SIX LANGUAGES, NO LESS!

Suchan Kim, Dina Pruzhansky,Kinneret Ely, Shu-Yu Hsiung

Regular readers recall how fond we are of bel canto. of duets, and of hearing wonderful songs we've never heard before.  All three conditions were experienced last night when versatile soprano Kinneret Ely performed a most enjoyable recital at The National Opera Center.

Let us begin with the new. While singing well in Italian, Russian, German, French and English, Ms. Ely seemed most at home in Hebrew. A 20th c. song by Nachum Nardi took us on a journey into the desert with the lovely melody bringing in the sounds of the camels' bells--beautiful achieved by Dina Pruzhansky. A lullaby by Yehiel Halperin took us to a gentler landscape, whilst Nira Chen's setting of a verse from the Song of Songs was exquisite.

All three songs were performed with simplicity by Ms. Ely who has a most winning stage presence, graciously telling the audience about each song on the program. Her exciting coloratura was saved for other material on the program. We never tire of "Una voce poco fa" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Ms. Ely paid full attention to Rosina's spunky nature.

In the lengthy mad scene from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Ms. Ely accurately conveyed the many shades of madness experienced by the eponymous heroine. Here, Shu-Yu Hsiung's flute joined Ms. Pruzhansky's piano and the accompaniment left nothing to be desired.

It was a great benefit to have such a fine robust baritone as Suchan Kim on hand to perform Rigoletto to Ms. Ely's Gilda in the scene where she confesses and her father consoles. We've heard Verdi's Rigoletto several times in the past couple months and that is another scene of which we never tire.

In the less familiar "Doute de la lumière" from Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet, the couple switched from a paternal relationship to a romantic one and that was so swoon-worthy that we wanted to hear the entire opera.

Ms. Ely also gave us three sets of lieder in her generous program. There was a trio of Tosti songs that we enjoyed, although we would have wished for a little more legato to truly achieve the Italianate style.

A trio of Strauss songs delighted us with Ms. Pruzhansky especially wonderful in Morgen. Ms. Ely clearly knows how to pronounce the difficult "ch" as she demonstrated in the word "glücklichen"; so we hope she will become more consistent as in "Zecher" and "Becher", where more definition was needed. (We confess to being rather nit-picky with our German.)

A pair of Rachmaninov songs rounded out the program and sounded fine. (We confess to knowing very little about Russian diction!) Ms. Pruzhansky nailed the sound of the rushing water in "Spring waters" whilst Ms. Ely nailed the hopefulness engendered by the coming of Spring.

As encore, we heard the delightful "Vanilla Ice Cream" from the Harnick/Bock musical She Loves Me, which Ms. Ely sang in a most charming manner.

At a time when most young sopranos sound identical, it was a pleasure to hear one with a unique tone involving substantial vibrato. Interestingly, in the role of Rosina, there was a rich mezzo-soprano quality in her lower register.

We are sure to be hearing more from this promising young artist.

(c) meche kroop

ANOTHER WELCOME RIGOLETTO

Hasan Ozcan, Gennadiy Vysotskiy, Violetta Zabbi, Juan Del Bosco, Carlos Jimeno, Noam Katz, Galina Ivannikova, Kofi Hayford, Jeffrey Perez, and Jason Lim

Last night's search for summertime opera took us to the National Opera Center where the New York Opera Theater presented a concert version of Verdi's masterpiece Rigoletto, of which we never tire--although we have reviewed it several times this year and just recently at Amore Opera.

Verdi's melodies are incomparable and Francesco Maria Piave's libretto does a great job of storytelling.  Music and words combine to create well-rounded characterizations that require only good performers to inhabit them.  In a piano reduction, one might miss the orchestration but, in the hands of Music Director Violetta Zabbi, we were content. Even the storm scene in Act IV created enough meteorological verisimilitude.

The performers were, for the most part, excellent, especially in their Italian diction. Without titles, it is a great advantage to be understood.

The heartbreaking role of Gilda was beautifully performed by soprano Noam Katz who was assisted by her innocent and beautiful appearance. We admired the way she conveyed various emotional states by means of vocal coloring, facial expression and gesture.  Her bright youthful soprano and facile coloratura served her well.

The New York Opera Theater has a mission of role preparation and Ms. Katz' seemed well-prepared to go onstage anywhere with her Gilda; she is solid in her familiarity with the role.  Although the program did not include bios, we would think she has sung the role before. And probably several times.

Similar in commitment and preparation, baritone Carlos Jimeno made a very fine Rigoletto--although his tall dignified bearing would have required elaborate costuming to convince us! He exhibited a wide emotional range and his duet with Gilda was superb. He handled his tenderness toward her as effectively as his antipathy toward the courtiers.

In the role of the Duke, the tenor was indisposed and having insurmountable vocal distress. Fortunately, in Act II, Mexican tenor Juan Del Bosco took over.  His is a large voice that he might learn to harness and scale down when the performing space is small.  Scorca Hall has very lively acoustics! He sounded best when he sang from offstage and one could still hear him loud and clear.

He is a musical singer with fine phrasing and superb Italian diction; but like many tenors he pushes on his high notes when he might do better to float them. The upper reaches of the staff does not mean the upper limits of volume. Although he seemed to know the role well, he turned to the score on the music stand which interfered with his otherwise fine acting.

We loved mezzo-soprano Galina Ivannikova in the role of Maddalena.  She has a rich unique sound which one rarely hears in this fach. Her work in the quartet was outstanding. We wish to hear more of her!

Bass roles were well-sung. Kofi Hayford performed Monterone, a role which sat very well on his rich voice.  Gennadiy Vysotskiy was truly menacing as Sparafucile and employed the bottom of his register well.

As Marullo, Borsa, and Ceprano, we heard Hasan Ozcan, Jason Lim, and Jeffrey Perez respectively. Their voices harmonized well and when they stepped away from their music stands they sounded even better.  Regular readers will recall how we feel about singers being "on the book".

The performance came in at two hours, with a few judicious cuts in dialogue.  We didn't miss Countess Ceprano at all. In terms of a concert version, this one was just the way we wanted to hear it, minus the music stands.  We never missed the sets and costumes.  We were happy to hear new singers showcased.

(c) meche kroop 

GILDA-- NOT IN A TRUNK

Aaron Blankfield, Laura Virella, Jessica Sandige, and Robert Garner in Amore Opera's production of Rigoletto

Every one of the smaller sized opera companies in New York has its own style, its own mission, and its own constituency. The plucky Amore Opera sprang like a phoenix from the ashes of the Amato Opera Company; they serve their audience well by presenting honorable productions of operas-- both well known and undiscovered ones alike. We use the word "honorable" because there is no giant ego here trying to make an opera "relevant" by updating it or shoehorning it into a different locale. The composer and librettist are well served, as well as the singers and the audience.

Here we have Artistic and Stage Director Nathan Hull who really understands opera and opera singers and lets them show their stuff in a highly legitimate fashion. Apparently, his view of the major themes of Giuseppi Verdi's Rigoletto is consonant with our own. He takes us exactly where librettist Francesco Maria Piave meant for us to be--16th c. Mantua, where a licentious Duke could surround himself with courtiers and employ a hunchback as his court jester.

As we see it, and Mr. Hull as well, the major themes are 1) the corruption of the spirit that can occur when a body is deformed, 2) the possibility of fine and tender sentiments in even the most abrasive character, and 3) the supernatural belief in the effectiveness of a curse.

When an individual is ostracized by society, his character gets deformed in any one of a number of possible ways. Rigoletto's eponymous hero is opera's version of Shakespeare's Richard III, trying to gain power over his tormentors.

Rigoletto, while a holy terror at court, is a devoted loving father to Gilda; his failure is loving too much and being too restrictive of her freedom. She has not had the opportunity to develop her own judgment, a quality that is earned by learning from one's mistakes.

16th c. folk took curses very seriously and it is here that Mr. Hull's directorial touches made perfect sense. Whenever Monterone's curse was mentioned, the lighting and the music and the acting let us know, in no uncertain terms, that Rigoletto was petrified.  (That was one of the failures of the Metropolitan Opera's most recent production which placed the action in contemporary Las Vegas.  As if anyone in today's America would be afraid of a curse!)

There is something about a small house that lets the audience members feel everything more intensely.  The theater in the Sheen Center on Bleeker Street only holds about 250 people and everyone gets to feel the annoyance of the courtiers, the callous indifference of the Duke, the shame of the abducted daughter, the grief of the father, and the flexible morality of the hired assassin Sparafucile.

As Rigoletto, baritone Robert Garner turned in his reliably excellent performance with acting that matched vocalism; he permitted us to see the softer feelings which underlay the hunchback's abrasive behavior at court. His Act I aria was performed in front of the curtain, allowing the sets to be changed for the scene in his home, and allowing the audience a greater understanding of his character.

Soprano Jessica Sandige made a fine Gilda, showing her character's innocence and devotion to her father by means of gesture and vocal color.  Their duet in the second scene of Act I began in 3/4 time but the time signature changed as emotions grew in intensity. We are very much looking forward to Ms. Sandige's performance with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance in July. And we hope she will use her excellent "Caro nome" as an audition piece.

We first heard and reviewed tenor Aaron Blankfield four years ago at Chelsea Opera in the role of Goro and are glad to see his promise fulfilled. Last night he showed a completely different side of himself than he did recently as Nemorino. Going from that role to that of the Duke was like day into night but he acquitted himself well.  He really shone in Act II with "Ella mi fu rapita!" We actually like Mr. Blankfield's voice best in the more piano passages, at which he excels.

Another highlight of Act II was the scene in which Gilda confesses her shame to her father. She literally cannot face him. The emotionalism was intense.

As Maddalena, mezzo-soprano Laura Virella was totally believable--just as vulnerable to the charms of the Duke as Gilda was--and convincingly persuasive with her brother as she begged him to spare the Duke's life, even as he sings the famous "La donna è mobile", driving the audience wild.

The Act III quartet was brilliant with all four major character singing of their desires and fears. Most poignant is Rigoletto's wish for vengeance and Gilda's desire for forgiveness for the Duke.

We enjoyed the substantial baritone of Sam Carl as the outraged Count of Monterone who lays his curse upon the Duke and Rigoletto, both indifferent to the violation of his daughter.  And this was a spot where Mr. Hull's direction amplified the impact.

In the same scene, the Count of Ceprano (baritone Thomas Geib) suffered extraordinary humiliation when children entered and literally placed horns on his head because the Duke was going to have his way with the Countess of Ceprano (mezzo-soprano Mary Gwynne Langston). Just another brilliant directorial touch that emphasized the cruelty of the court.

Bass Peter Ludwig sang the role of Sparafucile in a menacing manner. Baritone Stuart Whalen took the role of Marullo and tenor Daniel Kerr sang the part of Borsa. As Giovanna, Gilda's guilty governess, Janelle Kirton overdid her gestures in an inappropriately modern fashion.

Maestro Douglas Martin conducted with Verdian vigor. The strings  produced a lovely carpet of sound, but the brass took awhile to calm down. We particularly liked Richard Paratley's flute solo. It is challenging for the artists to sing over the orchestra, which is not in a pit. But that is just a factor to be tolerated since there is no way to change it.

Sets were simple but worked well. There was a throne and some panels to suggest the court. Rigoletto's terrace worked well with a street entrance and a rear one. Rigoletto's role in holding the ladder in the abduction scene was made clear. Sparafucile's tavern seemed barren and isolated which added to the feeling in Act III.

Costumes were colorful and suggestive of the Renaissance. Choreography by Dana Boll was effective but unnecessary. One minor flaw of Amore Opera is tending to crowd the small stage with either too many people or too much scenery.

Fine work was done by the chorus, under the direction of Susan Morton. Their voices added greatly to the storm scene, providing the sounds of the wind while the orchestra produced the thunder.

If you wish to see the same cast, you will find them onstage next Saturday night. However, we understand that the other casts are equally fine and there are several performances from which to choose.  There are even two Saturday matinees with an abridged version for children.

(c) meche kroop

CARDONA DOES RIGOLETTO

The stellar cast of Verdi's Rigoletto produced by Martha Cardona Opera

Last night we had the great pleasure of witnessing yet another triumph of the Martha Cardona Opera. One never tires of Verdi's 1851 masterpiece Rigoletto, with libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Victor Hugo's scandalous play Le roi s'amuse. In mid-19th c. Italy, it was quite a challenge to negotiate with the Austrian censors and many plot compromises were made. Thankfully there were no compromises made with the music and conductor Gregory Ortega led a crisp and insightful reading of the score, from the portentous opening to the lively party music.

Presenting opera in a semi-staged version is a challenge for the audience as well as for the singers. Audience members must mentally invent the setting and the costumes; singers are generally confined to a shallow playing area in front of the orchestra and may have difficulty balancing their vocal  volume with that of the orchestra. None of this seemed to be a problem last night. Minimal but effective direction was provided by Founder and Artistic Director Daniel Cardona.

The singers were undeniably first rate and of the caliber that delights audiences world wide. Highly impressive was baritone Jason Stearns as the eponymous Rigoletto. His acting was so powerful and convincing that his firm baritone seemed only to serve the various nuances of his character. Without any "help" from an artificial hump, he contorted his muscular body and adopted a limp that told us plainly that this poor man had experienced a lifetime of suffering and humiliation. His soliloquy was moving and his duets with Gilda were heartbreaking. This was a performance to be remembered.

Such characters often turn their anger at their bodies toward other people in their pathway and Rigoletto turns his anger onto the corteggani of his employer, the Duke of Mantua. As court jester, he mercilessly pokes, prods, and skewers these courtiers. Thus he incurs the wrath of the elderly Monterone who has come to court to protest the dishonoring of his daughter. Monterone curses him and this maledizione is tragically fulfilled at the end of the opera by the death of Rigoletto's beloved daughter Gilda, the only person toward whom he feels tenderness and love.

Last night's Gilda was played--no, inhabited, by the lovely soprano Yunnie Park, whom we well remember from Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance.  She has a scintillating sound marked by a liquid vibrato and great ease with the fioritura. The very picture of innocence, she is an easy mark for the licentious Duke who has been making eyes at her in church, the only place the lonely girl has been permitted to visit. Ms. Park sang the "Caro nome" with such feeling that she made us remember our first delirious crush.

As the Duke, tenor Galeano Salas, whom we greatly enjoyed in Santa Fe last summer, used his generous sound well and has grown considerably since winning an Opera Index award. His instrument is full-throated with a great deal of breadth to the sound and, happily, no pushing. His appearance is so sweet that we didn't sense any nastiness in his portrayal.  His Duke was more carefree than devious.

Bass-baritone Kian Freitas overcame his youth to effectively portray the aforementioned elderly courtier Monterone. He did this by coloring his fine voice with dignity mingled with outrage.  There are no small roles! He is a Martha Cardona regular and we are glad of it.

As Maddalena, mezzo-soprano Sarah Heltzel sang well and was believable as Sparafucile's seductive sister whose duty it is to set up the victims for her brother's assassinations. She too is taken in by the Duke's flattery and convinces her brother to betray his code of honor as an assassin.

Another mezzo-soprano Meghan Sands did well with the small role of the Countess Ceprano who has captured the Duke's attention. Jeffrey Perez was fine as her husband. As Giovanna, mezzo-soprano Fiorella Velez sang well but did not create a distinctive character.

Our one disappointment was with bass Matthew Anchel who sang well but was dramatically hampered by being "on the book". There must be a story behind this which we do not know.  Tenor Eamon Pereyra sang the role of Borsa;  baritone Lane Johnson made a fine Marullo.  Patricia Vital sang the role of the Page and the other courtiers were sung by Ray Calderon, Lindell Carter, Tim DiFiore, and Robert Pagnani.

The titles were reasonably well translated but unfortunately not always coincident with what was being sung.  At times they fell behind and at other times rushed ahead.  This was our sole quibble with an outstanding performance.

It is an extraordinary pleasure to hear opera up close and personal. Merkin Hall is a fine venue for this purpose. 

(c) meche kroop

BUONA NOTTE

QuinnKelsey and Georgia Jarman (photo credit: Ken Howard for Santa Fe Opera

It was indeed a "buona notte" at the Santa Fe Opera when a perfect storm of casting and direction created a Rigoletto to Remember. Although there was no actual weather event as there was five years ago here, when Mother Nature provided real live lightning and thunder for Act III, there were fireworks aplenty onstage.

Baritone Quinn Kelsey's portrayal of the eponymous character was both chilling and moving.  Like every other character in this work, his complexity was captured by the artist and one couldn't help but think of Shakespeare's characters, always so multidimensional. Warped in body and spirit, Rigoletto expresses his rage at his condition by verbally attacking the courtiers comprising the court of the licentious Duke of Mantua--provoking, embarrassing and humiliating them under the protection of the Duke. But he has a soft and tender side as well, expressed in his duets with his lovely daughter Gilda. Mr. Quinn's rich baritone and expressive skills worked as well in his mocking mood as they did in his tender scenes with Gilda.

Gilda is also a complex character. She is the very incarnation of innocence, having been sheltered from the world by her overprotective father. She too has another side.  She hides some very essential facts from her father and lies about the fact that  she has been oourted by the Duke himself in the guise of a poor student named Gualtier Malde. Soprano Georgia Jarman used her gorgeous instrument and consummate phrasing to show the tender caring of daughter for father in their duets together. Her admirable coloratura skills were employed for her flights of fioritura in the famous aria "Caro nome". Her prodigious vocal skills were complemented by total immersion in her character. We believed her and cared about her.

The Duke  is a more consistent character, imbued as he is with licentiousness and depravity.  But the tenor assigned this challenging role, Bruce Ledge, needs to hide his true character and convince Gilda that he is a poor student feeling the most honorable feelings toward her. Yet Verdi's music tells us everything we need to know about this scumbag. Ledge delivered his "Questa o quella" and "La donna e mobile" with the same spirit as that with which he tossed women onto the floor.

As Sparafucile, the hired assassin who is too ethical (!) to cheat a client, bass Peixin Chen made a fine chilling appearance and, as his sister Maddalena, mezzo-soprano Nicole Piccolomini made a fine showing with one of the most powerful voices we have heard recently in this fach. It was easy to see how she could overpower her reluctant brother in her wish to spare the life of the Duke, who has managed to work his seductive magic on her as well.

Gilda's caretaker Giovanna, sung by mezzo Anne Marie Stanley, was given an unusual emphasis. She was portrayed as a poor wretch, hungry enough to lick the crumbs off Rigoletto's plate. Her resentment toward her master was so great that she not only betrayed him by accepting bribes from the Duke but also from the courtiers who abducted her charge.  To add insult to injury, before her treachery can be punished, she gathers her few belongings, spits on her master and runs off.

Baritone Jarrett Ott stood out as a fine Marullo, one of the courtiers, and veteran Robert Pomakov's sturdy base lent emphasis to the aristocratic Count Monterone whose daughter (Andrea Nunez) has been disgraced by the Duke. Bass Calvin Griffin was fine as Count Ceprano whose wife, portrayed by Shabnam Kalbasi, is also in the Duke's sights. It is always a pleasure for us to see and hear so many fine young artists getting a chance to shine onstage.

Musical values were superb all around with Maestro Jader Bignamini leading a propulsive account of Verdi's score.  The evening seemed to fly by all too quickly but never felt rushed. The fine points of Verdi's orchestration were fully realized. Today's audience would scarcely believe that this major hit from Verdi's middle period (premiered in 1851) was perceived as revolutionary in its compositional innovations and was also subject to great difficulties from the Austrian censors who were occupying the north of Italy. They saw Francesco Maria Piavi's libretto (adapted from Victor Hugo's play "Le roi s'amuse"), as highly immoral.

We could just imagine how they might have reacted to Director Lee Blakeley version of 2015!  He chose to set the work in the period of The Risorgimento, Verdi's own time, also the time of the Counter-Reformation and the Restoration of the Catholic Church.  In Blakeley's version, the court is wildly lascivious and seems to be in full orgy mode at all times. Along the same lines, Sparafucile's tavern is actually a brothel with Maddalena performing sexual duties along with other "sex workers". Although one might interpret this as overkill, the concept did work as a manifestation of extreme depravity.

Other directors have updated the work from the 16th c. There was a Mafia version by Jonathan Miller, there was the Doris Dorrie version set on the Planet of the Apes (!) , the Linda Brovsky version set in Mussolini's fascist Italy, the Las Vegas version by Michael Mayer and, most recently,  Lindy Hume's version set in Berlusconi's paparazzi-driven world. For our taste, Mr. Blakeley's version suits us best. We can believe that Monterone's curse la maledizione was received with credulity and fear during that period, but not in the 20th c. We are waiting for a version set in Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion so we can howl with laughter.

We found the Scenic and Costume Design by Adrian Linford to be a bit distracting and unsatisfying. A rather undersized revolving stage permitted the audience to see the court, Rigoletto's house and Sparafucile' tavern in rapid succession.  This made for a speedy evening without lengthy intermissions and kept the drama moving forward.  But the set itself was crowded and puzzling. Why would the Duke tolerate threadbare furniture? Why is everything atilt? There was an overall emphasis on poverty: Giovanna seems to be starving and Sparafucile is dressed in rags like a hobo. Some characters are dressed according to the mid 19th c. and others seem to be wearing contemporary streetwear.

In sum, the Santa Fe Opera has mounted a real winner that scored well in the areas we value most highly--Verdi's tuneful yet character-driven music given its full due, and the high level of characterization and drama that led us to experience the involvement we so greatly appreciate.The casting was astute; the singers all had fine voices and enacted characters one could believe. The chorus, comprising apprentices directed by Susanne Sheston, added enormously to the musical value and to the drama.

(c) meche kroop