OPERA, ALL OPERA, AND NOTHING BUT OPERA

New York Lyric Opera Theatre

Last night we attended an Opera Gala at Weill Recital Hall. We heard 32 singers in 16 scenes. Our ears are ringing with so much beautiful music, conducted from the piano by Maestro Richard Cordova, whom we well remember from Little Opera Theater's presentation of Carlisle Floyd's Slow Dusk.  Last night he did not have an orchestra at his disposal but he made the piano sound like one!

If General/Artistic Director Elizabeth Heuermann was responsible for directing, we would like to point out that several of the scenes showed the result of a creative hand. Ms. Heuermann apparently put the show together and also sang the role of Adele in the final scene comprising most of Act II of Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus.

It is this final scene that sticks in our mind.  It was festive; it was well sung; it was gorgeously costumed by Mori Lee with performers wearing masks to match their gem-colored gowns. Not only did Ms. Heuermann make a fine Adele but soprano Jessica Sandige was a standout as Rosalinde, pretending to be an Hungarian Countess.  This "Czárás" was fortuitously and appropriately sung in German--appropriate because of the humorous line "Of course I'm Hungarian, I just sang in German".

The rest of the scene was sung in English, perhaps not our preference, but the translation was a good one and the English was well enunciated, something we do not take for granted. Mezzo soprano Allison Waggener, remembered from Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble, nicely handled the travesti role of Prince Orlofsky, host of the costume ball.

Thinking about the rest of the evening, there were more highlights than we have room to write about but we will try to cover at least a few.

We have previously heard Ms. Sandige only in small roles so it delighted us to hear her twice last night--not only in the Strauss but also as Cio-Cio San singing "Un bel di" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Without benefit of costume, wig, makeup, or scenery, her clear bright soprano did the work, expressing all the love, longing, and false hope that we would wish for. Variety of tempi and dynamics contributed to the performance.

Tenor Percy Martinez, whom we have reviewed many times, did justice to every role he took on and managed to color each role differently. He made a fine Rodolfo with Jennifer Smith as his Violetta in "Libiamo" from Verdi's La Traviata. (We might have appreciated her performance more if she had not been holding her score.  It was distracting.)

He portrayed another young lover in Puccini's La Bohéme, trying to break up with the seriously ill Mimi (Beier Zhao) in Act III. In stunning contrast with these tender lovers were Clara Lisle as Musetta and Michael Binkowski as Marcello--one of the scenes in which we admired the direction.

Again Mr. Martinez succeeded in portraying the very different lover Pinkerton, a far more complex character. His Cio-Cio San, Beier Zhao, had the advantage of appearing Asian but somehow looked worried and anxious during the love duet.

Another artist who impressed us was baritone José Pietri-Coimbre who enlivened every scene he was in, not only with his fine voice but with his willingness to inhabit the role.  From Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, his Papageno was pure delight and his Papagena, Holly Sparlin Sargeant, was a perfect match, showing evidence of a music theater background.

He was a perfectly slimy Don Giovani seducing Zerlina. The effect was heightened by the fact that his scene partner, 16-year-old Gwyneth Campbell, was so petite and innocent looking.

In the quartet "Non ti fidar, o misera" he continued his fine performance with excellent contributions from the Donna Anna of Shauna McCarthy, the Donna Elvira of Iris Prcic, and the Don Ottavio of John Ramseyer. It was totally convincing and the voices blended beautifully.

Another very affecting piece was the final scene of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. Jennifer Noel's large soprano was just right for the Marschallin. Victoria Graves made a splendid Octavian and Elise Mark was excellent as the young Sophie. Baritone Michael Binkowski appeared briefly as Sophie's father Faninal and it was a bittersweet moment when the Marschallin walked offstage with him. The contributions from Maestro Cordova's piano were extensive.

Elise Mark also made her mark as Manon in "Ce bruit de l'or" in Massenet's opera of the same name.

Coloratura soprano Madison Marie McIntosh lent her finely focused instrument to "Dov 'è Lucia" from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. We have reviewed Ms. McIntosh previously and are watching her professional development with interest. We hope we will soon hear her do the mad scene!

It is quite a challenge to create an opera scene without orchestra, costumes, sets and makeup but most of the scenes succeeded admirably. There were several other singers on board whom we hope to have a chance to review in the future.

(c) meche kroop

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.

© meche kroop