GERDA LISSNER COMPETITION

 

Pianists Arlene Shrut and Francesco Barfoed, singers Anna Thompson, Finn Sagal, Titus Muzi III, Magdalena Kuzma, Jennifer Robinson, Korin Thomas-Smith, and Ben Reisinger

Last night at Zankel Hall we experienced the most memorable vocal competition winners recital in our memory. For once we were in complete agreement with the judges' choices and were thrilled by the performances. As always, host Midge Woolsey did a great job introducing the singers and giving brief but concise summaries of each song or aria. Collaborative pianists Arlene Shrut and Francesco Barfoed provided sensitive accompaniment tailored to each piece. As icing on the cake, we were treated to a delightful performance by honoree Stephanie Blythe, about which more later--just because we know, Dear Reader, that what you want to read about first is the performances of the young artists.

Out of 400 applicants, 34 finalists were chosen, and we fortunate members of the audience got to hear the top winners of the 2025 Art Song Competition and the 2026 International Vocal Competition. Each and every artist shone, not only in terms of vocal technique and linguistic skills, but also in stage presence. Rarely have we seen so many young artists on the same stage at the same time with each one so totally immersed in the character and the meaning of the text that we scarcely paid attention to technique.

Most arresting was the performance of baritone Finn Sagal who showed several aspects of his dramatic chops with very different songs. How readily he changed from  Schubert's spooky "Der Doppelgänger" to the hilarious "Zipperfly" by Marc Blitztein. (Dear Reader, when is the last time you heard us enjoy an American song?) What a storyteller is Mr. Sagal! The Schubert song gave us chills as the artist built in intensity this somber vignette, making superb use of his lower register.

 

We were so lost in that chilling mood that we almost missed the delicacy of the following "Automne" by Fauré. However, the Blitztein was so engagingly delivered that we were pulled into the humor and actually laughed out loud a few times. We should also mention that Mr. Sagal knows how to use the entire stage in service of the drama.

Also in the art song category were two lovely sopranos with very different vocal qualities. We have reviewed Magdalena Kuzma a number of times, most recently as a winner of the Marcella Sembrich competition, and have always thought of her as a fine artist. Last night she showed off her facility in three languages, giving superb dramatic import to Rachmaninoff's "Son", Wolf's "Die Bekehrte", and Sibelius' "Var det en drom?" Aside from the exquisite interpretations we noticed something very interesting about Ms. Kuzma. She seems to taste the words! There was such relish and appreciation of the flavor of each language!

Jennifer Robinson is an artist with different vocal qualities. She connected so well with Ricky Ian Gordon's "Will There Really Be a Morning?" that we discovered an appreciation for Emily Dickinson's poetry, the words of which were sung with clarity and meaning. Following Joseph Marx's gentle "Nachtgebet" we heard Richard Strauss' "Cäcilie" sung with passion--and we confess to loving extravagant emotion, if only onstage.

All three art song winners were accompanied by Mr. Barfoed and for the succeeding opera winners, Ms. Shrut took over. It's been quite a while since we heard tenor Ben Reisinger. The first time was at least seven years ago in Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance when he sang a couple of minor baritone roles in Gianni Schicchi. He won an Opera Index award as a baritone and we noted his excellent upper register. And then we heard him in a Joyce Di Donata master class when he was just transitioning to the tenor fach. Ms. Di Donata gave him some pointers about building the intensity of his aria and he seems to have picked it up and run with it, as they say. We loved the way he built "Che gelida manina" from Puccini's La Bohême which he ended with a finely wrought diminuendo.  Even better was "Kuda kuda" from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. The extroverted Rodolfo became an introspective Lensky and every nuance of his looking death in the face was explored. 

It was time to lighten the mood and baritone Korin Thomas-Smith got the audience laughing with a very funny "Come un'ape ne' giorni d'aprile", Dandini's aria from Rossini's La Cenerentola. Thomas-Smith is a most expressive actor and didn't miss an opportunity to create his character. What a surprise then to hear him give such romantic tenderness and longing to the character of Hérode in Massenet's Herodiade as he sings "Vision fugitive".

Baritone Titus Muzi III  demonstrated dramatic facility in creating the character of Count Almaviva in an aria that reveals his narcissism and pomposity--"Hai gia vinta la causa" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. The jealous husband Ford got equally authentic treatment in "E sogno o realtà" from Verdi's Falstaff. The way he used his consonants allowed him to express rage without shouting. Every gesture was on point. 

Soprano Anna Thompson closed the program with lavish histrionics portraying two very different women--the seductive courtesan Thaïs of the Massenet opera of the same name in "Dis moi que je suis belle" and the spirited Rosalinde pretending to be an Hungarian countess in the czardas "Klänge der Heimat" from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus. Rosalinde is clearly putting on a show for her wayward husband and Ms. Thompson's extravagant acting made it clear throughout both slow and fast sections.

We will not end before sharing with you a highlight of the evening. Superstar mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, accompanied by the incomparable Warren Jones, enraptured the audience with the same type of duo as we heard from the youthful artists. Two very different songs showed off two different aspects of her dramatic gifts. First was the very first song she ever sang--Brahms' "Wie melodien zieht es mir"--followed by  Cole Porter's  very witty "Tale of the Oyster".

What a glorious evening. We have come to have very high expectations of these annual Gerda Lissner Competition recitals but this one exceeded our expectations! Judging by the reaction of the audience we were not alone. How wonderful that one woman's legacy has affected so many young singers at the beginning stages of their careers by providing financial support and exposure. If only we could let her know!

© meche kroop

LONDON COMPETITION FINALS

Korin Thomas-Smith, Nicholas Newton, Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha, John Arida, John H. Hauser, Tiffany  Choe, Adia Evans, and Anna Thompson

The George and Nora London Foundation Competition is one we look forward to every year. We get to see a group of talented young singers, many of whom are new to us.  We may become fans of theirs and follow their careers with great pleasure. We still remember the year that Nadine Sierra won; we recall having a delightful conversation with her whilst waiting for the judges to do their thing. We called her "the diva next door" in our review. Her star has risen!

This year, we were again on the outlook for a winning performance and we witnessed a few. First among them was that of soprano Tiffany Choe whose performance of "Senza mamma" from Puccini's Suor Angelica brought tears to our eyes. We don't recall ever being so moved by this aria in spite of at least a dozen hearings. When a performance is this powerful we forget to note the phrasing, the diction, the resonance, or any other technical details. The most important aspect of a vocal performance, in our opinion, is the communication of the intent of the composer and the meaning of the text.

Contrasting with that tragic offering was the comedy of "Come un ape ne giorni d'Aprile" from Rossini's La Cenerentola. In this aria, the Prince and his servant Dandini have exchanged roles and Dandini is very much overplaying the role of a prince and having the time of his life. Baritone Korin Thomas-Smith has great stage presence and was clearly enjoying himself which allows us, as members of the audienc, to enjoy along with him.  His connection with the character was equivalent to that of the lovely Ms. Choe.

In Rachmaninoff's opera Aleko, the eponymous "hero" sings a cavatina in which he engages in a bit of introspection before murdering his unfaithful wife and her lover. Although we have never seen the opera, we have heard one of our favorite young singers perform this aria on a few occasions, giving us the opportunity to appreciate the performance of Nicholas Newton, whose textured bass-baritone and tortured demeanor connected us to the character and held our interest. John Arida's piano introduction established an air of portent.

In Strauss' comedy Ariadne auf Naxos, Ariadne delivers the very serious aria "Es gibt ein Reich" in contrast with some rather comical elements occurring simultaneously. Soprano Adia Evans employed an imposing stage presence and powerful instrument to create a formidable character.

Soprano Anna Thompson created a lovely Thaïs in "Dis-moi que je suis belle" from the Massenet opera but we wanted her to reveal more of the character's vanity and insecurity. The listener should not be reminded of Marguerite in Gounod's Faust who is also looking in the mirror!

Lately we have been hearing a lot of "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" and actually had the opportunity to coach it. We found nothing missing in the vocalism of baritone Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha but we missed the feeling of nostalgic reminiscing which could best be conveyed with the eyes.  We did like the pianissimo ending.

Mezzo Grace Ryan exhibited some lovely colors in the lower register in her performance of "Sgombra è la sacra selva" from Bellini's Norma. However, we longed to hear a bit of Adalgisa's ambivalence and guilt.

Tenor Matthew Sink gave a full-throated and powerful performance of "Mein lieber Schwan" from Wagner's Lohengrin. His delivery would benefit from the replacement of stock gestures with some more specific movement and expression.

Jennifer Robinson has a lovely instrument, well suited to coloratura roles like Amina in La Sonnambula; we found her "Care compagne" appealing. The contrast between Bellini's lengthy legato lines and the vocal fireworks of the cabaletta was well executed.

We are completely unfamiliar with Danielpour's Margaret Garner, so when mezzo-soprano Maiya Williams sang "Margaret's Lullaby" we had nothing to base our opinion on. In spite of some lovely pianissimi and gentle coloring, we were not tempted to hear any more of this opera. We were, however, interested in reading about it and it seems to have a compelling story about the African-American slave experience. But given the choice we would prefer the lullaby "Summertime" from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Opera of the 21st century has not delighted our ears.

Much credit for the success of the program must be given to collaborative pianist John Arida whose playing is always in support of the singer.

Before ending we would like to express a few thoughts. Moving the competition from the Morgan Library to Merkin Hall enhanced the intimacy of the event. However, we do not like the idea of giving large awards to half the competitors and small encouragement grants to the rest. It reminds me of the Laffont Competition at The Metropolitan Opera. We would prefer a more traditional approach, one more graduated.

And finally, we will likely expose ourself to criticism on this point but we would like to see female competitors dress down a bit. Bare skin, exposed breasts, long slits in the skirts, spangles, and glitter all distract from the performance. Male competitors don't have to deal with this issue and we find it much easier to focus on the voice. 

We close with fond memories of Nora London whose gracious and welcoming manner cannot be duplicated. That being said we are grateful to John H. Hauser, President and Executive Director of the Foundation, for keeping the torch lit and fulfilling the mission of supporting young opera singers in their uphill climb to success.

© meche kroop

GERDA LISSNER COMPETITION RECITAL

 Sophia Hunt, Arlene Shrut, Vladyslav Buialskyi, Jazmine Saunders, Korin Thomas-Smith, 

Alice Chung, Joseph Parrish, Erik Grendahl, and Shaina Martinez

It was a sensational recital of gifted young singers; it was a gathering of the citizens of Planet Opera, generously open to one and all; it was a celebration of the enduring legacy of Gerda Lissner; it was a memorial to the late Scott Barnes. Everyone left Zankel Hall grinning broadly. No one need worry about the future of opera.

If you care who won which prize, we direct you to www.gerdalissner.org where you can also read all about the good work of the foundation. We prefer to use our space to write about the winners who were winnowed from a huge group of applicants. We are always happy to see WQXR's renowned Midge Woolsey hosting such events and equally happy to enjoy the versatile accompaniment of pianist Arlene Shrut. We acknowledge the cooperation of the Liederkranz Foundation.

And now...on with the show! What a brilliant idea to open the program with the winner of the Zarzuela Division, the scintillating soprano Shaina Martinez, known to us since her days at Manhattan School of Music. We were overjoyed to learn that the foundation established a platform for honoring this very special art form; and who better to fulfill the mission than Ms. Martinez whose perfect Spanish flowed effortlessly and permitted her to inhabit the role of Cecilia Valdés from Gonzalo Roig's zarzuela of the same name. 

The spirited entrance aria, illuminated by meaningful gestures, served to introduce the character, a mulatto woman who is unaware that her suitor is her half-brother, both fathered by a slave trader; he is legitimate, she is not. Two centuries ago, such stories were common in the New World, particularly in Cuba with its complicated racial hierarchy. We tell you such details, dear Reader, because we want you to share our appreciation of what was going on in our own hemisphere whilst Verdi was writing his operas in Italy.

Ms. Martinez' second selection was a tragic lullabye "Hija del Amor" in which the character's mood has changed to sorrow and tenderness, illustrated by the minor mode in which it is written and the artist's facility with heart-rending legato. We felt totally involved in the singer's facility for storytelling. She truly inhabited the character without compromising her exquisite voice.

Next we heard winners from the Lieder Division. Baritone Erik Grendahl's two selections were  quite different. Georgy Viridov's "The Virgin in the City" was given a quiet reading with minimal gesture and a sweet lyrical sound. The artist came to vibrant life in Debussy's "Ballade des femmes de Paris",  in which the text has something to say about women from several different countries. Mr. Grendahl, remembered from his performances at the Santa Fe Opera, made the French very clear and told the tale with panache.

Mezzo-soprano Alice Chung is an equally fine storyteller and who doesn't love William Bolcom's "George", the tale of a colorful character who comes to a tragic and ironic end. When a singer's technique is as admirable as Ms. Chung's one tends to ignore it in favor of the stagecraft and presentation. We hung on her every word. Happily, she followed this with Choi Young-Sup's "Longing for GeumGang Mountain" which we heard her sing at WQXR's Green Room. In our review of that recital, we discussed the newness of the Korean art song tradition and the reasons for it. We would say Korea got off to a great start in this setting of Han Sang-eok's text.

Bass-baritone Joseph Parrish has been on our radar for quite some time, also having made a fine showing at the Santa Fe Opera. What a departure from the expected to have a singer accompany himself at the piano in a contemporary piece! Bob Telson wrote "Calling You" for the film Bagdad Cafe which we have never seen; Mr. Parrish's performance made us want to see the film. 

On more familiar territory, we heard the frisky "Fussreise" from Wolf's Mörike Lieder. We find this to be one of Wolf's more accessible lieder and enjoyed Mr. Parrish's fine command of German and his immersion in the spirit of the song. We also enjoyed Ms. Schrut's varied coloration of the strophic composition. He closed the set with Tchaikovsky's "Sred shumnogo bala", sung with fine Russian and intense reflection.

The second part of the concert took us into operatic territory. Korin Thomas-

Smith employed his fine baritone to sing Tarquinius' aria "Within this frail crucible of light". His technique was impressive but we wanted him to show more of Tarquinius' character. He had no problem showing us the Count's character in "Hai già vinta la causa" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. His aptitude for demonstrating the complexity of the Count's emotions was impressive. He is angry, vengeful, competitive, and bewildered, all at the same time. This is so much more interesting than the one-note interpretations we often hear.

Soprano Jazmine Saunders has a sizable instrument which she put to great use in arias by Mozart and Verdi. Her vibrato is distinctive and emotionally affecting.  Poor Pamina must arouse our sympathy in "Ach, ich fühl's" from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte as she frets about her love interest who is actually true. By comparison, Gilda is confident and enamored in Verdi's Rigoletto, not knowing that she has been woefully deceived. Both characters were given their due with the voice sustained throughout the register. Mozart gives Pamina long legato lines and Verdi gives Gilda wild leaps and breathless staccato passages. Both perfomances were memorable.

Bass-baritone Vladyslav Buialskyi chose well, illuminating the character of Figaro who mourns what he thinks is Susana's infidelity in "Aprite un po' quegli occhi". He is shocked; he is angry; rather than despairing he decides to give warning to other men. We in the audience know better; Susana adores him and is conniving to make their marriage work out.  It's a great moment in Nozze di Figaro! We particularly enjoyed the rapid patter.

The second selection was "Si, morir ella de!" from Ponchielli's La Gioconda, sung by the vengeful Inquisitor Alvise. Although we believe the role was written for a bass, the extensive passages in the lower register were no challenge for Mr. Buialskyi's powerful instrument and the aria provided an opportunity to color his voice differently.

The final singer was soprano Sophia Hunt who also wisely selected two arias that showed her versatility. The eponymous Arabella from the Strauss opera has reached a point of forgiveness and acceptance in "Das war sehr gut, Mandryka". The Countess in Nozze di Figaro, on the other hand, is aware of having lost the love of the Count who had pursued her so relentlessly and sings of her despair in "Dove sono". Two very different characters were brought to life such that the entire scenes appeared before our mind's eye. We loved the rich texture of Ms. Hunt's voice and the varied colors. The Countess was particularly well realized and we heard a hint of optimism in the second verse.

As Ms. Woolsey pointed out, we almost had the entire Nozze di Figaro onstage. Yes, it was a great treat to hear so many selections from one of our favorite operas. The evening ended with the entire group joining forces for "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Rogers and Hammerstein's Carousel.

What popped into our mind just now is "This Was a Real Nice Clambake" Concert.

© meche kroop