PHOENIX!

 Rachel Hippert, Maestro Richard Cordova, Jose Heredia, Dilara Unsal, Muir Ingliss, Gennady Vysotsky, Director Sabrina Palladino, and Daniel Chiu

Last night was the closing night of Amore Opera's production of Puccini's heartbreaker La Bohême. Our last exposure to Amore Opera was just before Covid, shortly after which our beloved Nathan Hull was prematurely taken from us, leaving a vacuum in leadership. The last we heard was that Amore Opera's gorgeous sets and costumes had to be sacrificed due to lack of funds to pay for storage. We never considered that the company we had enjoyed for so many years would survive those two major blows. Not only did they survive but, like the proverbial  phoenix rising from the ashes, they are thriving.

Perhaps it was some extraordinary leadership and whole-hearted determination plus moving south from the Riverside Theater to the Center at West Park that led to the packed house. It was definitely the quality of the production that led to the vociferous applause. Amore Opera is back on its feet, producing the classics in relatable fashion and with modestly priced tickets. We call "Bravi Tutti"!

La Bohême is arguably Puccini's most relatable opera. Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa fashioned an engaging libretto from stories by Henri Murger; Giacomo Puccini set the libretto to highly dramatic and melodic music that emphasizes the emotions of the characters and also describes the setting. We always listen for the dying of the fire and the water sprinkled in Mimi's face in Act I. The bustle of Paris on Christmas Eve is equally limned and the snowfall in Act III as well. 

We are happy to report that Maestro Richard Cordova did not miss a beat🤦 in telling the tale with the fine orchestra he conducted. Gone were the worst intonation failures of the string section which bothered us so in former days. Favorite themes were elicited to our delight; it is largely the orchestra that creates the mood.

We are also delighted that Stage Director Sabrina Palladino presented the opera with accuracy to time and place, respecting its creators. It is very much a story of the mid 19th c. and we never thrilled to the production by NYCO that chose to set it at the start of The Great War. Just as we like it, the work spoke for itself and required no lengthy Director's Notes to tell us how to interpret it. Moreover, all the stage business was valid and served to illuminate the characters and to tell the story. Our only quibble was in Act IV, Mimi is dressed in a night dress and barefoot and she was, according to the libretto, found stumbling around in the street. Other costumes (Sara Pearson, Costume Designer) were perfectly appropriate and Musetta's costume was particularly outstanding, revealing a character who is independent and does exactly what she wants. We refer you to our Facebook page (Voce di Meche) for photos of same.

While we are discussing Musetta, let us begin with the performance of soprano Dilara Unsal who picked up the role and ran with it, scoring a victorious goal. Her voice is more than sufficient to cut through Puccini's orchestration and her technique is so secure that one is allowed to appreciate the convincing acting. We meet her in Act II when we see her bad girl side, abusing poor Alcindoro, her "admirer" and doing everything she can to get the attention of poor Marcello, her erstwhile (and future) lover. Of course, she succeeds. Casting this role requires a woman beautiful enough to be convincing and vocally strong enough to dominate the quartet.

In Act III, we see even worse behavior as she and Marcello (Muir Ingliss) bring out the worst in each other. The irony is that Marcello has just been lecturing her about not making love difficult. It is in Act IV that we get to witness the soft heart underneath the bristly exterior as she pawns her earrings to pay for a muff to satisfy Mimi's dying wish.

Mimi was portrayed by soprano Rachel Hippert who hit all the right notes both musically and dramatically. She was charmingly and shyly seductive in Act I, succeeding in getting Rodolfo to take her out for dinner whilst hinting about what might happen after dinner. In Act II, we see her in vivid contrast with the attention getting Musetta. In Act III, we see her overhearing the true reason for Rodolfo's rejection and realizing that death was not far away; the pair will make the best of a bad situation, staying together until Spring. In Act IV, we feel our heart break as she is brought to her friends' garret to die. We see the depth of her attachments and the pain of letting go. Puccini's music tells us and Ms. Hippert showed us.

As Rodolfo we heard tenor Jose Heredia in fine voice, granting us a tender but slightly boastful "Che gelida manina". He was particularly moving in Act III, at first blaming Mimi for the breakup but finally accepting responsibility for his fear of death. His acting revealed to us the major theme of the opera. It's a coming of age story in which a callow youth faces death and the loss of youthful invulnerability. The story was told so successfully that we have been pondering the fate of the other characters and what will happen to them as they outgrow their youthful self-obsession. Mimi's death will surely hasten their adulting.

The tragedy is lightened by some comic moments that were well realized. For example in Act I when baritone Daniel Chin recounts his very funny story of playing music for a parrot, his three flat-mates ignore him whilst devouring the food he has brought. (We, however, paid attention to his entertaining delivery.) The way in which the four young men manipulate their landlord is another amusing moment.  In Act II, there is humor in Musetta's control over her "patron" Alcindoro. Both the landlord Benoit and Alcindoro were performed by the marvelously funny Garry Giardino. In Act III there is humor in the over-the-top name calling of the battling Marcello and Musetta.

In Act IV, there is no humor but there is poignancy in Colline's farewell to the overcoat he is about to pawn to get medicine for the dying Mimi. The role was performed by Gennady Vysotsky.

So, Dear Reader, we got exactly what we wish for--a traditional production of one of our favorite operas, sensitively directed, uniformly well-sung with excellent musical values. We wish Manhattan had a nice mid-sized theater with an orchestra pit. The Center at West Park has the orchestra seated at ground level but the action takes place on an elevated stage. This must be a challenge for the singers and the conductor but the challenge was met. The set was minimal but with such fine singing and direction, our mind's eye filled it in.

© meche kroop

MUSIC 10 STORY 2

The Cast of Meyerbeer's Dinorah onstage at The Riverside Theater

Amore Opera's tenth anniversary season has been a raging success with a super delightful Così fan tutte-- and now the sold out production of Meyerbeer's pastoral opéra comique--Dinorah. Artistic and Stage Director Nathan Hull has fleshed out this silly story with talent so outstanding that we readily forgot the trivial story. Happily, it was treated respectfully, as it deserves. No irony here!

How trivial is this story you might ask? The individuals in a small community in Brittany seem happy with their shepherding and goatherding although they are held in bondage by their occult superstitions vying for attention with their religious superstitions. It is the one year anniversary of poor Dinorah's abandonment at the altar by her lover Hoël. She has gone mad.

Mr. Hull wisely presented the backstory in mime during the Overture.  Hoël had been seized by the evil spirit Tonyk, a character impressively danced by Nina Deacon in a wild costume befitting a sorceress. Hoël has been absent the  entire year whilst Dinorah has been wandering around in a daze searching for her pet goat Bella.

The slim storyline concerns Hoël's search for a treasure that he cannot touch. The first person to touch it must die and so the manipulative fellow tries to get the innocent timid bagpiper Corentin to accompany him and touch the treasure first.

Whilst they are approaching the treasure, Dinorah falls into the ravine and must be rescued. Hoël realizes that she herself is the treasure he wants, convinces her that her madness was just a dream, and weds her with full blessing of the community on their annual pilgrimage.

Meyerbeer initially intended a one-act opera and chose as his librettists the well-known Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. It was decided to expand the opera to three acts and he wrote the text himself. For this production, Mr. Hull wrote the dialogue in English, most of which was rather clearly spoken by the cast.

The opera premiered in 1859 and was a raging success until about a century ago when it disappeared from the repertory. Perhaps Richard Wagner's disparagement and anti-Semitism played their parts; perhaps opera goers lost interest in pastoral themed entertainment. In today's anxious and hi-tech environment, a pastoral comedy seemed just about perfect, witness the wide smiles on audience members exiting the theater.

Meyerbeer, largely responsible for creating French Grand Opera, must have enjoyed composing this playful work and lavished upon it endless melodic invention and unusual orchestral effects. One which particularly dazzled us was the music occurring around the dream revelation. Hannah Murphy's harp joined the string section for a tapestry of ethereal sound that would have been right at home in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

Standing out by virtue of her onstage charm and stratospherical extension was coloratura soprano Holly Flack. One could not have cast a better Dinorah than Ms. Flack whose instrument is gorgeous and judiciously employed to serve the character. Her performance of "Ombre légère", known as "The Shadow Song", took our breath away with such vocal fireworks that she made to appear easy.

As her off-again-on-again suitor, baritone Suchan Kim sang with full round tone and flowing French line; his remorse in "Ah! Mon remords te venge" was convincing and we were able to forgive his character for his prior distasteful behavior.

Tenor Juan Hernández provided comic relief as the bagpiper Corentin. He has a sweet sound and portrayed his character's timidity with success.

We enjoyed the scene in Act III in which we got to meet some of the countryfolk. Bass Kofi Hayford made a fine Hunter; tenor Daniel Foltz-Morrison sharpened and wielded his scythe in a manner that convinced us that he knew how to harvest. Sopranos Christa Dalmazio and Alyson Spina made a lovely pair of shepherdesses. 

Maestro Richard Cordova worked hard to bring together the occasionally ragged orchestra and succeeded rather well, especially when illuminating some of Meyerbeer's special moments. Although a quarter century had transpired since Donizetti wrote Lucia's mad scene with glass harmonica, Meyerbeer made such duets sound fresh and original. 

Corentin's bagpipe was imitated by clarinet in duet with Ms. Flack's vocal line. Mr. Kim's duet took place with trombone. The "Shadow Song" paired Ms. Flack's line with the flute. There was also a sensational duet between the two men in which syllables were bounced back and forth between the two of them. We don't think we have ever heard the like! We also enjoyed the brass chorale at the opening of Act III.

Thanks to French language coach Danielle Feaster, the French sounded just fine and easily understandable. Props to Susan Morton who provided a marvelous chorus. We never take that for granted!

Richard Cerullo's sets were simple and two-dimensional, suiting the storybook character of the plot. We wished that Duane Pagano's lighting had been up to its usual high standards. The lightning in the storm scene could have been better coordinated with the thunder in the pit! When characters mention how dark it is, we'd like the lighting to dim preceding the observation. Just one of our tiny quibbles!

The bottom line is that we had a marvelous time. We feel grateful to Amore Opera for their choice of this musical masterpiece. It's a great idea to switch between beloved favorites and neglected works that deserve a hearing. This earns Amore Opera a very special place in our heart and a special place on Planet Opera.

Coming up is Un Ballo in Maschera, opening May 24th. We don't often get to hear Verdi outside of The Metropolitan Opera. New York must be filled with young singers in the process of developing a larger instrument who can fill out the cast and get the roles under their belts.  Can't wait!

(c) meche kroop

FALSTAFF--BEST EVER

Molly Burke, Emily Skilling, Gerardo de la Torre, Nina Mutalifu, Maestro Richard Cordova, José Luis Maldonado, Maria Brea, Te Yu Huang, and John Kim

"It is with no small degree of embarrassment that we confess to not appreciating the charms of Verdi's final opera--not until tonight, that is.  Under the stewardship of Artistic Director Martina Arroyo, the program Prelude to Performance once again provided a matchless evening of entertainment, fun, and artistic merit to a delighted audience as well as performance opportunities to young singers at the cusp of major careers.  Now how does she do all this????

By doing what the Metropolitan Opera, with all its vast resources, cannot.  She hires the best talent in the business to coach and direct the young performers in a concentrated program; the ensemble feeling is evident from one moment to the next. "

The above is a quote from our review of Prelude to Performance's Falstaff ... from 2012, when we had just begun Voce di Meche.  Our opinion of last night's performance is no less enthusiastic. As a matter of fact, one aspect was even better! In the intervening six years we have come to appreciate the opera more and more, having enjoyed productions at Juilliard and at Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble. 

What distinguished last night's performance was the conducting of Maestro Richard Cordova. We were so impressed by his insightful and detailed reading of the score that we went backstage to speak with him. We learned that he studied the score long ago with Maestro Carlo Maria Giulini and it has remained one of his favorite scores. We heard features of the orchestration that we had never heard before, for example, the way the sound of the oboe and the English horn (Slava Znatchenii) knitted and purled around the quartet of female voices in the "laughing" ensemble. Verdi's late life masterpiece revealed similar features in generous measure from one moment to the next.

We have heard moments in Puccini's operas in which the orchestration imitated or underscored the onstage action, but this is the first time we heard it in Falstaff.  Our ears were opened to new insights! The superb musicians were provided by orchestra contractor Marc Szammer.

We began by mentioning our own learning experience but do not mean to shortchange the singers who were uniformly excellent. Falstaff can't work without a larger-than-life artist to portray the titular character and José Luis Maldonado more than filled the bill (and the costume). We think the last time we reviewed him we called him a beast onstage. Great artists need more than a great voice; they need a stage presence that pulls the audience right in and this he did. He was, in turn, arrogant, deceitful, pompous, entrapped, humiliated, and abashed.

The four women who plotted his humiliation were each superb, but together they were outstanding. Nina Mutalifu's Alice Ford was well paired with Molly Burke's Meg Page. As Mistress Quickly, Emily Skilling got to perform one of our favorite scenes, approaching the Fat Knight with ersatz politesse-- "Reverenza!"  This has been running through our head all night long.

In the role of Nanetta, Maria Brea made a fine showing. Her Fenton, Te Yu Huang, stepped into the role at the last minute and truly rose to the occasion.  If it were difficult for Ms. Brea to accommodate to a new Fenton, she did not show it. The pair provided "romantic relief".

And for comic relief we had John Kim as Bardolfo and Christopher Nazarian as Pistola, who created wonderfully funny characters without sacrificing fine singing.

Gerardo de la Torre made a fine Ford and delivered his aria with fine voice and style, earning a big hand. Kyuyoung Lee created a different kind of character, the ridiculous figure of Dr. Caius to whom Ford plans to marry off his daughter.

Ian Campbell's direction was first rate and happily kept the action in the time period and place in which it belongs. We really liked the way he handled the final scene in a somewhat understated manner; it is usually overdone. 

Charles R. Caine designed the opulent and period accurate costumes which we believe we remember from the production of 2012. Steven Horak's wigs and makeup were well suited to the cast.

Sets were simple and augmented by projections on the rear wall, for which no one was credited in the program, but Dante Olivia Smith's lighting worked well.

The excellent chorus was conducted by Assistant Conductor Noby Ishida.

In sum, we can't remember having a better time at this opera than we did last night. We don't need "concept". All we need is a coherent production with great voices and orchestral clarity. We left Kaye Playhouse sort of dancing down 68th St.

(c) meche kroop