A DON GIOVANNI FOR OUR TIME

Pavel Suliandziga, Laura León, Sarah Hayashi, Yuri Napoli, and Liana Guberman

Last night we were at the glamorous Norwood Club which is filled with stunning works of art, none of which could compete with the artistry of the singers assembled for the 6th annual Bare Opera Gala.

This fundraising event was held to introduce those of us who love Bare Opera to the cast and director of the upcoming production of Don Giovanni. Kirsten Scott, Co-Founder and General Director of this boutique opera company, gives good speech just as she gives good singing. If you didn't leave excited about the production you need to be on life support!

With Co-Founder and Artistic Director Laetitia Ruccolo at the piano, we were given a few selections from the production which premieres October 18 at the Bellwether, one of the more interesting spaces chosen by Bare Opera for their productions.

Not only does Bare Opera take opera out of the concert hall and into interesting venues, but they bring in directors with vision who can strip operas of their accumulated clichés, kinda like stripping barnacles off the hull of a boat.

Director Malena Dayen has interpreted Mozart's tragi-comedy in the light of the #metoo movement. It is difficult for us to perceive the gentle and handsome baritone Suchan Kim as a vile seducer but we suppose that's what acting instruction accomplishes.

We have no such trouble seeing tenor Pavel Suliandziga as a devoted Don Ottavio who, we understand, will not be the customary wimp. Having dazzled us with his Tchaikovsky at Around the World in Song, we are ready to be redazzled or bedazzled, if you will.  He is definitely the anti-Don.

The women will not be portrayed as victims and, we can tell you, soprano Liana Guberman makes a fiery but sympathetic Donna Elvira, not the comic figure to which we are accustomed. She was in superb voice last night and knocked our socks off.

The other two female roles were played by singers relatively new to us. Cuban soprano Laura León has the role of Donna Anna and connected well with Mr. Suliandziga.

Zerlina was sung by Sarah Hayashi who connected well with Mr. Kim, the smarmy seducer.

Each singer was interviewed by Yuri Napoli who asked all the right questions, encouraging each singer to reveal something about the character he/she would play.

Director Malena Dayen was present to tell us just enough about how she interprets the story to ensure our attendance at the performance. She will utilize the services of video artist Sangmin Chae to bring 21st century technology to this 18th century opera. We will not say too much about this innovation until we have the opportunity to see it in action.

Consider yourself encouraged to take a walk on the wild side with Bare Opera, Mozart, and Da Ponte. We've got our walkin' shoes on!

© meche kroop

OPERA, FUN, AND FASHION

Liana Guberman, Eric Lindsey, and Kirsten Scott

We were there at Bare Opera Company's birth and get a special thrill from watching them flourish. Their interest in immersive opera has taken them to some very interesting venues and has led to some productive partnerships with artists from other disciplines.

Last night, in celebration of Valentine's Day, they joined forces with Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York for the third time at the Kosciuszko Foundation. It was a very special evening. Costumes were devised by designer Taylor Mills, whose company Taylor Catarina has launched a line of clothing suitable for singers and dedicated to comfort and flexibility. So we got a fashion show along with our recital of opera standards.

The arias and ensembles were almost all chosen from among the more well-known and accessible operas, which was just fine with us and very suitable to an audience that may not be as familiar with opera as are regular opera goers. In place of titles, the program included brief synopses of each piece. 

The opening was a real stunner. Although British Airways has done everything to make a cliché of  the "Flower Duet" from Léo Delibes' Lakmé , it's melodic and harmonic beauty refuse to be trivialized. With Kaleigh Rae Gamaché's crystalline soprano paired with Kirsten Scott's creamy rich mezzo-soprano, we felt as if we were discovering it for the first time.

This may be a good time to point out that Bare Opera was co-founded by Ms. Scott and Maître de Chant Laetitia Ruccolo, whose artistry at the piano ensured that we never missed the orchestra. What colors this beautiful young woman can produce on those 88 keys!

All of the young artists are prize-winners and have sung in several opera companies around the country, as well as taking assignments abroad.

Baritone Suchan Kim, a Bare Opera regular, is the possessor of a very fine instrument that he employs with superb technique.  Moreover, his extensive repertoire allows him to slip into a very wide selection of roles with every gesture and facial expression intact--but always appearing spontaneous. That's a wonderful skill! We loved his interpretation of Doctor Malatesta describing the potential wife he has found for Don Pasquale in the Donizetti opera of the same name. "Bella siccome un angelo" is an old favorite for the baritone fach but we seemed to be hearing it anew.

Later in the program, he performed a duet from the same opera with the superb soprano Liana Guberman. In "Pronto io son", Malatesta is coaching Norina in how to fool Don Pasquale into thinking she is a shy convent girl. Ms. Guberman was unfailingly funny as well as musical.

She was contrastingly serious in "Dis moi que je suis belle" from Massenet's Thaïs, the one aria on the program that was of the less familiar category. It was delivered dramatically and poignantly, leading us to wonder why it isn't performed more regularly.

Bass-baritone Eric Lindsey is another singer we have come to admire in a great variety of roles. He made a dashing Don Giovanni in duet with Ms. Gamaché as the peasant girl Zerlina, all too willing to be seduced in "La ci darem la mano". From the same opera, he gave a different spin to the role of Leporello in the famous "Catalogue Aria". We have seen and relished Mr. Lindsey's performance of the role of the Don in a Dell'Arte production, and if we were casting the Mozart opera we wouldn't hesitate to put him in either role!

We also enjoyed two selections from Bizet's Carmen.  In the "Habanera", Ms. Scott captured all of Carmen's fickleness with her expressive dusky mezzo. Tenor Victor Starsky, in a later scene, tries to appease Carmen's anger with "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée".

Ms. Gamaché wowed the audience with the challenging aria "Glitter and Be Gay" from Bernstein's Candide. As if we were not already dazzled, she threw in a high F, taking the audience to the heights, as it were.

Puccini's La Bohême also made an appearance on the program with the aria from Act I ("O soave fanculla") in which Mimi (Ms. Guberman) and Rodolfo (Mr. Starsky) fall in love and decide to spend Xmas Eve together. Later, in a scene which opens the last act, Rodolfo (Mr. Starsky) and Marcello (Mr. Kim) torment each other with reports of having seen their estranged lovers. The two men are unable to concentrate on their writing and painting but the two singers were able to deliver artistically.

Our favorite trio is from Mozart's Cosi van tutte. In "Soave sia il vento", Fiordiligi (Ms. Guberman), Dorabella (Ms. Scott), and Don Alfonso (Mr. Lindsey) are watching Ferrando and Guglielmo sail away. The women are bereft but Don Alfonso is laughing up his sleeve. The harmonies are gorgeous and the singing just perfect. Ms. Ruccolo's piano created the sea for our eager ears.

The evening ended with the Finale of Act I from Rossini's La Cenerentola in which all six cast members participated. Rossini's froth is the perfect way to end a satisfying program of opera.

Bare Opera's next venture will be Astor Piazzola's tango opera Maria de Buenos Aires.  Stay tuned for details.

(c) meche kroop

I'M DREAMING OF.....

Laetitia Ruccolo, Kirsten Scott, Eugenia Forteza, and Matthan Black

This was not your typical Christmas concert. It was more like an intimate gathering of friends. The salon setting in Williamsburg was comfortable and spacious. The material that was chosen seemed to be of a personal interest to the artists--songs remembered from childhood, songs popular in their country of birth, songs they loved.

Mezzo-soprano Kirsten Scott (Co-Founder of Bare Opera, along with Maître de Chant Laetitia Ruccolo) led off the evening's program with Martin and Blane's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". This is a song we've heard so often that it has bored us silly.  But-- big but-- Ms. Scott made it new and fresh. We don't think we've ever enjoyed it as much, Ms. Scott having revealed more feeling than we've ever observed--and without a whiff off "cross-over" condescension.

The versatile Ms. Scott gave a stirring rendition of "Chacun à son goût" from Johann Strauss II's. Die Fledermaus. We believe the first time we heard her perform this was a few years ago with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance. We enjoyed it so much we hope that she keeps it as an encore piece.  We loved the way she wandered among the guests and engaged them, truly immersing herself in the part of Prince Orlovsky.

Soprano Claire de Monteil, who is new to us, thrilled us with a truly Gallic "La Vie en Rose". She is the recipient of an award from Opera Index and we hope to hear her gorgeous voice at  the gala in January.

She also performed along with baritone Sungwook Kim in Adolphe Adam's "O Holy Night" creating a spiritual mood in direct contrast with Prince Orlovsky's party song.  We heard verses sung in the original French (our favorite), in Korean, and in well enunciated English. When we heard the phrase "the weary world" it truly resonated with us.

Mr. Kim also gave us an excellent "Every Valley" from Händel's Messiah with a very spirited accompaniment from Ms. Ruccolo on the keyboard. Every word was clear, a situation we never take for granted. He showed off a flexible instrument and a truly excellent trill.

Mezzo-soprano Inbar Goldmann delighted us with a Hebrew song about miracles and struggles called "Shivchi Maoz" in celebration of Hannukah, showing a lot of strength in her lower register.

 Although the Sephardic tradition is not her own, you never would have guessed it from her charming performance of "Ocho Kandelikas" in Ladino, the language of Spanish Jews. We could actually understand the words! Her performance of "Avraham Avinu" got the audience clapping and stamping their feet. What we liked the best was the Andalus mode in the accompaniment.

She also sang "A Piece of Sky" from Michel Legrand's Yentl.

Soprano Eugenia Forteza contributed songs from her homeland of Argentina, where, we learned, the dialect of Spanish is Castellano, pronounced in the typical Argentinian fashion with  "j" sound for the "ll", instead of the "y" sound.

We enjoyed Guastavino's "Hermano", a song about community, and a delightful childhood song "Caballito Criollo", both delivered with beautiful tone, sazon, and a fine vibrato.

Matthan Black accompanied himself on guitar for "I'll Be Home for Christmas". Mr. Black comes from Arkansas where people gather together and make music. We like the little riff of "Jingle Bells" he inserted toward the end.

Irving Berlin's "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" was performed in three part harmony by Ms. Scott, Ms. Forteza, and Mr. Black, sounding as fine as we've ever heard it sung.

The entertainment part of the evening concluded with a rousing "Libiamo" from Verdi's La Traviata which definitely put us in a celebratory mood.

Lately we have been realizing the unique pleasures of song salons given in casual environments.  We listened, we drank wine, we ate cookies.  We walked out onto the rainy streets of Williamsburg completely satisfied.  Thanks Bare Opera!

(c) meche kroop

BARE OPERA GALA

Kirsten Scott, Suchan Kim, SungWook Kim, and Liana Guberman with Laetitia Ruccolo at the piano

Last night Bare Opera initiated their fourth season with a "let out all the stops" celebration that will linger in our memory for a long time. The singing was beyond wonderful, but before we get to that, we'd like to tell you what made the evening somewhat unusual.

First of all was the audience. Our heart is made very glad when we see young people having a great time at the opera. The guests last night remained totally silent during the performances (in spite of the generous bar and buffet of goodies) but exploded into enthusiastic applause and "bravo"s after each performance. 

If opera is to survive it must be performed with artistry and commitment and it must be taken to venues were twenty-somethings feel comfortable. Last night's "opera party" was held in a fine resonant space, an art gallery on East 46th Street which was generously donated for the use of Bare Opera. There were only a couple chairs and the crowd was happy to stand.

Secondly, Music Director Laetitia Ruccolo, involved the audience in learning the choral parts to "Nessun Dorma" and later to "Toreador". Not only did everyone participate but they sounded great. As any wise teacher/coach might have, the engaging Ms. Ruccolo first taught the pronunciation of the words, and then, the melody. People are learning that opera can be fun!  Perhaps Karaoke parlors will soon include operatic arias!

As to the performances, most of them involved the four mainstays of the company--soprano Liana Guberman, mezzo-soprano Kirsten Scott, tenor SungWook Kim, and baritone Suchan Kim.  Each one is a gem but their ensemble singing revealed genuine unselfish collaboration.

In the opening quartet from Puccini's La Rondine, the four characters offered a toast to love. In the final ensemble, the cast joined in for the "Brindisi" from Act I of Verdi's La Traviata.  There is nothing like a drinking song to put people in a party mood! 

Everything in-between was similarly successful. We have never warmed to John Adams' Doctor Atomic, although we have seen it twice.  But mezzo-soprano Briana Hunter performed Kitty's aria (text by Muriel Rukeyser) with deep feeling and clear enunciation which, taken together, made sense of Kitty's loneliness. More credit for the lovely texture of her instrument!

Delicious pleasure was provided by Ms. Guberman as Poppea and Ms. Scott as Nerone in "Pur ti miro, pur ti godo" from Claudio Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea", a work Bare Opera will produce next month. The exquisite harmonies and overlapping lines still resonate in our ears. As a matter of fact, we have an "ear worm".  Not bad for a work written at the very dawn of opera!

SungWook Kim dazzled the audience with a powerful performance of "Nessun dorma", backed by the audience/chorus, Ms. Ruccolo's aforementioned master stroke.

Ms. Guberman and Suchan Kim seemed to have as much fun as the audience in a charming performance of the Papageno/Papagena duet from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. Clever use was made of the space as they began from opposite sides of the gallery and moved closer together, each exhibiting a spunky personality.

For vocal blending, nothing can beat the final quartet from Verdi's Rigoletto. On one side of the gallery, Ms. Guberman enacted the innocent Gilda, appalled by witnessing the Duke's flirtation with Maddalena on the other side of the gallery. As her father, the court jester, Suchan Kim appeared to comfort her distress.  Meanwhile, Ms. Hunter as the tantalizing Maddalena flirted shamelessly with the deceiving Duke, sung by SungWook Kim.  Each character is singing something different but Verdi's writing and the artists' performances brought everything together.

Without missing a beat, the versatile Ms. Guberman changed character and became Violetta as she reconsidered her attitude toward love in "Sempre libera" from Verdi's La Traviata. Sungwook Kim played the offstage Alfredo.

Suchan Kim assumed the appropriate attitude and vocal coloration as he performed the Toreador song from Bizet's Carmen, with dramatic assistance from three adoring ladies (Ms. Guberman, Ms. Scott, and Ms. Hunter) and vocal assistance from the audience/chorus. One truly felt a part of the action!

The penultimate number before the final "Brindisi" came as a complete surprise. Accompanied by Maestro David Rosenmeyer, Argentinian artist Malena Dayen performed "Yo soy Maria" from Astor Piazzolla's 1968 tango operita. We have heard the work before-- but not performed as powerfully as we heard it last night. Bare Opera will produce it in the Spring and we can barely wait.

We left feeling satisfied in head and heart, wanting for nothing. Opera can do that!

(c) meche kroop

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH OPERA IN WILLIAMSBURG

Haeran Hong, Won Whi Choi, and Director Fabrizio Melano

Probably most opera goers realize how much work it takes to develop an operatically trained voice; but few of us give much thought to what it takes to put an opera onstage for us to enjoy. Fortunately, we had the privilege of being invited to attend a rehearsal of Verdi's tragic masterpiece La Traviata which will be performed by Opera in Williamsburg (Virginia), opening on September 12th.

We have always wished that this company were in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but it is not. Sadly we have not been able to leave New York to attend a performance but Founder Naama Zahavi-Ely kindly gave us an opportunity to witness the creative process.

Director Fabrizio Melano's process is one we could readily understand. Every line was first spoken and then sung.  Psychological motivations were explored and justifications were offered for each stage movement.  The process was meticulous and fascinating.  Here is just one example from the final scene--Violetta, sensitively portrayed by the splendid soprano Haeran Hong, does not read the entire letter from Germont.  She reads the first few lines because she knows it by heart.  She crumples it.  She presses out the wrinkles. These small touches tell us so much about the character.

Alfredo's greeting of his father (baritone Marco Nistico) tells us how much he has grown up over the prior few months. Terrific tenor Won Whi Choi received some very detailed direction which we will not share in case you are moved to attend the performance. We can only tell you that you won't be disappointed.

The role of Dr. Grenvil was performed by Eric Lindsey, whom we just reviewed as Don Giovanni with Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble. He too received some interesting direction; when everyone else is expressing joy at Violetta's apparent recovery, he alone accepts the reality of her impending death.

Megan Pachecano in the role of Annina was given lots of direction for the way she relates to Violetta--when to rush in and when to stand back and give her room.

The rest of the cast comprises some rising stars we know and love--Suchan Kim, Pavel Suliandziga, Kirsten Scott, and William Desbiens.

The conductor is the gifted Jorge Parodi and we mustn't overlook how involved the conductor is from the very beginning of the rehearsal process. We hope you didn't think the conductor just shows up when the orchestra does!

We did not get to experience the final part of the rehearsal process with the orchestra but we did enjoy  Abdiel Vasquez' piano accompaniment.

© meche kroop

THE ART OF LISTENING

Javor Bracic, Suchan Kim, SungWook Kim, Liana Guberman, Kirsten Scott, and Laetitia Ruccolo

Regular readers may recall how highly we prize a little education along with our entertainment. Sunday afternoon we were fortunate enough to see a group of rising stars of the opera world participating in an unusual presentation, hosted by Javor Bracic and The Art of Listening. The Afternoon of Literature and Opera Scenes at the National Opera Center included member of the splendid Bare Opera, of which Maître de Chant Laetitia Ruccolo is the co-founder.

We have been a great fan of Bare Opera since their very first production. Nothing they have presented has been anything short of wonderful and everything has had an unusual and creative twist that has brought innovation and delight to operas in the standard repertory and some that are not often seen/heard.

Sunday's presentation comprised a selection of well known scenes from opera which were inspired by literature, prefaced by readings that shed light upon the scene to follow. Readings were performed by the glamorous mezzo-soprano Kirsten Scott who dazzled us by the potent drama of her readings as much as by the luster of her voice.  We shouldn't have been surprised since we have observed her throwing herself into every role she has performed.

We had never known that E.T.A. Hoffman was a critic of The Enlightenment and favored the dark emotional nocturnal life. Hence, Offenbach gave us "Belle nuit" in his opera Les contes d'Hoffman which was here given a lovely performance by Ms. Scott as Nicklausse (a role we had watched her grow in some years ago) and soprano Liana Guberman as Giullietta with their voices melding in luscious harmony.

After hearing a reading from Schiller's Don Carlos, we were in a position to relate more intensely to "Per me giunto" from the Verdi opera of the same name, performed by lyric baritone Suchan Kim. This is an aria we will forever associate with Dmitry Hvorostovsky but we have nothing but positive things to say about Mr.Kim's sincere delivery, marked by a pleasing vibrato and subtle dynamic variety.

Ms. Scott read both voices from the scene in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in which the two young lovers meet for the first time--a truly magical moment filled with as much wit as romance. We learned that Gounod translated Shakespeare's words into French word-for-word with consummate respect for the text. Perhaps because much of the imagery of the text is religious, Gounod used a melody he had written originally about the Virgin Mary!

Ms. Guberman was lovely as Juliette, singing with pure youthful tone. Her Romeo, SungWook Kim, impressed us with the ease of his tenor instrument. Both handled the French just fine.

La dame aux camelias was the only novel written by Dumas Fils and it was based upon a true story. We heard an excerpt from the novel, followed by one of our favorite scenes. Germont Père arrives at the home of the courtesan Violetta determined to break up the relationship between her and his wayward son. Suchan Kim's interpretation was spot on as he softened the color of his angry voice in response to the gracious dignity of Ms. Guberman.

Indeed, just watching the expression on Ms. Guberman's face as she heard about Germont's innocent daughter, and hearing the change of color in her voice, was a revelation. She is hearing about a young woman who will have a socially acceptable lifestyle that is closed to her and is feeling pangs of envy. We experienced an empathy for Violetta that was greater than any we had felt before. This was really opera up close and personal!

There was only one sentence in Dante's 13th c. La Divina Commedia which inspired Puccini's one-act opera Gianni Schicchi. SungWook Kim made an expansive Rinuccio as he praises the glories of Florence and the resourcefulness of Signor Schicchi, whose daughter he is wooing. We loved the ease of his tenor and his Italianate phrasing in "Avete torto", an aria which showed off his ringing top notes and his lively personality.

Just as Puccini looked back several centuries for inspiration, so did Purcell, who wrote Dido and Aeneas based upon Virgil's Aeneid, from which Ms. Scott read an excerpt. We learned why the witches conspired to destroy poor Dido; Aeneas had a destiny to go on and found Rome, or so the mythology goes. Ms. Guberman and Ms. Scott are far too pretty to portray witches but they sounded wonderful together in the "Witches Duet".

The final work on the program was the quartet from Verdi's Rigoletto which was prefaced by a reading from Victor Hugo's The King's Diversion on which the opera was based. Suchan Kim as Rigoletto was on one side of the room comforting the highly distressed Gilda of Ms. Guberman, whilst SungWook Kim was on the other side of the room portraying the licentious Duke of Mantua who is having a grand old time flirting with an increasingly willing Maddalena, sung and acted in grand style by Ms. Scott. It was literally stereophonic!

Throughout the evening, Ms. Ruccolo appeared to be 100% at the piano and simultaneously 100% with the singers. Now that's some accomplishment!

Javor Bracic seems to have as much interest in enlightening and educating his audience as in entertaining them. He encouraged questions from the audience which the singers seemed to enjoy answering. Many of the questions were about the acting and how singers can draw from experiences to act without letting the emotions affect the quality of their vocal production. 

In such an intimate format as this was, without orchestra, sets, costumes, or distance to "hide behind", how does the singer manage the exposure and intimacy? There is really a back and forth between singer and audience and we concluded that this intimacy is at the root of opera. When opera began, it was a means of socializing and forming community. These days, we have the Met for spectacle, but we have small opera companies such as Bare Opera which provide this sense of community and intimacy. We relate to the singers. We relate to the characters. We relate to the music. We leave fulfilled!

We can scarcely wait for Bare Opera's next season. They will be doing Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea in November and Piazzolla's Maria de Buenos Aires in the Spring. We have seen both operas before but we are sure we will be seeing them as if for the first time.

(c) meche kroop

WONDER WOMEN

Elad Kabilio and Kirsten Scott at Interface

Elad Kabilio's "Music Talks" are designed to break down the barriers between musicians and audience. Guests at the comfortable Interface on 30th St. are invited to get a drink, to sit on comfortable sofas in an informal arrangement, to learn from the lively and knowledgeable Mr. Kabilio, and then to listen in a new way.

Last night's theme, part of Women in the Arts Festival, was a celebration of Women's History Month and paid tribute to the strong heroines of opera. The liberation we take for granted today was not always the case and these operatic heroines were ground breaking exemplars.

A most interesting feature of the evening was the choice of artists. Mezzo-soprano Kirsten Scott and maître de chant Laetitia Ruccolo are two strong women themselves who got together and formed Bare Opera, an alternative female-run opera company that utilizes unusual spaces to present fresh takes on opera--immersive and intimate. Ms. Scott is Artistic Director and Ms. Ruccolo is Music Director. We have been writing about them for about 3 years. We love what they do.

Mr. Kabilio interviewed Ms. Ruccolo about her role at the piano. She doesn't like the phrase "collaborative pianist" and prefers the French title "maître de chant" to express her wide ranging work in coaching singers, preparing the program, and multiple other tasks.  Ms. Scott was given the opportunity to describe each operatic heroine about whom she was singing. The two women selected the arias to be performed.

We are not sure what the compelling Ms. Scott sang at her Carnegie Hall debut last weekend but everything she sang last night was stellar. The program opened with "Cruda sorte" from Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri.  Isabella is a strong woman who goes off to Algiers to rescue her lover. The delivery was superb.

Rossini loved his strong female roles, mostly mezzo-sopranos. We have heard Ms. Scott on a prior occasion singing "Una voce poco fa" from Il Barbiere di Siviglia and we loved the way she handled the various sections of the aria and limned Rosina's character through the fioritura. The performance has only gotten better with even more attention to the details of her personality. As she explained, this is an "entrance aria" meant to establish the character. She added that Rosina "keeps me on my toes".

From Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas, she sang the sad aria "When I am laid in earth", explaining that Dido's strength was not one of accomplishment but an inner reserve that helped her face death fearlessly.

Strength of character is also exhibited by Charlotte in Massenet's Werther and Ms. Scott gave us a lovely performance of "Va! Laisse couler mes larmes" which illustrates the manner in which a tearful catharsis allows women to be strong. She not only captured Charlotte's character but did so with long melodic lines.

Mezzo-sopranos are often called upon to sing en travesti, and Bellini gave the part of Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi to a mezzo. We enjoyed hearing Romeo's aria "Deh tu, bell'anima" in which Ms. Scott used her vibrato to express the character's grief when he believes Juliet to be dead.

In Les Contes d'Hoffman, the hero's muse assumes the identity of a friend Nicklausse who must be strong where Hoffman is weak; she extricates him from some hairy situations. We heard Ms. Scott perform the "Violin Aria" and it took us back to 2013 when she performed this role with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance.  Again, she has only refined the character.

Similarly, we reviewed her Cherubino in 2013 and remember well how persuasive she was in the role, exhibiting all of the character's anxiety and energy.  It was a pleasure to revisit "Voi che sapete" from Mozart's Nozze di Figaro and we enjoyed hearing her tell the audience some of the excitement and challenges of singing en travesti.

Before bringing out the big guns for Carmen, the stage was turned over to the lovely cellist Laura Metcalf who played Hollman's Carmen Fantasy for Cello and Piano. Mr. Kabilio explained the function of these "fantasies" as a means of bringing the operas into the home in an era before radio, TV, CD's and internet. Ms. Metcalf and Ms. Ruccolo played beautifully together and yes, all the big tunes were heard within ten minutes.

Concluding the program were selections from Bizet's opera. The strength of Carmen is undeniable. She lived and died on her own terms--fiercely and fearlessly. We heard the "Seguidilla", the "Habanera", and "En vain pour eviter" from the card-reading scene. All were vocally splendid and dramatically affecting.

This was the perfect evening to have introduced newbie friends to opera.

(c) meche kroop

FIGARO QUA FIGARO LÀ

Cast of FIGARO x FIGARO produced by BARE OPERA

When we were new to opera we used to get Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia mixed up with Mozart's Nozze di Figaro. The characters were the same, all derived from the plays of Pierre Beaumarchais; so why were the vocal ranges sometimes different? Why didn't one composer write the entire story in one opera, or even a trilogy?  Last night, in the farthest reaches of Brooklyn, we experienced a pastiche that came very close to achieving such a perfect union.

The boutique opera company known as Bare Opera is never bare of imagination, creativity, and an adventuresome spirit. For this production, Executive Producer Kirsten Scott (herself a superlative singer) assembled a fine production team and cast which brought Beaumarchais' characters to vivid life.

Director Cecilia Ligorio put a modern feminist spin on the work; the women join forces to deal with restrictive guardians and cheating husbands. Scenes from Il Barbiere are interpolated within Nozze di Figaro to give insight into the origins of the characters. Most of the important arias and ensembles are preserved with tedious recitativi deleted. The entire work came in at a swift two hours. Extraneous characters are also deleted with singers assuming more than one role.

The key to making this work was the high quality of the musical values, not to mention the acting. Characters and relationships were made crystal clear. The singers are well known to us from other productions by Bare Opera, as well as from performances with other companies. They were all beyond excellent.

The trickiest role was that of Rosina, performed by the superb soprano Liana Guberman, whose career has taken off since our first review. The role of Rosina in Il Barbiere is generally sung by a mezzo-soprano but the low register presented no problem for Ms. Guberman who was able to portray the spunky young Rosina as well as the rejected yet dignified Countess in Nozze. It always bothered us that Rossini and Mozart chose different fachs for the same character.  But it didn't faze Ms. Guberman who sounds superb in whatever she tackles.

No less impressive was the Susanna of Kristina Bachrach whom we hear often at the Brooklyn Art Song Society. It was a definite treat to see this splendid soprano in a new light. Her instrument is a beautiful one and she employs it effectively with fine color. Most importantly we believed her characterization and particularly enjoyed her "Deh vieni non tardar" in which she teases her jealous husband. 

Baritone Suchan Kim seems to own the role of Count Almaviva. His tone is a bit richer than the designation "lyric baritone" would have one expect and he absolutely convinced us as the husband who projects his own philandering nature onto his neglected wife. Watching him do a slow burn was pure pleasure. His shamefaced apology at the end touched our heart, as did the Countess' forgiveness.  Mozart ended his opera with the theme of change and redemption, not so different from last night's Christmas Carol produced by Gramercy Opera. (Review below)

One of the biggest surprises of the night was the Figaro of bass/baritone Paul La Rosa. His voice, his build, and his dramatic presentation are all muscular and, in our opinion, much better suited to opera than to lieder singing in which he tended to overwhelm the material.  He is really a stage animal! He was very severe with Cherubino in his "Non più andrai". We felt his pain when he thought Susanna was cheating on him with the Count. 

Another surprise was the performance of Francisco Corredor in the role of Don Basilio. We know Mr. Corredor as a "character tenor" and always enjoy his comedic skills.  But last night he was given the serenade "Ecco ridente in cielo"  in which Almaviva, disguised as Lindoro, sings to Rosina in Il Barbiere. This was interpolated as a flashback to illustrate how the Count's affections had waned. Mr. Corredor sang it quite well.

As Cherubino, mezzo-soprano Sophie Delphis was engaging. The scene in which Susanna and the Countess undress "him" was just a bit racier than usual and unusually well handled. We can think of no more delightful mezzo arias than "Non so piu" and "Voi che sapete".  We wished we had an instant replay button!

Bass Colin Whiteman made an excellent blustery Bartolo who softened at the end of the opera when he admitted that he loved Marcellina, a non-singing role taken by actor Paola Michelini, representing all servants everywhere.  In Ms. Ligorio's telling of the tale, the entire issue of Figaro's origins was avoided and the reason Marcellina backed out of her resistance to Figaro's marriage to Susanna was that she didn't want to marry him, she wanted to marry Bartolo.

If you are intensely devoted to the original story, this might have bothered you, but we were content to go along with all the plot changes and enjoyed ourself immensely.

The scene that the audience seemed to enjoy the most was the ensemble from the end of Act I of Il Barbiere-- "Fredda ed immobile, come una statua";  In this case Bartolo was knocked out on the floor. 

The chamber orchestra was conducted by the renowned Sesto Quatrini, protégé of Fabio Luisi and now appointed Principal Conductor of Bare Opera, which makes us very happy. His arrangement for a dozen instruments worked exceptionally well with Music Director Laetitia Ruccolo at the piano and Victoria Wolf Lewis as Concertmaster.

What impressed us was how well integrated was the music of Rossini and that of Mozart. The two operas were separated by 27 years with the Mozart premiering in 1786 and the Rossini in 1813. An audience member untutored in music would never have noticed any disjunction, so seamlessly was the music blended.

The excellent titles were devised by Technical Director George Del Barrio and the costumes were designed by Raxann Chin--simple modern street attire adorned with jackets of the historical period.

The action was staged in several areas of a large warehouse so that no set changes were needed. The audience was seated in two areas at right angles to each other so that sight lines were good. The orchestra was behind one of the seating areas which worked well.

If you love Mozart, see it!  If you love Rossini, see it!  If you love a good time, see it!

(c) meche kroop

afterWARds

Maestro David Moody, Kirsten Scott, Renate Rohlfing, Boya Wei, Marco Cammarota, and Katherine Whyte

We believe a work of art should speak for itself and require no explanation from the playwright, painter, director, choreographer, or composer.  However, in the case of Bare Opera's reduction/expansion/ psychological illumination/distillation of Mozart's 1780 opera seria Idomeneo, we would like to quote Director David Paul, whose eloquence we could not equal.

"afterWARds is an opera about the emotional battles that continue to rage after war is long over.  It's an opera about displaced refugees, and the lingering post-traumatic effects of war. But most of all, it's an opera about love, healing, and the resilience of the human spirit."

Until last night, we had sat through this opera several times--three plus hours of gorgeous writing for massive choruses, elaborate late 18th c. costuming, gods and monsters and shipwrecks--without ever being emotionally moved. What Mr. Paul has done is to strip away everything except the four main characters, to focus on their psychological struggles. The music by Mozart and libretto by Giambattista Varesco remained intact. Like us, the characters struggle to find love and peace in a world gone mad with the carnage of war.

War is often waged for the most trivial of reasons. King Menelaus of Greece wanted his wife back after Paris, Prince of Troy, "abducted" her (we know not whether or not she went willingly). Menelaus enlisted the services of his brother Agamemnon and Agamemnon enlisted his ally Idomeneo, King of Crete. We all know how Agamemnon and his family fared--badly! And his daughter Electra appears in this opera enduring her own grief--unrequited love for Prince Idamante, Idomeneo's son.

During the Prologue we were treated to the piano reduction performed by Renate Rohlfing whilst films of war and shipwrecks were projected (Projection Design by Caite Hevner) along with a narrative of the backstory. Princess Ilia of Troy (King Priam's daughter and Paris' sister, now one of the spoils of war) was rescued from drowning by none other than Prince Idamante.

Poor Ilia is torn between her growing love for Idamante and her hatred for the Greeks who slew her entire family. How can love invade the territory of revenge? Soprano Boya Wei used her elegant instrument well in conveying the emotional ambivalence which tormented her. She eventually finds peace in accepting her enemy as a substitute father.

The role of Idamante was performed by mezzo-soprano Kirsten Scott in travesti ; this character has a different kind of emotional roller coaster to ride and she rode it so intensely that we had goosebumps.  Her character is secretly in love with Ilia but is dealing with a far larger issue. The father he loves whom he hasn't seen in some years had sworn to sacrifice him and, to protect his son from this fate, tries to send him away with a ruse of escorting Elettra back to Argos.

Elettra, powerfully sung by soprano Katherine Whyte, is living in despair due to the loss of her family (recall that her brother Orestes murdered their faithless mother who was betraying her husband Agamemnon with his brother Aegisthus) and also due to her unrequited longing for Idamante and jealousy of Ilia.

Her rage aria is chilling, with wild flights of coloratura, but she also has moments of tenderness and beauty when she begs Idamante for his love.  And that's her roller coaster.

In the title role we heard tenor Marco Cammarota who sang with a rich full tone and successfully conveyed the despair a father must feel in denying his own son and the horror of perceiving the need to sacrifice this dear son. Mr. Cammarota evinced great skill in his dynamics. He returns home with joy, but also guilt over all the deaths caused by the war.

The ending was a bit different than that to which we are accustomed but it worked. A peaceful resolution is found with Idamante and Ilia taking over the throne of Crete.  Poor Elettra is left with her demons but that's another opera, written by Richard Strauss.  

Come to think of it Mozart's masterpiece has been tinkered with before, and by that very composer! In 1931, whilst Munich commissioned Ermanno Wolf-Ferarri to revise the opera, the Vienna State Opera commissioned Richard Strauss who did a complete revision, employing a German libretto. We have heard neither revision.

We were pleased with the vocal performances overall but found several moments that were outstanding. The Act III quartet did full justice to Mozart's artistry with voices perfectly balanced. The love duet between Ilia and Idamante allowed the voices of Ms. Wei and Ms. Scott to melt together. Ms. Whyte's expression of rage was stunning as was her despair at the end in "D'Oreste, d'Ajace ho in seno i tormenti".  No happy ending for her!

"Vedrommi intorno" was given a stirring performance by Mr. Cammarota with the aforementioned attention to dynamics and a beautiful resonance.

It was particularly rewarding to witness the artistic development of Ms. Wei and Ms. Scott whom we began reviewing about five years ago when they were students at Mannes. Ms. Scott has appeared frequently in our reviews but the only time we saw the two together was in Nozze di Figaro, in which Ms. Wei sang the role of Susanna and Ms. Scott performed the role of Cherubino.

Once more, Bare Opera has succeeded in their mission to provide an intimate experience of opera-- minus the pomp and circumstance--that is very 21st c., filling an important niche on Planet Opera. There are many dwellings on Planet Opera and there is room for all, from the palatial mansion of the Metropolitan Opera to the intimate dwellings of flexible companies like Bare Opera.  We are all smiles thinking of the nomads of Central Asia who pull up their yurts and move on. Bare Opera is on the move.  We have reviewed every one of their events and have no intention of missing the next.

More on that later but it has something to do with a barber turned personal valet.

(c) meche kroop

BARE, NOT BARE

Cast of Bare Opera's scintillating production of Mozart's Die Zauberflote

Under the directorship of Min Lew, Bare Opera has assumed an important position within the New York opera scene. We'd call it a case of truth in advertising when an institution fulfills its objectives.  Buzz words like "alternative", "minimalist", "immersive", "intimate", and "visceral" can be tossed around as a cover for "cheap" but Bare Opera lives up to its mission so effectively that we would follow them anywhere, even to a walk-up loft, hard by the toxic Gowanus Canal.  If we were not otherwise engaged we would return for the performances tonight and tomorrow night. That's how highly we esteem their production of Mozart's Magic Flute!

It is a fine thing to strip an old warhorse of its cliches, as long as you preserve the spirit of the piece and the glorious music. To fill the work with superlative musical values and a sense of intimacy compensates for the lack of imposing sets and a huge chorus. As a matter of fact, it is just that ponderous group of Sarastro acolytes that has bored us in the past. By contrast, last night's production of Mozart's Die Zauberflote felt fresh and original.  The only thing that was bare was the stage, furnished only with a couple of benches.

The original twist that occurred at the end seemed so right and organic! But we do not want to spoil the surprise for you since you, dear reader, will feel compelled to beg, borrow, or steal a ticket by the time you finish reading!

Under the baton of Maestro Teddy Poll, the 9-person chamber orchestra captured all of Wolfie's wonderful tunes with Music Director Laetitia Ruccolo as pianist. Special mention is due flutist Mira Magrill.

The singers were exceptional, most of them having been on our radar for some time. The stunning soprano Larisa Martinez enchanted us as the Princess Pamina. Her voice--velvety with a steel core--perfectly portrayed the character who moves from helplessness to self-determination. She was remarkably moving in "Ach, ich fuhl's".

Her Prince Tamino was performed by the promising tenor Andrew Zimmerman who has a lovely pianissimo; he created a believable modern day prince, searching for what is good, truthful, and right.  A delightful twist was having Pamina secretly witnessing his viewing of her photo and deciding that she was the right one for him. He delivered a lovely "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon". We of the audience were just as enchanted by his singing as he was over the photo.

As the formidable Queen of the Night, soprano Yungee Rhie fearlessly tacked both very difficult arias, letting loose a volley of vocal fireworks; she managed to bridge the inconsistencies of being a caring mother and trying to get her daughter to commit murder.

Baritone Suchan Kim made a marvelously engaging Papageno with his mellow voice and humorous manner. He made a fine representation of "Everyman". We loved the moment when his intended bride Papagena (Breana Stillman) ripped off her old lady mask; he had quite a reaction. Their duet was adorable.

The three ladies were exceptional--Liana Guberman, Kirsten Scott (also serving as Artistic Director of Bare Opera), and Inbar Goldmann. The scene in which they fight over the unconscious Tamino is always one of our favorites and we can't say we have ever heard it sung better or acted more humorously. What exquisite harmonies!

As Monostatos, tenor Francisco Corredor turned in his typically terrific performances as he threatened poor Pamino with unwanted sexual overtures. When caught he was on his knees begging for mercy from Sarastro, sung by the sturdy bass Do Jin Jung.

More beautiful harmonies were heard from the three helpful spirits--Sacha Bloch, Grace Mosley, and Alexandra Miller.

Sarastro's armored men were well played by Colin Whiteman and David Charles Tay.

Singing was done in practically perfect German and we didn't miss a word. Dialogue was spoken in English which was mostly understandable but presented a challenge for those whose native language is not English.

Justin Griffith Brown's stage direction was effective. Seats were set up along two adjacent sides of the square room of the Gowanus Loft, giving the audience good sight lines and leaving plenty of room for the performers to interact. Being up close and personal made a major difference in our connection with the characters, our perception of the opera, and its philosophical underpinnings.

In place of imposing sets, we had the evocative lighting of Anthony Tornambene which made use of color washes on the two walls, which did a great job of setting the mood of the scene.

Isa Rodrigues' costumes were contemporary, simple, and relevant. Pamina was dressed in a long white dress which emphasized her purity. Tamino was in normal street attire. Sarastro wore all white to emphasize his spiritual orientation. Monostatos wore a raincoat, lending a reference to sexual deviancy. The Three Ladies sported otherworldly face paint. The Three Spirits wore pinwheel caps and clown makeup. The armored men wore angularly sculpted masks.

Mozart wrote this "singspiel" in 1791, shortly before his death. The libretto was written by his friend Emanuel Schikaneder, apparently influenced by the philosophy of The Enlightenment and by Masonic symbolism. It became an instant success and no one seemed to mind the rampant sexism. Mr. Brown's direction included a twist that we enjoyed which put the work squarely in the 21st c.  The work has always lent itself to directorial innovations, not always successfully.  We suspect that if Wolfie himself had been present last night he would have joined in the thunderous approbation given by the audience.

We might add that the audience was far younger than that which we customarily see at the opera. If anyone wants to know how to make opera relevant to millenials, pay attention! Clear away the cliches, say something relevant, and cast young up-and-coming singers. That Bare Opera keeps ticket prices affordable for young folks implies that support must come from those that care about opera's survival. www.bareopera.org/donate!

(c) meche kroop

BARE SHARES

Sean Christensen, Colin Whiteman, Kristina Bachrach, Kirsten Scott, and Inbar Goldmann

It was a night of sharing. The Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York and Bare Opera Company joined forces and audiences to present a compelling evening of arias at the beautiful Kosciuszko Foundation townhouse on the Upper East Side. The singers shared their gifts and the audience shared their applause. And at the conclusion, artists and audience shared a lovely repast.

Bare Opera is barely two years old and we've written about them several times. They present innovative versions of operas in unusual venues. A new audience is drawn by the quality of their work, the intimacy of the productions, and the artistry of their singers. Music Director Laetitia Ruccolo was one of the founders and did an exemplary job of accompanying the singers.

Most of their regular singers are known to us and highly valued. Lest we show favoritism, let us describe the program in sequence. Almost the entire ensemble was introduced in the lively "Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso" from Puccini's La Rondine.

"Aprite, presto aprite" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro gave soprano Kristina Bachrach's Susanna the opportunity to chase Kirsten Scott's Cherubino around the playing area, to the audience's amusement. This is a wonderful scene to introduce newbies to the opera and we suspect there were a few newbies in the audience.

Star soprano Larisa Martinez performed the soulful "La Maja y el Ruisenor" whilst Ms. Ruccolo provided plenty of Latin flavor from the piano. It was indeed a chorus of nightingales, one vocal and one instrumental.

Ms. Scott returned as the bratty boy of Maurice Ravel's L'enfant et les Sortileges, which was Bare Opera's first production. The superb lyric tenor Sean Christensen portrayed the Chinese Teapot with mezzo Inbar Goldmann reprising her role as the Chinese Teacup; they were very funny. Kristina Bachrach also reprised her role as the forlorn Princesse who confronts that bad boy with the consequences of his bad behavior.

Tenor Sungwook Kim sang the well known "Una furtiva lagrima" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.

The very humorous scene from Mozart's Die Zauberflote brought onstage the Three Ladies--Ms. Bachrach, Ms. Goldmann and Ms. Scott, to take the lock off Papageno's mouth and to present him and Tamino with the Magic Flute and Magic Bells. Bass-baritone Colin Whiteman made a perfect Papageno whilst Mr. Christensen made a terrific Tamino.

From Rossini's first opera, recently presented by Bare Opera, Ms. Scott and Mr. Whiteman reprised their roles as servants Clarina and Norton. What a joy to be reminded of that delightful production.

You, dear readers, will be the first to know that Die Zauberflote will be given a highly original production by Bare Opera in a highly unusual venue--on June 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. We just heard coloratura soprano Yungee Rhie sing "Der Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" and you will not want to miss her fabulous fireworks!

Ms. Martinez gave a sparkling account of "Je veux vivre" from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, and was joined by her romantic Romeo Mr. Christensen for "Ange adorable". If that didn't melt your heart, you must have a stone in your chest!

The gorgeous trio from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, "Soave sia il vento" was harmonized beautifully by Mr. Whiteman as Don Alfonso, Ms. Martinez as Fiordiligi, and Ms. Scott as Dorabella.

The program closed with "Arpa gentil" from Rossini's Il Viaggio a Reims. In this scene, all the characters are mesmerized and entranced by the offstage voice of Corinna (Ms. Martinez).  Guess who else was mesmerized and entranced!

There were two lovely touches to the evening. One was that the cast members alternated in introducing each upcoming aria with a description of what was happening. No newbie could have felt left in the dark.

The other touch was that the women's gowns were provided by Shoperatic, the Opera Diva Dress Collection, which we believe recycles gowns for opera singers.  What a great idea!

We would not be at all surprised if some of the chamber music lovers in the audience have become opera lovers. All it takes is an evening of good performances.

We have the upcoming Die Zauberflote on our calendar already. And so should you.

We would also like to share one more idea with you. If you are inclined to rebel against the upcoming cuts to the NEA, do make a donation to this excellent young company...www.bareopera.org/donate.
If the arts are to survive, it is up to US.

(c) meche kroop

BARE OPERA ON A BARE STAGE

A Brilliant Success for Bare Opera

Well, the stage wasn't entirely bare; there were three benches and enough newspaper to remind us of our former neighbor "The Hoarder". The staging of Rossini's first opera was unusual with rows of seats on either side of the theater facing inward with the stage at one end and marvelous Maestro Sesto Quatrini and his fine chamber orchestra at the other.

Stage Director Cecilia Ligorio had some fine ideas and utilized both the stage and the central playing area, giving the singers lots of room to tell this humorous story. Maestro Quatrini at one end could conduct in full view of singers, musicians, and audience members. The only problem was that at times one felt as if one were watching a tennis match; if one needed to read the titles at the top of the stage this head swiveling became constant. But there is no denying that the experience was up close and personal, making it very very special and full of impact.

Rossini was only 18 years old when he composed La cambiale di matrimonio, which premiered in 1810 in Venice. (And what's YOUR 18-year-old doing tonight?). The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is a farsa comica, based on an earlier play which was probably based on commedia dell'arte. 

There is a mercenary older man, played with bluster by baritone Suchan Kim, who always turns in a great performance. There is a rebellious daughter, portrayed by the superb soprano Liana Guberman. There is her impoverished lover, effectively sung by terrific tenor Sungwook Kim. And there is a wealthy suitor from Canada (!) sung by the fine baritone John Allen Nelson. And of course there are two clever servants--Norton (the fine Colin Whiteman) and Clarina (the very gifted Kirsten Scott).

The successful introduction, written by Assistant Director Elias Markos, was delivered by the spunky mezzo-soprano Ms. Scott (who also happens to be the Executive Producer and Co-Artistic Director). Ms. Scott is not only a superb singer but also made an impressive interlocutor, explaining in English what the opera is about.

A wealthy English merchant wants to arrange a marriage between a wealthy Canadian and his daughter, who is in love with a poor fellow. The servants  help the young lovers to defeat the father's plan.

The directorial concept rapidly dealt with any reservations an audience member might have about watching something so old-fashioned as to be based on a man selling his daughter. Cast members read aloud articles from the plenitude of newspapers scattered about, dealing with such issues taking place contemporaneously in several foreign cultures as well as sex-trafficking closer to home. This introduction allowed the audience to experience the work as relevant and also to enjoy the high jinx and the music.

And what music! There is something quite exciting about hearing a composer's earliest works. One could hear the influence of Mozart and one could also hear the origins of Rossini's prodigious gifts. There was a gorgeous romantic duet for Ms. Guberman and Sungwook Kim. There was a face-off duet between Mr. Suchan Kim and Mr. Nelson. And there was a marvelous oppositional duet when Mr. Nelson tries to court the unwilling Ms. Guberman. The two servants also got plenty of stage time for frisky involvement and sang so well together.  And there was a terrific ensemble number as well.

Costumes by Laura Kung were modern and suited the characters.  Mr. Suchan Kim wore a "grandfather sweater", Mr. Sungwook Kim wore a motorcycle jacket, and Mr. Nelson was dressed like a clueless rube in plaid pants.

Music Director (and pianist) was Laetitia Ruccolo whom we just heard Thursday night at the Classic Lyric Arts Gala. Lighting Design was by Anthony Tornambene.

We are feeling particularly grateful to Bare Opera for bringing this work to our attention and for casting such superb artists; we were given all the best of musical and dramatic values, brought up to date without sacrificing the original intent--to entertain!

(c) meche kroop