique of Mr. Villanueva, we longed to hear a different color for the woman who expresses her anxieties in "Los dos miedos".  The man narrating should sound different than the woman he is describing.

We heard another notable decrescendo in Tosti's "Ideale", a good choice for Mr. Chang. And we have heard him sing Miguel Sandoval's "Sin tu amor" before and consider it Mr. Chang's signature piece. There were a few times in his performance that he was pushing at the top of his register.  He does not always do this and when he does we wish he would lighten up. He has the notes  and higher doesn't always mean louder.

Such pushing was not heard in tenor Javier Camarena's performance of Liszt's Tre sonetti di Petrarca! So many fine singers have come out of Mexico and he is one of them. His guest appearance with collaborative pianist Gerald Martin Moore was pure pleasure. He has a gorgeous instrument and colors to spare--enough actually for the singers on the program who were deficient in that regard.

His delivery provided all the variety of dynamics one would wish for; he can achieve maximum volume without shouting or pushing his voice. One doesn't often here such an exquisite messa di voce. The depth of his feeling is operatic and we loved it. We are still hearing that long downward sigh in "Benedetto sia'l giorno" and a finely floated high note in "I' vidi in terra angelici costumi".

It was an altogether fine note and a fitting capstone for a week of celebration. Too bad we have to wait another year for a similar celebration.

Lovers of song will find other recitals in other venues--we recommend Steven Blier's New York Festival of Song for a different kind of song recital, and Joy in Singing for yet another. Watch the calendar at Opera America for more.

(c) meche kroop

MORE MORLEY PLEASE

Erin Morley

We can still recall the first time we heard soprano Erin Morley in recital (just before we started writing about singers) and we were blown away by the purity of her voice and the warmth of her connection with the material and the audience.  Every time we have heard her we have been increasingly impressed.  Her groundbreaking performance at the Santa Fe Opera in the role of the eponymous "Rossignol" of Stravinsky's opera has led to our calling her by that name.

But we also recall with pleasure hearing her as Adellina Vocedoro-Gambalunghi in Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor, her "Marten alle Arten" at a Richard Tucker celebration, and also delivering fireworks in some Mozart concert arias at a Mostly Mozart night. And also singing a duet with Isabel Leonard on a beastly hot night in Central Park--"Oh, belle nuit" from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman.

It was Olympia's aria from that same opera--"Les oiseaux dans la charmille"-- that knocked our socks off last night at the 19th annual Alice Tully Vocal Arts Recital.  It was her first encore; her coloratura fireworks and charming dramatic skills brought the cheering audience at Alice Tully Hall to their collective feet for a prolonged and well deserved standing ovation.  Those skips and those trills left no doubt that Ms. Morley is a MAJOR talent and a splendid choice to receive this award.

A true Juilliard daughter, she earned her Masters Degree there and her Artists Diploma as well. The Lindemann Program and a number of prestigious awards brought her to the attention of the opera world and has resulted in worldwide fame. 

Working in perfect sync with the highly esteemed collaborative pianist Ken Noda, Ms. Morley planned a most unusual program based on different types of love. Instead of arranging the program by composer, she devoted each set to a different stage of love. Schubert's "Lied der Delphine" expresses unthinking adolescent infatuation in a charming fashion.

The section on erotic love comprised Joaquin Rodrigo's sprightly "De donde venis, amore?" and Enrique Granados' tender "El mirar de la maja" which blossomed into a passionate response from the beloved, granting Ms. Morley multiple opportunities for variations in color and dynamics. We also heard Brahms' provocative "Therese".

If the section on motherly love was particularly lovely, we attribute it to the fact that Ms. Morley has an adorable youngster (we can attest to this as her family joined her in Santa Fe when we reviewed her performances) and another on the way.  Dvorak's profound tribute to what passes from mother to daughter--"Songs My Mother Taught Me"-- was sung in Czech with Mr. Noda's piano contributing a Bohemian flavor.

Her delivery of Rachmaninoff's "Margaritki" allowed us to appreciate the symbolism of daisies as little girls, something that somehow had escaped our imagination heretofore. Mr. Noda's trills added to the vocal thrills. Especially symbolic (of pregnancy) was Schumann's "Der Himmel hat eine Trane geweint"; we may never hear those two songs the same way again. Ms. Morley's interpretation opened our ears and our heart--what all fine artistry should do!

For sheer pleasure we would exalt Strauss' "Amor". Ms. Morley's crystalline coloratura seems made for Strauss and, indeed, she will be heard at the Met as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. Her high notes soar into the stratosphere and the embellishments are always incredibly exciting. Her rapport with the audience grew as she related how she identifies her child with the rascal Amor.

Unrequited love was explored in the next set, limning various ways a woman reacts to betrayal. We have always responded to Hugo Wolf's "Das verlassene Magdlein", a very sad song about a young woman just going through the motions of getting through another day. For the first time we noticed that during the piano interlude, when the subject recalls her dream of the prior night, the piano flips to major for a couple seconds. It was such a poignant moment.

Mozart's "Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte" is yet another favorite. In this song, the spunky heroine tries to extinguish the fire within by burning the man's love letters. All the passion and resolve were heard in Mozart's marvelous vocal line.

The grief of losing a love to death was the subject of the next set.  Our favorite here was Edvard Grieg's "Zur Rosenzeit", another instance where the symbolism became clearer for us. Goethe's text scans and rhymes magnificently and Ms. Morley sang it sensitively.

A set of songs on sacred love closed the recital. Ms. Morley has some happy memories of singing in the Salt Lake Children's Choir and gave pride of place to the song "Little Lamb", a setting of a William Blake text by choir director Ralph B. Woodward. This is a simple melody and Ms. Morley can handle simplicity just as well as fireworks. As a surprising bonus, every word was clear and we hardly ever find that in sung English.

We loved the intensity of Tchaikovsky's "Whether Day Dawns" and Mr. Noda's piano was powerful throughout, lending gravitas. But it was the final song by Strauss that we loved the most--the well known "Zueignung" sung with deep feeling and impressive artistry.

The recital did credit to Ms. Morley, to Mr. Noda and to Juilliard, from whence so much artistry emanates.

(c) meche kroop

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH YING AND NODA

Ying Fang and Ken Noda

Newly landmarked St. Michael's Church played host for yesterday's Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert presented by the Weill Music Institute, as part of the Marilyn Horne Legacy. The gorgeous sunshine outside was no match for the gorgeous sunshine experienced within as the radiant soprano Ying Fang joined her vocal artistry with that of the renowned collaborative pianist, coach, and educator Ken Noda.

We get a special thrill from witnessing the development of young artists over the years and we have been writing about Ying Fang since 2012. She made a grand impression on us from the very start and we can only say that she keeps getting better and better, garnering prizes and roles at The Metropolitan Opera.

What great fortune for us to hear her up close and personal. This young lady has all the ingredients necessary for a major career. Her bright instrument is pure and clear and highly focused.  Her phrasing is gorgeous; her coloratura outstanding; her language skills prodigious.  But all this pales when one considers her ability to share her textual understanding with her audience. Every song becomes a mini-drama.

Three Handelian moods were conveyed in the opening set--the sensuality of "Endless Pleasure, Endless Love" from Semele contrasted well with the desperate supplication of "Angels Ever Bright and Fair" from Theodoro and the pure joy of "Oh, had I Jubal's Lyre" from Joshua. Her English diction was so clear that we forgot that we never enjoy singing in English.  This time we did!

Ken Noda's playing was crisp and precise and well suited to the material.  In the next set of Wolf songs, his playing became more lyrical and legato while Ying's singing brought apt story-telling to the selections from Wolf's Italienisches Liederbuch. We had just heard the sorrowful "Mir war gesagt" the night before but Ying put her own stamp on it.

The final two songs "Du denkst mit einem Fädchen" and "Mein Liebster hat zu Tische" provided opportunities for Ying to demonstrate her delightful sense of humor.

A trio of Bizet songs brought the first half of the program to a stunning conclusion with the seasonal "Chanson d'avril" followed by the charming "La coccinelle", a delightful ditty that gave her three voices to play with--that of the peevish girl, her shy lover, and the wise ladybug. Facial expression and gesture accompanied and amplified the changes in vocal color.

We loved what Maestro Noda and Ms. Ying did with "Ouvre ton coeur"; the piano marched forcefully but shifted continually from major to minor while the voice conveyed a Spanish influence.

The second half of the program opened with a trio of traditional Chinese folk songs by 20th c. composers.  "A little path" and "Spring Yearning" reminded us that all cultures, no matter what their politics are, deal with love, both anticipated and disappointed. The final song "Night Mooring at Maple Bridge", was replete with moody piano writing and evocative images. Ying sustained the image by painting pictures that we could see. It was as if her voice created a hologram of a painting. Moreover, the sound of Mandarin was particularly lovely.

The recital closed with six romantic songs by Sergei Rachmaninoff, all of them gorgeously sung. We enjoyed the contrast between the ethereal "Son" accompanied by Maestro Noda's dreamlike piano, and the passionate "A-u!"

We were completely satisfied by the program and yet we would never have missed the encore--the "Shepherd's Song" from Wagner's Tannhäuser, much of it sung in breath-holding (ours, not hers) a capella. This is a role she has performed at The Met. It was a special thrill!

(c) meche kroop

A ROYAL CELEBRATION

Curtain Call at the George London Foundation Celebration Concert

The 45-year-old George London Foundation has partnered with The Morgan Library and Museum for the past 20 years and has succeeded in three important areas: they have supported no less than 400 singers at the early stages of their careers; they have built a devoted audience of opera lovers; and they have honored the legacy of bass-baritone George London.  

All of this has been accomplished under the stewardship of Nora London who was honored last night by a gala recital, performed by opera royalty, some of the brightest stars of the operatic firmament. It is a wonderful tribute that recipients of the foundation's awards returned to honor Mrs. London with performances that left us dazzled by their brilliance.

The evening was hosted by the retired Canadian tenor Ben Heppner who also ended the evening by treating the audience to Weatherly and Woods' 1916 song "Roses in Picardy", sung with touching depth of feeling and dynamic variety. It was a great treat to hear him sing again.

We tried to define what made this concert stand out above all the superb concerts we have seen this year.  What did all these luminaries have in common? Other than their artistry, dedication, and commitment, we sensed a joy in singing. Most likely they chose material that they loved to sing; they appeared to be having a wonderful time. 

Christine Brewer has a huge soprano which she scaled to the size of the hall and the tenderness of the songs selected from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder. We have heard her "huge" and we have heard her "funny", but we have never before heard her "tender". Collaborative pianist Craig Rutenberg, by all accounts an engaging presence, matched her delicacy perfectly in "Der Engel" and "Träume".

Later, she sang the stirring "My Long Life" from Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All, paying tribute to Susan B. Anthony by making every word and phrase count in what could be taken as a lesson in English diction for young singers. She closed the program with a tribute to Mrs. London--"If I Could Tell You" by Firestone.

Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky gave a riveting account of "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's Russalka. Her enormous voice was just bursting with overtones and her intense involvement with the emotional content shook us to the core. 

Later in the program, with mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer, she performed "Mira, o Norma" from Bellini's opera of the same name. There was maximum sympathetic impact from these two incredible voices harmonizing in sound and spirit. Actually, we perceived the performance as a trio with Mr. Rutenberg's piano weaving in, around, and under the vocal lines.  It was thrilling.

Ms. Mentzer delighted the audience with "Sein wir wieder gut" from Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos--a real tribute to music as a "heilige kunst".

When soprano Ailyn Pérez took the stage, the electricity in the room was palpable. With consummate Latin fire, she performed a quartet of songs by the 20th c. Spanish composer Fernando Obradors.

"La mi sola, Laureola" began with an a capella passage for the soprano and then the gentle filigree of the piano entered. We became entranced. By the time the pair got to "Del cabello mas sutil" we were melting into the seat. "El vito" is a folk song which Obradors set in wild rhythm and it was performed with incredible vitality.  Even the gifted but unassuming collaborative pianist Ken Noda caught fire!  

This Latin charmer showed another side of her artistry with the verismo aria "Ebben! Ne Andrò Lontana" from Catalani's La Wally.

The three male singers were all bass-baritones, as was George London!  It is one thing to hear established stars up close and personal for the first time. One doesn't know what they sounded like when they were young and promising, although we are sure there were at least a few people in the room who heard James Morris and Eric Owens when they were starting out.

 It is quite another thing to hear someone young enough that we have been able to observe the growth of their artistry.  Such is the case with Brandon Cedel who just keeps getting better and better. Even at the very lowest part of his range, his voice is exciting. But there is no sacrifice of flexibility as he demonstrated in Count Rodolfo's aria "Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni" from Bellini's La sonnambula.

Later, he performed the folksong "Boatmen's Dance", set by Aaron Copland; the performance was marked by lively personality, good variety of dynamics, and such fine English diction that not a single word was lost.  It was fun!  And just looking at Mr. Noda's face told us that he was sharing the fun and showing it through his nimble fingers.

Another bass-baritone to perform was Eric Owens, who always gives a splendid performance. Don Ruy Gomez de Silva's aria "Infelice! E tuo credevi" from Verdi's Ernani was given an expansive reading with Mr. Owens employing all the depth and breadth of his instrument in a show of intimidating aristocratic force.

His second choice was the "Chanson à Boire" from Ravel's song cycle Don Quichotte à Dulcinée. His bibulous performance began while Mr. Rutenberg was still shuffling the pages of the piano score and the audience loved it.  

A medley of songs from M. Leigh's Man of La Mancha was so magnificently performed by the venerable James Morris that we were finally able to "accept" him as someone other that Wotan. We never had the opportunity to hear him in his youth but we heard him as Wotan so many times that we had trouble imagining him portraying any other character.  But his rich voice and compelling stage presence made him totally convincing as Don Quixote. We loved it!

There was one charming bagatelle that we must mention.-- Mr. Rutenberg on the treble side of the piano and Mr. Noda on the bass side performing Tchaikovsky's own arrangement of "The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy" from The Nutcracker Suite.

What a celebration! A celebration of George London's legacy, a celebration of a mutually beneficial partnership, a celebration of Nora London's dedication, a celebration of vocal and pianistic merit, a celebration of "heilige kunst".

(c) meche kroop

PAUL APPLEBY AT ZANKEL HALL

Paul Appleby (photo by Frances Marshall)

We have been a great fan of tenor Paul Appleby for several years now--not just for his gorgeous instrument and perfection of technique but for the intense connection he establishes with the audience. He is always so immersed in the text and so able to transmit that to the audience that we feel we are going on an adventure with him as our guide. And what an engaging guide he is, addressing the audience as if we were all his friends.

Mr. Appleby is also impressive as a music scholar and his program notes share his insights about what he is singing.  We, however, approach vocal music from an emotional perspective and our appreciation leans more toward the timbre of his voice and his storytelling skills.

So it was that his second encore of the evening, "Kuda, Kuda" from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin left us in tears, feeling all the swirling emotions that Lenski must have felt before his duel with Onegin. We heard Mr. Appleby sing that aria about three or four years ago.  We loved it then but feel his interpretation has grown in maturity and color. 

Mr. Appleby shared that the piece was chosen by Ken Noda, his piano partner for the evening.  How well matched they are!  Mr. Appleby's voice is soft-- and we are not referring to dynamics.  We are addressing the tenderness of texture that goes right to the heart.  And Mr. Noda's touch on the piano is similarly tender. We don't know a pianist with softer hands.

One thing that we respect about Mr. Appleby's programming is that he sings what he likes, not what he thinks will make up a "well-balanced program". And that means that we may not respond equally well to everything he chooses. His love of poetry may take him down some paths where we cannot follow but he always invests each song with a depth of understanding.

The first half of the program delighted us totally. The opening song was Franz Lachner's setting of Heinrich Heine's "Das Fischermädchen". The composer was part of Schubert's circle but we had never before heard his music and we were thrilled to be introduced to him. Indeed, Schubert himself set the same poem (as did a multiplicity of other composers and please don't ask us to choose a favorite).  Mr. Noda's piano suggested the rolling of the sea while Mr. Appleby burst forth with all the colors of a seductive invitation.

From Robert Schumann's "liederjahre" (1840), we enjoyed hearing his Liederkreis, Op.24, all settings of texts by Heine, in which Schumann plumbed the depths of the poetry and Mr. Appleby did the same. All of the colors of disappointed love were painted.  Perhaps our favorite of this set was "Schöne Wiege meiner Leiden" which we well recalled from a prior recital by Mr. A. 

Following the Schumann, we heard four of Hugo Wolf's settings of texts by Eichendorff. Hearing "Das Ständchen" took us back to the summer of 2013 when Mr. Appleby performed an entire recital of serenades in Santa Fe. How wonderful to hear it once more. The poet's nostalgia was echoed by our own!

The second half of the program opened with the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin's Merrill Songs with Mr. Aucoin himself at the piano. It is here that Mr. Appleby lost us. We could not relate to James Merrill's poetry in spite of Mr. Aucoin's elaborate analysis in the program notes.  Nor could we relate to Mr. Aucoin's music, as much as we tried to open our ears to something new. Mr. Appleby clearly relates to it or he wouldn't have chosen it.  He sang with dramatic intensity but we could not wrap our ears around it.

Happily, we returned to more agreeable territory with some gorgeous songs by Hector Berlioz--three selections from Les nuits d'été.  There was the sweetly romantic and seasonally appropriate "Villanelle", followed by the unsettling "Au cimetière" with its major/minor shifts and strange harmonies. The final song "L'île inconnue" was filled with fanciful ideas and multiple colorations. Although this cycle was later orchestrated by the composer, we heard it in the original form with Mr. Noda's piano capturing all the colors of the orchestra.

Finally we heard a trio of songs by Heitor Villa-Lobos, which (we have it on good authority) were curated and translated by Steven Blier and Mr. Appleby.  As the first encore we heard (at the request of Mrs. Appleby) Benjamin Britten's arrangement of the folksong "O, waly waly".

We have been writing about Mr. Appleby for over five years and never fail to be impressed by his expressivity and artistic generosity. The surge of his career has been earned by a lot of hard work but he makes it appear effortless.  That's art!

(c) meche kroop

DOUBLE SPOTLIGHT

Clarissa Lyons (photo by Marielle Hayes)

Miles Mykkanen (photo by Kristin Hoebermann)

Thursday night's Spotlight recital featured two fine young singers, both of them in collaboration with the wonderful pianist Ken Noda. The recital is part of the Marilyn Horne legacy at Carnegie Hall. The program, part of the week-long The Song Continues, was filled with delights.

Soprano Clarissa Lyons is new on our radar screen but tenor Miles Mykkanen has been delighting our ears for several years as he pursued his training at Juilliard.  The Divine Mr. M. is always full of surprises, tackling unusual material or presenting old songs in new ways. Thursday night there was no gender bending, which we have enjoyed when he sings with New York Festival of Song.

Mr. M. is always a compelling performer and has a unique sound that is distinctive and memorable; the quality of the vibrato lends a textural richness. The tone is sustained right through the lower register.

He sang five songs from Benjamin Britten's On This Island and sang them with perfect English diction, a rare quality indeed. Britten will never be among our favorite song composers but we certainly did enjoy this particular performance, particularly the despairing "Now the leaves are falling fast" and "As it is, plenty" in which Mr. M. was able to exhibit his passionate intensity. In "Seascape" he painted with words and handled the rapid notes of "Nocturne" with aplomb.

We were far more enthusiastic about his trio of Schumann songs--the bittersweet "Des Sennen Abschied" was our favorite.  His German is impeccable. Mr. Noda's pianism was thrilling, especially in the arpeggios of "Requiem".

The final set comprised three songs by Grieg and it was here that we enjoyed ourselves the most. "Takk for dit råd" expresses the strong impulse toward freedom which Norwegians associate with the sea. Mr. M. captured the essence of the text.

He introduced the song "En svane" with a sad and romantic tale about the poetry and the "fact" that swans only sing when they die. Mr. Noda's playing here added so greatly to the depth of feeling. But his final song "En drøm" filled us with the joy of love achieved and passionately appreciated. What a performance!

Soprano Clarissa Lyons filled the stage with beauty. Her statuesque presence reminds one of a Modigliani painting. Her voice is a lovely one with a diamantine sparkle. We were pleased to hear two songs by Joseph Marx, a composer of whom we do not hear enough. "Ständchen" was given a convincing delivery and "Selige Nacht" had some lovely word coloring to delight the ear.

We heard three songs by Poulenc, settings of surrealistic poetry by Louise Lalanne. "Le présent" and "Chanson" were of a whimsical nature but "Hier" was filled with longing. It was a fine way to show off the singer's versatility.

Next we heard a pair of songs by Rachmaninoff--"A Dream" and "Au!", which comes to an end without resolution. We loved Ms. Lyon's involvement in the text.

Her final set comprised two selections from Barber's Hermit Songs--"Saint Ita's Vision" and "The Desire for Hermitage". We have often heard them but cannot love them. We did love the way she sang them however, with deep commitment.

Both singers collaborated on an encore which sent us out smiling--Bernstein's "Wrong Note Rag".  This was the only wrong note in a wonderful recital. So much ground to cover in an hour! But the artists made every minute count.

(c) meche kroop

ANNA CHRISTY AND KEN NODA AT THE SCHIMMEL CENTER

Ken Noda and Anna Christy

This fine pair of musicians graced the Schimmel Center at Pace University yesterday afternoon and one could not imagine a finer way to spend a couple hours.  Although the sun made one of its rare appearances, one was still happy to be inside listening to such lovely music.

Soprano Anna Christy is known to us through her appearances onstage at The Metropolitan Opera--notably as Olympia in Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffman, as Papagena in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and as Lisette in Puccini's La Rondine. We have also enjoyed her performances at the Santa Fe Opera and with New York Festival of Song. But yesterday was something special, hearing her up close and personal in the beautifully proportioned Schimmel Center.

Her well-focused high-lying soprano has the flexibility demanded by Händel and she opened the program with three arias: "Endless Pleasure" from Semele, "Angels Ever Bright and Fair" from Theodora and "O Had I Jubal's Lyre" from Joshua.  Her one and only encore was from Giulio Cesare and sung in Italian.  Regular readers won't have any trouble divining our favorite.  

Mozart was given his due with two of our favorite songs--the charming "Das Veilchen" and the more intense "Als Luise der Briefe ihres ungetreuen".  In Susanna's aria from Le Nozze di Figaro--(you know, the one where she teases Figaro), "Deh vieni, non tardar" Ms. Christy was able to reveal her mischievous side.

Schubert's songs revealed further riches in her ethereal and expressive voice. We are always charmed by "Die forelle" and "Heidenröslein" which are on the playful side while "Du bist die Ruh" is more tender.  Ms. Christy knows how to float her voice up into the stratosphere without any strain whatsoever and she is in perfect control of her diminuendo.  One holds one's breath!

For the second half of the program, we heard two songs by William Bolcom.  "Amor" is usually sung as an encore and we have heard very little of the soulful "Waitin'" before yesterday.  

On the other hand, we recently heard Aaron Copland's The Tender Land when presented by Chelsea Opera and were pleased to hear "Laurie's Song" once more.

Three lovely Japanese songs were on the program, dedicated to the two mothers of the two artists.  How appropriate for International Women's Day!  The three songs were all about memories and had simple tuneful folk melodies.

The final set on the program comprised four songs by Strauss--"Ständchen", "Morgen" (in which Mr. Noda played the very slow and very moving postlude with such feeling that we were nearly in tears), "Ich sehe wie in einem Spiegel" and "Cäcilie". Strauss may not be the best choice for Ms. Christy's very special voice. With her very youthful and sweet tone, the colors of the lighter repertoire seem more suitable.

Mr. Noda's collaborative piano was unfailingly supportive and the diligent teamwork was apparent. He mustered the requisite delicate touch and never overshadowed Ms. Christy.  We have heard him play with many singers and he is always totally present, a true artist in his own right.

The audience was so thrilled that they applauded each and every song and rose for a standing ovation.  We wager they were as happy to be there as we were.  We are eagerly anticipating Ms. Christy's performance as Marie in Donizetti's Fille du Regiment next summer in Santa Fe.

(c) meche kroop