VOCE DI MECHE GOES UNDERGROUND

Catherine Swindle, Elizaveta Kozlova, Alexandra Lang, Angela Candela,
Jason Wirth, Manami Aoki, and Jose Luis Maldonado

Once upon a time, we wrote about underground restaurants and got chubby; writing about underground singers makes us happy. For these delightful showcases at Scorca Hall in the National Opera Center, we have soprano Angela Candela to thank. Long on our radar screen as a singular soprano with divine dramatic instincts, Ms. Candela has proven to be an inventive impresario.

Her Underground Salons provide a supportive environment for rising stars to try out new material in front of an accepting audience. The singers may want to use this material for upcoming auditions so they value the experience of running their selections past a live audience.

From our point of view, it is a golden opportunity to hear singers we love trying out new roles and also to get acquainted with new singers. Let us begin with Ms. Candela herself whom we have always appreciated for bringing a character to vivid life.

Under workshop circumstances, we tend to be more forgiving of the presence of a music stand, especially when the language involved is Czech. Dvorak's "Song to the Moon" from Rusalka presents vocal challenges and linguistic ones as well, both of which Ms. Candela met easily. But it was the dramatic aspect that captivated us.

We always feel super involved when the singer allows us to see the scene through his/her eyes and this is a skill at which Ms. Candela excels. We couldn't take our eyes off her face as she watched the virtual moon disappear behind virtual clouds and then reappear. It was all reflected in her face and we were transported. Soon, the occasional glances at the score will be unnecessary and there will be a stunning audition piece in her portfolio.

Baritone José Luis Maldonado is another singer who has been on our radar screen for some time. Again, it is not just his powerful instrument or refined technique that draw us in, it is his ability to create a living breathing and believable character.

Last night he gave us a livid Falstaff, berating Pistola and Bardolfo for defending their "honor" when he requested their services in delivering identical letters to Meg Page and Ann Ford. His Falstaff is larger than life, just as he should be. Every gesture, every facial expression, every variation of dynamics seemed spontaneously motivated by the text. Probably it takes a lot of work to seem so spontaneous!

He also performed Figaro's aria with uncanny ability to go from the lowest end of the register to a mincing falsetto top. He was perfectly flexible in Rossini's rapid patter section and we held our breath as he extended his held notes, evincing superlative breath control.

Elizaveta Kozlova, also well known to us from Mannes and IVAI, performed Pamina's Act II aria from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte--"Ach, ich fuhl's". She appropriately darkened her bright soprano instrument to reflect Pamina's despair and painted a sympathetic portrait of a woman who feels she has lost her lover. We noted a pleasing vibrato and some well negotiated descending scale passages.

We were happy to hear her second selection from Rimsky-Korsakov's The Snow Maiden. Of course Ms. Kozlova is totally comfortable in Russian which added to our pleasure. We enjoyed the opportunity to get reacquainted with this gem of a Russian fairytale which we so greatly enjoyed at Manhattan School of Music last year. There were some lovely melismatic passages to delight the ear.

Alexandra Lang is another singer we have been watching for a few years. Possessor of a generous dramatic soprano instrument and passionate acting skills, we have been unable/unwilling to pigeonhole her talent. Last night she performed Hélène's Act V aria from Verdi's Les vêpres siciliennes. There were some impressive vocal effects including a lovely liquid trill and a stunning climax.

New to us was soprano Manami Aoki who wanted to try out her French.  Alfred Bachelet's sensuous "Chère nuit" offered her an opportunity for a well modulated performance demonstrating warmth of tone and lovely phrasing. She also sang Micaëla's aria "Je dis que rien ne m'épouvant" which suited her voice and stature perfectly. The vibrato in her upper register was a joy to hear. The sound was Gallic and the small imperfections in the language can be readily improved.

Also new to us was soprano Catherine Swindle who sang "I am not my own" from Mark Adamo's Lysistrata. We always have a hard time overcoming our dislike for contemporary American opera and this is not the one to win us over. As Ms. Swindle explained to the audience, it is about a woman who refuses to abandon her anti-war stance. It is difficult to appreciate a voice singing in English and we wish Ms Swindle had chosen a different selection. We did not understand a lot of the words which so often happens with English. About all we could say is that we enjoyed her middle register. We would like to hear her again singing something in Italian!

Jason Wirth was the worthy accompanist for the evening and excelled at everything he undertook. We particularly enjoyed his spirited playing in the Verdi.

This is a finely designed showcase and we appreciated how each singer introduced her/himself and described the background of each aria.

© meche kroop

LA SERVA PADRONA

Fabrizio Doria, Pamela Jones, and Daniel Klein (photo by meche kroop)

Guest Review by Ellen Godfrey:

The audience at the National Opera Center, on Sunday afternoon, was treated to a delightful performance of the 18th century comic opera La Serva Padrona, presented by the Lighthouse Opera Company. The founder and director of the company, which was started two years ago, is Dr. John Banks, a classical musician and a high school music teacher. The company’s mission is to help shine a light on classically trained singers of all backgrounds by performing operas in their original language, for new and diverse audiences in the Bronx, New York City, and beyond. The company also brings new and emerging opera talent to the public’s attention with live opera performances.

La Serva Padrona, (The Servant Turned Mistress), was composed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710 -1736), based on a play by Jacopo Angello Nelli. This opera buffa, (comic opera), was originally performed as an intermezzo (intermission) for an opera seria  (serious opera) called Il Prigionier Superbo, (the Proud Prisoner).  The opera had its premiere in 1733 in Naples, and enjoyed great popularity throughout Europe for many years. Eventually, the two intermezzi were separated from the serious opera to become a 45 minute opera. It quickly grew very popular throughout European and is still being performed today.

In 1752, Pergolesi’s opera buffa sparked a great argument in France. It was called the querelle des bouffons (the war of the comic actors) and argued about  the merits of reverent French and irreverent Italian music theatre. These discussions further led to reforms by the composer Christopher Willibald Gluck, (1714-1787), who grew tired of the overly ornate operas of the Baroque period. He moved to the simplicity of the Classical style. Gluck’s reforms influenced the great Mozart, who composed operas in the same style.

Between the 16th and 18th century, Italian strolling players, known as La Commedia Dell’arte, performed throughout Europe and had a great influence on drama and music. The troupes used improvisation, stock characters, and a few standard scenarios to tell the funny stories. In La Serva Padrona the female stock character is Serpina, a bossy woman; Uberto is the grouchy older man, and Vespone, a mute servant.  The joke in the opera is a domestic argument which involves a reversal of roles; the servant is the mistress of the home while the older man is under her strict command.  He can’t decide if he wants to marry her or not. Serpina makes sure that he will marry her by pretending to marry a soldier (who is a mute servant in disguise).  In the end their roles reverse and they have a joyous marriage celebration.

There is a feminist side to this opera and other themes including ambition, equality of men and women, and recognition of respect for each other.  The wonderful director for this performance, John Tedeschi, has a real feel for comedy and he kept the action alive and funny. He changed the original location of the opera to the Civil War period. He was inspired by some similarities to a 19th century woman, Lydia Hamilton Smith, a servant and also mistress of her house. During the Civil War, both she and her husband, Thaddeus Stevens, were active in the underground railroad and helped shelter southern slaves to escape to the north. 

Daniel Klein and Pamela Jones made good sparring partners in this delightful comedy.  Bass-baritone Daniel Klein was a wonderful Uberto.  He is tall and has a big gorgeous bass-baritone voice with lots of resonance.  His frustration with his bossy maid, Serpina, was strong and humorous. He is an excellent comedian; he fidgeted, he twirled his mustache upwards, got angry, and contorted his face, especially by bulging his eyes. 

Coloratura soprano Pamela Jones has a beautiful clear big voice which she uses very well.  She never pushes the voice so it carries very beautifully.  She also has excellent diction. Having performed in opera, musicals, and straight plays, she is very much at home on the comic stage. Her Serpina was a strong character who knew just what she wanted and how to boss Uberto around.  As good as the acting of the performers was, it would have been even better if they did not have to look at the score.

Fabrizio Doria played the mute role of Vespone perfectly with lots of comic touches.

For this production, Maggie Ronck created costumes for the three principals that were appropriate to the period.  Uberto was costumed in a stunning suit with a long coat and tie and a big hat.  Serpina’s mid-19th century costume was a beautiful long checkered dress.  Later in the opera,when Serpina and Umberto were finally  ready to marry, they had broad hats of the period.  Pamela’s hat was adorned with flowers.  Ms .Ronck’s costumes for Vespone, the mute, were also designed well.

The music for this opera is absolutely delightful. The Sepia Baroque Ensemble was elegantly conducted by Maestro Stephen Francis Vasta. The ensemble of 5 string instruments (2 violins, a viola, cello, and bass were accompanied by the harpsichord. This small ensemble was very vibrant and supported the singers very well.

Everyone in the theatre enjoyed seeing this 18th century masterpiece.

© meche kroop

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OPERA INDEX 2018 AWARD WINNERS RECITAL

Shiyu Tan, Katelan Terrell, Dashuai Chen, and Jessica Fasselt

As you may already know, Opera Index has been supporting young singers for a very long time--both with generous financial awards and also with performance opportunities.

Sunday afternoon's Award Winners Recital was just one of many events offered by Opera Index; if you were there you enjoyed one of the best recitals of the season; if you were not, you missed a very special event and an introduction to two up-and-coming opera stars.

The recital was well balanced in terms of mixing up opera and lieder with some operetta thrown in, as well as a Chinese folk song that made us want to hear more. Regular readers know how much we appreciate music from around the world!

Both soprano Jessica Faselt (forget Fafner) and tenor Dashuai Chen are artists to watch. We foresee a brilliant future for both of them. Ms. Faselt was accompanied by one of our favorite collaborative pianists--Katelan Terrell who has the softest of hands and an uncanny ability to breathe with the singer and provide superb support. Shiyu Tan is new to us but we enjoyed her accompaniment a great deal and look forward to hearing more of her.

Ms. Faselt, about whom we have written a great deal, has a magnificent instrument that is consistent throughout the register and imbued with gorgeous color. She also knows just how to use her body and face to amplify the text; she is a born storyteller.

Just listen to her command of the Faust story in Schubert's "Gretchen am Spinnrade". She drew us in and allowed us to experience all of Gretchen's yearning for and idealization of Faust. Meanwhile, Ms. Terrell kept the spinning wheel spinning in the background with periodic underpinnings of Gretchen's anxiety. We have never heard a better performance of this incredible lied.

She has a wonderful feeling for Strauss as evidenced by her performance of two of his Four Last Songs. Both "Frühling" and "Beim Schlafengehen" were heartfelt; a dramatic arc leading up to an expansive soaring top gave us several thrills. We loved the melismatic passages and the manner in which the mood was sustained between verses.

Wagner's "Dich, teure Halle" was sung with impressive emotional range.

Her French in Duparc's "Chanson triste" was lovely and we admired her facility with pianissimo singing.

Mr. Chen also sang a Duparc song and manifested some fine French in the lovely "Phidylé"; if we wanted someone to sing us to sleep we would want to hear his dulcet tones. He has a lovely instrument that pleased us most in the middle register. We loved the colors with which he invested Schubert's ethereal "Nacht und Träume". His utilization of dynamic variety was exemplary. It was all in the voice; there was very little gesture.

Later in the program, he seemed to relax and to use his body more. Some music lovers prefer a singer to stand still but we prefer gesture!

Mr. Chen made an excellent Edgardo in "Tombe degli avi miei...Fra poco a me ricovero" from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, drawing us right into the hero's loss and pain. This dramatic intensity was not quite as present in Don Ottavio's "Il mio tesoro intanto" from Mozart's Don Giovanni. Perhaps loyalty is more difficult to demonstrate than sorrow! Perhaps the tempo was taken too fast, not leaving room for much emotion, but we didn't know who this Don Ottavio was. Nonetheless, the singing was gorgeous, with the excellent breath control needed to provide sustained tone during the long melismatic passages.

The audience's favorite seemed to be Leoncavallo's "Mattinata" in which he captured the Italianate spirit of the piece. Similarly "Dein ist mein ganzes herz" from Franz Lehar's Das Land des Lächelns was given an expansive delivery which drew us right in.

Our personal favorite was a Chinese song about lost love. We had "the feels".

There was only one issue that we think could be improved; like so many other tenors, Mr. Chen tends to push for a larger than necessary volume in the upper register. Scorca Hall is not a large room and we would have preferred his taking things down a notch.

The two artists created some romantic magic in "O soave fanciulla" from Puccini's La boheme. Both dramatically and vocally, it was flawless and involving. We never tire of scenes involving romantic chemistry!

Those of you unfamiliar with Opera Index are hereby encouraged to get familiar. Through Opera Index, we have been exposed to some great talents at early stages of their careers. Award winners have gone on to great success. There is a membership party on November 13th with more singing, and a potluck dinner with wine--surely an event worth attending. Bear in mind that the cost of membership is a paltry sum and includes the party!

© meche kroop

UNDERGROND SALON

José Luis Maldonado, Shaina Martinez, Amir Farid, Michael Celentano, Chantal Brundage, Christa Dalmazio,
Angela Candela, and Andrew King

We found out about Underground Salon's April Showcase quite by accident and we are so glad we did. Angela Candela is a young woman after our own heart; we share the same goals of fostering the careers of young singers. Her idea was to get together some friends and colleagues from Manhattan School of Music and to offer them a safe space to try out new repertory. No auditions, no competition, no judgments. What a great idea!

We were delighted to hear some of our favorite young singers in a different situation. All singers know, and Joyce DiDonato pointed this out several times in her master classes last weekend, that a safe non-judgmental space makes it possible to experiment. Surely breakthroughs happen when we experiment with something new!

We would like to point out at the very start how effective it is when the singers introduce themselves and tell what they will be singing. In this salon, they went even further and told a little about the aria they would be singing and its place in the opera. They all spoke clearly and we appreciated it.

Baritone José Luis Maldonado is well known to us; indeed he was selected to sing a set of Spanish songs for the April 29th concert at St. John's in the Village--"Around the World in Song". But on Sunday we heard him sing in Russian! The selection was "Ja vas lyublyu" from Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame and we were mightily impressed.

What strikes one about Mr. Maldonado is the kind of generosity of spirit that we haven't seen since Pavarotti. The sound is generous and so is his presence. There is a magnificent connection with both the aria and the audience; one experiences him as a conduit and feels the feelings so intensely that one might overlook the superiority of his technique.

One might call him a "stage animal". There is no holding back; it's all "out there", witness his performance of Billy's soliloquy from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel which proved to our satisfaction that this work is truly an American opera, far more than the tuneless pieces we have been sitting through lately. The texture and resonance of his instrument combined with the way in which he employs them, make for a thrilling listening experience.

In terms of "trying out new material", the prize goes to soprano Shaina Martinez who took a risk with "Ombre pallide" from Händel's Alcina. The reason it was a risk was that a teacher once told her that her voice wasn't suited to Händel.  We think that's a tutelary error to tell a student something like that. The best singing comes when one sings a song one truly wants to sing. We heard that advice years ago in a master class and couldn't agree more.

Ms. Martinez performed this difficult Baroque aria with complete investment, passion, and connection. She tossed off the ornamentation with style but also handled the low notes effectively. We would like to cheer on her rebellious spirit (or "phase", as she called it). Please, singers, don't let other people tell you who you are!

Ms. Candela herself won our admiration for her performance of "Mi tradi" from Mozart's Don Giovanni. There was an effective contrast between the recitativo and the aria and an admirable connection with the character of Donna Elvira. If the work wasn't 100% stage-ready, that was not a problem. It's a work in progress but we have high hopes for the finished product.

Her pretty instrument was evident in "Hear Ye Israel" from Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah. But oratorio, religion, and English are not our favorite things so we far preferred the Mozart.

Chantal Brundage performed "Robert, toi que j'aime" from Act IV of Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable. This underrated and underperformed composer seems to write well for the voice and Ms. Brundage employed her excellent resources to convey the emotions of the character, and she did so in fine French which we had no problem understanding. Her tone at the upper end of the register is beautifully brilliant. 

Christa Dalmazio has a sparkly soprano matched by a sparkling personality that was just perfect for "Poor Wand'ring One" from Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance. There was personality to spare and pretty good English enunciation but at such a high tessitura, one cannot get all the words.

However, in the "Silver Aria" from Douglas Moore's Ballad of Baby Doe, she made every word clear and captured the character of Baby Doe. 

Tenor Michael Celentano sang "Addio fiorito asil" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly with more grandstanding than subtlety. We want more variety from him--variety of color, dynamics, and pacing. His instrument is a large one and a promising one and when he gets it under control there will still be more than enough volume. We want him to forget about making big sounds and to try getting inside the character.

The same comments could be made about his portrayal of Rodolfo in the Act IV duet "O Mimi, tu piu non torni" in which Mr. Maldonado took the part of Marcello.

Supportive piano accompaniment was given to the hands of Amir Farid and Andrew King--both of whom are superb.

We are hoping there will be a May Showcase and that we will be available to attend. It was a truly exciting experience!

(c) meche kroop

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA WITH FUSION THEATER

Brian Holman, Eilin O'Dea, and Byron Singleton

Guest review by  Cullen Gandy

Opera, and opera outreach, is important. The first point of contact for any prospective opera lover is the grassroots artistic effort; made available in their community. When we as the arts community come together to put on concerts for audiences to enjoy, it is a great opportunity and privilege to be able to do so. They don’t have to be large productions, either. Simple operations where there’s a voice, a piano, and an audience, there too you can find great art. I have experienced it in my hometown, with the, mostly student-run, concerts of Opera On Tap. These shoestring budget companies who put every single dime, and then some, back into their performers. So when I review Fusion Theatre’s offering of opera highlights from three Italian favorites, that is the perspective from which I am reviewing.

At the Opera Center today, Fusion mounted a production that highlighted two singers and a pianist in an intimate, minimally staged and costumed style. The repertory was rather ambitious, if not unrelenting, for even the most seasoned of vocal performers. The first half of the concert comprised highlights from Madama Butterfly and Aïda; the second half was from the inimitable Tosca.

Tenor Byron Singleton began the show by singing Pinkerton’s first aria “Amore o Grillo” (Love or whim). He has a well produced sound, and fairly good control in the middle, up through the passaggio between registers. It has a nice brightness, but with a fair amount of depth. While the voice may not be suited for some of the roles on display tonight as a career, it was more than capable enough to meet the challenges in this setting. His acting was earnest, and one felt the sense of ease in his movements and gestures.

It’s not uncommon for companies to want to offer these big sings to audiences, because they are lovely, memorable melodies. My qualm here was that he had to keep singing all of the most difficult passages of the big Italian repertory; all night. Injudicious tenors (and believe me, I am counted among them) relish the opportunity to sing into these arias like rock anthems.

Note that what makes this repertory so big is the size of the orchestra. Absent the orchestra, I think it is important for tenors to give themselves permission to sing it in their comfortable dynamic intensity. Like so many caught in the trap before, gunning it for the duration of the evening in this type of music can lead to a straining at the very top, and an unease in more nuanced passages at softer dynamics. This happened to him in a few key spots at the end of the concert (such as in the more furtive passages of "E lucevan le stelle", and understandably so. That being said, he has a fine instrument, and I would love to hear more of him; especially in Dichterliebe, which was listed in his biography.

Eilin O’Dea was having a little bit of a rough night. For whatever reasons, she seemed to be struggling with low blood sugar, or some kind of sickness that caused her to have to disengage and walk-off stage in the middle of the Aida/Radames duet. It was apparent from the inception of the evening that something on the voice felt a little bit weary.

The majority of the singing that a spinto soprano is going to have to do in these large Verdi operas, lies a bit lower in the voice that a normal lyric soprano. The voice absolutely has to retain the breath pressure connection, and include a sufficient amount of squillo (resonance); to be carried up through the more swelling, romantic passages. Her voice lacked too much of that connection. Her vibrato was unevenly distributed in that register, and sometimes even absent. When Ms. O'Dea ascended through her medium-high range, however, she really projected a sizable, resonant, impressive sound. Sometimes though, in her enthusiasm with that sound, she overshot, and there were intonation issues throughout the evening as a result. It became kind of like a tale of two voices.

Diction was also an issue here, more with the soprano than the tenor. Though there were no subtitles to convey the meaning of the text, proper attention to Italian diction lends so much to the flavor and the authenticity of the style.

The pianist Brian Holman conducted the entire endeavor with grace and class. It’s no small feat to accompany Italian opera arias. There is this constant game that they have to play with how much rubato to let singers have, and how much of the reins should be taken in. He had no reservations, and the scenes ran smoothly, cleanly, and with musical intention; one to the next. He was vocally opportune, too, with some of the bit parts throughout the Tosca finale; which was fun and added a nice touch.

That analysis may have been daunting, and there is a lot for this company to unpack; with regard to the programming and preparation for these concerts. That being said, I think it is vitally important that we support companies like Fusion Theatre. Anyone can have a less than stellar night, but there were some really bright spots to be found on offer tonight. Take as many of them as you can, dust them off, and then try to replicate more of that for the next time around.

(c) meche kroop

VIRA AND FRIENDS

David Sytkowski, Kirsten Chambers, Vira Slywotzky, and Bray Wilkins at National Opera Center

No one would deny the value of friends; so what do you do when your friends are all artists?  You put on a show!  That's what you do; you put on a show. The theme of Vira Slywotsky's show on Sunday was "Songs by Women Composers". We were all set for Clara Schumann and Alma Mahler but that wasn't on the menu.

The program was varied, touching many points along the musical spectrum. The opening duet by Barbara Strozzi was introduced by the two sopranos; Ms. Slywotzky and Kirsten Chambers gave an engaging dramatic reading of a translation of the words in English before singing in Italian. The work was the preface to the Baroque opera Mercè di vol. 

The two sopranos harmonized with lovely subtlety, Ms. Chambers' brighter voice taking the upper line and Ms. Slywotsky's darker instrument taking the lower line. There was nothing subtle, however about the highly expressive interpretation, leaving us only one thing to complain about--the music stand. We will not go into details about our objection, having done so many times in the past.

Tenor Bray Wilkins is best known to us for his work in operetta, especially with Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live. But we have also heard his "Kuda, kuda" and even attended his memorable coaching of it with Jane Marsh.  Sunday we got to hear him in more contemporary works. 

Pleasing us greatly was his performance as a super-picky fellow in "The Bachelor Song" from Adventures in Love, composed by Zina Goldrich with lyrics by Marcy Heisler. These two women make quite a team with music and text joining hand-in-hand--something we almost take for granted in 19th c. song and in American Musical Theater. Mr. Wilkins' delivery did not miss a trick in pulling laughter from the packed house. 

The quality of his instrument was best appreciated in the romantic ballad "Taking flight" from Allison Under the Stars. It is such a romantic and sad story that we had to fight back tears. Mr. Wilkins was also princely in "Right before my eyes" from Ever After.

His Shrek was given a thick Scottish brogue and a wonderful personality in "When words fail" from the Disney film Shrek. Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire also made a fine writing team.

We are grateful to Vira and Friends for introducing us to the songs of Poldowski, a Belgian-born British composer and pianist born Régine Wieniawski, daughter of the Polish violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski. She set poetry by Paul Verlaine in the early years of the 20th c. 

Should we compare her settings of Verlaine poetry to those of Fauré? We decline and can only say that we enjoyed hearing something new to us and that Ms. Slywotsky, best known to us from Mirror Visions Ensemble and Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live, demonstrated her facility with a long and even French line. In "Dansons la gigue" she let out all the dramatic stops and had us giggling again. We particularly enjoyed the piano writing in "Mandoline" which was perfectly rendered by collaborative pianist David Sytkowski.

It is always a problem for us when a singer we like choses material that speaks to them but not to us. We don't know quite what to say, other than crediting them with a good performance. But we cannot pretend to be thrilled when we are not.

Ms. Slywotzky put her all into Three Browning Songs set by Amy Beach, a turn-of-the-19th c. composer whom we have enjoyed. We just had the feeling that Robert Browning's text did not need to be set.

The same could be said for Edna St. Vincent Millay, whose sonnets were set by Sheila Silver. Ms. Chambers gave an intense and dramatic performance but we could not wrap our ears around those songs.  Similarly, she was having a great time with Love in the Early Morning: Two Songs About Making Love to the Milkman. We found Joelle Wallach's music to be strange and the text to be uninteresting. Still, the audience seemed to enjoy the performance and Ms. Wallach, who was in attendance, seemed thrilled. Ms. Scott and Ms. Wallach seem to have a close personal connection and the latter's music has inspired Ms. Scott, which is all to the good. We just wanted to recuse ourself.

Of course we are in support of female composers but we think we would prefer to find them in musical theater these days. Marsha Norman's soul-searching "A bit of earth" from The Secret Garden did touch us and Mr. Wilkin's fine diction made every word count.

There will be more Vira & Friends performances so let's keep an open mind.

(c) meche kroop

EURASIA FESTIVAL RUSSIAN OPERA GALA

Aza Sydykov, Vera Danchenko-Stern, Clara Lisle, Alvard Mayilyan, Kathleen Norchi, Caleb Eick, and Matthew Tartza

We first became acquainted with pianist/accompanist/coach Aza Sydykov through his work with the Kyrgyz American Foundation which presented a concert of Kyrgyz music nearly two years ago--a concert we will never forget (the review of which is archived and available through the search bar). We didn't get to hear nearly enough of his pianistic artistry at that time but we made up for it last night when his brilliance at the keyboard dazzled our ears.

Alternating with the extraordinarily gifted pianist/accompanist/coach Vera Danchenko-Stern, the accompaniment to the singers impressed us with its brilliance. The two pianists knew just when to hold back to support each singer, and when to let out all the stops during the interludes.

We were attending a recital at the National Opera Center designed to showcase the achievements of the five young artists who had attended the week-long institute focusing on Russian singing. We wished that we had been available to monitor their progress through the coachings, from start to finish; however there was one instance in which we are able to report on artistic development.

Not long ago we attended a rather disappointing production of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin in which we were impressed by the Tatiana of soprano Carla Lisle. Last night she performed the heroine's "Letter Scene" in full and we were happily able to see a great leap forward in phrasing, diction, and interpretation. When we hear an aria extracted from an opera and performed in concert, we measure success partly by the singer's ability to take us into the opera in our mind's eye.

Last night we were not transported to the unfortunate Mannes production but rather to a more traditional one at the Metropolitan Opera that moved us deeply.  This is a good thing! Ms. Lisle's diction and phrasing were enhanced by the astute employment of dynamic variety and dramatic coloration. Poor Tatiana is in the throes of adolescent turmoil and every nuance was well portrayed.

Listening to the other four singers on the program did not offer the same opportunity for comparison between "before" and "after", but we enjoyed hearing songs both familiar and unfamiliar. The Russian canon of songs is vast and our exposure has been somewhat limited. Perhaps it is understandable that we get more enjoyment from songs we have heard before.

For example, Rachmaninoff's "Spring Waters" always fills us with joy and we liked the performance by soprano Kathleen Norchi who also introduced us to "Uzh ty, niva moya, nivushka" with its captivating analogy, comparing scattered thoughts with grains of wheat.

Mezzo-soprano Alvard Mayilyan evinced very different personalities in Polina's romance from Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame and Olga's aria from his Eugene Onegin. The former was haunting and the latter was light-hearted and teasing.

We liked baritone Caleb Eick best in Aleko's Cavatina from the Rachmaninoff opera, in which he portrayed the pain of romantic betrayal by varying vocal colors and dynamics to suit the character's complex feelings.

Tenor Matthew Tartza introduced us to a charming songs by Rimsky-Korsakov, the gentle Levko's aria from May Night and  Tchaikovsky's "Vesna: Travka Zeleneyer" from Songs for Children.  Perhaps it was ill advised to put Mario's pre-death aria "E lucevan le stelle" from Puccini's Tosca on the program. We have heard it so often sung by famous tenors that the risk of comparison worked against the singer.

Again, we wish to emphasize how superlative was the pianism. Russian vocal music captivated us a bit later than Italian and German and isn't always performed with such subtlety. We appreciate being introduced to the musical heritage of Russia and are glad that the Kyrgyz American Foundation has sponsored the Eurasia Festival, thereby promoting Eurasian culture.

There will be one more concert in the Festival, Sunday evening at 7:30, also at the National Opera Center.

(c) meche kroop

A FAIRY TALE FOR OUR TIME

Ísis Cunha, Sarah Kim, Javiera Saavedra, Carly Cummings, Abdiel Vazquez, Annmarie Errico, Lisa Nava, Jin Yu, and Erika Straus

A friend we invited to attend Engelbert Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel expressed disinterest in "a children's opera". We couldn't help wondering whether that misconception has kept this marvelous opera from being on the "Top Ten" list of operas. Would we call Cenerentola or Cendrillon "children's operas" because they too are based on fairy tales?

Thankfully, that designation has never dissuaded us, although we find the overblown production at the Met rather dispiriting. This is indeed an intimate family story and rather resonant at this time since children are being separated from their parents at our Mexican border. We couldn't help thinking of that whilst watching Manhattan Opera Studio's excellent intimate production last night at the National Opera Center. 

Fairy tales evolved over centuries, according to psychoanalyst Bruno Bettelheim, and serve to help children deal with psychological issues.  Although the situation in Humperdinck's opera is not as dire as in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale (in which the parents abandon the children in the forest due to a famine), it still offers reassurance to children in that it reinforces sibling cooperation, stresses childhood resourcefulness, and offers the concept of helpful guardian angels. 

This softening of the story was likely due to the fact that the libretto was written by the composer's sister for her own children. Just like Disney, she did not trust the terrifying nature of the original.

From the standpoint of an adult opera lover, our enchantment rests on the melodies lavished by Humperdinck on his sister's libretto. Many of them are based upon German folk songs but the orchestration shows the influence of Richard Wagner. The 1893 premiere was conducted by none other than Richard Strauss. Gustav Mahler conducted it as well.

Last night's production, part of Manhattan Opera Studio's Summer Festival, employed Kathleen Kelly's outstanding reduction of the score for chamber orchestra, comprising a string quartet augmented by flute, clarinet, and horn,with Jestin Pieper at the piano. From this group of splendid musicians, Maestro Abdiel Vazquez pulled a winning performance.

All of the singers were superb. Soprano Carly Cummings made a winning Gretel in pigtails whilst mezzo-soprano Annmarie Errico was convincingly boyish as Hänsel. Like siblings everywhere they had their moments of fun and moments of rivalry. We enjoyed the scene in which they dance together but really enjoyed their duets in which their two voices blended beautifully.

Their very angry mother was sung by Javiera Saavedra and their bibulous father was performed by Jin Yu. After the children are sent to the forest to forage berries, Father returns home drunk but Mother's rage is softened when she sees the abundance of food he has brought, thanks to selling all of his brooms. There's a lot of insight into male/female dynamics there.

The forest scene was lovely. Patricia Billings' clarinet gave us believable cuckoo sounds. A chorus in the rear of the hall echoed Hansel's cries. A charming Sandman (Erika Straus) helps the children find peace in sleep. The physical presence of the 14 angels was created by the audience's imagination. The children are awakened by a rather idiosyncratic and colorful Dew Fairy (Ísis Cunha) sporting a yellow slicker and matching umbrella!

Sarah Kim made a wonderful witch, and the upward stares of the children helped us to see her fly (offstage, of course). She put the children in a trance by means of a spiral design on a twirling umbrella.  She cast a spell with her magic wand, utilizing it to control their movements. We were a bit puzzled however by her flamenco dance!

Stage Director Lisa Nava substituted imagination for money, leaving the audience to do some mental work, a good thing in our book. There was nothing onstage except some brooms and a couple of footstools which were used for important arias.  The witch's death in the oven was suggested by a floodlight and crinkled red cellophane. Elizabeth Harraman's horn announced her demise.  The chorus in the rear of the theater sang the parts of the children freed from her spell.

Manhattan Opera Studio presented this opera two years ago and we enjoyed it enough to catch it again. We had some quibbles about the directing and are happy to relate that Ms. Nava's direction is greatly improved. The characters related to one another and the family reunion at the end brought cheer to our heart as we imagined the reunions that will hopefully recur among our neighbors from South of the Border.

Our other quibble from 2016 was the titles of rhymed couplets which did not reflect a true German translation. This time, there were no titles but the German was quite clear and whatever was missed was made clear by the fine acting and direction.

Under the Artistic Direction of Carlos Federico Tagle and the Music Direction of Benoit Renard, Manhattan Opera Studio is a fine addition to the New York opera scene. There will be another chance to see this production Tuesday night at 8:00 at the National Opera Center.  Although the cast will be different, we are sure that the quality will be as high.

Thursday and Sunday will bring productions of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and we can scarcely wait. Keith Chambers will be conducting.

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MAGICAL MASTER CLASS

Fabio Bezuti, Zachary Goldman, Xiaotong Cao, Glenn Morton, Oleksii Kuznietzov, Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi, Yvette Keong, and Tal Heller

How does it feel when a master teacher comes along and contradicts everything a singer has learned about her voice and vocal production?  We guess it feels pretty good when the results seem magical. We just attended such a class taught by famed Italian soprano Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi. This is our third or fourth opportunity to observe her working with young singers and the results have left a huge impression on us.

Her teachings are based on extensive experience with anatomy, bioenergetics, and osteopathy. She has assembled valuable advice from several famous singers. She can immediately diagnose exactly where tight muscles are blocking sound production and provide strange seeming exercises and postures to ease the blockage. We have heard dramatic changes in the students' voices within minutes!

Her focus is very much on accessing the back of the body and the several diaphragms that are apparently as important as the familiar one. The commonly taught posture and method of breathing into the belly seems to be all wrong.

Students got down on their hands and knees.  They lay on their belly and swam on the floor. They pinched their lips. They showed off their uvulas. They bent over the piano. Wow!

Participating students were sopranos Xiaotong Cao and Yvette Keong, mezzo-soprano Tal Heller, tenors Zachary Goldman and Oleksii Kuznietzov, and baritone Sunyeop Hwang. They all sounded just fine initially but after a half hour work with Ms. Lombardi they each sounded glorious with enhanced resonance. Accompanist was Fabio Bezuti.

We found ourself wishing that we had begun our vocal studies with Ms. Lombardi.  The bad news is that it is too late for us but the good news is that it isn't too late for you. This remarkable teacher, brought to us by Glenn Morton of Classic Lyric Arts, will be returning in October.

If you are a singer you absolutely must attend.  And if you are not, you can come and enjoy witnessing some miracles.

(c) meche kroop

ADES COMPETITION WINNERS RECITAL

Craig Rutenberg, Shaina Martinez, and SeokJong Baek

This is the time of year when singers we know and love are graduating from our three local music conservatories; it is a bittersweet time for us. We are thrilled for their accomplishments and excited about their summer programs and young artist programs; we feel sad because we will miss them; we always hope they will stay in touch and let us know how they like their "new homes".

Thankfully, Opera America's Emerging Artist Recitals series (the last of the season) presented two singers who won the Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition; the purpose of the competition is to select singers who possess outstanding talent and potential for careers in opera. As pointed out by Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic Director of the MSM Opera Theater, the winners' prize money is used to support the singers' professional development in many ways, subject to approval.

Competitors are selected from among students getting their degrees from Manhattan School of Music.  The top three winners this year were baritone SeokJung Baek, mezzo-soprano Hongni Wu (who just won the Met National Council competition) and soprano Shaina Martinez, all of whom are being awarded their Masters of Music degree.

Onstage last night in Scorca Hall at the National Opera Center were Ms. Martinez and Mr. Baek, both covering wide musical territory that revealed their versatility. They were accompanied by the always wonderful Craig Rutenberg whose light touch and sensitivity toward the singers always impresses us.

Ms. Martinez opened the program with "Come scoglio", from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte; Ms. Martinez' sizable soprano was put in the service of Fiordiligi's resoluteness in the face of temptation. Whilst negotiating the huge leaps Mozart wrote (purportedly to embarrass an unpopular soprano) and some lovely embellishments, she managed to portray a young woman who "doth protest too much". 

This soprano is poised onstage and able to use expressive gestures to amplify her expressive voice. She switched gears for two selections from Poulenc's Fiançailles pour rire which shows Poulenc's lighter side--the languorous "Violon" and "Fleurs" with its delightful piano part. Her French was quite good.

But, for reasons of our own, we got the biggest thrill from her singing in Spanish, a language that resonates with us on par with Italian. We heard a trio of songs by the 20th c. Argentinean composer Carlos Guastavino. Ms. Martinez' partnership with Mr. Rutenberg was outstanding in "Pampamapa" with its vigorous rhythms. In "Abismo de sed" she sings "Soy cantor" (I am a singer) and we smiled. The third song was "Hermano".

Even better was "Hija del amor" from Gonzalo Roig's zarzuela Cecilia Valdés in which a mother vows to protect her daughter from the romantic betrayal she has endured.  The air was thick with passionate intensity and we were transported.

This versatile artist, having done justice to opera, art song, and zarzuela, joined Mr. Baek for the duet "Nedda! Silvio!" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. The pair left no doubt about the high stakes they were facing. Ms. Martinez limned Nedda's conflict; Mr. Baek used every strategy he could to persuade her to leave Canio--seduction, promises, and even guilt. Meanwhile, Mr. Rutenberg's piano sustained the tension.

Mr. Baek is similarly versatile and we were very happy to hear two of his "signature arias" which he performed in 2016 when we was an Opera Index Competition winner. His facility in French has gotten even better with more legato in the line; his interpretation of Valentin has also grown. His baritone is capable of silky smoothness and also vigor. In "Avant de quitter ces lieux" he used the vigor as he sang of battle and a smooth tenderness when he spoke of his love for Marguerite. His voice swelled to a passionate climax.

The other "signature piece" is Tosti's "L'alba sepàra dalla luce l'ombra" sung with great depth of feeling. We think we understood the meaning of the song for the first time.

Renato's rage at Amelia, the wife he wrongly suspects of infidelity, is the subject of the aria "Eri tu ce macchiavi quell'anima" in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. Only an artist can reveal both the outer contempt of Renato whilst letting the grief and pain peek through. Looks like we have a new Verdi baritone worth celebrating! 

In yet another manifestation of versatility, he captured the wry humor of "La Maîtresse volage" by Poulenc.  Two other songs from Chansons gaillardes were "Madrigal" and the rather naughty "L'Offrande" in which Mr. Rutenberg's piano portrayed the postulate's innocence.

From Copland's Old American Songs we heard the tender "Long Time Ago" and the jaunty "The Boatmen's Dance". They were sung in crystal clear well-enunciated English and given the grace and simplicity they require.

It was over all too soon.  Mr. Baek leaves for San Francisco Opera's Merola Program and then will be a resident artist at Lyric Opera of Kansas City. 

We wish all good things to these artists but also to all of the wonderful students getting their degrees from MSM this month. We wish we might have heard all of their graduation recitals.

(c) meche kroop

MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE STUDIO ARTISTS RECITAL

Michigan Opera Theater Studio Artists at National Opera Center

Dear Readers,

Allow us to introduce you to our guest reviewer Ellen Godfrey, an opera lover with lifelong experience at the Metropolitan Opera, now serving on the boards of Opera Index and Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance.  The recital of the Michigan Opera Studio was too compelling to go unreviewed and we were busy reviewing Mark Padmore's recital.  So...enjoy!

A DELIGHTFUL EVENING AT THE  MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE CONCERT AT THE  NATIONAL OPERA CENTER

On Thursday, April 19, Opera America presented, as part of the Emerging Artist Recital Series, a concert by the Michigan Opera Theatre Studio, which features promising young singers on the brink of a great opera career.  MOT studio artists, now in its fourth season, fulfilled a dream of Michigan Opera founder and composer Dr. David Di Chiera, to create an advanced training program for young singers. The Director of the Resident Artists Program is the worldwide renowned opera tenor Richard Leech. With the support of the Studio’s principal coach and accompanist Tessa Hartle, they provide outstanding training and performance opportunities for the young singers.

Each season MOT selects five singers for either a one or two year commitment from June to April for advanced training in repertoire, vocal coaching, role preparation, acting and language study. In addition, legendary opera singers conduct masterclasses. This outstanding program is underwritten by a major grant from the William Davidson Foundation.  Performance opportunities include featured and supporting roles in MOT main stage productions and an enhanced presence in the community through participation in leading roles in community productions as well as outreach to Detroit Public Schools.

The five talented singers chosen for this season were Monica Dewey, soprano; Briana Elyse Hunter, mezzo-soprano; Michael Day, tenor; Harry Greenleaf, baritone; and Erik Van Heyningen, bass-baritone. All of them have performed in major opera houses. Among them the Santa Fe Opera, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, San Francisco Opera, and Wolf Trap. Many have received important awards in major vocal competitions.

Wayne. S. Brown, President and CEO of the Michigan Opera Theatre welcomed the audience to the concert. The selections for the concert were carefully chosen to highlight each singers vocal and performing qualities.  

The concert opened with a dazzling display of vocal fireworks by bass-baritone Erik Van Heyningen as The King of Jerusalem in Handel’s Rinaldo. His aria “Sibilar gli angui d’Alletto"…..(the hissing of Alecto’s serpents ) requires an astonishing amount of breath  control and he was more than up to the task.  His burnished bass-baritone projected the power of the king.  Later in the concert, he showed both his language and vocal versatility singing an aria in Russian from Alexander Borodin’s Prince Igor --“Ni San ni otdycha”.  Igor can’t sleep and is dejected about being taken prisoner.  Erik pulled out all of the emotions of this great aria. This summer he returns to Santa Fe Opera to perform in Madama Butterfly and Candide.  In the fall he will attend The Juilliard School for an artist diploma in opera studies.

Tenor Michael Day sang a beautiful  "De’miei bollenti spiriti” from Verdi’s La Traviata.  He has a bright tenor sound and a big voice.  His Italian was excellent and through his facial expressions and his body language, he projected Alfredo’s love for Violetta.  Love came calling again later in the program with a sensitive performance of the song “Maria” from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story.  He started off singing softly and increased the volume slowly as he expressed his undying love for Maria. His final "Marias" in head voice were spell-binding.  He returns next fall to MOT.  This summer he will perform the role of Leo Hubbard in Blitzstein’s Regina at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

Michael Day and Erik van Heyningen showed that they are equally good in comic opera as well.. both of them enjoying the comedy.  In  the duet “Voglio dire…Obbligato” from Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. Michael Day sang the love sick Nemorino desperate for an elixir of love which Dr. Dulcamara, sung by Erik Van Heyningen was more then happy to supply.  Their voices blended very well and the audience delighted in their performances.

Mezzo-soprano Briana Elyse Hunter sang a heart-felt aria from Gluck’s Orphée et  Eurdice..."Amour viens rendre a mon âme”. Orphée calls on the gods to bring his dead wife back to life or he will join her in death. This is another aria full of fioritura and Briana sang it fearlessly.  Her mezzo voice is distinctive and lush and she has great stage presence.  Later in the program she moved effortlessly from Baroque opera to the 21at century opera Doctor Atomic by John Adams.. “Am I in your light” is a reflection on love and death and was sung with great warmth. 

Briana and soprano Monica Dewey sang a sweet melodic duet from Ricky Ian Gordon’s opera 27…which explores the relationship between Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. The duet “The Bells. That Chime” …the bells chime “genius” ring for each of them. This is very original music. Each time they sang the word “ring” there is an imitation of a ring by going up and down the scale or a slow trill. When they sang together their voices blended beautifully. Both Briana and Monica will be Performing with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

Monica Dewey joined with baritone Harry Greenleaf for a duet from Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath. The music had a nice bouncy sound and they were a convincing couple.  They worked well together with clear diction, and nice vocal shading.

Monica showed her spunk in a delightful performance of the cantabile “Par le rang et par l’opulence” followed by the cabaletta "Salut a la France" from Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment. The first part of the aria is slow and sad…and she sang it with great beauty ..she is sad because she is separated from Tonio …suddenly she hears the sounds of the soldiers in the distance and her mood changes to joy.  She sings the song of the regiment; "Salut a la France"…full of fioritura and octave leaps. She has a brilliant and sparking sound and her voice grew larger as she ascended to the high notes,

Harry Greenleaf  sang an aria from Britten’s Billy Budd --“Look! Through  the port comes the moonshine astray”which he sang in a a subdued and pensive manner with his attractive and smooth baritone voice and very clear English diction. He captured Billy’s feelings as he contemplates death. Harry later sang an aria from David DiChiera’s opera Cyrano, in which the eponymous Cyrano is contemplating his own death. Once again he created a whole picture of Cyrano’s thoughts and sadness, singing with clear French diction.

Tessa Hartle, Principal coach and accompanist for the young singers was supportive throughout the whole concert.  She never overpowered the singers and was certainly attentive to everything they did.   It was clear that the singers enjoyed working with her and appreciated her support.

Congratulations to all the singers and to the wonderful supportive staff of MOT Studio Artists for a memorable evening.

(c) meche kroop