SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

From under the shelter of the Naumberg Bandshell (which we fought so hard to preserve from demolition some time ago) world-famous soprano Renée Fleming introduced seven dazzling young singers who kept the audience in their seats through an hour of rain and some competing cacophony from another recital taking place just behind at Summerstage.  There is no audience more dedicated than the New York opera fan!  The only disappointment of the evening was its brevity; just after the rain abated, the concert, in honor of the late Richard Tucker's 100th Birthday, was cut short without explanation. Everything we did get to hear was like a generous gift and it felt greedy to have wanted the rest of it.

With seven stars from the Tucker firmament, we could not choose the brightest. The Foundation sure knows how to pick 'em; each one had won an award from The Foundation within the past few years.  All of them are living up to their potential.  Accompaniment by Brian Zeger was just as wonderful as one might expect; he has a great instinct for letting the voice shine forth.

Glamor couple soprano Ailyn Pérez and tenor Stephen Costello led off with the love duet from Act I of Verdi's Rigoletto.  He was seductive and she was seduced, falling under the spell of his ringing tenor and bewitching us with her shy glances and clear bright voice.  They made it sound not only easy but spontaneous.

Wendy Bryn Harmer, fresh from the Seattle Ring, gave a soaring account of Carlisle Floyd's "Ain't it a Pretty Night" from Susannah.

Have we heard a better delivery of Mozart's "Dalla sua pace" from Don Giovanni?  We think not!  Tenor Paul Appleby's bright clear tenor and committed delivery were remarkable and San Diego is fortunate to have him playing Don Ottavio in the near future.  It is the perfect role for him.

Coloratura soprano Erin Morley let loose with some impressive singing in the challenging "Doll Song" from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman.  The devilish upward leaps were astonishingly accurate, even at the very top of the register. Moreover her fine acting garnered giggles from the audience, especially when Maestro Zeger "wound her up".

Bass-baritone Brandon Cedel delivered a fine "Vi ravisso" from Bellini's La Sonnambula.  His gorgeous legato phrasing and evenness throughout the register have surely secured him a place among the group fulfilling their promise.

Mezzo Jamie Barton tackled "Acerba voluttà" from Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur as if it were a piece of cake.   Her creamy lush voice and intense stage presence were a joy to behold.

Although we love Ms. Perez and Mr. Costello together with their marvelous chemistry and blending of voices, we were also delighted to hear each one in a solo.  Mr. Costello sang "Parmi veder le lagrime" also from Rigoletto and Ms. Perez ended the evening with a passionate rendition of "Ah, fors'e lui" and "Sempre libera" from Verdi's La Traviata.  She employed her thrilling voice and acting skills to demonstrate Violetta's ambivalence about succumbing to romance.  We were totally won over.

Three cheers for The Richard Tucker Music Foundation for supporting young singers with awards and performance opportunities and for enriching New York's cultural life to such a great extent.  The Foundation was set up in 1975 to honor the late Richard Tucker and his memory is being well-served. Contributions to The Foundation are possible on their website.

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APPRENTICES SHINE AT SANTA FE OPERA

Cullen Gandy and Abigail Santos--photo by Elizabeth Payne

A major highlight of our 10-day experience of Santa Fe Opera were the Apprentice Scenes Programs, given on two successive Sunday evenings.  These superb emerging artists were chosen with a great deal of care from a huge pool of applicants.  Only 43 singers were accepted into the Apprentice Program; each and every one demonstrated singing and acting skills beyond their years.  A lucky few will return soon in major roles, as baritone Zachary Nelson did to star in Nozze di Figaro.  But for this particular group, they got to appear onstage as choristers and in smaller parts, as noted in five prior reviews.  However, on these two incomparable Sunday evenings the Apprentices had the opportunity to appear in fully staged scenes.

The Act II sextet from Mozart's Don Giovanni opened the first evening.  Michael Shell's direction and Glenn Lewis' musical direction showed the 6 artists off to good advantage with André Courville singing Leporello with poise and confidence, Julia Ebner as Donna Elvira, David Blalock as Don Ottavio, Abigail Mitchell as Donna Anna, Hailey Clark as Zerlina and Matthew Scollin as Masetto.  The action kept moving and the voices blended magnificently.

Following were some delightfully entertaining scenes from Berlioz' Béatrice et Bénédict with the distinctive voice of Theo Lebow as Bénédict, Joshua Conyers as Claudio, Patrick Guetti as Don Pedro and Jared Bybee as Leonato.  Louisa Muller directed with panache, staging the scene on a golf course with costumes (Brianna Fristoe) reflecting the Jazz Age.

The next scene was from Donizetti's Don Pasquale with Benjamin Sieverding very convincing, in spite of his youth, as the eponymous hero.  Wig and Makeup Designer Amanda Clark deserves some credit for this.  Rachel Hall portrayed Norina,  Jonathan Winell was heard as Ernesto and Andrew Lovato as Dr. Malatesta.  There were laughs aplenty.

Ms. Mitchell was seen again as Manon in the following scene from Hans Werner Henze's Boulevard Solitude which involved some rather stratospheric writing which did nothing to take our affection away from Puccini's or Massenet's version of the same tale.  Ricardo Rivera was wonderfully slimy as Lescaut and the other roles were performed by Jonathan Blalock and Christian Sanders.

Bizet's Carmen was updated to the Roaring Twenties with Kelly Hill in the title role; Jenna Siladie and Kate Tombaugh delighted as Frasquita and Mercédès with Reuben L. Lillie and Jubal Joslyn as the very amusing Le Dancaire and Le Remendado.  It was an interesting concept and high in entertainment value.

We loved Jennifer Panara as the page Isolier in Rossini's Le Comte Ory with Jonathan Blalock as Le Comte.  Truth to tell, we enjoyed the scene more than the version we saw at The Metropolitan Opera.

An incomprehensible scene from Handel's Ariodante was beautifully sung by John Viscardi, Rachel Hall, Julia Ebner, Joshua Conyers and Sarah Mesko.

The evening ended with a smashing scene from Verdi's Falstaff.  Meg Page and Alice Ford were performed by Samantha Korbey and Shelley Jackson, while Mistress Quickly was sung by Katherine McGookey.  The young lovers Nannetta and Fenton were winningly performed by tiny Abigail Santos and tall Cullen Gandy who galumphed hysterically around the stage with a butterfly net.  Ricardo Rivera sang Ford and the two lowlifes Bardolfo and Pistola were sung by Christopher Sierra and Rocky Sellers.  The action was successfully staged in the 1950's and the "merry wives" were having a coffee klatch.  It was a marvelous scene with which to end a marvelous evening!

The program was so worthwhile that we postponed our departure long enough to catch the first half of the following Sunday's program.  The deeply disturbing opening scene from Strauss' Elektra was staged by Louisa Muller in a room full of sewing machines, with the gossiping maidservants portrayed by Sishel Claverie, Kelly Hill, Samantha Korbey, Abigail Santos and Rebecca Witty.  Lacy Sauter sang the role of the Overseer.  Dramatically and vocally riveting, it was!

Following was a most convincing scene from Britten's Billy Budd with John Viscardi showing vocal chops and total role committment as Captain Vere, Jared Bybee a very sympathetic Billy Budd who, losing his ability to speak under stress, attacks and kills the evil John Claggart, finely sung by Adam Lau.

We were thrilled to learn that the Bell Song from Delibes' Lakme would be on the program.  Lindsay Russell did not disappoint; she handled the elaborate vocal line with complete assurance.  Matthew Scollin was severe as her father Nilakantha and sang the role splendidly.

The last scene we were privileged to see was from Smetana's The Bartered Bride which we had heard sung only in Czech, which we preferred to this version in English.  In any event, it was finely done by Yoni Rose, Jennifer Panara, André Courville, Rocky Sellers, Jenna Siladie, Jared Bybee and Hailey Clark.

We were sadly obliged to slip out during intermission to catch our red-eye flight back to New York and truly regretted missing some of our favorite scenes from Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus, Handel's Giulio Cesare, Douglas J. Cuomo's Doubt and Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri.  We are quite sure that they were all superb.  We left feeling sorry for audiences who did not get to see these wonderful young artists.  We hope to see many of them in the future in larger roles.

© meche kroop

LA DONNA SENZA LAGO

Joyce DiDonato--photo by Ken Howard

Here you see the lovely mezzo Joyce DiDonato standing on the moors of Scotland with a painted backdrop of the sky.  Wait!  She's standing on the stage set of La Donna del Lago at the Santa Fe Opera and the SKY is REAL, seen through the proscenium.  Rossini sure had a thing for the mezzo voice and Ms. DiDonato made the most out of the master's gorgeous bel canto vocal lines. Her embellishments were as accurate as any we've heard and her trill gave us a thrill.

Here she portrays Elena in Andrea Leone Tottola's adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's poem "The Lady of the Lake"--given an Italian flavor of course.  Elena is the daughter of one Duglas d'Angus (performed by deeply resonant bass Wayne Tigges) who was once the tutor of Giacomo V--King James of Scotland; he has, at the time of the opera, joined the Highland Clan, opposed to James' rule.  He has plans for Elena to wed Rodrigo di Dhu, the fierce chief of this clan.  Elena has other ideas; she is in love with the more gentle Malcolm Groeme, portrayed by mezzo Marianna Pizzolato, who sings like an angel and looks nothing like a man.  The love duet between the two of them was one of the evening's highlights.

Fortunately, Rodrigo gets killed in an uprising and the only other rival for her hand is the king himself who, disguised as Umberto, has met her, accepted her hospitality and fallen in love with her also.  (And who wouldn't fall in love with the beautiful and charming Ms. DiDonato!)  It is the king's respect for Elena that finally heals the rift so that peace in Scotland is achieved.

Lawrence Brownlee sang the role of the king and René Barbera the role of the ill-fated Rodrigo.  Both tenors have beautiful voices for the most part but both fell into the "tenor trap" of pushing their top notes instead of floating them, lending a harsh sound to otherwise fine bel canto singing.

We enjoyed seeing several apprentices onstage in smaller roles.  Soprano Lacy Sauter made a fine Albina--an interesting variation on the customary situation in which a mezzo is the confidante of the star soprano.  David Blalock and Joshua Dennis portrayed servants.

Maestro Stephen Lord conducted with high spirits and Paul Curran directed with a sure hand, making sense out of a confusing plot.   Costumes by Kevin Knight were appropriate to time and place; his sets were spare and lit by Duane Schuler to emphasize the gloom.  The chorus sang beautifully under the director of Susanne Sheston.

We understand that this production will appear at the Metropolitan Opera in a couple years.  How wonderful that New Yorkers will get to enjoy one of Rossini's lesser known operas.  Just don't expect the sunset!

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SANTA FE OPERA GETS FIGARO MARRIED OFF IN HIGH STYLE

Lisette Oropesa, Zachary Nelson, Susanna Phillips, Daniel Okulitch

--photo by Ken Howard

When the Santa Fe Opera gets it right the delight factor is a 9.9 on the Richter Scale.  Perfect casting and a fine production are responsible for the enormous success of Nozze di Figaro.  High art embellished with great entertainment values?  That's what opera should be but often isn't.  One can always tell when this magic occurs.  Members of the audience walk around with big grins during intermissions and on the way home.

In a fortuitous confluence of casting wisdom, the entire cast operated as an ensemble.  We felt as if we were visiting an aristocratic household in which the inhabitants had known each other for years and were familiar with each other's quirks.

One could not have asked for a better Figaro than fast-rising baritone Zachary Nelson who was an apprentice at SFO just last year!  His fine expressive voice is matched only by his spot-on acting choices.  "Se vuol ballare" never sounded so good; this is a lovable Figaro!  His Susana was an equally wonderful Lisette Oropesa whom we have enjoyed long before she graced the stage at The Metropolitan Opera.  Her silver soprano and the spunky character she created were a great match with her Figaro.  Her love for her husband showed through in her "Deh vieni non tardar".

Just as perfect was the pairing of lovely soprano Susanna Phillips as the neglected Countess whose "Porgi Amor" brought tears to our eyes, as did her "Dove sono".  Her Count was portrayed by the handsome Daniel Okulitch, his elegant and aristocratic appearance joining with his resonant bass-baritone to create an entitled aristocrat whom young women would not work too hard to fight off.  He excelled at demonstrating the Count's cluelessness.

Mezzo Emily Fons did a splendid job in the trouser role of Cherubino--looking amazingly like a hormonal youth and throwing herself into her "Non so piu" and "Voi che sapete" with excellent breathless phrasing that somehow managed not to lose its legato line.  Bass-baritone Dale Travis was effective as the pompous Dr. Bartolo who must go through even more changes than the Count during the course of the bridal day.  Mezzo Susanne Mentzer delighted as the snarky housekeeper Marcellina who also must make an attitudinal about-face.  Tenor Keith Jameson, who always turns in a fine performance, was true to form as the slimy Don Basilio.

Apprentice Rachel Hall was just as adorable as Barbarina should be and has a promising voice.  We hope to hear more of her.  As her bibulous father Antonio we heard apprentice Adam Lau who was so effectively made up that we didn't recognize him.  Apprentice Jonathan Winell sang the role of Don Curzio and apprentices Lindsay Russell and Samantha Korbey appeared as bridesmaids.  We just love seeing apprentices onstage!

John Nelson conducted Mozart's endlessly melodic music with appropriate elan.  Bruce Donnell directed with a sure hand.  Susanne Sheston ensured that the chorus sang beautifully.  Sets and Costumes by Paul Brown hit the mark consistently.  But whoever was responsible for Ms. Phillips' wig in Act III should be forced to wear it in public!  EWWW!

And one final quibble in a 99% wonderful production by Jonathan Kent--all that flower picking and replacing has GOT to GO.  All that stage business during the overture gives the impression that someone didn't trust the audience to enjoy Mozart's masterpiece without some eye candy.

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ALL IS FORGIVEN!

Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble's summer season has given us a very good look at the "glory that was Rome".  LOL!  Murder, abuse of power, treachery and seduction abound. But Mozart the Humanist, writing La Clemenza di Tito a century and a half after Monteverdi, ends his final opera with forgiveness.  In the photo above, at the glorious conclusion of this opera seria, the Emperor Titus, here called Tito, forgives Sesto and Vitellia who had plotted to assassinate him.

Mezzo Hilary Ginther impressed us with a lovely and unique quality to her voice and a dramatically valid portrayal of the weak-willed Sesto who was putty in the hands of Vitellia; the vengeful woman, feeling rejected as a marital partner by Tito, would do anything to destroy his happiness, although he is, by all evidence, a public spirited and generous ruler.  The role was sung by soprano Elana Gleason who used her stunning looks and equally stunning voice to good effect.  Tenor Timothy Stoddard brought his vocal gifts to the role of Tito and portrayed him as fair-minded and yet a ruler of authority.

Sesto's sister Servilia was beautifully sung by soprano Rachel Zatcoff and her lover, the self-sacrificing Annio, by mezzo Allison Waggener who demonstrated a fine legato in her phrasing.  Bass Brendan Stone was forceful as Publio.  Effective in the ensemble were Heather Gerban, Kristina Malinauskaite, Sanford Eliot Schimel and Charles Williamson.

Maestro Christopher Fecteau conducted the Dell'Arte Opera Festival Orchestra from the harpsichord, playing the Continuo.  They gave a tight performance; we cannot help but single out the clarinet playing of Samuel Marques whose tone on the basset horn was thrilling in the way that only a basset horn can thrill.  We do love those low notes!

As is the case with this company, production values focus on the singers with sets and costumes playing second banana.  Nina Bova dressed the singers in military costumes for the men and more or less contemporary dress for the women. Stage Director Walker Lewis moved the performers around in a meaningful motivated way and provided some interesting "stage business".  For example,  Vitellia's flights of fioritura were accompanied by Sesto nibbling on her neck.  Hot!

We especially enjoyed a duet between Annio and Servilio and the final gorgeous ensemble when all is forgiven.  We confess that we have never loved this opera on the big stage, but here, in the mid-size 13th St. Theatre, the work came across as an intimate drama between members of the court; we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and you can as well because there is one more performance tonight.

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OSCAR!

David Daniels, Composer Theodore Morrison, Heidi Stober and Director Kevin Newbury--photo by Ken Howard

Much of contemporary opera comes across as theater with music and Theodore Morrison's fine new opera Oscar, premiered at Santa Fe Opera, is just that.  The text has been adapted by John Cox from quotations by Oscar Wilde himself and by his contemporaries.  It is a sad story of persecution of homosexuals by the British justice system.  The story telling makes it clear that Mr. Wilde contributed to his own downfall by letting his love for "Bosie" (Lord Alfred Douglas) cloud his judgement.  His pretty young lover had a big grudge against his father The Marquess of Queensberry and used Wilde badly by pushing him to sue his father for libel.  This resulted in Wilde's conviction for committing "acts of gross indecency" resulting in a two year sentence to hard labor and solitary confinement.  By the end of the opera, our hero has become a broken man but enlarged in spirit such that he is admitted by Walt Whitman into the hall of literary immortals.

Director Kevin Newbury did a fine job of limning the story.  Conductor Evan Rogister conducted briskly.  The music is powerful and is in many places closely allied with the words but not always; at times it seemed as if Morrison were trying for an ironic effect.  There are some arresting uses of winds, percussion and harp.

The set by David Korins with lighting design by Rick Fisher created some vivid images suitable to the story.  The very Victorian Redding Gaol where Wilde was imprisoned was frighteningly convincing.  Costumes by David C. Woolard were appropriately Victorian.

Famous countertenor David Daniels was convincing as the eponymous hero; indeed it appears that the role was written for him.  There are vocal melismatics reminiscent of Handel.  There is a wonderful warm scene in Wilde's friend Ada Leverson's nursery which she has offered to him when he has been denied lodging all over London.  Soprano Heidi Stober portrays this character beautifully and their singing about Wilde's preference for absinthe is delightful.  In this scene they are joined by Wilde's other friend Frank Harris, sung by the always excellent William Burden.

Another wonderful scene--this one upsetting, not delightful--occurs in the prison the night before a man will be hung and the inmates are mad with anxiety; this was a case in which the music reinforced the text.  As awful as the prison was, Wilde did enjoy a modest period of kindness from a kindly warder named Thomas Martin, sympathetically portrayed by fast-rising baritone Ricardo Rivera, also seen as an unpleasant hotel manager who refuses Wilde lodging. 

The scene in which Wilde's show trial is staged as a farce with nursery toys re-enacting the proceedings is a directorial marvel.  The very funny bass Kevin Burdette portrayed Mr. Justice Sir Alfred Wills and the Jury Foreman was portrayed by Reuben Lillie.  Mr. Burdette was also seen as the vicious Colonel Isaacson who ran Reading Gaol with an iron fist.

The prologue and epilogue featured a fine Dwayne Croft as the American poet Walt Whitman who befriended Wilde.

Several apprentices appeared in smaller roles--Patrick Guetti as a pompous butler, Yoni Rose as a bailiff, Aaron Pegram and Benjamin Sieverding as detectives and prison warders--the latter joined by David Blalock as patients in the infirmary.

Having the role of "Bosie" taken by a dancer instead of a singer was an interesting decision and Reed Luplau was a fine casting choice.  Choreography was by Sean Curran.  So, instead of some love duets between Wilde and Bosie, we got to watch some fine ballet because Bosie's image appeared regularly to Wilde.  Although Bosie managed to forget Wilde and leave the country, Wilde remained deeply affected by his love for Bosie.

This was a worthy entry into the world of contemporary opera and we were glad for the opportunity to attend its premiere.

© meche kroop

A POPPEA THAT POPS

Anna Farysej and Nacole Palmer--photo by Brian Long

Perhaps the mayhem and immorality under the Roman Emperor Nero resonates with our current political climate.  Indeed we have seen three versions of Monteverdi's 1643 masterpiece L'incoronazione di Poppea in the past year.  On the other hand, its recent popularity may be due only to the beauty and expressivity of the music.

Last night at the intimate 13th Street Theatre, Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble presented their version as part of their Tenth Anniversary Season, and a fine version it was!  The cast we saw only performed that singular night; we felt privileged to be in the sold-out house to hear some amazing young voices advancing in their careers, helped along by the intense instruction and guidance of Dell'Arte Ensemble.  Artistic Director Maestro Christopher Fecteau has a knack for selecting promising young performers and guiding them into the next stage of their careers.

Witness the plenitude of bright shining sopranos who mastered the art of baroque singing without compromising their acting skills.  As Poppea, Anna Farysej created a character who was more ambitious than evil; she lured Nero (an excellent Nacole Palmer) with abundant wiles and overt sexuality to abandon his "infertile and frigid" wife Ottavia, portrayed by strong mezzo Heather Antonissen, so that she Poppea could become Empress.  Ottavia gets to sing a heartbreaking lament to which any 21st c. discarded wife could relate.  To paraphrase, "We give birth to men who then torment and abuse us."

In opposition we had the rejected lover Ottone, played by counter-tenor Jeffrey Mandelbaum (who is at a more advanced stage of his career, having graced the stage of The Metropolitan Opera); Ottone was solicited by Ottavia to murder Poppea.  To this end he has enlisted the assistance of the kooky and pliant Drusilla, performed by the adorable Noelle McMurtry who lends him her clothes as a disguise.

The ending is not exactly tragic.  Drusilla and Ottone fall all over themselves trying to take the blame for the failed murder attempt to protect the other but Nerone does not slaughter them; in an act of clemency he sends them into exile along with his discarded wife.  That Poppea and Nerone are portrayed more favorably than in history books tells us something about the 17th c. audience.  Indeed Amore herself (an effective Briana Sakamoto) ensures that they have a happy ending, singing a gorgeous duet to close the opera; Amore himself, the blind child-god, has triumphed over the bickering Fortuna (a funny Amaranta Viera) and Virtu (the very young and talented Sarah Ann Duffy) who each claimed primacy over the other in controlling human history.  But no, in the end, it's all about LOVE.  Using the three gods as a framing device drives the point home.

The only tragedy in this opera is the death of Seneca, Ottavia's tutor, ordered by Poppea to eliminate a roadblock in her path.  This is also an artistic tragedy because it takes place in Act II and we wanted to hear more of bass Hans Tashjian who beguiled us with his superb singing and strong stage presence.

In an unusual casting move, mezzo Melissa Kelly, a fine singer and actress, portrayed both Arnalta (Poppea's nurse) and Nutrice (Ottavia's nurse).  Her funny bit came when she sang about her elevation of status as the nurse of the new Empress.  In smaller roles, we heard Ray Calderon, Nicholas Connolly, Edwin Vega and Nathan Letourneau.  All sang well.

The backbone of this excellent production was Monteverdi's gorgeous music, played by The Sebastians, a baroque ensemble led by harpsichordist Jeff Grossman.  The captivating theorbos and lutes were played by John Lenti and Charles Weaver while the heavenly harpist was Christa Patton.  Rounding out the ensemble were violinists Daniel S. Lee and Dongmyung Ahn with Ezra Seltzer playing the cello.

Stage Director Victoria Crutchfield and Costume Designer Nina Bova, obviously working with a very small budget, managed to create the illusion of more.  This placed the emphasis on the singers and the music which was a good thing.  We applaud Dell'Arte Ensemble not only for nurturing young singers but also for putting great art onstage with modest ticket prices, allowing New Yorkers unfamiliar with opera to dip their collective toes in the operatic waters and giving New Yorkers who are familiar with opera the opportunity to see operas that have gone unproduced at the Met.  There are a couple more performances of "L'incoronazione di Poppea" and one couldn't spend a better evening.

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