Artists raising money for the homeless at Lauren Flanigan's annual "Comfort Ye"
It doesn't really feel like Christmas until we experience the annual event called "Comfort Ye", a most engaging concert created by acclaimed American Soprano Lauren Flanigan joined by Maestro Kamal Khan at the piano. For 29 years funds and goods have been donated by audience members who join to hear great music and to alleviate hunger in the homeless population of New York City. The emphasis has always been on working for social change and promoting a culture of self reliance.
Ms. Flanigan is renowned for her work with young singers in her Music and Mentoring House, by means of which we have discovered young talent who need all the help they can get. We have felt a special bond with this amazing woman who does so much social good and has given the opera community so many memorable performances. We admit that our favorite was always her Lady Macbeth in a characterization that grabbed Verdi's music and amplified its emotional impact by a power of ten.
The superstar herself graced the stage a few times last night singing music by Ricky Ian Gordon (his tango-inflected "Coyote") and William Bolcom (his unsettling "George" from Cabaret Songs). Mo. Khan thrilled us with Chopin's "Barcarolle, Opus 60". One after another, opera stars graced the stage, wowing the audience with their favorite arias and songs.
Since our focus is on young singers we would like to begin with mezzo-soprano Shengnan Yang who initially impressed us as a student at Mannes. My, how her voice has grown! We noticed the same intensity that we have always admired in Ms. Flanigan as she threw herself into "Condotta ell'era in ceppi", the very upsetting aria sung by Azucena in Verdi's Il Trovatore. What was quite remarkable was the power at the very bottom of the register. It pleased us no end that Ms. Yang has been cast in the role of Carmen which will suit her beautiful appearance far better than the role of Azucena.
Another performance that struck us was that of coloratura soprano Lusilla Mazi whose interpretation of the Queen of the Night in "O Zitt're Nicht" from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte managed to show us the dangerously manipulative purpose underlying the character's warmly seductive approach to Tamino. This was a revelation because we have seen so many performances that showed us only a powerful woman who just wanted to protect her daughter.
J'Nai Bridges, whom we recently reviewed, performed the sad and moving "Ah! Je vais mourir" Didon's lament from the final act of Berlioz' Les Troyens. This superlative mezzo-soprano succeeded in conveying the grief of a woman who has loved and lost, since Énée has been persuaded by the gods to leave Carthage for Italy. Ms. Bridges just garnered superb reviews for her performance as Didon at the Seattle Opera. We can certainly see why!
Another suicidal character, the eponymous La Wally from the Catalani opera was brought to life by soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs who also performed the moving "O patria mia" from Verdi's Aida with a most generous sound. Her accompanist was Michael Recchiuti.
Ziwen Xiang offered everyone's favorite tenor aria "Ah mes amis" from Donizetti's La fille du régiment. Perhaps the rest of the audience was reveling in the high C's but our attention was drawn to the manner in which Mr. Xiang conveyed both the exuberance of announcing his new found love and the tenderness he felt toward Marie.
The diva quality of a famous actress' "humble bragging" was capture by soprano Brittany Olivia Logan in "Io son l'umile ancella" from Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. Umile, she ain't!
The humorously satirical song "Twelve Days After Christmas by F. Silver was performed by Olanna Goudeau; the lyrics were so clever that we had to look them up online.
Soprano Manna K. Jones offered a selection from Handel's Messiah and bass Daniel Sumegi offered Wotan's aria from Das Rheingold-- "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge". Yet another bass, Seth Malkin offered a couple Christmas songs, and the entire company joined vocal forces for Adolphe Adam's beautiful "O Holy Night".
It was an altogether memorable night, one to treasure, an event that benefited the audience as much as the homeless, and, we hope, left the artists feeling as elevated as we did.
© meche kroop
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