TRAGEDY TONIGHT! COMEDY TONIGHT!

Chad Kranak, Samantha Britt, Robert Balonek, Darcy Dunn (photo by Sheryl Liu)

If you shed a tear or two during Richard Wargo's Ballymore-Part One: Winners, not to worry because Seymour Barab's La Pizza Con Funghi will send you out with a grin from ear to ear.  Chelsea Opera Co-Founders Leonarda Priore and Lynne Hayden-Findlay wisely chose to balance tragedy with comedy much as Puccini did when he followed Il Tabarro with Gianni Schicchi.  Irish dramatist Brian Friel penned Lovers as a two-part play comprising Winners and Losers.  That he chose to see the 17-year old couple Mag and Joe, fated to die in a boating accident on the same day as the play takes place, as winners is an interesting concept.  Perhaps they are winners because they died with their hopes for the future intact before life came along and whupped 'em upside the head.  We saw the play exactly one year ago (The Actors Company Theater) and recall that Losers was about a middle-aged couple trying to have some intimacy under the watchful eyes of the woman's bedridden mother who did everything to prevent it.  That was indeed humorous and we understand that Mr. Wargo similarly adapted Part II which we would be happy to see/hear in view of how greatly we enjoyed Part I.

The work was introduced by some lovely lilting music, played by Jerry O'Sullivan on the Uilleann Pipes, which went a long way toward setting the mood.  Scenes of the pregnant Mag (not just pregnant but 1960's Ireland pregnant) and her fiancé Joe are commented upon by two Ballad-Singers, beautifully costumed in ancient attire, looking very much like Isolde and King Marke.  Costume Design was credited to Ms. Hayden-Findlay herself.  In the play, they were merely narrators so this was quite a lovely touch.  They described how the two young people arrived at the hilltop overlooking the town of Ballymore and what happened to them afterward, a rather dry and factual commentary offsetting the intensity of the interaction between Mag and Joe as they planned their wedding and life together.  One senses that all is not rosy since Joe will have to give up his goal of a university degree to assume responsibility for a family.  Mag is so exuberant that he is unable to study for his maths exam, which had been the goal for the day.

The role of Mag was sung by the bright-voiced soprano Samantha Britt who did a great job of convincing us that she was but 17.  Her opening aria looking down at her hometown was splendid. Tenor Chad Kranak portrayed Joe, appearing somewhat older than the part called for; he sings her a lovely lullabye as she sleeps.  We would have appreciated titles since there were times when Ms. Britt's voice was overridden by the 14-piece Chelsea Opera Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Guest Conductor Steven M. Crawford, or when the diction was insufficiently clear.  The Ballad-Singers were mezzo Darcy Dunn and Robert Balonek, both in fine voice.

The music was far more accessible than that of most contemporary operas and the arias quite beautiful.  We always ask ourselves whether the music has added anything to the play and in this case the answer is a resounding yes, although some of the recitatives might as well have been spoken for better comprehension.  Friel's writing is rather musical on its own and Mr. Wargo's writing emphasized it.  Special note was taken of Stephanie Barbirak's harp and Kevin Willois' flute.

How amazing it was to witness the same four artists in radically different roles in the second half of the program.  Seymour Barab, in writing both music and lyrics, created an hilarious sendup of opera seria that had the audience rolling in the aisles from the very first moment when Guest Conductor  Samuel McCoy assumed the podium in high camp style.  If he were mimicking someone particular, do not ask us to reveal the name!  The work was adapted from Michael Green's play Il Fornicazione (seriously) and takes place in the 18th c. with the most outrageously elaborate wigs and quite gorgeous costumes.  An adulterous wife named Voluptua (the versatile Ms. Britt, this time perfectly audible) confides in her maid Phobia (the very funny Ms. Dunn) that she is bored with her husband of six weeks, Count Formaggio (Robert Balonek) and has taken a lover Scorpio (Chad Kranak, this time looking perfect for the role) who suffers from chronic tardiness.  Every trope of opera seria is burlesqued and references to Falstaff, Il Trovatore and Nozze di Figaro (among others) are slipped in.  We will not spoil the fun any further because you will have an opportunity to catch the final performance today at 4PM at St. Peter's Church in Chelsea.

What makes this comic opera work so well is Mr. Barab's facility with fitting words and music together, much like Gilbert and Sullivan combined into one person.  The rhymes are inventive and hilarious and the music emphasizes each one.  We would gladly see this again!

The minimal set design by Sheryl Liu worked well and the outrageous wigs and makeup by Andrea Calabrese were a further source of hilarity.  Sure-fire direction was by Ms. Hayden-Findlay who never missed a trick.

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TOO MUCH TAKA?

Ari Livne and Takaoki Onishi

No way!  We just cannot get enough of Takaoki Onishi's burnished baritone.  We have occasionally said of a singer that he/she could sing the phonebook but this pagan has NEVER admired anyone for singing the bible.   But there is Taka onstage at Juillliard making vocal sense of Brahms' Vier ernste Gesänge, Op. 121.  The texts are grim and moralistic (taken from Ecclesiastes and Corinthians) but Taka's gorgeous instrument, intense involvement with the text and clearly understandable German made the experience a highly worthwhile one.  In "Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh" we thrilled to the resonant sounds in his lower register.

The event was a recital of collaborative piano with Ari Livne at the piano, working sensitively with three different artists in an all Brahms program.  He was joined by the excellent Matthew Lipman on viola for the Sonata for Viola and Piano in E-flat Major, Op. 120 #2.  In the Allegro amabile, piano and violin were equally melodic.  But it was in the Allegro appassionato that we were swept away.  The familiar melody seems like a folk song begging for words and the rapid switches between major and minor played havoc with our emotions.  One wonders how Clara was able to resist!

Mr. Livne was joined by the fine clarinetist Jonathan Cohen for the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in f minor, Op. 120, #1.  The first movement was tempestuous and the second melancholy.  It was a fine performance.

Mr. Livne also had the opportunity for some solo playing in Vier Klavierstücke, Op. 119, comprising three Intermezzi and one Rhapsody.  The variations in mood and color were, well, music to our ears.  Gentle dreamy melodies gave way to frisky rhythms.  The closing Rhapsody in E-flat Major was energentic and forceful.  It was a most satisfying evening of music.

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SIR RICHARD'S BEL CANTO

Maestro Richard Bonynge

Is there no limit to the ways in which Juilliard serves the world of music?  Last night the Georg Solti Accademia celebrated its tenth anniversary in collaboration with the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts by bringing in the esteemed maestro Richard Bonynge to teach a master class--a gift to the capacity crowd that jammed the Peter Jay Sharp Theater.  There is no peer in the world of bel canto like Sir Richard.  The singers chosen were also peerless in bel canto technique and not one of the five failed to benefit from the maestro's gentle but firm instruction.

Although each singer received individual instruction on his or her aria, certain themes repeated themselves from one participant to the next.  The beauty of the tone should be emphasized far more than the volume.  The long legato lines should not be interrupted by unnecessary breaths.  The singer should not work too hard but should keep the sound light and expressive.  High notes should not be pushed.  It is alright to "sit on" the most exciting note but otherwise not alright.  Care must be taken with triplets not to emphasize the second note.  The recitative must not be sung as if it were an arioso; keep it moving.  Portamenti must not degenerate into "scooping".  There must be variety of color and an element of surprise.  Start a long phrase pianissimo and build it to a climax.  Do not cut off the ends of phrases but rather let them float away.  Do not give all the beats equal emphasis.  Scales must be articulated.

All five singers made us sit up and take notice.  Soprano Elizabeth Sutphen negotiated the huge skips, the trills and the even scale passages of Verdi's "Caro Nome" (Rigoletto) with great aplomb.  Soprano Hyesang Park was lovely in "Eccomi...O! Quante Volte" from Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi.  Soprano Raquel Gonzalez demonstrated her beautiful bel canto chops in "Piangete voi...Al dolce guidami castel natio" from Donizetti's Anna Bolena, prompting Maestro Bonynge to urge her to learn the entire role for future performance.  (We definitely want to be there when she sings it!)

Mezzo Virginie Verrez also chose an aria from the same opera, "E sgombro il loco".  She has a lovely sound and abundant stage poise with excellent connection with the text.  It always amazes us when a singer comes out on a recital stage and sings an aria that creates, with just her voice and gesture, the presence of invisible sets and the missing characters.

Baritone Takaoki Onishi sang "Ah! per sempre" from Bellini's I Puritani; we enjoyed it so much that we plan to return to Juilliard tonight to hear more of him.  He sounded even better when he eliminated some unnecessary breaths, doing justice to Bellini's long legato lines.

No one knows bel canto like Richard Bonynge and it was quite a thrill to be in attendance.  We not only had the pleasure of hearing five exemplary singers but we learned a great deal about the finer points of bel canto singing.  We could have sat there all night long.

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MUSICALS TONIGHT! MUSICALS EVERY NIGHT!

Natalie Ramirez as Lolita--Photo: Michael Portantiere, FollowSpotPhoto.com,

We have been widening our view beyond opera and examining musical theater, especially as it relates to opera (thanks, Steven Blier, for opening our eyes).  We were eager to see the work of Musicals Tonight!  founded by Mel Miller in 1997.  The company has a loyal base of subscribers, musical theater lovers who cherish the opportunity to see overlooked and forgotten treasures brought to theatrical life.

Last night was opening night for Cole Porter's Mexican Hayride and a wild ride it was.  It opened in 1943 and was a huge hit on Broadway for well over a year.  One can easily see why.  It is lighthearted entertainment, starred June Havoc and Bobby Clark,  and must have delighted an audience filled with servicemen on leave and theatergoers longing for distraction from the anxiety of being at war. 

The major draw of reviving this show not seen in seventy years would have to be Cole Porter's music.  Granted this is second-rate Porter but second-rate Porter is far more listenable than most composers writing today.  He knows his way around a rhyme and gets a great synergy going between words and music.  Music Director James Stenborg did a fine job of arranging.  We enjoyed the onstage trumpet during the mariachi scene.

However the book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields is absurd and terminally dated.  The humor is often smarmy and old-fashioned.  Interesting how an opera written in 1843 never seems dated but a musical written a century later does.  The clichés are abundant and often embarrassing.  The preposterous story concerns a numbers racketeer on the lam from the law in the USA who catches a bull's ear thrown at him after a bullfight and thereby becomes celebrated in some North/South of the Border fellowship festival.  He can't stay hidden for long since his abandoned wife comes looking for him and her sister is the famous bullfighter of the ear-throwing episode; of course he assumes a number of ridiculous disguises to avoid being caught and extradited.  It's quite a part to play but M.X. Soto overplayed it with an excess of mugging, rather than finding the charming core that sociopaths generally exhibit.  But we did enjoy his duet with the bullfighter "Count Your Blessings" toward the end of the show.

The performance we enjoyed the most was Natalie Ramirez as Lolita, the local lounge singer.  Ms. Ramirez performed off-book and we admired her moves in a very sexy gown as well as her willingness to learn the part and throw herself into it. Her two solos "Tequila" and "Carlotta" were delightful.  We enjoyed Jessica Wagner as the bullfighter Montana and her romantic duet "It's Just Yours" with Jacob L. Smith, an attaché at the American Embassy.  Amie Bermowitz was entertaining as Dagmar with a great song "Humble Hollywood Executive".  Unfortunately her Russian accent was intermittent.  David Marmanillo made a fine Lombo, Lolita's manager who gets unwittingly embroiled in the racketeer's nefarious activities in Mexico that steal business from the national lottery.

Hearing unamplified voices singing good music was a special treat for us; performances hampered in their connection with the audience by the presence of scores was not.  There are probably some good reasons for their presence but it was distracting, particularly during the choreographed moments.  It would appear that Director/Choreographer Thomas Sabella-Mills did the best he could on the tiny stage of the Lion Theater and we expect that as the two week run wears on the direction will get a bit tighter.  We would like to offer a kind word to the Costume Designer if only one were listed; the costumes were very appropriate to the 1940's.

In two weeks, Musicals Tonight! will present Smile! by Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashmen.  1986 may seem a bit more au courant than 1944.

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HE SAYS SHE SAYS

Mr. Myer, Ms. Sugiyama, Ms. Maroney, Mr. Brofman, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Williams

A chance to hear songs we hadn't heard before sung by singers heretofore unknown to us was enough to bring us to Brooklyn for Part II of Clara, Robert and Johannes, presented by the worthy Brooklyn Art Song Society.  Discovering a new performance space, Old Stone House, was the icing on the cake.  Who knew?

What an excellent opportunity it was to hear the complete lieder of Clara Schumann; unlike other women composers of the day, Clara was able to compose and perform with the support of her husband in what must be considered one of the great love affairs of the 19th c.  Having defied Clara's recalcitrant father, the couple married and enjoyed a life of musical partnership until Robert's untimely death.  In spite of the adoration felt for her by Johannes Brahms, she ostensibly remained faithful to her late husband. But she sadly stopped composing when her husband died.

With her generous soprano, Laura Strickling opened the program with  Clara's Sechs Lieder, Op. 13. partnered by Miori Sugiyama on the piano.  We were quite taken with "Sie liebten sich beide", a tale of missed opportunities in which the gorgeous piano line drifts away without resolution, like the couple that never expressed their love.  Choosing a text by Heinrich Heine is never a mistake!  Of course one could say the same about Rückert; and Clara's setting of von Geibel's "Die stille Lotusblume" was incredibly tender and sweet.

We enjoyed Ms. Strickling's singing even more in the six lieder of Op. 23.  Her blooming upper register gave joyful life to these texts by Rollet, particularly "Was weinst du, Blümlein".  We enjoyed the gentle arpeggios in Ms. Sugiyama's piano in "Geheimes Flüstern".  In "An einem lichten Morgen" we were treated to the metaphor of the loving sun addressing an opening flower.  Could this be 19th c. eroticism?

"Zwölf Gedichte Op. 37" comprised a dozen songs by the loving marital pair, settings all of Rückert's texts.  Clara's "Er ist Gekommen", sung by mezzo Kate Maroney, had some intense passion in the piano part, giving Michael Brofman (Founder and Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Art Song Society) an opportunity to show the range of his formidable interpretive skills.  We have always adored Mahler's setting of "Liebst du um Schönheit" and were delighted to learn that Clara's setting is equally melodic, if not as well known.  Ms. Maroney sounded quite lovely.  Several of the songs were sung by baritone David Williams who has a pleasing tone and a nice lower register as heard in "Rose, Meer und Sonne".  We particularly enjoyed the Maroney-Williams duets, particularly the song that ended the first part of the program "So wahr die Sonne scheinet" with its gorgeous harmonies; the voices blended beautifully.

Accompanied for this set by pianist Spencer Myer, Ms. Maroney performed Frauenliebe un leben Op. 42.  She seemed most invested in the excitement of "Helft mir, ihr Schwestern" and "An meinem Herzen".  We have always been able to overlook the anti-feminism of Adelbert von Chamisso and to just enjoy the music.  The poetry of the early 19th c. scans and rhymes in a way that delights the ear and inspires some gorgeous vocal writing that we rarely hear in contemporary music.

The recital was made even better by the projection of texts in both German and English, a wise decision in our opinion.  But it was made somewhat less enjoyable by the use of music stands which imposed a barrier between the singer and the audience.  We understand the need for them in modern music in which the vocal line is unmelodic and the text doesn't scan.  But for music of this period we would have hoped that the singers would have  made the effort to memorize.  Perhaps that is asking too much.  One further thing that detracted from this delightful evening of song was the occasional mispronunciation of German vowels and consonants; it was probably of no consequence to 99% of the audience but our ears pick it up as much as we aim to shrug it off.

On the whole, it was a fine evening and we were thrilled to hear songs that have been overlooked in so many lieder recitals.  We will have still more gratitude for B.A.S.S. as they continue with Part III of Clara, Robert and Johannes on November 17th in another charming venue, the Firehouse in Williamsburg.

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DID YOU FALL FOR DANCE?

The Black Swan Pas de Deux

We "Fall for Dance" every year, joining hordes of New Yorkers willing to wait in line for $15 tickets to see diverse dance companies strut their stuff, aiming to win the hearts and minds of people who may not have otherwise been exposed to dance performance.  Although there is an attempt to demonstrate this diversity, there is very little nourishment for those of us whose affection lies with classical ballet.  We have not succeeded in appreciating companies that produce works that look embarrassingly dated nor companies that knock themselves out trying to be original, nor companies that appear to be everyday people wearing unbecoming street attire showing us what their aerobic classes at the health club look like.  We are alone in our state of disinterest.  The audience appears to go wild with whoops, hoots and wild applause no matter who is dancing.

Interestingly, it is the drag ballet company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo who demonstrated the most respect and reverence for the dedication, artistry and hard work mastering classical technique.  Their campy sendups of our classical treasures manage to delight the uninitiated with their humor and simultaneously impress us balletomanes with their stunning technique.  Their Black Swan Pas de Deux was the highlight of the week.

American Ballet Theater performed José Limon's "Moors Pavane" with Julie Kent and Stella Abrera looking marvelous.  But with so little classical ballet on the five programs, we had hoped they would have chosen to demonstrate something from the classical canon. demonstrating the glories of point work... like The Black Swan Pas de Deux for example.  Perhaps they didn't want to be outshone by the "ladies" of The Trocs!

More was hoped for also from the Royal Ballet.  Two beautiful dancers with beautiful bodies performed some beautiful moves in a piece commissioned for the festival.  They were on point.  As an added benefit, they performed to live music by Arvo Part, although the cello playing was a bit unfortunate.  The sad part was that Liam Scarlett's choreography was devoid of meaning and feeling.

As for the rest of the programs, there was a lot of sound and fury without significance.  Unmusical music, uninspired gyrating, lots of herky-jerky-twerky motion, rolling around on the floor, ersatz copulation, meaningless rushing to and fro.  Long on energy, short on artistry.  Lest you conclude that we just hate modern dance, stand by for our review of Lars Lubovich later this month.  Now there's a choreographer who knows what to do with dancers!

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A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

Tamar and Judah--photo by Richard Termine

Billed as "music theater", we found Prospect Theater Company's Tamar of the River to fulfill the artistic requirements of an opera.  In case you are unfamiliar with our taste, that is high praise indeed.  It is the seriousness of Marisa Michelson's music that informs our opinion; it is original but accessible and never derivative; it is clearly written by someone who understands writing for the voice both in the solos and in the choral work .  It contributes to the storytelling in a major way.  This compelling work began its life as an oratorio but achieves strength by way of impressive production values.  Daniel Goldstein directed with a sure hand.

The stage is long and narrow with audience members sitting on both sides, referring to the river of the title, red with blood,  which divides two warring nations, one in the east, the other in the west.  Props are simple, mostly a bunch of 6 foot poles used as staffs, weapons or as a dining table; Scenic Designer Brett J. Banakis has done much with little.  Costume Design by Candida K. Nichols is likewise simple, just some rough robes of the biblical variety.

The lyrics by Joshua H. Cohen who shared writing the book with Ms. Michelson are likewise simple.  The story is derived from an Old Testament tale involving a woman named Tamar who married two sons and later seduces their father by donning a veil and pretending to be a prostitute.  This tale has been adapted toward the end of being a plea for peace.  The eponymous heroine, played effectively by Margo Seibert, hears the voice of the River Angel, a marvelous Margot Bassett, giving her a mission to make peace between the warring nations and giving her three mysterious pieces of advice.  Her mother, played by Ako, worries for her since Tamar's father died there at the source of the river.  All of the cast members contribute to the chants of the river, which is perhaps the finest piece of vocal writing heard during the course of the evening, with many strains of what these days is called World Music.

Tamar confronts Son #1 named Onan (Mike Longo) who is a warrior, but she prefers Son #2 called Er (Vincent B. Vincent)  a rather inarticulate builder who joins her in building a Garden of Peace. We particularly enjoyed his aria and was sorry when he was killed by a bellicose friend of Onan.  Later Tamar kills Onan.  (So much for peace!) Somehow she never goes for Son #3 Shelah (Jeremy Greenbaum).  Father Judah (a strong Erik Lochtefeld) at times seems to accept her but rejects her peaceful ideas at other times.  She veils herself and seduces him but ultimately she fails to achieve her goal. The river tells her it will take a long time.  We would have wished for some clearer motivation for the characters in the storytelling but the music got the points across.

Musical Director Matt Aument conducted from the piano and was joined, not in the pit but on high, by Blake Allen playing violin and viola, Brian Sanders playing cello, Ingrid Gordon playing dulcimer and percussionist Mike Lunoe.  Mr. Aument also conducted the chorus in some otherworldly chanting that delighted our ears.  What a perfect combination of instrumental and choral music!

Movement compensated for any lack of clarity in the storytelling.  Chase Brock is credited with the choreography with Christian Kelly-Sordelet as Fight Choreographer.  Effective lighting was by Brian Tovar and Sound Design by Jeremy J. Lee.  Although the amplification worked very well for the voices of the river, lending them an otherworldly quality, we longed to hear the principal's voices without distortion.  The theater is small and we thought it would have worked better.

It isn't often that we get to hear contemporary music that is so original and listenable.  We urge you to see this work before October 20th at the Baruch Performing Arts Center.

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