GERALD FINLEY MASTER CLASS

William Kelley, Joe Eletto and Gerald Finley

Every master class is different but they all share something in common. A famous singer with the ability to impart his/her knowledge works with a few different students, usually for about a half-hour each, and tries to give each one something useful.  Some students readily pick up on these gifts and others seem unable to grasp them, possibly because of the stressful circumstance of learning in front of an audience.

Yesterday's master class at Juilliard was exceptional in that baritone Gerald Finley possesses not only a great knowledge of his art but also the ability to find a point of entry to reach each student. The other reason it was exceptional is that the students of Juilliard's Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts are preternaturally receptive and relaxed in front of an audience.

Most master teachers have a main theme to convey and Mr. Finley's had to do with the many aspects of intimacy. In contrast with the expansive "reaching out" of opera, lieder singing is an "inviting in" kind of performance. The singer must express who he/she is as an artist, emphasizing simplicity and vulnerability. It's a "heart-to-heart" kind of thing, an expression we ourselves have used to describe a number of Juilliard-trained singers. The singer must be the music and be the emotion so that the members of the audience can feel those feelings.  We are totally in agreement!

The first student was bass Daniel Miroslaw, working with collaborative pianist Valeriya Polunina. We were delighted that he chose to sing a song in his native Polish entitled "Whence the First Stars" by M. Karlowicz. Ms. Polunina was coached to begin with a note expressing the distance from the stars; one could hear the distance as this set the stage for Mr. Miroslaw. She also was coached to slow the tempo just a bit.

Mr. Miroslaw has a wonderfully rich instrument and he was coached to take his inspiration from the text and reminded to focus on the tone and the line, especially when singing his own language. Rests in the music become a cue to express emotion. He needed to ease up on the effort and this made an impressive difference. By the end of the half-hour we could feel the remoteness of the heavens!

The second singer was countertenor Eric Jurenas with Juliana Han at the piano. They began with Henry Purcell's "Sweeter than Roses". Mr. Finley instructed Mr. Jurenas to sing his English as if it were Italian, shifting the English "O" to an Italian "AW". It is always advisable to go by how it feels in the body rather than how it sounds. Since and open vowel resonates better less air is needed. Furthermore, it was advised to take more breaths and to make them meaningful. Ms. Han did so well with the Baroque style and the pair worked very well together.

Baritone Joe Eletto performed next with the always wonderful William Kelley producing marvelous colors on the piano. They performed "Schöne Fremde" from Robert Schumann's Liededrkreis, Op.39. Mr. Finley made an interesting point about knowing what came before a particular selection within the cycle.  He emphasized the necessity, when singing German lieder, to be totally aware of the text and to sing the words "immaculately". Every syllable requires vitality and energy.

In this song, the poet is expressing the strangeness of being in a foreign place; the place is indeed beautiful but overwhelming in its strangeness. After this bit of coaching we could indeed feel these unique feelings and were reminded of some of our stranger travels. Mr. Kelley sustained this mood right into the postlude.

The final student was soprano Christine Price who possesses an instrument just made for Strauss. She sang the moving "Mein Herz ist stumm, mein Herz ist kalt" from Sechs Lieder aus Lotosblätter, Op. 19, accompanied by William Kelley. The same advice about opening the vowels served here as well. How many times have we heard voice teachers saying to avoid widening the mouth on "AH". Attention was paid to the final consonants and their strict enunciation.

It was a master class in which each artist grew in intimacy and communication--a worthwhile class for both artists and audience.

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ANTHONY AND BRYAN WOW THE GLITTERATI

Bryan Wagorn and Anthony Roth Costanzo

We have been huge fans of countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo and pianist Bryan Wagorn for quite some time but the thrill is always new when either performs. To see and hear them together was doubly thrilling.  To see and hear them at an intimate recital--in a glamorous downtown penthouse--was triply thrilling.

The occasion was Classical Action's 2015 Maestro Appreciation Concert, the "Maestros" being the generous supporters of Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Classical Action draws upon the talents, resources and generosity of the classical, opera and jazz communities to raise money for those battling HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses. For over 20 years, Classical Action has helped to fund over 450 AIDS and family service organizations in the United States.

Mr. Costanzo is frequently seen onstage at the Metropolitan Opera among other venues, and has garnered numerous awards including Placido Domingo's Operalia competition and the Grand Finals winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. We last saw him in a glorious recital at the Morgan Library with Nadine Sierra with Bryan Wagorn at the piano.

Mr. Wagorn also has an illustrious career as Assistant Conductor at the Met and as collaborative pianist with some of the greatest voices onstage. Solo performances and coaching duties round out his impressive bio.

Just see what magic these two artists created last night! Mr. Costanzo engaged the audience even before he began to sing. He shared some interesting tidbits about the castrati of the 17th c.  He shared how he came to accept his fach. He told us about Franz Liszt's wild side and his spiritual side

And then he began to sing, lending his pure and penetrating tone to five songs by Liszt. It would be difficult to say which of the two artists was more expressive. Mr. Costanzo can really float his top notes, become impressively expansive at the song's climax, and then pull back to the most delicate pianissimo.

Our favorite of this group was a love song "In Liebeslust, S. 318". No one wrote for the piano like Liszt and Mr. Wagorn's fingers literally flew over the keys.

Although the set of Liszt songs was very finely done, we are partial to the music best suited, in our opinion, to Mr. Costanzo's voice. Of course we mean that exemplar of Baroque music-- Georg Friedrich Händel. His Giulio Cesare is replete with thrilling arias and Mr. Costanzo sang the eponymous hero's aria from Act III when he is wandering in the desert--"Aure, deh per pietà".

Next, he sang Bertarido's aria from Act III of Rodelinda in which he spares the life of Grimoaldo who had usurped his throne. "Vivi, Tiranno" is filled with challenging vocal fireworks that Mr. Costanzo makes seem so easy. Even more arresting was the aria "Pena tiranna" from the less well-known opera Amadigi di Gaula. The embellishments were exquisitely handled as was the pianissimo passages. Mr. Wagorn's piano was especially powerful.

In the final set comprising Gershwin songs, Mr. Wagorn also shone. The two artists really got into "I Got Rhythm", living up to the title of the song. "Embraceable You" was suitably romantic and "Sam and Delilah" delightfully funny. But it was the final offering "Summertime" that blew us away. Mr. Costanzo told the audience that the song was inappropriate for a countertenor and inappropriate for a man. Well, who could say that when it sounded so right?

As encore, we heard Benjamin Britten's setting of an English folk song "The Foggy Foggy Dew" in which the poignant aspects were given as much attention as the lighthearted ones. Had we programmed the recital we would have put "I Got Rhythm" as the encore because of the line "Who Could Ask for Anything More" which is how we felt at the conclusion.

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NYFOS AT HOME AT HENRY'S

Steven Blier, Amanda Bottoms, Theo Hoffman, Tiffany Townsende, James Edgar Knight, Alex McKissick, Aaron Mor and Hannah McDermott at Henry's

We love NYFOS in the Winter; We love NYFOS in the Fall; We love NYFOS in the Springtime when it drizzles; but there is no NYFOS in the Summer when it sizzles, at least not here in NYC. So last night's cabaret at Henry's was a bittersweet moment since all the singers we love from Juilliard are going their separate ways.

NYFOS at the Kaufman Center is a somewhat serious affair with opportunities for learning, although there is plenty of fun to be had.  NYFOS at Henry's Restaurant on the Upper West Side is strictly fun. Gifted young artists perform songs you already know and love--WITHOUT AMPLIFICATION!!! Mr. Blier has coached and brought these young artists to pitch perfect performance. Tonight's theme (there is always a theme) was "Great American Songwriting Teams".

Speaking of fun, Aaron Mor's delivery of "The Sheik of Avenue B" complete with Yiddish accent, was priceless. This Kalmar & Ruby song sends up the Sheik of Araby from silent film days.  Think Fanny Brice and Yiddish theater!

On a more serious note, Amanda Bottoms performed the Rodgers & Hart paean to urban loneliness--"It Never Entered My Mind". It's a soulful song and Ms. Bottoms invested it with a great deal of soul.

A late song by The Brother Gershwin "I Was Doing All Right" was sung much better than "all right" by Hannah McDermott in jazzy style.

The romantic "You and the Night and the Music" by Dietz & Schwartz was beautifully sung by Alex McKissick in both English and (surprise) Spanish!  This was new to us and we loved it.  Spanish is just so much more romantic than English!

Tiffany Townsend sang "Blue Grass", also by Dietz & Schwartz, from Inside USA, a song associated with Pearl Bailey. It had a nice bluesy feel to it.

From Sid Caesar's Little Me, James Edgar Knight performed "Real Live Girl" by Coleman & Leigh. This gave him ample opportunity to display his prodigious comic chops.

Given more serious material, Theo Hoffman sang "Blue", William Bolcom's setting of some intense text by Arnold Weinstein, dealing with the positive impact on the latter's life by his practice of meditation with a well known guru. Autobiographical material is difficult but Mr. Hoffman rose to the challenge and succeeded.  This was no less that we would expect from this gifted baritone.

Maltby & Shire's "I Want it All" from Baby is a jazzy number sung by three women in an obstetrician's office. The performance was somewhat hampered by poor diction and only the words of the "hook" were comprehensible. We thought it might be because of our seating way off on the side but we'd had no problem understanding the male performers.

We particularly enjoyed the ensemble numbers.  The opener was the upbeat "Lucky Day" by DeSylva, Brown & Henderson.  Although it dates from the Roaring Twenties there is nothing dated about the sentiment.

For "Wrong Note Rag" from Comden & Green's My Sister Eileen, the company enjoyed four-handed piano with Leann Osterkamp joining Steven Blier.

Similarly for "Ascot Gavotte" from Lerner & Loewe's My Fair Lady, one of our very favorite Broadway numbers. The song pokes fun at the British aristocracy and is delicious in its wit.

The evening ended with Leiber & Stoller's "Love Potion #9" but there was more to come with an encore by Comden, Green & Bernstein--"Some Other Time" from On the Town. 

Mary Birnbaum directed the show and Adam Cates choreographed. It wa a fine and fitting ending for NYFOS' fifth season at Henry's. We are already looking forward to next year.

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MARVELOUS MADISON MARIE MCINTOSH

Keith Chambers, Madison Marie McIntosh, and Alexander Charles Boyd

How do you say Marvelous Madison Marie McIntosh?  We say....MMMM!

Planet Opera is replete with light coloratura sopranos whom we enjoy but we would be hard pressed to tell one from another with our eyes closed.  Not so with Ms. McIntosh whose sound is uniquely hers, both distinctive and special. Last night's program went a long way in showing off her rare talent.

Her voice is as beautiful as her appearance with a distinct vibrato and bright shiny timbre. The first half of the program comprised Rossini and nothing but Rossini. There was a selection from his Péchés de vieillesse--"La fioraia fiorentina" in which the divine Ms. M allowed her vibrant personality to shine through as a flower seller wanting to buy bread for her poor mother. In "L'invito" from Soirées musicales, there was a nice contrast of color in the middle section.

We also heard selections from Rossini's operas. Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia is generally sung by a mezzo-soprano but this is not the first time we have heard the role sung by a soprano. "Una voce poco fa" is fertile material for fioritura to express character and Ms. M. did not disappoint. We heard some impressively elaborate embellishments and dazzling cadenze.

The fine baritone Alexander Charles Boyd served as her Figaro for the duet "Dunque io son" in which Rosina's cleverness and determination exceeded his expectations. Their respective vocal lines blended beautifully.

Rossini's final opera in Italian, the 1823 Semiramide, was the source for another aria and another duet. "Bel raggio lusinghier" was filled with joy and the duet (again with Mr. Boyd) "Se la vita ancor t'è cara" was filled with anger and spite. 

Vocal fireworks were present not only in the Rossini of the bel canto period but also in the baroque compositions of Händel. "I can conjure you fire from the heavens" was repurposed for The Enchanted Island, a pastiche produced at The Metropolitan Opera in 2011,and quite successfully so. Ariel sings this song to Prospero in Act I. Ms. M. filled the aria with her own fire and the only thing missing was clarity of diction. This is not Ms. M's fault. English just doesn't sing well, especially in the upper registers. We had no problem understanding her Italian, even at the very upper reaches.

From Semele, she sang "O sleep, why dost thou leave me?". This aria gave her the opportunity to sing a long melismatic phrase on "ah". It was gorgeous. She even embellished her embellishments.

"Hello! Oh, Margaret, it's you" from Gian Carlo Menotti's The Telephone gave her a chance to show her acting skills and to inject another note of humor into the program.

The revelation of the evening occurred when composer Theodore Christman took over the piano duties from the excellent Keith Chambers and accompanied Ms. M. in his own song cycle, a setting of poetry by Nicola Rossi Lemeni. Although reading the poetry later did not do much for us, the setting illuminated the words and the mood of the text.

Readers may have noticed how dissatisfied we have been with contemporary song and we were over the moon to find a contemporary composer who knows how to write for the voice and can write melodic phrases. Mr. Christman here favored the rhythm of the barcarolle but his "La morte di Don Giovanni" was a dirge and "Gioia conclusa" a waltz. The composition surely captured the Italian flavor and color.

Ms. M. related how she heard Mr. Christman play and wanted him to write for her. She herself chose the poetry. This was the proverbial match made in heaven. We would dearly love to hear the songs again, particularly if Ms. M. could sing them "off the book", thereby communicating with the audience in the same way she did for the remainder of the program.

Mr. Chambers not only satisfied as accompanist but had a chance to shine as a soloist in Amy Beach's Ballade, op.6. a most accessible and lovely piece. How rare it was for a woman to succeed in the music world of the Gay 90's.

As encore, Ms. M. performed Poulenc's "Air vif" from his Airs chantées. We are pleased to note that her French is just as fine as her Italian. The evening was a most satisfying one! We are looking to the future and wondering whether Ms. M. has considered Queen of the Night!

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RINGING FLUTE

Wei Quan and Xiaoming Tian

We were curious about the meaning of the name of this impressive young baritone. In our opinion "Flute Ringing" doesn't quite do justice to his rich round tone. With apologies for our arrogance, we think of it rather as "Sonorous Clarinet".

Mr. Tian's graduation recital from Manhattan School of Music drew a large crowd who knew what glories to expect, preferring them to being outside on a glorious New York Sunday. Not only is Mr. Tian the possessor of a vibrant velvety tone but an entire panoply of vocal skills which enable him to connect to the meaning of the text and convey such meaning to the audience. Variations of color and dynamics served to advance the artistry. The texture of his voice in the pianissimo parts is astounding.

Mr. Tian's interpretation of Gustav Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen was marked by great depth of feeling and a mood sustained throughout the four songs. The song deal with the despair of lost love and covers all possible colors, even including the attempt to look at the bright side in nature. We recommend this as an audition piece with the expectation that others might be as deeply moved as we were.

This artist can change tone and mood readily as we observed in Manuel de Falla's Siete Canciones Populares Españolas. "Seguidilla murciana" is a real tongue-twister, "Jota" is frisky, "Nana" is a tender lullaby and "Polo" is as filled with pain as is the Mahler cycle. We particularly enjoyed Wei Quan's collaborative piano which brought out the Iberian nature of the work in the rhythmic "Polo" and the delicate "Asturiana".

We also heard Maurice Ravel's Don Quichotte à Dulcineé, of which our favorite was "Chanson épique" which Mr. Tian sang with deep spiritual devotion. Of the Three Songs Op. 45 of Samuel Barber, our favorite was the surreally funny "A green lowland of pianos". Speaking of pianos, collaborative pianist Wei Quan played with spirit when called for and delicacy where appropriate.

Having heard Mr. Tian in four languages we commend his superlative diction. There were no texts or titles so we had to rely on his accurate pronunciation. We rarely missed a word, except of course in the English, which we never understand as well as other languages.

As an encore, Mr. Tian took over the piano and sang a song of nostalgia for his homeland. We did not understand the words but we understood the feeling. Imagine our surprise when a fellow student revealed that Mr. Tian composed the song as well. This artist then might be called "Triply Talented Tian"! Now how does one say that in Mandarin?

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BARE NOT BARE

Véronique Rapin and Kristina Bachrach

Liana Guberman, Sungwook Kim, and Dongkyu Oh

A new chamber opera company on Planet Opera is always a cause for celebration. Bare Opera made a delicious debut last night with two tempting French bonbons. Although the name is Bare, we consider the fledgling company to be very well-furnished with talent and imagination to spare.

They call themselves an "alternative" opera company and have a mission to provide a more modern take on the opera-going experience. They embrace a collaborative spirit with innovative cross-arts productions, creating a casual and intimate experience in unconventional spaces-- in this case the Robert Miller Gallery.

For their debut, they wisely chose two infrequently seen works by French composers, sung in French, with good surtitles that were easily visible. The evening opened with Debussy's cantata L'Enfant Prodigue, a work which won the composer the Grand Prix de Rome in 1884 as he concluded his studies at the Paris Conservatoire. The text by Ernest Guiraud had been assigned, a simple story of a mother Lia who laments the absence of her son Azaël. His return to the family provides for a joyous reconciliation with her and the father Simeon.

Liana Guberman was convincing and ultimately moving as the mother, expressing emotions of grief and joy with wonderful colors in her beautiful soprano. We have heard her sing several times and are impressed with her artistic growth.

Tenor Sungwook Kim and baritone Dongkyu Oh, as son and father respectively, contributed their excellent voices to the creation of this happily restored family.

Conductor Sesto Quatrini accomplished the reduction of the score and guided his chamber orchestra through the beautiful music which presaged the composer's later impressionism. The orchestra comprised a string quartet augmented by bass, percussion, piano and winds--flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn. The textures were lovely and the execution marked by clarity.

As far as the visual elements, there were some really beautiful images swirling on the screen projected above the singers. Fortunately they did not distract; but as to whether they contributed to our appreciation of the emotional landscape of the text and music, we cannot say. The abstract video created by Art Director Alexandra Posen of molten wax reminded us of nothing more than the light shows of the late 1960's. Not a bad thing!

For the second half of the program, Maurice Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, Ms. Posen created a trippy landscape looking for all the world like a video game constructed of Lego blocks. For this, Ms. Posen collaborated with Voxelbox and Minecraft artist Kupo. In this case, the projection served to establish the world of the child, a very naughty boy.

We recently enjoyed a performance of this delightful 1925 opera given by Utopia Opera, another chamber opera company.  It was amazing to enjoy it from another perspective with different performers and different direction (Anthony Laciura). The work began life as a ballet commissioned by the Paris Opera but became an opera with ballet sequences choreographed by none other than George Balanchine. The novelist Colette wrote the libretto. Ravel's score is eclectic with influences from jazz and popular music of that epoch.

It tells the story of a rebellious schoolboy who destroys his books, abuses the furniture and tortures animals. These objects come alive and teach the boy a lesson--meanness leads to loneliness and abandonment. In the happy ending, the boy bandages an animal's wounds and earns the praise of the other creatures.

Swiss mezzo-soprano Véronique Rapin made a very believable little boy, dressed in a sailor suit, throwing herself into the role with expressive gesture and voice. We were highly impressed by Francisco Corredor's performance as a googly-eyed frog and as the boy's neglected arithmetic lesson. We have enjoyed this character tenor's performance on more than one occasion.  There is never a false note, not vocally, not dramatically. He also did the choreography which worked splendidly.

Another singer we enjoyed was Larisa Martínez in her role as Fire that can warm but also destroy. We did not see any credits for costuming in the program but hers was red and floaty and quite special. Similarly her Nightingale was a standout.

Ms. Guberman reappeared as a Shepherdess and a Bat, both excellently portrayed; Mr. Kim lent his tenor to the role of Teapot with Inbar Goldmann as his Teacup. Mr. Oh did a fine stand as the Grandfather Clock and again as a Cat with Briana Hunter as his mate in a fine meowing duet. What fun to see singers stretch themselves and reappear in completely different guise.

Kristina Bachrach portrayed a Princess whose life was left in limbo when the bad boy tore up his picture book. (During this scene we appreciated the projected artwork of a Disney-style castle.) She doubled as an Armchair with the Sofa played by Enrico Lagasca who doubled as the Tree which was bleeding sap from a knife attack by the naughty boy.

As the mother Sarah Miller left us with memories of a mincing walk that went far in defining character. We recalled her fine performance with New York Opera Exchange in Roméo et Juliette.

Not only did all of the above mentioned singers make significant vocal contributions but the chorus did as well. Who coached them? Mr. Corredor of course.

Laetitia Ruccolo, Artistic Director of Bare Opera and pianist, was responsible for the very readable translation with titles done by Elizabete Sirante.

All told, we witnessed a highly talented group of young artists collaborate to put on a production that delighted a very packed house. We foresee a fine future for this group and are eagerly awaiting an announcement of dates for their next production--Goyescas by Enrique Granados.

This is exactly what a boutique opera company should be doing--bringing neglected works to an audience hungry for surprises. There is certainly room in New York for  small companies presenting the classics so that young artists can get experience with roles for which they may later be hired. But Bare Opera seems to have found their own niche. We heartily approve!

There will be two more performances.  Take heed!

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LOVELY LAKMÉ

Gyu-Yeon Shim and Alexander Wook Lee

Léo Delibes' 1883 opera Lakmé has some marvelous music but is rarely performed. We were delighted that Conductor Thomas Muraco chose it for his final offering of the season at Manhattan School of Music. The libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille can be seen as another opera about a woman who commits suicide after being seduced and abandoned; it can be seen as an entry in the late 19th c. popularity contest of exotic tales of the Orient; it could also make perfect sense as a cautionary warning against intercultural romance or against colonialism. (Think Madama Butterfly.)  Last night we saw it as a vehicle for a star coloratura.

Gyu-Yeon Shim is just such a star. With a voice as exquisite as her face and form, she flawlessly performed the titular role; she was utterly convincing as an innocent maiden exposed to the romantic notions of an English soldier. The role pushed her voice up into the stratosphere without any appearance of effort. She was outstanding in her duet with her servant Mallika (the fine mezzo-soprano Talin Nalbandian), a duet most of us have heard countless times--"Sous le dôme épais".

The Bell Song, "L'air des clochettes" in Act II  is an aria her father the Hindu priest Nilakantha (the excellent bass Juan Daniel Melo) forces her to sing in order to draw out the British soldier who has desecrated their temple. Not only did she entrance Gérald but the entire audience! Her voice is well focused with a pleasant vibrato. And a trill to thrill.

Gérald was excellently portrayed by tenor Alexander Wook Lee who was, unfortunately indisposed but doing his best to "soldier" on. We will be happy to hear him as Goro in Madama Butterfly with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance this July and to learn how he sounds when well.

Gérard is affianced and his infatuation with the lovely Lakmé sweeps him off his feet. His comrade Frédéric is the voice of reason, warning him not to enter the temple grounds and later persuading him to return to his regiment. Baritone Suk Bae Kim was excellent in the role with a nice full sound.

His fiancée Ellen was portrayed by soprano Anna Mayo and her sister Rose by soprano Jeanne Gérard. The roles were small but the impression the two sopranos made was large. We look forward to hearing more of their lovely voices. Their governess Mistress Bentson was sung by the versatile Ms. Nalbandian. The trio of ladies served to limn the cluelessness of the English colonizing India during the Raj.

Tenor James Ludlum filled the role of Hadji, Nilakantha's servant, who is instrumental in moving the plot along. He helps Lakmé rescue Gérard after the latter is stabbed by Nilakantha. Lakmé restores his health but he decides to return to his military duties and she reacts by killing herself.  Is there any other instance in the operatic repertoire of death by poisoned flower?

Not only was the singing delicious but the two pianos (Jeremy Chen and Dura Jun) teased our ears with one miraculous melody after another, offering ample opportunity to focus on them during the prelude and the intermezzi. The entire affair was conducted lovingly by Maestro Thomas Muraco who, along with Elsa Quéron, coached the French diction.

There will be one more performance Sunday evening at 7:30 with a completely different cast. Were we free we would happily hear it again. Don't miss this rare opportunity!

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