A GIFT FROM UPSTATE

 

Kayo Iwama, Ryan MacEvoy McCullough, Evan Katsefes, Michael Adams, Benjamin Truncale, and Leonor Vasconcelos

Having focused for so many years on Manhattan's three music conservatories, it was enlightening to see how much talent there is coming from upstate--Bard College Conseservatory of Music to be exact. Thanks to the Gerda Lissner Young Artist Showcase, we were privileged to be in the studio audience at The Greene Space of  WQXR for a most engaging recital.

As the recital progressed we noticed that all the students of the Bard College Vocal Arts Program shared a number of features in common. All of them had an admirable facility for language and all of them were so expressive that our attention was riveted throughout. We heard four of the advanced students in the program (two sopranos and two tenors) and a highly successful graduate, not to mention renowned mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe who, as artistic director, seems to be getting enormous rewards from guiding young singers--a pleasure we fully understand. 

There was quite a lot of French mélodie on the program and every one of the young artists conveyed a fine understanding of the Gallic style--a gentleness and subtlety, a delicacy that matches the sentiments of the poetry. Our favorite of this group was Pauline Viardot's appropriately titled "Havanaise" performed by Leonor Vasconcelos who switched easily from the legato slow section to a spirited fast section marked by bel canto style fioritura. Ms. Vasconcelos has an animated stage presence and made generous use of facial expression and gesture to tell the story. We were enchanted.

Similarly, soprano Michael Adams evinced great depth of feeling and a delicate vibrato in her performance of Fauré's "C'est l'extase", evoking images of nature and romance at once.

Soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbon, a graduate of Bard's Vocal Arts Program, introduced us to a pair of songs by Adela Maddison, a student of Fauré heretofore unknown to us; we do love discovering "new" music (new to us) much more than we appreciate "New Music" (recently composed). As Ms. Fitz Gibbon introduced the work, one could tell how invested she is in such discoveries and how personal is her investment. We are ill equipped to place value on a composition but we can say that the music and its performance did not pale in comparison with the rest of the songs. We felt as if we shared in the singer's discovery.

Benjamin Truncale gave a lovely performance of Duparc's "L'invitation au voyage", evincing ample vocal coloration and dynamic variation in setting the sensual mood of Baudelaire's text. We observed that his gestures were non specific and he was telling the story vocally, unlike the women who used specific gestures to amplify the storytelling.

Tenor Evan Katsefes moved easily from the fine French of Fauré's "L'hiver a cesse" to the German text of Hermann Alllmers "Feldeinsamkeit" which had been set by Brahm's a few years earlier. It was an interesting exercise on Ives' part but we prefer the Brahms.  He also moved easily into the English of Florence Price's. "Hold Fast to Dreams".

There were many more treasures in the generous program but let us move on to the surprising ending which took us into the world of 20th century German kabarett. Ms. Vasconcelas  demonstrated a great facility for cabaret in her performance of a very early Schoenberg song called "Gigerlette". This was so charming we wished that Schoenberg had never gone on to give birth to the 12-tone system!

Ms. Fitz Gibbon performed Kurt Weill's "Berlin im Licht" and Ms. Blythe, whose dusky mezzo is perfect for German, gave us a jazzy arrangement (by Ryan MacEvoy McCullough who accompanied her) of Holländer's "Wenn ich mir was wünschen dürfte". It was a gloriously expressive performance, somewhat marred however by the presence of the loathed music stand.

It is clear that the vocal training at Bard emphasizes the text and the singers appear to have done their own translations.  The motto seems to be "speak it before you sing it" which seems to be responsible for the excellent performances which gave us such pleasure. The superb piano accompanists for the evening were Kayo Iwama and Mr. McCullough. Bravi tutti!

© meche kroop

THE QUEEN OF BROOKLYN

Gennadiy Vysotskiy, David Freides, Gary Giardina, Handong Fu, and Samuel Roth

La Bohême might be the favorite opera among opera lovers; if not it is surely within the top five. Zefferelli's famed production at The Metropolitan Opera brings people back again and again and is always a sell out, beloved for its lavish sets and excellent casting choices. However, there is an intimacy to the production by The Regina Opera Company that made our trip to the farthest reaches of Brooklyn worthwhile.

Thank goodness, there was no directorial arrogance imposing weird concepts onto this masterpiece. Stage Director Sabrina Palladino truly knows how to honor the storytelling and how to work with Puccini's apt orchestrations. Maestro Scott Jackson Wiley led his professional orchestra in a fine reading of the score. 

In spite of the distance of over a century, contemporary audiences have no trouble relating to the story of a group of young people coming of age--just as Puccini was looking backward almost a century to a prior period. The episodic stories by Henri Murger were adapted by librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. We might say that growing up is hard to do and that the foibles of youth are generally painful. And we might realize that it was always so.

Puccini wisely chose to focus on two parallel romances, one supportive, the other exploitive. The intimacy of the production permitted us to learn more about the characters than we had realized in previous viewings. Musetta, for example, is a narcissist in Act II and must discover a vein of unselfishness in Act IV when she sells her earrings to provide some relief for the dying Mimi. Soprano Jennifer Moore made this quite clear whilst delivering a vocally excellent performance, revealing different aspects of her character in Acts II, III, and IV.

Poor Marcello is her victim and, as a sensitive and caring young man, lacks the resources to resist. Just watching baritone Handong Fu in Act II, trying with all his might to resist Musetta's exhibitionist wiles, tells us all we need to know about their destructive relationship which we witness in full force in Act III. Mr. Fu's vocalism and phrasing matched his superb acting.

Equally effective was tenor David Freides in the role of Rodolfo, expressing ardor by means of warm vocal coloration in Act I, subtly changing the color from that which he exhibited when horsing around with his flatmates. We noticed more subtle changes of coloration in Act III when his defensive blaming of Mimi yields to the terror of losing her. Another change could be observed as Mimi dies (sorry about the spoiler, LOL) and he is in denial. Reality is tough to face and these callow youths are all forced to mature, one of the few benefits to suffering.

Poor Mimi does not get the chance to grow up, nipped in the bud like the flowers she embroiders. Soprano Audrey DuBois Harris exhibited an enviable vocal talent with lustrous tone and apt phrasing. We tried an experiment and closed our eyes; we realized she was  "acting with her voice"! We hope the following will be taken as encouragement, not criticism. Some acting lessons would put an "A" performances into "A+" territory. It wouldn't matter on a recording but in a live performance we want to see a more convincing use of gesture, posture, and facial expression.

The character of Mimi offers so many opportunities for interpretation. Is she really just a sweet and innocent young woman or is she a bit of a hustler, inviting herself along on Christmas Eve to get a free dinner? Getting th gift of a free bonnet was not enough, she wanted more. What do you think Dear Reader?

Smaller roles were well handled. Bass Gennadiy Vysotskiy in the role of Colline gave a moving delivery of "Vecchia zimarra"; he is bidding farewell to his old overcoat to get money to ease Mimi's death. Perhaps he knows what the audience knows--he is bidding farewell to his carefree youth. Baritone Samuel Roth portrayed Schaunard, the only member of the four flatmates who has an income-- by teaching music. There is comic relief in his tale of poisoning the parrot with parsley but it is even funnier that his starving flatmates are only interested in the food he brought. As in Shakespeare's plays, comic relief sets off the tragedy.

Veteran character singer Gary Giardina brought humor to the roles of landlord Benoit and Alcindoro, Musetta's fopish "sponsor" who gets stuck with the bill for everyone's food and drink at Café Momus.

We would like to once gain commend the direction of Ms. Palladino. Even the guards at the city gates seemed believable. And kudos to Francine Garber-Cohen for producing operas as they are meant to be appreciated--acted, costumed, well sung, and with full orchestra. We need such a company in Manhattan. Speaking of costuming, here's a shout for Marcia C. Kresge whose costuming was period accurate and another shout for the excellent titles by Linda Cantoni.

The opera can be seen on four more occasions--November 15, 16, 22, and 23. There will be four different casts and we recognize some names we know from other performances. You won't be disappointed.

© meche kroop

OPERA'S NEWEST POWER COUPLE

 Amir Farid,  Shelen Hughes Comacho and Joseph Parrish

Before we tell you about the best vocal recital we have seen all year let us share our joy in witnessing two magnificent artists perform together as a couple, not just an artistic couple but a romantic couple. We have seen similar situations that were marked by a disparity in artistic gifts and have felt sad to see one member of a couple riding their shooting star to fame whilst the other's career languished. We can understand how that could be a stressful situation. In the case of soprano Shelen Hughes Comacho and baritone Joseph Parrish we have no doubt that both will have stunning careers.

We have written quite a bit about each one (enter each name in the search bar if you are curious about their respective career paths) and have felt great joy witnessing their growing artistry, not to mention the awards they have received.

Yesterday's concert was in honor of their awards from Opera Index and we have no doubt that President Jane Shaulis experienced the same joy that we did. We review a seemingly endless stream of vocal recitals and usually find enjoyment tempered by cavils. Yesterday's program at The American Opera Center presented no opportunity for reservations. We were thrilled from start to finish.

The first half of the program was devoted to operatic arias and we noticed how both singers captured the essence of the characters they were representing. No gesture, glance or tilt of the head was a throwaway or "stock". Most likely everything was well rehearsed but gave the illusion of spontaneity. We got the sense that the words had flavors which were much relished. We haven't space to describe each offering but just want to choose a couple to illustrate. From Mascagni's L'amico Fritz, Ms. Hughes Comacho conveyed all of Suzel's shyness, innocence, and hopefulness as she presented a gift of flowers to the landowner she has a crush on. One didn't need to understand the Italian since every phrase expressed a shade of her emotions.

Of all of Mr. Parrish's choices we have chosen "A Dream Wasted" from William Grant Stills's Highway I U.S.A.. What? You are surprised that we actually liked a 20th century opera with an English libretto? Well we did and that's why we chose it --to elaborate on Mr. Parrish's formidable skills. He took on the character of the much put upon brother of a selfish wastrel whom he has sacrificed to support for years. Mr. Parrish captured all the mixed feelings and conveyed them to the audience--and he did so with such excellent diction and clarity of enunciation that we didn't miss a word.

We were thrilled to hear a zarzuela selection from Torroba's La marchenera entitled "La Petenera". This one was new to us; like so many zarzuelas, it revolves around a love triangle and gave Ms. Hughes Comacho an opportunity to reveal a multiplicity of emotions.  Mr. Parrish had a similar opportunity in "Los ojos de ver los tuyos", a serenade from Luna's  Molinos devientos another zarzuela which was new to us. There was no mistaking a lover's adoration in Mr. Parrish's performance.

After a generous selection of bel canto arias performed with all the necessary vocal flourishes, the couple performed "La ci darem la mano" from Mozart's Don Giovanni. This is one of those duets that can be inflected in so many ways and our two astute artists put their own spin on it, allowing us to see (hear) it in a new light.

We didn't think that the second half of the program could live up to the bel canto delights of the first half but we were mistaken.  Each artist dug deeply into their heritage to introduce us to new songs. Our lovely soprano performed "Evocaçao" from a rarely performed song cycle by Villa-Lobos that offered the same dynamic range as his Bachianas Brazileiros  as well as some minor mode tenderness. We also got to hear more of the piano of Amir Farid who is such a gracious and generous collaborative pianist.

Our brilliant baritone also introduced us to something new--Burleigh's "Her Eyes Twin Peaks" which ended with such a delicate diminuendo that we realized we were holding our breath. This is in contrast with so many singers who feel the need to grandstand. We prefer the subtlety that has us leaning in. 

The program closed with another duet. "If I Loved You" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, an American classic. It was a charming way to end a delightful program and left us thinking that this couple has no "ifs, ands, or buts". One got the impression that their commitment to each other is as strong as their commitment to their art. Now this is not a review of a relationship but if it were we would give it 5 stars. There was no encore but we were totally satisfied and considered it a perfect conclusion.

It is indeed rare to attend a concert without thinking of ways in which the singing or programming might be improved. This was indeed a first!

© meche kroop

ORGY AND BESS

Jamilyn Manning Bernard Holcomb Angela Yam and John Taylor Ward

in Heartbeat Opera's "Orgy and Bess"

We chose to spend our Halloween evening at Judson Memorial Church with Heartbeat Opera at their annual drag show and we are so glad we did. The show succeeded on so many levels we scarcely know where to begin. 

If you came to have a riotous good time you would have been titillated by the off-color repartee and private jokes . If you came to hear your favorite arias professionally sung you would have been well satisfied. If you came because you love cleverly snarky dialogue and lyrics you would have left smiling. If you came for the visual impact you would have been thrilled by the costumes. 

This annual show is always top notch and this one even outdid prior iterations, thanks to the astute direction of Ethan Heard, the fine singing and acting by the cast, the lavish costuming by David Quinn and the outstanding make up design by Maiko Ando. The script was written by Ethan and Peregrine Heard and Jacob Ashworth.

If outrageous costuming is your thing stop reading and look at our FB and IG entries to see why we were so impressed. Nothing anywhere in NYC could have been as colorful and creative. If you came for the snarky gay humor we wish we had a transcript for you to read.  Better yet, you may be able to snag tickets since the show has been extended through next week.

If you are interested in the operatic offerings this is the right place to learn how context is so vital. Arias can be given different shades of meaning by virtue of the setting. Should you be offended by such tinkering, your opinion would have seemed well represented by John Taylor Ward's impression of an opera patroness of the Upper East Side variety. Eventually the hi jinx won her over and she joined in the fun, shedding her pearls and pumps to participate in the foreshadowed orgy. You will not be offended since said orgy takes place behind a white sheet leaving the various shadows to the interpretation of your imagination.

If suffering heroines comprise your operatic taste you might have fixated on Jamilyn Manning's interpretation of Lucia, complete with bloody wedding gown and great big knife. Or you may have preferred the Cio-Cio San of Angela Tam (also a knife-wielder) whose costume echoed contemporary Japanese girl fashions like "decora"and "gyaru". Poor Serena from Porgy and Bess is another suffering heroine and Bernard Holcomb gave her lament "My Man's Gone Now" a unique twist. Multiple pants roles were enacted by Sichel Claverie who, as a male, did not seem to suffer much!

Ears that were attuned to opera were kept entertained, identifying familiar arias and choruses no matter how out of context.  A medley of tunes related to Asian inspired operas and musical theater melded Puccini with Gilbert and Sullivan, Rogers and Hammerstein, Schönberg and Boublil. Vastly entertaining in the moment, it did lead to some reflection on the cultural depiction of Asian women from Flower Drum Song to Miss Saigon to Madama Butterfly.

There was a banquet of cleverness that was supported by a deep knowledge of the repertory. We would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during some of the writing sessions but must be content with marveling at the results. Opera lovers must have had a fine time playing "Name that Tune".  We are sure most of us picked up on the Wagner, the Verdi (loved the "Anvil Chorus" from Il Trovatore) ,the Donizetti, Bellini, Leoncavallo, Händel, and Orff. We probably missed a few such as Rameau's Les Indes Gallants and The Wiz, neither of which we have seen. And what an astonishment to hear Aretha Franklin's version of "Nessun dorma" performed by Mr. Holcomb.

All of the performances were spot on and, as you can see from the photos, David Quinn's costumes were outstanding, as was Maiko Ando's makeup design.  It comes as no surprise that Ethan Heard returned to direct the show; his artistic stamp is always recognizable.

The marvelous musical direction was in the hands of Jacob Ashworth and Dan Schlossberg who played, respectively, violin and piano. Mr. Ashworth made quite an impression as a Valkyrie when he took to the stage after the performance. A guitar and clarinet made up the remainder of the accompaniment and we have nothing but praise for the arrangements.

Although we have occasionally objected to HeartbeatOpera's tampering with the classics, their artistic leanings are always welcome on the occasion of the annual Halloween drag show which we have never missed.  Braving the Greenwich Village crowds and transportation snafus seemed a small price to pay for such an evening. It is amazing to know that a collection of musical and visual artists can conspire to produce an impressive evening like that.

We urge you Dear Reader to get tickets for the few remaining shows. Halloween is such a fun holiday that it seems worth extending the celebration of it for another week.

We will close by expressing the wish that the ghost of Al Carmines, the late Minister of Judson Memorial Church, might have visited the church and enjoyed the production. Mr. Carmines was himself a creator of vast talent and filled the church with a succession of original musical theater performances that were our introduction to the art form. On All Saint's Day, the dead are allowed to return to earth and enjoy an ofrenda from the living-- so our fantasy is not so far-fetched! We think of Heartbeat's production as an ofrenda to the spirit of Mr. Carmines. Does anyone still remember him, his warm and loving personality, and his original productions? We know for a fact that the renowned Ira Siff does, since he starred in one.

© meche kroop

 

GOING UNDERGROUND

 The Parker Quintet in the Crypt

(photo by Justin Buschardt)

As a group of us music lovers were led down dimly lit flights of stairs into the Neo-Gothic crypt of the Church of the Intercession , we had an interesting thought. Fans of Andrew Ousley and Death of Classical will follow him anywhere--not only to spooky crypts but to cemeteries (see our review of October 17th)--from lower Manhattan to Washington Heights to the farthest reaches of Brooklyn. 

We asked ourself "Why is this so?" It has something to do, of course, with the quality of the performances he curates, perhaps to the feeling of exclusivity the events produce, to the originality of the concept. One is not just going to Lincoln Center to sit with hundreds of other people shuffling programs and glancing at their cell phones. On the contrary, these events are always compelling, never boring.

So there we were following Mr. Ousley down into the crypt, phones stored off board, entering a small room lit only by candles  (lots of candles as you can see from the photo). We observed that the space has room for only a small audience of music worshippers, all of them quiet as mice and completely attentive to the excellent Parker Quartet. The group of musicians comprised violinists Daniel Chong and Ken Hamao, violist Jessica Bodner, and cellists Lee Hyun Kim and guest artist Jay Campbell.

This rather unusual quintet formation brought a different texture to the aural experience.  Although we are familiar with most of Schubert's six hundred (!) songs, we are far less familiar with his chamber music, much of it composed for the parlor. This work,  stood out because the presence of two celli  is uncommon. The work was finished two months before Schubert's untimely death and lay rather dormant for a quarter of a century!

There was something about the work that reminded us of Beethoven's late quartets. In spite of this String Quintet being composed in the key of C Major, there is little about it that is cheerful. Rather it is intense, profound, and often disorienting with many unusual changes of key.  We can scarcely recall the opening theme, since Schubert seems to have cast aside his gifts for melody and focused more on texture. So, we were relieved to hear the second more lyrical theme. We enjoyed the duet between the pair of celli.

It wasn't until the Adagio that we felt ourself to be on familiar territory; the gloriously melodic A section was interrupted by a contrasting fiery mid-section. We tried to remember where we had heard it before because the melody was memorable.

Our attention was captured often by pizzicati in the cello. Let us mention that Mr. Campbell was a guest artist for the night, playing usually with the JACK Quartet, regulars at The Crypt and the Catacombs of Greenwood Cemetery. 

We have never witnessed an audience so enraptured. No one moved for the entire hour. No one shifted in their seat. No one coughed. The music held everyone spellbound. As a matter of fact, audience members drifted off into the night in some kind of daze overwhelmed by the multi sensorial nature of the experience. We hope, Dear Reader, that you will soon attend one of the Death of Classical evenings and experience it for yourself.

© meche kroop

LILI ELBE

Melanie Bacaling, Tobias Picker, and Aryeh Lev Stollman

Sylvia D'Eramo and Lucia Lucas

The spacious and comfortable theater at The Guggenheim Museum is the perfect home for Works & Process. The format is one of panel discussion alternating with performance. It allows audience members to get a preview of upcoming artistic events as described by their creators and illustrated by performances. One gets a glimpse behind the scenes, as it were.

Last night's event provided a panel discussion by the creators of a new opera Lili Elbe--composer Tobias Picker and librettist Aryeh Lev Stollman--moderated by Melanie Bacaling. Scenes from the opera were presented concert style by Lucia Lucas and Sylvia D'Eramo who are cast in the American premiere of the opera taking place on August 1st at the Santa Fe Opera. Although the scenes belonged to the two women, we had the opportunity to hear the terrific tenor Aaron Blake as well.

The subject of the opera is a German painter named Einar who transitioned to a female, a real "first" a century ago. What a courageous act that must have been! Increasingly common today and no longer called "sex reassignment surgery", it is now, to be politically correct, called  "gender affirming surgery".  Upon this topic we will not comment.

Now called Lili, the painter stopped painting but remained friends with his/her wife, underwent several surgeries and eventually died from complications of one of the surgeries, the details of which, Dear Reader, we will spare you. The story is a fascinating one and was made into a film which we plan to see in the near future. The fact that the role of Einar/Lili was played by a man provoked a wave of criticism.

No such criticism can be leveled at the opera because the role of Lili is played by a trans woman baritone named Lucia Lucas who also served as dramaturg, apparently making good use of her own experience. And what a strong voice she has. It had the same electrifying effect on us as hearing a man singing soprano or counter-tenor. The role of Gerda, the wife of Einar/Lili, was sung by Sylvia D'Eramo, a Santa Fe Opera favorite whom we have previously reviewed and much admired. The two voices sounded beautifully balanced and interesting in the duets.

The presentation last night aroused our curiosity and we have spent some time reading about this unusual individual's life experience. We can see that it is fine fodder for the theater and film. But what about its relevance to opera? Its European premiere took place last year in St. Gallen, Switzerland and was very well received and honored with prizes. The staging we saw in a You Tube clip from this production looked far more interesting than we might have imagined given what was offered last night. When there is no staging, no costumes and no drama, one must rely on the music.

And there's the rub! Like most contemporary composers, vocal lines are given short shrift and our ears leaned into the piano score, replete with jazzy riffs and rhythmic variation. The conversational libretto was set to vocal lines of minimal melodic nature. If Lili's story needed music to be told, we would imagine something far different, although we do note that the music reflects the time period of the 1920's and 30's. But the story is not a jazzy one. It is a tragedy!

Consequently, we are curious to know what Santa Fe Opera will do with this work....but not curious enough to make the trip.

© meche kroop

THE MERRYMAN AND HIS MAID

 Curtain Call at New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players' production of Yeomen of the Guard

New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players have been delighting NYC audiences for half a century and we have witnessed their growth in artistry and audience size at least for the latter portion of this period. Their professionalism makes them one of the Big Apple's premier performing companies. We have always enjoyed their musical values as well as their production values. Last night's performance manifested their importance on the NYC cultural scene.

So curious were we about the difference between Yeomen of the Guard and the trio of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas most commonly produced (The Mikado,  H.M.S. Pinafore, and Pirate of Penzance) that we did an online search to learn the details, as you, Dear Reader, may also choose to do. We will focus on a few interesting details before relating our experience with this delightful production.

The first thing we noticed was that the overture was not merely a collection of tunes but was composed in sonata form. Speaking of the excellent NYG&S Players Orchestra, helmed by Maestro Joseph Rubin, we were particularly delighted by the way the winds highlighted Sullivan's themes. The next thing that differentiated this work from other G&S works is the lack of institutional satire. There are no sendups of the judiciary, the navy, or the police. As a matter of fact, the Yeomen are a particularly normal bunch, gorgeously decked out in Beefeater's garb.

And finally, the ending is not a tidy resolution with everyone happy. Rather, it is bittersweet with the Merryman (the jester or fool, as it were) collapsed in a heap on the floor as the Maid, his theatrical partner, weds another man. Even sadder, the lovesick Phoebe has lost the object of her affection and is bound to a man she doesn't love--the Jailer Wilfred Shadbolt, in order to keep him quiet about a risky plot. Similarly, Sergeant Meryll, Phoebe's father, is obliged to wed Dame Carruthers whom he has been avoiding for years, all to keep the same secret. We will say no more about the plot but hope that you, Dear Reader. will catch the final performance tonight and see for yourself.

We don't want to convey the impression that the work is completely serious. As in Shakespeare, there are more than enough moments of levity and sufficient plot twists to tease your brain. As a matter of fact, the opening aria, sung by Phoebe (marvelous mezzo Amy Maude Helfer) "When maiden loves, she sits and sighs" led us to believe that she would be the one to enjoy a happy ending. 

The one who does enjoy the happy ending is Elsie Maynard, a strolling singer portrayed by the winsome soprano Natalia Hulse who weds a condemned prisoner (terrific tenor Thomas Valenti) in order to save his inheritance.  Have we aroused your interest yet?  The heartbroken Merryman, as performed by James Mills, not only touched our heart but also dazzled our ears with patter song.

The closest role to a villain (but not really) is that of the Jailer turned Jester who in spite of constant rejection by Phoebe may eventually wed the woman who has been fighting him off. Matthew Wages imbued the role with a great deal of humor in the effective manner in which he spoke his lines, accompanied by perfect facial expression and gesture.

We also enjoyed the performances of Andrew Martens, Sergeant of the Guards and Phoebe's father. He lent stature and honor to his role, even as he connives and plots to save his friend's life. His Lieutenant was effectively portrayed by the well known David Auxier who so successfully co-directed the work, along with the afore-mentioned Mr. Mills.  Phoebe's brother was played by Cameron Smith and Sarah Hutchinson played the part of Dame Carruthers niece, both necessary to move the plot forward. It is always a pleasure to hear the striking contralto voice of Angela Christine Smith as Dame Carruthers;  we have enjoyed her performances in every one of the company's productions.

We would like to commend the production values.  The set by Richard Manfredi and Albère does evoke the Tower of London, or at least the way we imagine it in the 16th century. Phoebe's home, or at least the room where she spins, occupies a corner of the stage. No more is needed. Costumes by Gail J. Wofford and Jan Holland are resplendent.

We generally have a quibble and here it is. The sound was muddy at times. We cannot tell whether it was a flaw in the electronics or careless diction on the part of the singers but we did understand every word sang and spoken by Mr. Valenti. We considered that our spotty comprehension had to do with our lack of experience with miked voices,  but our companion confirmed our opinion. The well chosen singers could probably be well heard without amplification. Or perhaps subtitles might be provided as they are by Utopia Opera's productions of G&S operettas.  Just sayin'.

© meche kroop

PERFECTLY PURCELL

 Chelsea Helm and Mary ElizabethWilliams

A most welcome visit from Washington, D.C.- based Opera Lafayette provided the usual banquet of aural and visual delights for which they are known. Departing from their customary emphasis on opera of the 18th century, we took a step into the distant past to the Baroque era work Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell. At least our ears were transported thereto. Our eyes however confronted a rather contemporary setting looking very much like a library or common room in an educational institution. Identically costumed young women confirmed our speculation.

Having missed the pre-performance lecture, we were left to our own devices to figure out the disjunction. It only took a few minutes to realize that the taller women were either teachers or proctors and that they would be rehearsing Purcell's masterpiece, which (a fact dredged from our memory) was written for a girls' school in England in the last quarter of the 17th century. 

This concept by Stage Director Corinne Hayes was brought to realization by Set Designer Lisa Schlenker and Costume Designer Lynly Saunders. Having two tall women as the "teachers" and a clutch of shorter youthful women/girls as students (playing the choral roles) facilitated the illusion. Our vision is not the best but the acting convinced us that they were unruly schoolgirls, not the obedient schoolgirls of the 17th century but perhaps more like Dalton girls, sporting uniforms with plaid skirts, well directed to tease each other and assume children's postures and gestures.

Purcell's instrumental prelude tuned our ears, however, to a different time and place and it took several minutes to integrate what we were hearing with what we were seeing. Once the singing began however, and we realized they were putting on a show, we were able to settle in and enjoy the music. Furniture was repurposed as props and makeshift costumes for the two "teachers" were devised. Purcell's gorgeous duet for Dido (Mary Elizabeth Williams) and Belinda (Chelsea Helm) reminded us how skillfully Purcell set the English language (and what a rare and forgotten skill that is!), tailoring his elaborate vocal line to emphasize the words of Nahum Tate who wrote the libretto. Most music lovers are familiar with "Dido's Lament" which closes the opera, but not many would recognize the gorgeous duet in which two sopranos, with voices of different weight, wove their vocal lines into a tapestry with the glorious music.

For those of you who don't know the story, it is a simple one of two lovers parted by fate, leading to a suicide. It's an old story but just think how times have changed. Fate, in the 17th century, meant angry gods or witches and thus we had bass-baritone Hans Tashhjian who's made quite a name for himself in the dozen years since the first time we reviewed his performance as Wurm in Luisa Miller. Why this sorceress has it in for Aeneas we never learn but he employs deceit to lure Aeneas to Rome and to thus abandon Dido, Queen of Carthage.

In succeeding centuries, lovers were separated by political rivalries, vengeful paramours, and unequal social standing. Today, it is more likely personal whim or ghosting. Suicide over romantic disappointment is rare. By 21st century psychology, Dido seems petulant and histrionic. Our thoughts ran along the lines of  "So, dear girl, your lover gets called out of town. Move on. Find yourself a new one." Presenting the story as Virgil intended gives us perspective into the changing meaning of love and the relationship between men and women.

Musical values were excellent all around with Patrick Quigley serving as Music Director and the superb Opera Lafayette Orchestra comprising mainly strings with a couple of winds. Oftentimes the theorbo  seems indistinguishable to our ears but at this performance Dušan Balarin took  the part and made himself heard. Perhaps it's the way Purcell scored it but we heard it distinctly and we loved it.

We have yet to mention the third soprano. We hardly know what to make of a male soprano and how that fach differs from a counter-tenor, but the role of Aeneas was played by Elijah McCormack. Perhaps it was just a height issue but Ms. Williams, with her strong dramatic soprano and imposing height, seemed to overshadow him.  Another soprano  Kayleigh Sprouse made an impression with her convincing acting. The deep contralto of Cecilia McKinley made her a believable  witch.

It was a fine evening with the tragic tale leavened by some rowdy sailors' chorus, Purcell's gorgeous music, Tate's concise libretto, and all around excellent musical values.

© meche kroop

EARLY HALLOWEEN

  The priceless Creatine Price

Who else but Andrew Ousley of The Death of Classical could have created such an extraordinary event (a fortnight ahead of our favorite holiday) already pushing the envelope of entertainment, artistry, and spookiness. Thousands of celebrants rambled around the multiply branching pathways of Greenwood Cemetery in dark of night to participate in the revelry. Absent a full moon, these pathways were lit by strings of lights. Celebrants strolled through with flashlights and cellphones to guide them, helped along by volunteers who were always willing to guide them to the next event.

These events comprised performance art, videos, various types of music, and, best of all, our favorite male mezzo-soprano Creatine Price in full outrageous drag, offering the "Habanera" from Bizet's Carmen and "Stride la vampa" from Verdi's Il Trovatore. When not singing, Ms. Price served as DJ for those who wished to let it all hang out on the dance floor. We think Ms. Price will forgive us for blowing her cover; under that fabulous wig and gown we recognized Jordan Weatherston Pitts!

Attracting a huge crowd were the members of the Bindlestiff Family Circus offering sword swallowing and tightrope walking. A beautiful female taxidermist demonstrating the conversion of a deceased black crow into a stuffed one captured our curiosity and attention. A woman in Victorian attire danced with a bloody garment, attended by a man manipulating body parts. Mausoleums were decorated with swirling projections. Various types of music filled the air with sound. We hope, Dear Reader, that you will see our Facebook and Instagram entries (also as "Voce di meche") since, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So stop reading already and go look at the pictures!

We believe tonight's final event has been sold out but you never can tell. If you can snag a ticket you will have the time of your death life.

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FROM CANON TO CREATION

 Cris Frisco, David Khang, Daniella Brancato, andYulin Wang

Sponsored by the Gerda Lissner Foundation, held in the studios of WQXR, and introduced by renowned announcer Midge Woolsey, a generous program of opera arias, duets, and ensembles featured students from Mannes Opera as well as esteemed graduates. As is our wont, we will focus our comments on the students. If we are still writing about opera ten years hence, we will no doubt be overlooking these students who we expect will by then have gained fame, and we will be writing about the next crop of emerging artists.

Although New York City is home to three conservatories of music, Mannes perhaps gets less love from us due to their focus on contemporary opera and definitely not due to any lack among their students. As a matter of fact, Arthur Levy and Glenn Morton (two of our favorite voice teachers) are on their faculty and have introduced us to some extraordinary young singers.

The enthusiastic audience showed equal appreciation for the famous graduates and the not yet famous students, regardless of their choice of repertory. From our point of view, however, performing "White Moon", one of Five Songs written by Ruth Crawford Seeger,  once a student at The New School (of which Mannes is a part) on the same program as "Song to the Moon" from Dvořak's Rusalka only served to point out the deficiencies of vocal compositions written in the past century. Nonetheless, mezzo-soprano Ruijia Dong used her beautiful instrument to make the former work vocally interesting and the text clear. In the Dvořak, soprano Daniella Brancato, tenderly accompanied by Bryan Wagorn's piano,  relished the composer's lavish melodies and simple sentiment, setting the bar way too high for the Crawford song which followed.

Staying with the lunar theme, we had the opportunity to revisit Huang Ro's An American Soldier  that we heard last year at the Perelman Performing Arts Center which strangely piped in the orchestra from somewhere else! How much better to hear a fine piano reduction sensitively played by Cris Frisco whilst soprano Hannah Cho and tenor Yulin Wang sang the "Moon Duet" facing away from one another, an appropriate stance since the ill-fated young soldier and his girl  are geographically separated. 

We enjoyed the opening duet a lot since baritone Sean Seungho Cha and bass-baritone David Kahng gave it their all, sometimes in harmony and sometimes in unison. "Suoni la tromba" from Bellini's I Puritani  was a fine choice to show off their musical and linguistic artistry. We noticed a definite focus on the embouchure and wondered whether that is emphasized in the tutelage at Mannes. It certainly produces a satisfying warm round sound.

We thought that soprano Adrinelle Chiesa deserved better than the aria she performed from an opera being workshopped. She gave a deeply felt performance and made ample use of gesture in a work with an uninteresting vocal line, although the piano part was quite lovely. Perhaps contemporary opera should be composed by singers!

We liked a duet called "Schönste Nacht" from a work Korngold wrote for Broadway that was not performed there but was eventually produced in Germany. It was performed by  mezzo-soprano Daria Tereshchenko and the aforementioned Mr. Cha.

We also enjoyed Yulin Wang's performance of "Salut! Demeure chaste et pure" from Gounod's Faust. Accompanied by Mr. Wagorn, he employed a lovely pianissimo that was well suited to a serenade. This was followed by the final trio from the opera in which Mr.Wang was joined by Ms. Brancato as Marguerite and Mr. Kahng as Mephistopheles.

Although much of the program was not our taste, we were happy to have gotten better acquainted with some of the excellent Mannes students. We vote for more  canon and less creation!

© meche kroop

SHORT AND SWEET

Carson Cook

The singer is tall but the program was way too short. We acknowledge that it's a good idea to leave your audience wanting more but Carson Cook's recital was just a bit longer than an hour and we would have happily enjoyed another hour. When we think of what makes a recital a hit, we would have to put audience engagement at the top of the list, right next to vocal quality. Mr. Cook's audience was attentive and met his engagement with their own.

One would do well to wonder what creates audience engagement in a vocal recital. Evidence is that audience members are not looking at their cell phones or nodding off. They may even lose interest in the provided translations because the singer conveys the meaning of the song by means of facial expression and gesture and also vocal coloration. From the standpoint of an audience member, one may feel that the singer is telling us a story in a highly personal way. Mr. Cook has a relaxed demeanor and addressed the audience directly with a minimum but adequate amount of information about each song.

The all-too-short program managed to achieve considerable variety and showcased the artist's facility with languages as well as fine vocal technique with a fach that we can only describe as baritenor. We will stay tuned to see how things shake out in the future. When singers change teachers there are often shifts, both profound and subtle. We have heard Mr. Cook several times in the past but this recital marked a major leap forward. 

The first half of the program gave us a taste of Mr. Cook's facility in Italian aria and canzone,  French chanson, and German lieder. Diction was equally fine in all three languages and we never had to look at the translations to understand the text. "Bel piacere" from Händel's Agrippina revealed some fine fioritura. Even in English we understood every word of the very sad "Oh loss of sight" from the same composer's oratorio Sansom.  A spirited canzone by Durante "Danza Danza Fanciulla" lightened the mood.

Reynaldo Hahn's gentle "A Cloris" was marked by some lovely legato phrasing, whilst Gabriel Faure's "Mandoline"  involved some painterly storytelling, bringing a visual aspect to the singing.

Three very different lieder demonstrated other aspects of Mr. Cook's artistry.  From our favorite Schubert song cycle Die schone Mullerin, we heard "Am Feierabend" in which we could actually see the young miller seated near the hearth in the evening with his boss and the tempting boss' daughter. This would be a great cycle for Mr. Cook to learn since he has the wherewithal to create the character of the hero. Kenneth Brown's skillful pianism created the rhythmic mill wheel reflecting the labor of the preceding day.

Gustav Mahler's "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" involved a totally different change of color. The composer is telling a story of withdrawal from the world and Mr. Cook succeeded in creating a stillness by means of a delicate delivery and a fine vibrato. Brahms' "Vergebliches Stänchen" involves a dialogue between an importuning young man and his resistant sweetheart. We think a little bit of work on a duality of body placement and alteration of color from one character to the other would take this performance to a higher level.

The second half of the program was a song cycle in the making, one with text by Rachel Joy Scott who died in the Columbine massacre. It was with great surprise that we actually enjoyed a work in English. What was particularly interesting was that each entry was set by a different composer. The text comprised Ms. Scott's diary entries and was definitely not prosy or pedantic. Her optimism must have inspired each composer to write a lovely melodic vocal line.

We enjoyed. the four songs we heard composed by Brandon Zhou, Chris Cooley, Dina Pruzhansky, and Chris Cooley who took over from Mr. Brown and played his dense complex score himself. We were very happy to learn that there are composers writing singable music!

Two hits from Rodgers and Hammerstein ended the program and confirmed our belief that Broadway songs, sung without amplification by a good singer, are really 20th century American art songs. Who doesn't love Sound of Music and The King and I!  Mr. Cook gets an "A" but the audience flunked! Invited to whistle along in "I Whistle a Happy Tune" not one person came across, thus defying the message of another song which Mr. Cook should have offered first--"Anyone Can Whistle"!

A cheerful encore of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" left the audience in a joyful mood.

© meche kroop

A GIFT FROM SPAIN

Enriique Torres Dominguez and Lucia Iglesias

Carmen Larios and Eduardo Pomares

Brought to New York City by Musica Viva, an important organization in support of the arts, the young artists from Teatro Real of Madrid presented a most satisfying concert of favorites from the world of opera and zarzuela. Regular readers can guess what excited us the most. In light of the facts that we get to hear a lot of arias and duets from the operatic canon but rarely get a taste of the delicious works from the world of zarzuela, it was the end of the program that captured our heart, and the encore which left us ecstatic.

Readers who are unfamiliar with this traditional Spanish art form and its evolution in the New World would do well to learn more than we have space for here. Let us just mention that zarzuelas involve elaborate and convoluted plots mostly about (like Italian operas of the 19th century) love and patriotism. What is outstanding about zarzuelas is the presence of gorgeous melodies, similar to works of that period, even those that were composed in the early 20th century. What is unique is the presence of a very large cast including dancers, a feature that makes zarzuela a costly and difficult art form to produce here in the United States. We must content ourselves with the occasional aria or duet.

The singers from the young artist program of Teatro Real made a fine showing also in the operatic genre but please allow us in our enthusiasm to wax rhapsodic over the zarzuela portion of the program. Morena Torroba's Luisa Fernanda was produced here in NYC a couple years ago by Opera Hispanica and it is a real winner. From this work we heard "Lucha la fe por el triunfo" performed by lyric baritone Enrique Torres Dominguez who surely conveyed the aspect of the dashing military man Xavier.

Following this we heard the familiar "No puede ser" from Sorozabal's La tabernera del puerto, sung by tenor Eduardo Pomares. Even more striking was a surprise encore featuring all four singers in the Habanera "Todas las mananitas" from Manuel Penella's Don Gil de Alcala--and what wouldn't we give to see this zarzuela performed in its entirety!

We already knew how beautifully integrated were the four voices because the program had ended officially with "Libiamo" from Verdi's La Traviata which always sends the audience out on a high note-- so to speak.

Speaking of high notes, we enjoyed both sopranos --Lucia Iglesias and Carmen Larios. We were particularly impressed by Ms. Iglesias' apt interpretation of the role of Musetta in "Quando m'en vo" from Puccini's La Boheme. She captured every nuance of Musetta's teasing of Marcello without tawdry overacting. 

Carmen Larios delivered Juliet's waltz "Je veux vivre" from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette in fine French. The program notes provided a clear answer to the question of both soprano's musicality. They each studied piano from an early age; that may be a clue. Their duet "Sull'aria" from Mozart's Nozze di Figaro with Ms. Larios enacting the Countess and Ms. Iglesias taking the role of Susanna was a highlight of the evening. The different colors of their respective voices made the duet particularly appealing.

The two men also had a duet--everyone's favorite of course being "Au fond du temple saint" from Bizet's Les pecheurs du perles. In spite of the well chosen and well performed program, it is the zarzuela pieces that we will remember and hold closest to our heart. The accompanist for the evening was Gonzalo Villarreal who opened the program with a piano solo from Manuel de Falla's The Three Cornered Hat.

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GILBERT AND SULLIVAN MEET TOLKIEN

The Mikado presented by Utopia Opera and Forbear! Theatre

What a gloriously entertaining evening! Regular readers will recall the distaste we have for ill advised transpositions of the classics of the operatic canon. Fortunately we have no such reservations about more lighthearted and comedic works. We don't mean to imply that Gilbert and Sullivan's works are trivial. As a matter of fact, W.S. Gilbert tackled important topics such as Great Britain's complicated legal system, peculiar politics, class structure, and artistic pretensions; and he did so with the cleverest of lyrics. So the transposition of The Mikado from Japan to Middle Earth did not trouble us, although the names of the characters only hinted at the original designation.

In Forbear! Theatre's founder and artistic director Rachel Gianesse Middle, William Remmers, founder and artistic director of Utopia Opera, has met his match. Each is prodigiously gifted and successful at bringing beloved works to the public in unique and original ways.  For example, Remmers, with his rubbery long limbs and mobile face, brought new elements to the role of Klok-Cow, the lowly tailor promoted to Lord High Executioner. Middle brought a bright soprano and a winsome attitude to the role of Mna-y'um.  Middle also directed the drama whilst Remmers directed the music. 

And what great music it was with the winds taking a strong position, giving all 24 (!) of Sullivan's gloriously tuneful musical numbers their due. Also impressing us was Dan Cavendish as the Mikado of Pa'gaen who delighted the audience with his list of miscreants and the corresponding appropriate punishments. John Faal ably handled the role of the hapless wandering minstrel AEthel-Run. 

Although much of the cast was British and unknown to us, we were happy to see the familiar face and hear the familiar voice of the enormously funny Matthew Wages in the key role of P'fugal Fa, the possessor of infinite titles, each with its own responsibilities and privileges. Kathleen Brenner did a fine job as the shrewish Kottilska, although far younger and more attractive that the usual Katisha.

All of the smaller roles were similarly well handled, and the costumes were colorful and inventive, especially those for the chorus. The staging worked well, especially in view of the limited playing area. Much of the excellent 24-piece orchestra occupied stage left. With such compelling musical and dramatic aspects, we can have no greater wish than that each and every one of our readers could score tickets to the remaining performances Saturday and Sunday.

Lingering in our memory, from among all 24 delightful numbers is "Three Little Maids from School", The Mikado's "I've Got a Little List", Remmers' courtship of Kattilska in "Tit Willow", and Middle's solo "The sun whose rays". There was also a brilliantly composed sextet in Act II that was given a fine performance.

To close we would like to mention that no people of the Japanese nationality were degraded or insulted. 😂 Furthermore, we received no writing help from AI.  We own everything we spelled wrong or misidentified.  Never mind.  Go see it!!!!!

© meche kroop

A TRIBUTE TO STEPHEN SONDHEIM

 

Curtain Call for SAS Performing Arts Company's Sondheim Tribute Revue

When we think of opera of the 19th century, a number of giants come to mind--Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi. When we think of the 20th century we think of Puccini, Richard Strauss, and Stephen Sondheim.  How does Sondheim fit into this illustrious group? We haven't even mentioned Rorem or Britten. 

We take full responsibility for our opinion that no one has spoken to us as Sondheim did.  No one entertained us as Sondheim did. No one had us leave the theater humming his tunes with such pleasure. An evening tribute to his vast repertory, presented by SAS Performing Arts, left us completely satisfied.

What is unique about SAS Performing Arts is their embrace of three cornerstones of performing arts: opera, musical theater, and drama. Beginning a company at the time of Covid, as Stephen Scovasso did, was a brave act and is likely the reason that we were unaware of their (mostly virtual) productions until recently. We are happy to report that this season promises to be an exciting one, with productions of Grecian's Dracula, Menotti's The Medium, Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Thornton Wilder's Our Town, and a night of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Sounds ambitious!

We avoid drawing a line between opera and music theater when neither is amplified. It's all about telling a story with music. Hopefully, the story resonates with us and the music stays in our ear, giving us pleasure long after the performance ends.

What is unique about Sondheim is the fact that he wrote both lyrics and music, allowing an uncommon fit between clever rhymes and melodies that captured the emotional intent and rhythms of the phrases. Of course we are aware that he was a successful collaborator, writing music for other lyricists and providing lyrics for other composers' music, most notably for Bernstein's West Side Story. But what we heard last night comprised works that were totally his.

The revue was produced and directed in a most satisfying manner by Mr. Scovasso (we see that there are lots of S's in both names), an experienced musicologist, conductor, director, and author. The cast of ten artists were seated onstage at café tables so that the artists performing a particular song could rise and join one another as called for. They worked well as an ensemble and we will name them all before ending our review.

Sondheim's greatest hits were each given a few songs and we particularly enjoyed renewing our acquaintance with Sweeney Todd, which, we insist, is an opera by virtue of its serious consideration of morality and fate, along with a most arresting score. Who but Sondheim could tell such a dark tale with flashes of humor as in "Try a Little Priest"--reminding us of Shakespeare's tendency to leaven some of his tragedies with humor.

Another favorite of ours is A Little Night Music with its sharply drawn characters and romantic entanglements that a 21st century audience can relate to. The poignancy of missed connections in "Send in the Clowns" is so intense that the work has become a favorite of cabaret artists. As a matter of fact, most of the selections chosen for the evening's entertainment were stand alone favorites.

Of course, knowing the entire work always makes the individual numbers more deeply felt; "Into the Woods" from the work of the same name, took us back a few months when we saw the work performed by students of Manhattan School of Music. We enjoyed it so much we saw it twice and if you, Dear Reader, care to know more, enter the title of the show in the search bar.

Participating artists, in alphabetical order, were Brian Alvarado, Tyler Ayala-Van Tassel,  Jorge Blakely,  Janice Hall, Dan Drew, Daryl Glenn, Elisabeth Ritscher, Emily Samuelson, Veronica Shea, and Deborah Surdi.  Accompanying on the piano was Nick Stamatakis.

And now, Dear Reader, since nothing is perfect, we have come up with a few quibbles. An unnecessary microphone made a couple unwelcome appearances, as did the loathed music stands. The acting was, on the whole, a major contribution to the success of the performances which were most relatable when the music stands disqppeared. Sondheim's clever text would have benefitted from some clearer enunciation. Surprisingly, it was in the ensembles that the words came across most clearly. (We have noticed in the opera world that enunciation of English is best by artists from other cultures who work hard to get the words across clearly.)

We were overjoyed to make the acquaintance of Sondheim's works that were less familiar to us than Sweeney Todd and A Little Night Music. We were delighted that our foreign born companion enjoyed the evening almost as much as we did. There is something about Sondheim's melodies and the cadence of his  rhymes that delight the ear; and there is something quintessentially New York about his storytelling, even when the stories take place in London, Sweden, Rome or Paris. Sondheim was indeed an American treasure whose music will endure in the same way as Verdi's.

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