A PAIR AND A FULL HOUSE

Ryan Speedo Green

Paul Appleby

A concert honoring the legacy of famous American tenor Richard Tucker was presented last night by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation at the beautifully restored historic Eldridge Street Synagogue.  Following a number of liturgical pieces, two rising stars of the opera firmament sang two arias apiece that showcased the very artistry that led to their receiving support from the Foundation.  Each prefaced his selection by thanking the Foundation and telling how their careers had been fostered. 

Tenor Paul Appleby began with a lovely lyrical outpouring of legato phrasing in "Un aura amorosa" from Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte (in English, no less) and followed with Lensky's heartbreaking aria "Kuda, kuda" from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, happily, in Russian.

Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green used his velvety voice to great advantage in "Come dal ciel precipita", Banco's fearful aria from Verdi's Macbeth.  His second selection was a perfect complement, the humorous aria about gossip from Il Barbiere di Siviglia--"La calunnia e un venticello".

Both men were in fine voice and expertly accompanied by the incomparable Brian Zeger.  Our one quibble is that the Richard Tucker Foundation seems to have a predilection for beautiful houses of worship with abysmal acoustics.  The synagogue is over a century old and has been lovingly restored, but it is still resonating with the voices of generations of cantors!

(c) meche kroop