WORK OR FUN?

Pei-Wen Chen, Joan Dornemann, Melanie Spector, Diana Soviero, Emilia Poma, Cloe San Antonio, Jennifer Jaroslavsky,
Zachary Sebek, and Clara Iranzo

We have lost count of all the master classes we have attended. We have noted that each master teacher brings something else to the table. Some focus on role interpretation, some on language skills, some on stage presence, and other aspects of performance.

Last night, as part of the International Vocal Arts Institute at Mannes College for Music, we became acquainted with the unique style of superstar soprano Diana Soviero. Ms. Soviero is a "character" and we mean this in the best possible way. She is fearless in her attempt to get her students on the right pathway, even at the expense of making funny faces and saying funny things, and contradicting "received wisdom".

The true measure of her method is the change in the sound of the students. The six people we heard were all excellent to start out with but achieved a far fuller sound under her tutelage. We would say that they did the work and we had the fun but, truth to tell, they seemed to be having as much fun as we did. Ms. Soviero stands right next to the student and moves their arms, conducting them as they sing. 

Rather than describe what each one sang, we will share with you some of the valuable tips we gleaned. We confess that some of the tips exceeded our modest understanding but most of them made sense to anyone with a basic knowledge of vocal production.

Before the singing began, the arrival of a few latecomers became an opportunity to tell the singers to never turn their backs to the audience but to stand and wait, in character, until the audience settles down. She also pointed out how the orchestral introduction tells the singer when and how to begin. Never begin by belting the note but slide into it.

Of course, everything starts with the breath and most singers have an unclear picture of the role of the diaphragm and have been ill-advised to "push the breath". Ms. Soviero is careful not to label anything as "wrong" but prefers to call things "misunderstood". One way to keep the larynx and diaphragm down while going up is to try to lift the piano!

Some of the singers needed to be told not to hold back but to send the sound out. We have always heard the instructions to send the voice forward but her instructions were often to send it back. For our understanding, this would require a bit more explanation but it certainly made a positive difference. 

To achieve a diminuendo, she instructed the student to send the sound out with energy so it vibrates, and then to bring it back in. Another tip for a dry mouth is to suck in on your cheeks.  That's one we never heard before!

In a trill, the singer should put the lower note on the beat. That was a good one!

Since the tongue connects with the larynx, it is important to avoid mouth positions that tense the tongue. The upper molars should be well separated from the lower ones. "Nyeh, nyeh" is a good way to find the right place for the tongue.

It isn't necessary to open the mouth wide to get a big sound. We've never heard a teacher focus on the embouchure but she described the upper lip as a steering wheel that directs the sound. Singers should be careful about jutting the jaw forward.

Before going higher, lift the palate first. 

To find the center of the pitches one can practice humming them first. Hum the upward jump, then open the mouth. Keep the vowel in place for upward leaps.

Much of this comes from the Garcia technique, of which we have never heard; but since it worked so well for these six singers it would be valuable to learn more about it.

Beyond the technical aspects there were a couple acting strategies that we'd like to share. In "Stridono lassù", the soprano should not keep looking up. A flock of birds doesn't remain overhead, they sweep across the sky. The singer can follow them just for a brief moment only! We never heard that before but it makes so much sense.

Also in Pagliacci, when Arlecchino serenades Columbina, he should be very relaxed and can . "tune the lute" before he begins to sing. It's these little gestures that make a performance believable and we were so glad to be made aware of them.

We expect big things from these six promising young singers!

We plan on attending the concerts of arias and opera scenes for the rest of this 10-day institute about which we have written a great deal in the past.  So should you!  Particulars are on the IVAI website.

(c) meche kroop

WE TOOK THE A TRAIN

Dimitri Dover, Joseph Lim, Leah Hawkins, and Mario Bahg at Jackie Robinson Park Bandshell

Lucky us!  Thor held his thunder until after the Metropolitan Opera recital and Tlaloc kept the threatened rain in abeyance. The crowd at the bandshell in Jackie Robinson Park in Harlem was sadly sparse but nonetheless wildly enthusiastic, sensing that the artists were giving their all for the occasion. If what we write is tempting to you, there will be several more opportunities to hear the same program in the other four boroughs. It would be a shame to miss it.

We know pianist Dimitri Dover since his student days at Juilliard and have always admired his artistry at the piano. Last night he moved readily from Mozart to Bernstein and everything in between. Not only did he play magnificently but he fulfilled the role of narrator, explaining to the audience what each aria was about and its place in the opera. Not everyone is an experienced opera goer and this knowledge went a long way toward enhancing audience appreciation.

We were first introduced to the astonishing talent of soprano Leah Hawkins by our dear friend, pianist/coach/conductor Lachlan Glen who knows a good voice when he hears it. We heard Ms. Hawkins sing in French and was immediately won over. Last night we heard her sing in Italian and English and continue to be impressed.

Ms. Hawkins is one of those big beautiful gals with big beautiful voices. We were immediately drawn in by "Io son l'umile ancella" from Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. Puccini held no terrors for this gifted lady as she sailed through Liu's "Signore Ascolta" from Puccini's Turandot. We couldn't help thinking that we wanted to hear her sing the title role and we probably will some day.

From Verdi's Otello we heard Desdemona's final act prayer which was intensely moving. Even better was Clara's big aria "Summertime" from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, her encore piece in which she let out all the stops. Some of the notes were "bent" in true jazzy style and there was a delicious portamento. We had goose bumps.

We think it's important for a singer to choose her roles carefully and we didn't think that Maria from Bernstein's West Side Story was the right role for Ms. Hawkin's powerful voice; she is anything but an ingenue!

Joseph Lim is a fine baritone who was brought to our attention five years ago at one of Marilyn Horne's Spotlight Recitals during her birthday week at Carnegie Hall. We recall being quite impressed and was thrilled to catch him again at the Santa Fe Opera as a powerful Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor. We lost track of him over the past few years but his star is on the rise and we were so happy to hear him again.

We recall that we were a bit nit-picky about his German and are glad to report that it is vastly improved. One of our favorite German arias is Wolfram's "O du, mein holder Abendstern" from Wagner's Tannhäuser. Hearing this aria changed the life of the peasant-turned-linguistic professor in the film Padre, Padrone by the Taviani brothers. It moved us greatly long ago when we saw the film and it probably stimulated our interest in opera! 

We loved the way Mr. Lim sang it. Having heard a lovely tenorial quality in his upper register in Guglielmo's "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, we didn't expect him to do so well with the low tessitura of the Wagner. Accompanist Dimitri Dover played some gorgeously modulated arpeggi that amplified the spiritual mood.

In "Ya vas lyublyu" from Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades, he sang the Russian with as much legato as we would want, making beautiful phrases in spite of the harsh Russian consonants.

Every singer loves a good drinking song and he did a fine job with Hamlet's "O vin, dissipe la tristesse" from the Tomas opera. The French was excellent and we felt Hamlet's underlying distress. In "Some Enchanted Evening", from Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, the floated high note at the end added to the romantic feeling.

Tenor Mario Bahg is new to us and we grew to appreciate his artistry more and more as the evening wore on. He has a pleasing warm tone and a lovely legato technique. We enjoyed his performance of "Angelo casto e bel" from Il Duca d'Alba, attributed to Donizetti. We confided in Maestro Ken Noda that it sounded nothing like Donizetti and he confirmed that Donizetti didn't compose it!  Donizetti abandoned the opera and it was finished by his pupil Matteo Salvi after his death. Indeed that is so but it is a lovely tenor piece nonetheless.

His delivery of Faust's serenade "Salut! demeure chaste et pure" was completely convincing and splendidly romantic.  The same lovely legato was notable in everything he sang. As an encore piece, he gave a passionate rendition of "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" in gorgeous German.

Of course, we always have a quibble and we would like to see Mr. Bahg sharpen his fioritura. The ascending and descending scales in "Il mio tesoro" from Mozart's Don Giovanni were beautifully rendered but we wanted more clarity in the embellishments. He has a real feel for Mozart and we loved his rendition of Ferrando's aria "Un aura amorosa" from Cosi fan tutte.

The two gentlemen joined forces for "Au fond du temple saint" from Bizet's Les Pêcheurs de Perles and created some fortuitous harmonies. They made much of the contrast between the yearning first and final sections and the stormy central section.

That was our favorite duet since we didn't care too much for the English version of the waltz from Lehar's The Merry Widow nor did we experience the requisite chemistry in "Tonight" from Bernstein's West Side Story which we enjoyed so thoroughly the previous night at the Brooklyn concert. Again, it all comes down to choices. It is not enough for a work to fit into the program. It has to fit the voice and personality of the singer.

(c) meche kroop

TAKE THIS GIRL TO BROOKLYN!

Dan Saunders, Nathan Gunn, Ying Fang, and Aaron Blake

The stars came out in the sky overhead just as the opera stars finished their concert at Brooklyn Bridge Park. We cannot say which shone more brightly. The concert is part of The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series. Unwilling to spend hours waiting in line to attend the recital in Central Park we made the trek to Brooklyn where cheerful opera goers with amazingly quiet children gathered to share an experience that could only win more converts to opera.

It would be impossible to listen to these three superstars, accompanied by Dan Saunders at the piano, and not become a convert. Each one brought something unique and special to this program comprising predominantly famous arias and duets of the canon, with some American musical theater added at the end.

Soprano Ying Fang dazzled us the first time we heard her and she has grown in artistry since then. Ms. Fang has it all--a sparkling coloratura of remarkable flexibility, and a gracious stage presence that can only add to her physical beauty. At the opera, one is not supposed to care about appearances but between us, dear reader, eye candy is always a plus. A tasteful and flattering gown completed the picture.

We witnessed great emotional variety from this stunning artist who seems to lose herself in whatever character she portrays. Whether it be the perky Pamina sharing a moment with Papageno (Nathan Gunn, whom we will get to later), Zerlina responding to an importuning Don Giovanni (Mr. Gunn again), the lovely Lauretta begging her father to enable her marriage, the seductive Alcina (although "Tornami a vagheggiar" is sometimes sung by Alcina's sister Morgana), the aristocratic Adina, the pleading Servilia, the wistful Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, or the love besotted Maria from West Side Story--all these characters she portrayed would be immediately identifiable. What astonishing versatility!

It would be impossible to choose our favorite but we must make note of her vocal artistry in the Händel; the fioritura was perfect and the ritornello after the plaintive B section was incredibly exciting. We would also like to mention the Chinese song she chose as an encore, translated as "The Bridge". Not only was the vocal line marvelously melodic but the piano accompaniment was rich in texture. What an appropriate choice since we were in full view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge!

Baritone Nathan Gunn is a regular at The Metropolitan Opera but we are quite sure we first heard him many years ago singing a Schubert song cycle accompanied by his wife Julie. He brings to the stage an authoritative presence and a mellow voice that seems able to make the most of whatever role he assumes. He too slips readily into a variety of characters. We enjoyed his winning Papageno, his seductive Don Giovanni, the yearning Zurga, the irrepressible Figaro, the reminiscing Pierrot, the fantasizing Billy Bigelow, the loyal Lancelot, and the excited Tony.  

Each one received full vocal and dramatic value. Perhaps our favorite was Billy's soliloquy from Carousel in which Mr. Gunn's voice, gesture, and face altered with each new emotion and each new idea.

Tenor Aaron Blake made a fine addition to the program, filling in for an ailing Ben Bliss. What we liked best about Mr. Blake was that his immersion in each character was so intense that we felt we were seeing everything through the eyes of each one. As Nadir, in his duet with Mr. Gunn, we could see the crowd of worshipers and the beautiful but inaccessible Leïla. As the tormented Lensky, we felt his anguish. In the famous "Dein ist mein ganzes herz", the passion could be cut with a knife. We don't think we have ever seen a better Nemorino as he swigged from a bottle and did a crazy jig around the stage. Don Ottavio's challenging "Dalla sua pace" was marked by some fine embellishments in the repeat when he filled in the notes of the scale. His encore "O Sole Mio" was filled with garlic.

The only thing that we would like to see Mr. Blake accomplish would be floating the high notes, since he tends to push the volume in the upper register. We noted Mr. Gunn's floated high notes in Pierrot's "Tanzlied" from Korngold's Die Tote Stadt and loved the ethereal quality, much as we loved the pingy sound of Ms. Fang's upper register. 

It was a glorious night and well worth the trek to Brooklyn!

(c) meche kroop

OUT OF THE CONCERT HALL AND INTO THE PARK

Sung Shin and Sara Jayne Blackmore in Washington Square Park

Opera Under the Arch of Washington Square Park is Sung Shin's baby; it's a year old and thriving. One would expect the Artistic Director to snag the best parts for himself but baritone Shin took a back seat and left us wanting to hear more of his marvelous baritone. He did appear in some duets which we will get to anon.

What a treat to be outdoors in lovely June weather listening to world class singers. It is difficult to say who enjoyed it more, the ever-growing crowd of listeners or the singers themselves. We were in seventh heaven and the "noobie" we brought has become a convert to opera because of the winning performances and the delightfully casual atmosphere of the event. We are not sure if we were the first to write about this event last year, but we won't be the last. The media has been quick to pick up the novelty of the experience, especially the part about singers standing on top of the piano!

Some of the singers are advanced students and others are starring in operas both in the USA and abroad. A special treat was hearing bass Hidenori Inoue tear into "Mentre goniersi l'anima parea" from Verdi's Attila. In this aria, Attila relates a discouraging dream he had about turning back and giving up. Mr. Inoue grabbed this aria by the throat and delivered a powerful performance. It is said that the bass is a late-maturing fach but this youthful artist truly showed a vocal maturity that would serve any bass role.

Also on hand was soprano Yvette Keong who sang Stephen Foster's "Beautiful Dreamer" with such tonal brilliance that we heard it afresh. We have always associated it with mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne so this was an entirely new experience. This versatile young artist, as beautiful vocally as she is in appearance, was particularly convincing in "Quando m'en vo", Musetta's show stopper in Puccini's La Bohème. A gal has to be really gorgeous to get away with that one and she is!  More surprising was her lush delivery of Rachmaninoff's "Spring Waters" in excellent Russian.

A soprano of a totally different kind, Alaysha Fox shows great promise in the dramatic soprano fach. We recall her excellent Lady Macbeth and her stunning performance of Donna Elvira's aria "Or sai chi l'onore" from Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Finals. What a treat to hear her reprise that success up close and personal. Just as compelling was her performance of "Ernani involami" from Verdi's opera of the same name. We expect a lot of Ms. Fox!

Soprano Alexis Rose Seminario opened the evening with a beautiful delivery of "Depuis le jour" from Charpentier's seldom heard opera Louise and was joined by Mr. Sung for the charming duet from Reynaldo Hahn's operetta Ciboulette -- "Nous avons fait un beau voyage". The chemistry and the harmony worked well and the French was completely understandable; it was romantic and endearing as operetta should be.

Mr. Sung seemed to be ever ready to join his wonderful baritone with other artists. We do love duets and heard two of them from Donizetti's delightful comedy Don Pasquale.  He made a fine Dr. Malatesta with Sarah Jayne Blackmore as his Norina in "Pronto io son". We always love this duet as the wily doctor coaches the widow Norina in how to present herself as his convent bred sister.

Continuing as Dr. Malatesta, Mr. Shin conspired with John Brakatselos as a very funny Don Pasquale. The two baritones have very different qualities but both excelled at the rapidfire patter. Mr. Brakatselos has a deep baritone that seemed just right for Macbeth's lugubrious "Pietà, rispetto, amore". Showing his versatility, he performed "Italian Street Song" by our dearly beloved Victor Herbert, reminding us of our many delightful evenings with Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live!

Soprano Nicoletta Julia Berry gave a touching performance of Gilda's falling-in- love aria "Caro Nome" from Verdi's Rigoletto, evincing a killer trill, a delicate diminuendo, and a perfect portamento--all the things we want in a coloratura aria.

Soprano Shelén Hughes sang a Bernstein song we'd never heard before from Wonderful Town--"A Little Bit in Love". The song starts out with humming and moves on to the almost speechless wonder of falling in love; we think we fell a little bit in love with Ms. Hughes! She also gave a charming performance of "Il bel sogno di Doretta" from Puccini's La Rondine.

Soprano Ripley Lucas-Tagliani invested "Frère! Voyez!" from Massenet's Werther with Sophie's enthusiastic innocence and lovely tonal quality. We noticed the same qualities in her "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi.

Saving our terrific tenor for last, Emmet Cahill almost moved us to tears with "Una furtiva lagrima" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, sung when Nemorina realizes that Adina must really love him.  And we love him too! He also delighted us as the love-besotted Tony in "Maria" from Bernstein's West Side Story and the heartfelt audience-pleasing "Danny Boy".

What an evening!  A banquet of song, catered by master chef Sung Shin who surely has earned his first name. Accompanying all this marvelous singing on the piano was Eric Sedgwick, whose artistry we have long admired and written about, and Curtis Serafin who is new to us.

What an effective way to win a new audience for opera. There were all ages in attendance and the children were as spellbound as their parents. Opera is for everyone, not just the elite!  Spread the word folks!

(c) meche kroop

SOME LIGHT EMERGES

Angela Dinkelman, Lydia Adelle Brown, Caroline Worra, Billy Huyler, Laura Virella, and Alexander Mason

Last night we attended the opening of Utopia Opera's production of Some Light Emerges.  In an original concept by co-librettist Mark Campbell, five very different characters are profoundly affected by visiting the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas. That we cared about the follow-up, in which we learn about their futures, testifies to the superior performances of all six cast members whose acting was as fine as their singing.

Caroline Worra is completely believable as Dominique de Menil, the society matron/philanthropist who established an ecumenical sanctuary in Houston, commissioning canvases from Mark Rothko. It was interesting that when Rothko butted heads with architect Philip Johnson, the latter was replaced. The chapel opened in 1971. Not only did her character have several monologues (one could not call them arias) but she remained onstage throughout the performance, gazing benevolently upon the five individuals who visit during different time periods, each one delivering a monologue. The theme is that each is transformed by the artwork.

Billy Huyler portrays Tom, a visitor from the hinterlands who comes to enjoy some air conditioning--an escape from the Texas heat. Unwittingly he becomes subject to the power of the art and returns from time to time.

Angela Dinkelman plays the role of Margie, a housewife/mother who is enjoying a day of self-indulgence which includes dining on frog's legs at a French restaurant. She returns also but with a twist we will not reveal.

Laura Virella was totally convincing as a Latina lesbian who has come to the chapel for a memorial for a friend who died of AIDS. She too has an interesting twist in her future. What goes around, as they say.

Alexander Mason took the role of Albert, an Algerian immigrant working in IT who is bearing the brunt of hostility toward Middle-Easterners just after 9/11. He is in fact a Berber.

Lydia Adelle Brown gave a convincing performance as Cece, an African-American teenager from New Orleans who has been uprooted by Katrina and taken in by a Houston family. She is filled with anger but her exposure to Rothko's paintings, encouraged by her teacher (guess who!), produces a profound change in her future.

After all those monologues, it was a pleasure to see a couple of the characters interact toward the end.

If you love stories like this, which we do, you will enjoy this music-theater piece. If you love Rothko's art, which we do not, you will also enjoy this work. And if you are a fan of contemporary opera you will find much to enjoy here.

Our feelings about Laura Kaminsky's music are mixed. The instrumental music, as performed by some superb musicians under the baton of Maestro William Remmers, is sometimes lyrical and, at other times, jarring and disharmonious. (Guess which we liked!) But there is nary a suggestion of a pleasing melodic line for the singers, which seems to be the current standard for contemporary opera. That Ms. Kaminsky is celebrated is a fact-- but we still didn't emerge from the 75 min. piece with a desire to repeat the experience.

Lochlan Brown was impressive on the keyboard and we particularly appreciated the sonorities of the winds (flute, bassoon, and trombone--quite an unusual combination). We also noted the interesting percussion.

The libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed (who also partnered with Ms. Kaminsky for the recently reviewed As One) was wordy and reads better than it sings. It might have worked better as a play. Actually, we perceived it more as one of those one-woman plays in which a gifted actor plays all the parts.  We loved Mr. Campbell's libretto for The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, seen at Santa Fe Opera--the review of which can be found by utilizing the search bar. In that case, his words and Mason Bates' music seemed to work well together. We did not have that experience on this occasion. One might say that the light that emerged did not enlighten us.

Stage Direction by David Schweizer was simple but appropriate, as was the simple costuming by Eric Lamp and Angel Betancourt.

We missed melody and we missed Maestro Remmers' pre-performance dry humor in his role as Artistic Director. We didn't see hide nor hair of him until he ascended the podium!

(c) meche kroop

OPERA AS EVENT

The cast of Dido and Aeneas in the Catacombs of Green-Wood Cemetery
(photo by Kevin Condon)

On the front cover of the program for Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, producer Andrew Ousley (of Death of Classical and Unisom Media) expressed his feelings about death and remembrance as eloquently as one could have imagined, giving us a clue about his regular musical presentations in crypts and catacombs. More appropriate than macabre, these radical stagings leave us feeling that life is finite and music is one of the best means of celebrating it.

The conclusion of Purcell's opera would be familiar to most opera goers. Queen Dido of Carthage kills herself but asks her handmaiden Belinda to "remember me but forget my fate". It is arguably one of the best Baroque arias in the canon. Here it was movingly sung by mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack whose prodigious vocal chops are matched by dramatic ones. Belinda was portrayed by soprano Molly Quinn whose instrument is a finely focused one that reaches to the stratosphere and tickles the ceiling. Their overtones bounced around the walls of the catacombs of Green-wood Cemetery where 120 guests were privileged to share a unique collective experience.

Purcell composed the one-act opera for performance at a girl's school in the 1680's with libretto by Nahum Tate, based on Book IV of Virgil's Aeneid. We have seen it at least four times in the past two years and every time certain liberties have been taken. In this iteration, director Alek Shrader (best known for his terrific tenor) has incorporated additional text by Christopher Marlowe and introduced the character of Iarbas (the low resonant tones of Paul Greene-Dennis) whose attentions toward Dido are consistently rejected.

We have noticed a tendency, in the last few versions we have seen, to portray Dido as a strong independent woman, not a victim of Aeneas' abandonment. Here Aeneas was finely performed by Paul La Rosa. It is interesting how stories evolve with the times!  

The unfortunate Trojan Prince Aeneas is led astray by a Sorceress (Vanessa Cariddi) and her two witches (Erin Moll and Alyssa Martin) who reminded us of nothing more or less than Macbeth's "weird sisters". We never find out why they have it in for Dido but they do. They employ base trickery to fool Aeneas into believing that the gods want him to go to Italy and establish Rome. And they do this with intensely valid vocalism.

Dido's sister Anna was sung by the excellent Brooke Larimer and the cast was rounded out by Marc Molomot and Kannan Vasudevan as Trojans accompanying Aeneas.

The musical values were undeniably magnificent with these gorgeous voices accompanied by expressive music. Leading from the harpsichord was Music Director Elliot Figg. Adding to the string quartet was the haunting viola da gamba.

Dancer/choreographer Liana Kleinman added some graceful modern dance to the mix.

Production values contributed a great deal to the overall effect. The catacombs themselves provided the setting with the action taking place at one end of a long tunnel; entrances and exits occurred through side doors which led to crypts occupied by the deceased of various families from the 19th c. There was a small raised platform for the performers and Tláloc López-Watermann's evocative lighting was perfect. Fay Eva's costume design was also perfect with Dido wearing a slender red gown contrasting with Belinda's white one. The three witches wore black with suitably terrifying makeup by Ivey Ray. They created a stunning stage picture.

With such splendid musical and production values, it is sad that so few people will have the privilege of witnessing this stunning sold-out event. It is also a shame that the long narrow space does not lend itself to good sight lines. We see no way around this dilemma. The tenebrous space creates a mood like no other and the acoustics are beyond wonderful.

Mr. Ousley's events are always greater than the sum of their parts, the parts in this case including a pre-opera whiskey tasting and a post-opera torch lit stroll down from the heights of the cemetery. Lest you, dear reader, imagine that my enthusiasm for the evening was colored by inebriation, rest assured that we left our share for the angels.

(c) meche kroop

NABUCCO ABBREVIATED

Robin Bradley, Leslie Swanson, David Serero, Javier Ortiz, and Michael Celentano
onstage at the Center for Jewish History in Verdi's Nabucco

That warm feeling we get when hearing Verdi's "Va Pensiero", also known as "The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves" is largely due to Verdi's stirring music and the poetic words of librettist Temistocle Solera. Last night, at the Center for Jewish History, we heard the chorus performed by the five members of the cast of an abbreviated version of Verdi's Nabucco. The opera premiered in 1842 at La Scala, established Verdi's reputation, and has been a part of the repertory ever since.

Presented by The American Sephardi Federation and directed and adapted by baritone David Serero, we heard some fine singing and accompaniment by Shawn Chang, substituting for the orchestra. Although die-hard opera goers might complain about the cuts and lack of orchestra, we enjoyed this version and so did the audience which happily included some youngsters. What a great way to introduce someone to opera. This version was direct and to the point, emphasizing the major arias, eliminating extraneous characters, and telling the story well without any longueurs.

Mr. Serero himself used his powerful baritone well and created a Nebuchadnezzar to be reckoned with. His mad spell, which in the bible lasted for seven years, lasted only about seven bars of music-- but was very convincing! For purposes both dramatic and romantic, operatic libretti take huge liberties with history, much as the stories in the bible take liberties with historical facts.

Nebuchadnezzar was the most long-lasting and powerful king of Babylonia five centuries B.C.E. He did in fact conquer Jerusalem and destroy the temple. In the Book of Daniel, by virtue of Daniel's dream interpretation, he converted to Judaism-- but that is not supported historically. Every culture creates its own legends.

Even the popularity of "Va Pensiero" is surrounded by legend. Indeed it was sung at Verdi's funeral in 1901, but it was not a spontaneous demonstration. It was orchestrated for political reasons. As a matter of fact, its patriotic status probably originated after Italy's reunification. Still, it's an attractive myth that the work motivated Italy's attempts to throw off the yoke of foreign domination. To each his own myth!

The creation of the masterpiece by Verdi and Solera incorporated, as so many operas do, a romance. The Babylonian princess Fenena, well sung last night by mezzo-soprano Robin Bradley, and Ismaele (nephew of the King of Jerusalem) equally well sung by tenor Michael Celentano are having theirs. In the opera, Fenena is used by the Judeans as a hostage, so when Ismaele frees her he is accused of treason.

By far the most difficult role in the opera is that of Abigaille, supposed daughter of Nebuchadnezzar but actually the child of a slave. She has been scorned by Ismaele and wants vengeance. She seizes the crown from Nebuchadnezzar when he has his lapse of sanity. 

By now, dear reader, you must have realized what a challenge this role offers! The gauntlet was taken up by dramatic soprano Leslie Swanson who exhibited the depth of texture of a mezzo-soprano in the lower register and the flexibility and power for the high notes. It was an exciting performance.

The cast was rounded out by the fine bass Javier Ortiz who played the role of Zaccaria the High Priest of the Jews. There were no titles but reading the summary of the plot and picking up a few words in Italian gave us a clear picture of the dramatic arc.

We are always interested in what Mr. Serero has in the works and we heard about a Nozze di Figaro in the pipeline, as well as a Romeo and Juliet based on a Sefardic family at odds with an Ashkenazi family. For those who may not know, these are two branches of the Hebrew tradition created during the diaspora. Forgive us our feeble attempt at humor but we are seeing matzo balls being hurled from one side and felafel balls from the other! We can scarcely wait.

(c) meche kroop