NAUMBURG AND WAGNER HONORING EACH OTHER

 Erin Wagner

(photo by Jiyang Chen)

In a world in which artistic organizations come and go, in which artistic missions are altered to suit changing tastes, and in which new institutions are mere flashes in the proverbial pan, it is reassuring to know that Naumburg Orchestral Concerts has been providing free outdoor concerts for New York City concert goers for a record 121 years! This is the oldest free concert series in the world! 

That inclement weather drove Monday night's concert indoors took nothing away from the experience. St. Mary's church in the Theater District is not only capacious but visually artistic. The space was filled to capacity and a large clutch of disappointed would be audience members were sadly left outdoors.

And what a concert they missed! This was not  the first time that the venerable Orchestra of St.Luke's was invited to perform at the Naumburg Concerts and it was a most fortunate choice. Under the baton of Maestro Brad Lubman, a program of Mozart works was scheduled, offering works from his teenage years all the way through to his mature works.They were perfectly suited to the outdoor venue of the Naumberg Bandshell in Central Park but, by virtue of some superb performances, survived the steamy atmosphere inside the church whilst nasty thunderstorms raged outside. 

The Naumburg Concerts historically presented vocal music at a time when opera was all the rage. To our delight, that tradition was preserved at this performance by the welcome presence of Erin Wagner, a singer we much admire and whose career we have documented from her undergraduate days at Manhattan School of Music, through her winning of multiple competitions. 

 Five years ago, Ms. Wagner won the Walter Naumburg International Competition. Listed on the program as a mezzo-soprano, a fach by which we know her, we were puzzled as soon as we opened the program. Her selection of Mozart arias did not include the expected "Parto, Parto" but did include the moving "Porgi amor" from Nozze di Figaro!

We managed to find Ms. Wagner backstage during intermission and heard the news from her directly. There is a change of fach in progress and we are totally on board with it.  Without benefit of costume or set, Ms. Wagner conveyed the pensive and pleading tone of the abandoned Countess Almaviva from Nozze di Figaro with all the artistic subtlety the aria demands. Cherubino's aria "Voi che sapete" was delivered with totally different coloration, just as one might expect from a hormonal youth. Both characters are lovelorn but in different ways.

By contrast, "Tutte nel cor vi sento"  from Idomeneo is an expression of  Elettra's jealous rage, all of which came through loud and clear.  It was illuminating to hear the artist create three different characters in three different situations. Several  concert arias completed the set and the artist graciously acceded to the audience's demands for an encore.

The remainder of the program showed the range of Mozart's talent from his teenage forays Divertimento in D Major, K 136 and Symphony No. 21 in A major, K. 134 to his mature Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525 of l787 which was our favorite instrumental work on the program. We certainly got the point that Mozart was a master of the sonata-allegro form but the final piece showed off his melodic mastery and left us humming the tunes,a situation which regular readers know is one of the things we most appreciate about music.

We wondered how many  people in the audience were aware of the energetic fight to preserve the Naumburg Bandshell from demolition several decades ago. Fortunately Elkan Naumburg's plan to democratize musical performance has been preserved. The story is well worth your attention, not only the story of the building of the bandshell and its history but also the story of the initiator of the concert series and the involvement of his family.

 There are even connections  with Walter Damrosch and Marcella Sembrich whose vocal foundation has benefitted so many young singers. Even the story of the architecture of the Naumburg bandshell is fascinating. Indeed we are happy that it was preserved!

© meche kroop

COMEDY TONIGHT TIMES TWO

    

Marc Martinez, Colin Safley, Angela Scorese, Yong Hoon Lee, Victor Jaquez, and Melissa Perry

Lately we have been mourning the loss of the many small opera companies that we wrote about B.C. (before Covid). So, Dear Reader, imagine how excited we felt when learning about a new company. Perhaps the drought is over! It takes courage to plunge into the scene and Director Natan Zamansky seems to have gotten things off to a good start with Opera Picciona.

We thought the name of the company might have been a paradoxical neologism derived from the Italian word for small (piccolo) given a contradictory  ending that suggests grand size. Or was it named for the New York City bird we love and hate--the pigeon?  No matter!  Mr. Zamansky has avoided the trap of presenting grand opera on a diminutive scale, drawing unhelpful comparisons from his audience. Instead, he has chosen two complementary one-act operas of a lighthearted nature, operas that many have not seen/heard before.

Bastien und Bastienne, Mozart's early attempt at opera, written as a pubertal 12-year-old (and what's YOUR 12-year-old up to?) is a comedy in the sense that it has a happy ending whilst Jacques Offenbach's early operetta Le 66 is, under Mr. Zamansky's direction, laugh-out-loud funny.

The Mozart piece served as opener and the cast of three tackled their parts with relish. The story is a simple one in which a couple is reunited after a period of estrangement. There is a great deal of pretense between Bastien, the shepherd with a roving eye (tenor Yong Hoon Lee) and his sweetheart Bastienne, a rather innocent and lovelorn shepherdess (soprano Melissa Perry).  This pretense would be as familiar today as it was in the 18th century. A "sorcerer", actually a wise older fellow named Colas (bass Victor Jaquez), counsels the young lady to pretend indifference to win over her erstwhile lover.  After much pretense, the lad rises to the occasion and, to quote the Bard, "All's Well That Ends Well". 

There is nothing original in that story but Mozart's charming music and some fine vocalism made for a pleasant hour. Additionally, Mr. Jaquez' comic antics overcame the challenging staging in which "offstage" was achieved by singers hiding behind two black screens, since there was no place to go in the otherwise satisfactory performing area.  The acting during the musical numbers was fine but we wished for a bit more stage business during the "downtime".

There were no such lulls in the Offenbach which followed after the intermission. Perhaps Mr. Zamansky devoted more directorial effort to a work that generated genuine laughs. He had at his disposal a trio of singers who not only sang well but who also evinced an understanding of comic timing, making use of both facial expression and bodily gesture.

The story, although not as timely as the Mozart romance, concerns a couple hiking through the Austrian alps.  Grittly (soprano Angela Scorese) and Frantz (tenor Mark Martinez) are working their way through the alps by singing and playing their guitars (in this case, ukuleles) on their way to Strasbourg to console Grittly's sister who is grieving her husband's death. A dramatic device of an upside down lottery ticket leads to some laugh-out-loud situations with a peddler (baritone Colin Safley), some funny costume changes, some tension between the two wandering minstrels, and a deus ex machina ending that leaves everyone happy.

The story is just as silly as other Offenbach operettas but it provided the opportunity for some charming duets and trios, some Bob Fosse-like choreography, and the clever repurposing of some boxes to create the illusion of mountaineering.

No one is credited with costuming or props but creativity can compensate for lack of resources and so it did. We value good singing over lavish scenery and professional costuming.

As enjoyable as the singing was the performance of the score by an octet of musicians, half strings and half winds. Music Director Eric Peterson provided fine background for the singing.

The spoken dialogue in Mozart's singspiel and Offenbach's operette were easily understood by those of us who are familiar with German and French and for those who were not, projected titles were legible, unlike those of other recent performances we have attended.

Before closing we would like to point out the excellence of the Director's Notes, a sample of which were in the printed program and the more elaborate comments which were available electronically. No arrogant justifications for directorial narcissism, just academically interesting information that made for some good reading.

If you are unable to snag tickets for the rest of the run, at least you can consider yourselves advised to watch out for Opera Picciona's next venture. We certainly will!

© meche kroop

 

COSI FAN WHAT?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

© meche kroop
 

THE DON DONE IN

Suchan Kim, Maestro Teddy Poll, Brace Negron, Sarah Hayashi, Jesus Murillo, Pavel Suliandziga, and Laura León
(Liana Guberman and Paul An not visible)

We have lost count of the number of times we have seen Mozart's meisterwerk Don Giovanni; this year alone we have seen it at least 4-5 times. We never tire of it; the marriage of Mozart's music and Da Ponte's libretto always makes for a great evening--but only if the singing is superb. Bare Opera assembled a stellar group of singers for their current production and we would expect no less of this exemplary company in their fifth season. There was no one onstage who didn't give their all.

Directors always look for something new to say about the reprobate Don--the pussy grabbing predator who uses his position of power to seduce or overcome women, a sociopathic narcissist who has no awareness of other people's feelings, one who will readily betray those who are dumb enough to fall under his spell. If this sounds familiar and relevant to you, dear reader, please know that it does to us as well.

Taking for granted that the performances were uniformly excellent from both dramatic and vocal standpoints, let us take a look at what Stage Director Malena Dayen added to our understanding of the story. Her Don was almost completely lacking in charm; baritone Suchan Kim (a very nice man--trust us on this point) was obliged to search for an inner demon to come up with such a nasty portrayal. Our only opportunity to hear the gentle colors of his beautiful instrument was in the serenade "Deh, vieni alla finestra".

Donna Anna (the splendid soprano Laura León) was the Don's victim-- excuse me, she was a "survivor" in today's parlance--and there was not a whiff of disdain for the loyal Don Ottavio (tenorrific Pavel Suliandziga) who evinced strength of character in place of the usual wimpiness. We have no doubt he will stand by his beloved until her grief abates and they will wed.

Zerlina (portrayed by the winsome Sarah Hayashi) is rather narcissistic herself, wanting to have her cake and eat it too, manipulating the poor Masetto (the excellent Jesus Murillo) who is understandably angry but just as enthralled by her as Donna Elvira is by Don Giovanni, and just as ready to forgive--an interesting parallel.

In this production, Donna Elvira is not a source of amusement but one of those women who just cannot give up on her desire to reform a "bad boy". Soprano Liana Guberman in the role showed a wide range of emotions from rage to forgiveness. We get it. She is complicit in her own misery which we see a lot in women who are taken in by sociopathic men. The vocalism was as fine as the acting.

Bass Brace Negron did a swell job creating the role of Leporello and demonstrated how flunkies can be bought by an artful and deceitful leader. So much of this story resonates with the current political climate.

Paul An made a brief appearance as the Commendatore trying to protect his daughter's honor and later as the statue who invites the Don to dinner in Hell.

There were directorial touches that we liked a lot. Our favorite one found Don Giovanni seducing Zerlina in a partner changing dance that was choreographed by Troy Ogilvie with Emily Morrison's assist.

There were a few minor lapses as well. Changing the duel between Don Giovanni and the Commendatore into the Don stabbing the Commendatore in the back emphasized his evil nature but gave the lie to Donna Anna's anguish about the wound in her father's breast.

Also, if the text involves calling someone over, it seems strange if they are already there. And to say someone has fallen when they are still standing is likewise a minor flaw. But we notice the little things; just can't help it.

There were several omissions or cuts that kept the story moving along without comic relief. We rarely see the scene between Zerlina and Leporello and did not miss it but we must admit that we missed the final scene in which the Don is dining and teasing Leporello who is sneaking food behind his back. We also missed the epilogue in which the moral of the story is reiterated.

In terms of musical values, it seemed criminal to omit "Il mio tesoro" with such a terrific tenor as Mr. Suliandziga on board. Yes, we know that Mozart himself revised his own work to suit the artists available and that only strengthens our case.

Under the direction of Maestro Teddy Poll, the chamber orchestra (string quartet plus bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn with Laetitia Ruccolo performing the piano part) sounded just right except for the ballroom scene in which there are three types of dance music played simultaneously. There just wasn't enough "manpower" to pull that off.

The major innovation brought by Ms. Dayen was the use of video projections designed by Sangmin Chae. This is an interesting idea to replace sets with video but the results were mixed. The offstage rape scene is always difficult to accept; what woman pursues her would be rapist???? But the video projections during the overture did not do much to illuminate the event. We saw a distorted face and maybe some hands choking a neck.

At one point something was projected that looked vaguely like an apple. We found much of this distracting and puzzling. Our companion kept looking at us and shrugging and peppered us during the intermission with questions we couldn't answer.

The projection of the Commendatore's face in the final scene was projected as an old fashioned "negative" with white and black reversed.  It just looked like an ugly mask. And there was a delay between the sound and the visuals that just looked like bad lip-syncing. The presence of the videographers on set and next to the orchestra was distracting and audience members kept twisting around in their chairs.

The work was performed in a large empty space with the audience seated on two opposing sides in two rows, an arrangement providing a sense of intimacy with the story. One minor improvement of such an arrangement might be to angle the chairs a bit toward the center. This is the same problem we observe at the New York Philharmonic in the levels above the orchestra, as well as the side boxes at the Metropolitan Opera House.  Just sayin'.

Costumes by Theresa Miles were completely off base and Donna Elvira's was completely unflattering. The only distinguishing feature of the aristocratic women was the headdress--you know, the comb with a mantilla. It seems important to us to mark the difference between the aristocrats and the peasants. A sense of time and place was lacking.

Before we close we would like to acknowledge the contributions of the ensemble: Estelina Syla, Folei Browne, Sarah Blau, Pedro Sequera, Zachary Sebek, and Sanford Leff.

There is only one more performance today and, as of last night, only two seats remaining. Will you be the lucky one?

© meche kroop

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

HIGH DRAMA!

Pavel Nersessian and Katrin Bulke

What makes a great recital?  Of course, one wants to listen to a voice that stirs us; a close partnership between singer and collaborative pianist is essential; and there is also the matter of the program. Sometimes a great singer can give us pleasure even when singing material that is not to our taste; but when a singer we love sings songs that we love, we are over the moon.

Last night at St. John's in the Village, soprano Katrin Bulke, in partnership with pianist Pavel Nersessian, put us well over the moon in a program we couldn't have enjoyed more if we had chosen it ourself. Ms.Bulke has appeared a number of times in our reviews so it would be redundant to describe her impressively clarion tone, musical phrasing, and impeccable linguistic ability.

So, let us focus now on the dramatic interpretation. Schubert's songs are like mini operas.  Take for example "Die Forelle" in which there are three characters which the singer can bring to life: the titular trout, the predatory fisherman, and the observer who seems sympathetic to the poor deceived fish. Listening to the perfect marriage between Schubert's music and Schubart's text, sung as only a native speaker of German can, we felt at one with the observer standing on the bank of a river.

Similarly, "Gretchen am Spinnrade", Goethe's tale of a deceived woman,  reminded us of every woman who's ever been ghosted-- filled with despair at one moment but also ecstasy in the memory of a lost love. Schubert's music kept the spinning wheel spinning and Ms. Bulke gave us every emotion of the poor girl. In this lied, one can almost hear what came before and what will come after.

In "Auf dem Wasser zu singen", the metaphor of the boat gliding over the water stands for the soul and whilst Ms. Bulke's voice floated above the piano line, we thought of the transitory nature of life.

Mozart's concert aria "Vorrei spiegarvi, O Dio!" is made devilishly difficult by unbelievably wide upward skips into the vocal stratosphere; it was in no way  daunting for the intrepid Ms. Bulke. The aria sounds as if it came from an opera and it did, but not from one by Mozart. It was an "insertion aria" for an opera by Pasquale Anfossi. It predated Mozart's Die Zauberflöte by several years and shares some of the challenges he would pose in the arias for the Queen of the Night.

Ms. Bulke's operatic interpretations are as artistic as those for lieder. We were so enthralled with "Ah, non credea mirarti" from Bellini's La Sonnambula that we recorded it on our cell phone and posted it to Instagram where you can watch and listen to the dramatic artistry for yourself (IG: vocedimeche). You may also find it on our personal FB page (meche kroop).

Of course, there is no more dramatic scena than Violetta's Act I excursion into female ambivalence. "Girls just want to have fun" does battle with the possibility of true love. Every emotion was limned from recitativo to aria to cabaletta. We would gladly have heard it repeated.

Ms. Bulke's talent for lighthearted fun was exhibited in the encore--"Mein Herr Marquis", otherwise known as Adele's "Laughing Song" from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus; in this aria, Adele in disguise tweaks her employer who is also in disguise.

Ms. Bulke's dramatic artistry utilizes not just vocal coloration but the generous use of gesture and facial expression. The overall effect is deliciously involving.

We have nothing but praise for the fine supportive accompaniment by Pavel Nersessian. Still, it took a few piano solos for us to appreciate his versatility. It's been some time since we failed to master Schubert's Impromptus so we were thrilled to hear them the way they are meant to be played. Mr. Nersessian's hands are soft on the keys with fleet fingers. Schubert seems to like arpeggi in one hand and melody in the other with roles exchanged readily. We particularly enjoyed #4 which totally defeated us in spite of significant labor; Mr. Nersessian made it seem easy. The several sections are varied and the overall effect was profound.

The #2 from the same op.90 has a great deal of filigree and Mr. Nersessian succeeded in bringing out the melody. He also played a few pleasing works by Georges Bizet.

We walked on air for the rest of the night! 

This concert was sponsored by Get Classical and The Foundation of the Revival of Classical Culture.

(c) meche kroop

INFIDELITY AND BETRAYAL

Amanda Majeski, Jarrett Ott, Rod Gilfry, Ben Bliss, and Emily D'Angelo
(Photo by Ken Howard for Santa Fe Opera)

It was at the tail end of the Enlightenment when Mozart and Da Ponte created their puzzling masterpiece Cosi fan tutte, puzzling because it has one foot in comedy and the other in tragedy. It must have scandalized the opera-going public at that time. As late as the 20th c. audiences might have understood the shame experienced by cheating fiancées; but 21st century morality has changed and partner swapping no longer shocks or shames.

Given Mozart's marvelous music and an attractive young cast, we expected a captivating telling of the tale, especially since we have previously enjoyed the fresh takes on Händel's operas provided by Stage Director R.B. Schlather. To say we were disappointed would be a gross understatement; in fact we were appalled by this meretricious production.

We frequently closed our eyes during the "important" arias so we could focus on the glorious voices. It was indeed a casting coup to have engaged these artists who were excellent vocally and who worked well as an ensemble, apparently doing their best to give Mr. Schlather what he wanted.

Tenor Ben Bliss, possessor of a gorgeous instrument, could have melted anyone's heart with his "Un'aura amorosa". His voice has expanded in the past couple of years without losing any of its tonal luster. It was amazing that Fiordiligi could hold out for so long!

Baritone Jarrett Ott has a compelling stage presence and sings with baritonal beauty that was never lost in this low lying tessitura. Mozart did not give him a memorable aria but "Non siate ritrosi" was given a fine delivery. He was memorable in his seduction of Dorabella.

The role of Dorabella was performed by the excellent young mezzo-soprano Emily D'Angelo who possesses an instrument of distinctive texture. We particularly enjoyed her performance of "Smanie implacabili" for its gorgeous vocalism and over-the-top dramatics.

The soprano role of Fiordiligi was performed by Amanda Majeski who readily conquered the wide skips of the showpiece aria "Come scoglio".  However we were distressed by a hard edge in her voice that sounded shrill. In duets and ensembles this feature created an unpleasant imbalance in the harmonies. Also, her ornamentation could have been crisper in its articulation.

Baritone Rod Gilfry is always a welcome presence, even when he portrays un unlikeable character like Don Alfonso. How can one like an older man who treats his young friends as puppets to play with!  We call him guilty of entrapment.

Soprano Tracy Dahl got a lot of laughs as Despina and we loved the particular timbre of her high soprano. It was particularly funny that her height brought her barely to the shoulders of the other artists. "Una donna a quindici anni" was given plenty of sass.

We always enjoy Mozart's duets and ensembles, especially "Soave sia il vento". The esteemed conductor Maestro Harry Bicket led the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra in a lively reading of the score, also giving the lyrical moments plenty of space.

We also noticed that moments of comedy were enhanced by leaving an extra beat of silence right before a humorous line. We don't know whether Mo. Bicket or Mr. Shlather was responsible for this but it worked well.

Now, about the production--we found it illogical, incomprehensible, and just plain ugly. It would take forever to relate every single instance of directorial waywardness but let us name a few. In Act I, all four of the young lovers were directed to move jerkily around the stage, roll on the floor, fight, and bounce off the walls. 

Despina has a magic wand to "heal" the poisoned "Albanians" (who in this case were silver-clad cowboys) and appears to use it to advance Don Alfonso's machinations. If "magic" is involved, it undercuts the theme of human foibles and succumbing to the pull of romantic variety. In this production the women can't really take responsibility for their lapses although they do feel shame.

The final scene was particularly confusing. Don Alfonso makes all four young lovers kneel as if preparing for an ISIS beheading; then he pours water or some other liquid on their heads. 

Characters were often onstage when they were not supposed to be. Don Alfonso had no justification for announcing the return of the fiancés just when everyone was partially deshabillé.

Terese Waddens' costume design furthered the confusion. The young men first appear in what seems to be tennis whites, as do the young women. The men then appear dressed as cowboys, so that when they next appear as the "Albanians" the only apparent difference is that their moustaches are gone. This makes it even more preposterous that the ladies don't recognize their fiancés.

Despina is costumed in an unflattering housedress and later in a spangled evening gown that harmonizes with those of her employers robbing her of her special role in the plot. No attempt was made to convince anyone that she was a notary or a doctor.

Dorabella at first looks very feminine with long hair. Toward the end she appears wearing a man's suit and very short hair. Why?

Paul Tate De Poo III's minimalistic set design was similarly ill advised. Flat architectural elements had square spaces cut out of them through which characters emerged in somersaults or fell through. The floor had a similar square hole through which characters emerged or descended. None of these movements served the plot. There were no props except for Despina's magic wand.

Perhaps Mr. De Poo and Ms. Wadden were just giving Mr. Schlather what he wanted, just like the singers. But the overall effect added nothing to our understanding of the characters. We speculate that Mr. Schlather wanted his audience to focus on the psychology of the characters and the emotional effects of their interaction. This is not the way to do it!

When we see a production that honors the intent of the librettist and composer and is given a specific context of time and place, we in the audience do the work of finding parallels with our own time and place, as well as differences. It gives us a feeling of participation and a sense of understanding of our place in history.

On the other hand, a barren production like this one was devoid of context. Such abstraction leaves us feeling alienated and disconnected, when we should be identifying with the characters and caring about their destinies.

So...Mozart 10: Schlather 2!  It was the production which was guilty of infidelity and the audience which was betrayed!

(c) meche kroop

 

THIS FLUTE'S A HOOT!

Aaron Blake, Ashley Milanese, Karolina Gumos, Ezgi Kutlu, and Evan Hughes
(photo by Stephanie Berger for Lincoln Center)

We avoid reading reviews, talking to other people, and perusing the program notes before a performance so that we can experience each opera with fresh eyes and ears, uninfluenced by the opinions of others. Last night, thanks to the Mostly Mozart Festival, we were thoroughly enchanted by a revolutionary approach to Mozart's 1797 singspiel Die Zauberflöte. We do not use the word "enchanted" lightly. We were transported to a new world, an amalgam of silent film tropes, cartoons, scientific illustrations, live action, animation, and projections.

May we coin a term here?  "Imaginuity" might serve. This remarkable production was conceived by the entity 1927  from which Suzanne Andrade and Barrie Kosky Co-Directed, with animation designed by Paul Barritt. Esther Bialas was responsible for Stage and Costume Design and Diego Leetz designed the lighting. It was our first time witnessing live artists interacting with surreal projections. Welcome to the future!

Since opera is all about music, let us begin with that aspect. Maestro Louis Langrée conducted the superb Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra with suitable panache. If there were folks in the audience who had never been exposed to Mozart's music, as unlikely as that is, they were surely won over.

The singing was topnotch all around, although there were moments when we thought the voices were lightly amplified. We first heard bass-baritone Evan Hughes at Juilliard Opera in 2012 as Don Alfonso in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte; we wrote about him often over the next couple years, remarking on his mobile face and flair for comedy. 

Since then, he has made quite a name for himself abroad so it was particularly exciting for us to see and hear him once more after this lengthy interval. One couldn't ask for a better performance. With costuming and body movement reminiscent of Buster Keaton, he cut quite a figure. His sonorous voice has only gotten deeper and broader. He remains an astonishing performer.

Tenor Aaron Blake has been on our radar for about six years since winning an award with the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation. The performances that most stick in our mind are his singing Schubert's "Erlkönig" with impressive coloring of the various voices and his performance of the lead role in Gregory Spears' Fellow Traveler.

Last night he made a winning Tamino, singing earnestly and sweetly. We might add that we would never have recognized either of these two highly admired gentlemen behind all that makeup!

His Pamina was performed by the adorable soprano Vera-Lotte Böckert who was costumed to appear very much like Louise Brooks in a black bob and a black dress with large white collar, white stockings, and black Mary Jane shoes. She invested the role with fine singing and acting, a worthy counterpart to her Prince Tamino.

What shall we say about the Queen of the Night? She was portrayed as a spider catching the unwary in her web and stabbing at them with her 8 spindly legs. It wasn't until the curtain call that we were able to see her face and body. It was hard to believe that all that exciting sound came out of the tiny person of coloratura soprano Aleksandra Olczyk; she has a thrilling sound and very accurate fioritura.

We have never cared for the role of the pompous Sarastro but last night we very much enjoyed him, as portrayed by Wenwei Zhang whose voice descends into the very bottom of the register without any loss of volume or color.

We adored the the Three Ladies, as performed by Ashley Milanese, Karolina Gumos, and Ezgi Kutlu--dressed in 1930's finery. We always love the scene in which they fight over Prince Tamino; last night they were accompanied by animated hearts; long cigarette holders were used to puncture and deflate the hearts of the other two.

Papagena was played by Talya Lieberman who didn't have much to do but was depicted as filling an animated house with dozens of animated "Papageni". She never appeared as an old crone to fool Papageno. We don't know why that scene was cut.

Costumed and made up like Nosferatu, Johannes Dunz made a creepy Monostatos. We noted that the same audience that tittered over Mozart's sexism had no reaction to his racism!

Although their names are not credited in the program, the Three Boys, members of the Tölzer Boys Choir, were adorable and harmonized beautifully.

In many of the scenes, faces were visible through holes and bodies were created in some kind of projected animation. We have no idea how this was accomplished and didn't even try to figure it out. It was more fun to just accept this aesthetic as a fantasy world in which pink elephants lounged in martini glasses, elevators descended through the circles of hell in the Trial by Fire, and chubby little bathing beauties represented Papageno's magic bells.

We could go on and on describing the many sight gags but let us share just a few more. Tamino gets swallowed by the dragon and is depicted in the belly of the beast surrounded by lots of bones; the Queen of the Night hurls red daggers at Pamina when she wants her to kill Sarastro; when Papagena counts to three before committing suicide, the animation plays a game of "hangman" with each number accompanied by additional strokes.

Dialogue was mostly replaced by silent movie titles. Music was interpolated from other works by Mozart, although at one point we heard music that didn't sound like Mozart at all. All of these alterations served the telling of the tale and we'd like to think that Wolfgang Amadeus would have loved it.

It is difficult to describe something so visually fluid but we consider it a ground-breaking work in the same way as Disney's Fantasia was in the last century. We will happily attend any future performances by 1927. Our sole disappointment  was that there were hardly any children in the audience! If any production could initiate youngsters into the world of opera, it would be this one.

(c) meche kroop

A DIFFERENT "MOSTLY MOZART"

Charles Gray, Jennifer Zamorano, Allegra Durante, Hannah Madeleine Goodman, and David Serero

Opera fanatics might have gotten their knickers in a twist at last night's production of Mozart's Nozze di Figaro but everyone else, ourself included, had a grand time. Gone were the lengthy intermissions, missing were a few characters, and lengthy recitativi were replaced by English dialogue that advanced the action. We are happy to report that most of the major arias were retained, giving us the opportunity to appreciate some fine singing.

This adaptation was written and directed by baritone David Serero, a larger-than-life character with a larger-than-life personality. Mr. Serero himself took on the part of Figaro and played to the (nonexistent) balcony. If we had been at the Met, his voice would have reached the Family Circle and his acting would have successfully limned his character to the audience thereof.

Mr. Serero likes to put his own spin on things and the dialogue he wrote was peppered with Yiddish expressions. A mysterious figure appeared from the wings at one point, accompanied by a theme from the film The Godfather. This presence represented the sneaky Don Basilio; a photo of this character (actually Mr. Serero with a mobster accent and mafioso costume) can be seen in the carousel of photos on our Facebook page (called Voce di Meche). At another point, Charles Gray's Count Almaviva appeared dressed as Darth Vader, accompanied by appropriate music. That's one way to threaten a wife!

At another point Mr. Serero interpolated the "Figaro Aria" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Forget the "fourth wall". Mr. Serero does everything he can to engage the audience and they all adore him; they even sang along at his bidding. A Tom and Jerry cartoon of this aria was projected and reminded us of our very earliest exposure to opera.

If this sounds like your cup of borscht, we urge you to go and have a good time. Make sure you bring an opera "noobie". The one we invited had a swell time.  Not only will you have a great time but you will hear some fine voices.

As the sprightly Susanna, we heard Hannah Madeleine Goodman who was completely convincing as the practical problem-solver, a fine match for her Figaro. She deftly illustrated quite different responses to her beloved fiancé and toward the importuning Count. In what would have been Act IV, her "Deh vieni, non tardar" was beautifully rendered and quite moving, by virtue of some exquisite dynamics.

As the neglected Countess Almaviva, Jennifer Zamorano made her entrance in sunglasses and shopping bags. It was easy to accept her as a woman of dignity, reduced to seeking help from her servant Susanna.  She shone in both arias--"Porgi amor" and "Dove sono", eliciting compassion in the midst of all that hilarity. Her instrument has a lovely vibrato and opens up beautifully in the upper register.

Equally convincing was the Cherubino of Allegra Durante who did justice to both of her arias "Non so piu" and "Voi che sapete". The scene in which the Countess and Susanna dress Cherubino up as a girl wound up on the cutting room floor, along with Marcellina, Dr. Bartolo, and Barbarina. It seems to us to be quite a challenge to retain the thread of the story whilst eliminating all the subplots--but it worked just fine.

As Almaviva, Charles Gray also evinced a different relationship with Susanna and with his wife. He sported a cockeyed white perriwig and satin coat. It was interesting that the male characters were in period dress whilst the female characters were in contemporary attire. Notes to the Count were handled by text with appropriate sound effects, bringing this costume drama right into the 21st c. and adding to the general merriment.

There was no set to speak of but projections sufficed to establish the setting.

The piano score was well played by composer Felix Jarrar who switched readily from Mozart to cinematic score.

Once more, Mr. Serero has done his part in bringing opera to new audiences with his creative slant. This production was held in the comfortable theater of the Center for Jewish History and was presented by The American Sephardi Federation which generously supports these works. He shared with the audience information about Lorenzo Da Ponte, who was Jewish. He related how Da Ponte brought opera to New York City--a tale which was well told by Divaria Productions which we reviewed in May of 2018; it can be read at this link if you are interested. http://www.vocedimeche.reviews/2018/05/don-giovanni-in-new-york.html

There will be a couple additional performances and we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity for some hearty laughter.

We are looking forward to the production of Anne, a musical about Anne Frank which will take place in September.

(c) meche kroop

A DUO OF DONS

Xiaomeng Zhang and Erik van Heyningen (Photo by Richard Termine)

Maritina Tampakopoulos, Gregory Feldmann, Jessica Niles, Hubert Zapiór, Erik van Heyningen,
Meghan Kasanders, and James Ley (photo by Richard Termine)

Mozart's 1787 masterpiece Don Giovanni was perfectly cast and magnificently performed by graduate students of the Juilliard Vocal Arts Department. One could not enjoy better performances on any of the world stages!

If you wanted an appreciation of baritone Hubert Zapiór's ability to create a complex character--an astute portrayal of sociopathic narcissism-- you would have three hours to do so. If you wanted an appreciation of his gorgeous instrument and the skills with which he employs it, you would have had to wait for his "Champagne aria" in Act I and his romantic serenade in Act II-- "Deh vieni alla finestra" which was accompanied by an onstage mandolin, played by George Meyer. It was our favorite moment of the evening, mainly because we love Mr. Zapiór's voice.

We will return on Friday night to see the Don of Xiaomeng Zhang and append the review.  Keep reading!

The main feature of sociopathic narcissists is how sensitively they can suss out the desires of their prey and to charm their way into that place. However, this type of character is only interested in his/her own advantage and hasn't a care for the well being of the chosen victim. These features were successfully enacted in Mr. Zapiór's performance.

And what about his victims? Soprano Meghan Kasanders sang with full open tone that rose to the heights and created a believable character--the aristocratic Donna Anna who is shocked to learn that her would-be rapist and the slayer of her father (Il Commendatore) is fellow aristocrat Don Giovanni. Ms. Kasanders delivery of the difficult arias "Or sai chi l'onore" and "Non mi dir" could not have been better. We believed her sincerity.

Due to the consistency of his interpretation in the role of Don Ottavio, tenor James Ley projected feelings of strength as her supportive suitor. This was not the wimpy Don Ottavio that comes across as easily dismissible; oh no, this was a big-hearted and dependable fellow, and one who could dispatch both of his difficult arias ("Dalla sua pace" and "Il mio tesoro") with ease. This tended to shift the balance in his relationship with Donna Anna. We sensed a different and more satisfying direction in their future; we believed that she would come around and marry him!

The Donna Elvira of Maritina Tampakopoulos was not someone we could laugh at. Her love for Don Giovanni was not crazy, just misguided. The strength of her soprano lent verisimilitude to the characterization. The difficult "Mi tradi" was colored with more than anger and we realize that her character is more complex than we had thought. All those wild skips suggest characterological imbalance but we experienced them as the battle between love and rage, fire and ire.

Zerlina was well realized by soprano Jessica Niles; her character has a touch of narcissism as well, in her willingness to betray the feelings of her husband on their wedding day. In the role of Masetto, baritone Gregory Feldmann was believable as the poor guy who is not too effective in controlling his errant spouse. The scenes of the two of them together involved every possible emotion between two spouses--love, possessiveness, protectiveness, anger, and forgiveness. 

We have a great big cheer for the Leporello of bass-baritone Erik van Heyningen. In this role, everyone waits for the "Catalog Aria"; as good as it was, we took in his entire performance and were impressed by his comedic skills. He made a perfect foil for Don Giovanni who seemed humorless; most of the funny moments in the opera belong to him and he made the most of them. We think Mr. van Heyningen owns this role!

Although he doesn't have as much to sing as the other characters, bass William Guanbo Su made a huge impact as Il Commendatore with his forceful stage presence and deeply resonant instrument.

We noticed that all the artists were more than usually expressive in their gestures as well as in their voices. No movement was wasted and each one seemed connected to what they were singing about--or the subtext. If director Emma Griffin is responsible for this, we give her credit.

However, we found fault with the production as a whole. Clearly Ms. Griffin had some "concept" in mind, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the story or Lorenzo Da Ponte's libretto. We enjoyed her direction of Cunning Little Vixen and of Les mamelles di Tirésias (both at Juilliard) so we were terribly disappointed with this illogical and confusing betrayal of the story.

It would take more space than we have to outline all the misjudged directorial decisions but the major one is that all sense of place, period, and class structure were lost. Don Giovanni first appears in a fencing mask and several chorus members were periodically onstage in full fencing gear and even escorted a dead but vertical Il Commendatore offstage.

The opera ends with Don Giovanni being waterboarded or drowned in a fish tank!  He emerges to join in the final ensemble making us wonder if that is meant to be a ghost since none of the other characters seem to see him. But if that's the case, how can he drag Donna Anna offstage by the hair?

In between were dozens of similar inconsistencies, lapses, and anachronisms. If the libretto mentions peasants who are friends of the wedding couple, we want to see peasants in their Sunday best, not kids in gym clothes. If the libretto mentions Don Giovanni wearing a cloak, we want to see a cloak. And why were people taking off their shoes and performing barefoot? What were the modern dancers and fencers doing in the ballroom scene?

There was no set to speak of although Laura Jellinek was listed as "Scenic Designer". There was a fussily patterned backdrop with two doors through which characters came and went without any sense of origin or destination. Occasionally a chair appeared but mostly characters were obliged to sit on the floor. In Act II the small playing area was opened up to include the entire stage with a fish tank way upstage. This was distracting throughout the act but just risible when it was put to use.

Olivera Gajic's costumes were colorful for the main characters but way off base. Il Commendatore appeared as Karl Lagerfeld with white hair and dark glasses. He looked striking but...WHY? Massetto was dressed like a slob in an ill-fitting white suit and inside out tie, whereas his Zerlina was wearing a sparkly bustier with a voluminous pink skirt.  Was she supposed to be a Mafia bride in a Long Island marriage hall? We are meant to laugh at Donna Elvira's timely interruptions and at Leporello's lip-syncing of Don Giovanni's serenade; must we also laugh at the costumes?

Don Giovanni wore a shiny red suit with black sparkly slippers. Only Leporello looked the part, wearing a service apron. There was a funny moment when he and Don Giovanni exchange clothes and the latter doesn't know how to "Don" an apron.

Even the lighting (Mark Barton) was flawed. If the libretto speaks of it being too dark to see, the lighting should be dimmed.

We have no quarrel with a director finding something new to say about an opera if what he/she has to say is not just original but valid. This was not valid. It reminded us of another awful production we saw years ago that set the opera in what looked like a church basement during an AA meeting.

Drama works best when it is specific. The generic nature of the characters and setting left us cold. If a reader is interested in discussing some original ideas about this story, we would be happy to share our own! But they had better be valid!

What about the musical values? We have nothing but good things to say about the Juilliard musicians, both the ones in the pit and the ones who performed onstage in the party scene. We love this score from the portentous opening D minor chord to the cheerful closing ensemble. So how come we felt a sense of emptiness? With Joseph Colaneri on the podium, we expected more.  More what?  More color? Deeper probing of each character's music?  We still haven't figured it out. Perhaps it was just the entire feeling of alienation we felt from the production.