GERDA LISSNER 2017 WINNERS RECITAL

Hostess Midge Woolsey applauding Honoree Susan Graham and winners of the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition of 2017

It is always a major event when we denizens of Planet Opera gather to celebrate. Last night at Zankel Hall the Gerda Lissner Foundation, in association with The Liederkranz Foundation, presented a dozen top prize winners to delight our thirsty ears. This is a tough competition and there were four hundred or so applicants from all over the world, out of which 33 were chosen for awards.

Hostess Midge Woolsey and honoree Susan Graham, the superstar mezzo we all adore, were delightful as always and kept their comments brief. The stunning mezzo-sosprano addressed the importance of these awards to young singers who are between school and major careers. They are facing auditions, competitions, the search for effective management, and church jobs to keep going. They need people to believe in them and support them, and that's where we come in. We in the audience serve to validate them and offer them the confidence to keep going in these scary and uncertain times. And we thought we were just there for the pleasure of listening! It was helpful to be reminded that these award recitals are a two-way street.  Mutual benefit is always good!

So let's all have a big hand for the generous Gerda Lissner Foundationk. Ms. Lissner lived for over a century and her memory lives on through the foundation that was established in 1995. The dedicated President Stephen de Maio has served since 2007. Two years ago a lieder competition was established to foster the survival of the art of the song.

We opine that the judges, the list of whom looks like a "Who's Who on Planet Opera", chose well. Some of the winners were known to us from other competitions or from our local music conservatories, or from the Apprentice Program at Santa Fe Opera. Others were new to us.

We will never tire of hearing soprano Vanessa Vasquez singing "Un bel di vedremo" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly. In addition to a sizable instrument with thrilling overtones , Ms Vasquez has the special ability to get the listener to see what she is singing about, through her eyes. We feel that we know and understand Cio-Cio San through her artistry. Most likely, the pacing and dynamics were carefully worked out, but it felt spontaneous as she built to a passionate finale.

Bass-baritone Andre Courville also has a "signature number" that we have heard and enjoyed before. It makes no difference to us if singers choose to put their own stamp on an aria that we've heard countless times, or whether they choose a little known aria and make it their own, as Mr. Courville did with the "Air du Tambour-Major" from Ambroise Thomas' Le Caid. He entered from the rear of the house and sat on the edge of the stage, making the character completely his own before rising to the occasion, so to speak. He used all his artistry, swooping up and down the register in fine French. We couldn't help wondering whether his Louisiana background contributed to his Gallic charm. In any case, he owns that aria!

Alasdair Kent has also been appearing in (and winning prizes in) lots of competitions. We have come to look forward to his sweet timbre that goes right to the heart. Unlike so many tenors who can't sing at the top of their register without pushing and going for volume, Mr. Kent knows how to float the tone in the most rapturous pianissimo. From Bizet's Les pecheurs de perles, he poured his expressive soul into the aria of the lovesick Nadir "Je crois entendre encore". There was an extended decrescendo at the end through which we held our breath. What incredible breath control! His, not ours!

Mezzo-soprano Emily d'Angelo is yet another young artist destined for success. Her instrument has texture to it and she knows how to get an aria across, She made a fine Rosina in "Contro un cor che accende amore" from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia in which she created a character so effectively that the embellishments seem to come from within, not pasted onto the vocal line for effect. She was generous with gesture and we thought we learned more about Rosina's personality.

Another mezzo, Suzanne Hendrix, sang Erda's warning to Wotan in Wagner's Das Rheingold--"Weiche Wotan weiche" and she sang it with splendid dynamic control. We heard the making of a contralto in her future and so did our companion, but a voice teacher we spoke with did not agree. In any case, the texture of her instrument is dense and resonant and just right for Wagner.

Perhaps not right or not yet ready for this particular Wagner, bass-baritone Lawson Anderson did his best with "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge", also from Das Rheingold. We have heard Mr. Lawson sing Gounod, Mozart, and Wolf--all beautifully. There was nothing bad about his Wagner but we are not sure why he was asked to sing Wotan. To compete for the Liederkranz, he might have better chosen Wolfram's aria "Oh du mein holder abendstern" from Tannhauser, which we believe would better suit his young voice. Still, the Liederkranz Foundation awarded him a major prize so....just sayin'.

Soprano Alexandra Nowakowski sang the "Bell Song" from Delibes' Lakme with crystalline tone and complete comfort with the vocal acrobatics. Actually, it was a bell-like sound! We couldn't stop thinking what a fine Queen of the Night she would be, although she is already scheduled to sing Pamina. We would surely love to hear her Lucia.

Mezzo-soprano Megan Mikailovna Samarin sang "Deh! Tu, bell'anima" Romeo's final aria at Giulietta's tomb in Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Her lovely liquid vibrato was completely exposed in the introductory bars until the piano joined in. She was particularly lovely in the pianissimo passages.

There was more R&J to come, this time from Gounod's Romeo et Juliet. Mezzo-soprando Corrie Stallings sang Stephano's aria "Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle" with ample expressiveness, creating the vivacious character of a young page. Her French was fine and we liked her vivacity.

We heard still more Gounod in the person of Bass-baritone Joseph Barron who performed "Vous qui faites l'endormie" from Faust. Punctuated by devilish laughter, his expansive delivery grew in impact. He modulated his performance with some admirable phrasing and considerable variety.

Like any good hostess, we have put the "guests" first, having saved our New York City singers for last. What a pleasure to hear soprano Angela Vallone sing the rarely heard "Azael! Azael! Pourquoi m'as tu quittee?" from Debussy's L'enfant prodigue. This maternal lament hasn't been heard since Bare Opera produced the work exactly two years ago. Ms. Vallone gave full measure to the flowing lyric lines which were interrupted by the mother's anguish over her missing son. Her tone was beautifully sustained throughout the pianissimo passages.

And finally, there was the lovely soprano Maria Brea, well known for her stylish performances with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance. She gave a lovely performance of "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" from Puccini's La Rondine. Her expressive voice soared up to a beautiful top and we enjoyed the finely controlled crescendo.

As usual, excellent piano accompaniment was provided by Arlene Shrut and Jonathan Kelly.

The concert was followed by a cocktail hour and dinner, giving the fortunate guests an opportunity to tell the young artists how highly we value their performances. They are already singing roles around the country and abroad and we foresee some fine futures ahead for every one of them.

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OPERA INDEX 2016 VOCAL COMPETITION WINNERS

Michael Fennelly, Sava Vemic, Sandra Hamaoui, Angela Vallone, Jane Shaulis, Jakub Jozef Orlinski, Cody Quattlebaum, and Andre Courville

Last night at The Essex House, Opera Index, Inc. presented the 2017 Distinguished Achievement Award to Tito Capobianco at their annual award dinner. Renowned for their generosity in supporting young opera singers, this nonprofit volunteer organization advocates for opera as well as supporting young singers with financial gifts and sponsored performances. The social and educational opportunities for fellow opera lovers are equally impressive.

The roster of award winners from prior years looks like a Who's Who of Opera. The six singers who entertained us so royally over dinner seem destined for the same stardom. In our eyes, they are already superstars. We have written about them all on prior occasions and have watched them in their ascendancy in the operatic firmament. We are pleased to note that the award funds were very well allocated.

Opening the entertainment portion of the evening was the petite and lovely soprano Sandra Hamaoui whose delivery of "Ah! Je veux vivre" from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette conveyed all the excitement of youth, aware only of the present glorious moment and unaware that her dream would turn into a nightmare. We previously heard Ms. Hamaoui perform this role and can only say that she owns it. She has a splendid sparkle in her tone.

Bass-baritone Cody Quattlebaum cut a fine figure as Figaro with his performance of "Se vuol ballare" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. This is an operatic character we cherish and Mr. Quattlebaum's performance was one to cherish. We have heard him several times at Juilliard and are looking forward eagerly to his performance as Claudio in Handel's Agrippina at Alice Tully Hall next month.

We wish the entire world of opera could be as excited as we are by the somewhat rare fach of countertenor. When we hear Jakub Jozef Orlinski sing, we get goosebumps.  His delivery of "Furibondo spira il vento" from Handel's comic opera Partenope had the molecules of air dancing in our ears. Poor fickle Arsace just can't make up his mind between two women but we had no problem choosing J.J. as our countertenor du jour.

For his selection, bass-baritone Andre Courville chose "Air du tambour major" from Ambroise Thomas' 1849 comic opera Le Caid, an opera we have never heard. His presence was military and his sizable instrument filled the room as he strolled between the tables, interacting with members of the audience.

Beautiful soprano Angela Vallone sang "Azael, Azael" from Claude Debussy's one-act cantata L'enfant Prodigue, which won the composer the Prix de Rome in 1884. In this aria, a mother laments the absence of her son.  We loved the long legato French line, the longing quality in her voice, and her well considered variations of dynamics. 

Bass Sava Vemic ended the vocal part of the evening with a very moving performance of "Il lacerato spirito" from Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. In spite of his youth, his instrument sounds completely mature with substantial breadth even at the lowest part of the register. The melancholic color of his voice evoked sympathy for Fiesco, grief stricken over the loss of his daughter. We are thinking of him as King Philip II in Verd's Don Carlo ( or Don Carlos, if you prefer the French). What a challenge to evoke sympathy for THAT character!

The singers were accompanied by the always excellent pianist Michael Fennelly, and the evening was hosted by Opera Index President Jane Shaulis. A famous singer herself, Ms. Shaulis introduced the singers and the honoree Mr. Capobianco who is best known in these parts for his extraordinary directorial successes at New York City Opera although his other accomplishments are legendary.

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GENDER QUEER BAROQUE

Jacob Thoman, Alexander McKissick, Sean Lammer, Samantha Hankey, Jakub Józef Orliński (photo by Rosalie O'Connor)

The playing area was filled with nymphs and satyrs, gods and goddesses--strange figures to be sure; and yet their concerns are our concerns today.  The social media generation did not invent unfulfilled romantic longing, sexual dalliances overcoming chaste intentions, rejection, cross-dressing, lesbian love, romantic deception, nor vengeful wives. There was something particularly thrilling about seeing ourselves onstage in a work dating back nearly four centuries.  Not just thrilling but moving as well. Love and sex will always be with us until the robots take over!

A particularly fine cast at Juilliard brought Francesco Cavalli's 1651 opera to vivid life.  It is difficult to believe that this marvelous work lay dormant until 1970.  How fortunate we are that it was discovered and revived.  It lets us in on what the mid 17th c. Venetians expected from a rather new popular art form. Cavalli was there at the birth of opera.

Impresario/librettist Giovanni Faustini had created many operas with Cavalli; this one was their penultimate production. The story was derived from Ovid's Metamorphosis and recounts the story of Jove pretending to be the goddess Diana in order to seduce the beautiful chaste Calisto. The tale is padded out with the love story between the real Diana and the shepherd Endimione. In every case, chastity falls under the weight of sexual desire. 

Let us describe a few of the vocal and dramatic treasures in the production, which was directed and choreographed by the wildly talented polymath Zack Winokur. The wily Mercurio (fine tenor Michael St. Peter) convinces Giove (authoritative baritone Xiaomeng Zhang) that persuasion is no match for deception when trying to seduce a woman. Their duet was musically gorgeous and also quite humorous. 

In the title role, the beautiful soprano Angela Vallone impressed with the grace of her movement and the beautiful tonal quality of her voice as she sang about wanting to lead a chaste life, devoted to the goddess Diana. In a clever bit of stage business, Giove transforms himself into Diana and the exceptional mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey completely convinced us by means of vocal coloring and masculinized body movement. The two women had a tender duet before entering a cave to exchange chaste kisses (which led to much more).

When the real Diana appears her voice and gestures are very different and there is no doubt that she is the real thing. When Calisto refers to their makeout session, Diana is outraged by the inference and tosses Calisto out of the virginal sisterhood. 

Diana, on her part, is secretly in love with the shepherd Endimione who expresses his longing for her in the most exquisite aria. Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński was the perfect choice for this role, appearing innocent and singing with the sweetest sound.

Comic relief was provided by three nymphs of the sisterhood--all portrayed by men in a delightful gender bending bit of casting. Two of the nymphs (Sean Lammer and Jacob Thoman) were borrowed from Juilliard Dance, as was Nicholas Jurica and Evan Rapaport who, with Mr. Lammer, comprised the three Furies from hell. But oh, that third nymph! We always knew that tenor Alexander McKissick had comedic talents, but here he rose to new heights as Linfea, one of the sisterhood who would very much like to give up her virginity.

In spite of her desperation, there is no way Linfea is going to settle for the importuning of Satirino (the fine mezzo-soprano Caitlin Redding, sporting goat horns and hooves).  He is a member of the clutch of satyrs, of which the leader is the god Pane, marvelously portrayed by tenor Matthew Swensen. As Silvano, one of the satyrs, bass-baritone Cody Quattlebaum turned in a fine and physical performance. One of the funniest scenes was the one in which the nymphs win a battle with the satyrs.

Act II brought on new delights as Giunone, the jealous wife of Giove, appears with her furies bearing her aloft under her huge golden skirt, in a stunning bit of stage business. Soprano Julia Wolcott gave her all to the revenge aria in which she instructs women not to put up with philandering husbands but rather to take revenge.  Her particular revenge is to transform Calisto into a bear.

The singing was so fine all around that we could not have imagined better casting. Surely it helped that Cavalli wrote such singable music. As far as the orchestra goes, it was a small chamber orchestra, such as it was in its own time. Juilliard415 is the school's principal period-instrument ensemble and they did full justice to Cavalli's writing, conducted by the renowned Stephen Stubbs. There were theorbos and lutes, guitars and violins, cello, bass, harpsichord and some percussion used for dramatic effect. The bass stood out, playing with force and providing emphasis.

The costumes by Austin Scarlett were stunning. The nymphs wore soft graceful gowns; the satyrs really did appear goatlike; Giove was regal, Giunone was imposing in her golden gown, and Mercurio had appropriate wings on his head and feet.

Scenic design by Charlap Hyman & Herrero comprised backdrops painted like woodlands with a few screens for characters to hide behind when spying on one another. Misha Kahn's golden chandelier and sconces looked just right. Marcus Doshi's lighting design was effective.

The overall result was an evening that was not only entertaining but thought-provoking. We wondered why human nature has not evolved in four centuries! We can only imagine what this opera looked like in Venice in 1650 but we can be fairly certain that the librettist put onstage dilemmas that were familiar to his audience.

Our feeling of connection with the 17th c. left us feeling very joyful;  a time and place that, while very distant, was made to seem so familiar.

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SEASON OPENER AT JUILLIARD

Ava Nazar, Michal Biel, Piotr Buszewski, Samantha Hankey, Tatum Robertson, Angela Vallone, Cherie Roe, Andrew Harley, and Adam Rothenberg

A new semester begins at Juilliard and we are so happy on two counts. Firstly we get to hear some new singers and collaborative pianists; secondly we get to reconnect with young artists that we enjoyed so much last year.

Last night's Liederabend was a splendid one, mixing up the familiar and the new. It was the first time we heard soprano Tatum Robertson who did a fine job with selections from Samuel Barber's Hermit Songs. Twentieth century American songs may never be among our favorites, but Ms. Robertson sang them so expressively that we are growing in appreciation.

We especially enjoyed the warmth and affection we heard in her voice when she performed "The Monk and his Cat". "Promiscuity" was brief but given outsized significance by vocal coloring and facial expression. In "The Desire for Hermitage", dynamics were used effectively to convey the longing for solitude. Ms. Robertson's instrument is a sweet one and her diction was so fine that not a word was missed.

Collaborative pianist Cherie Roe matched Ms. Robertson's expressiveness in a most supportive manner.

Another singer was new to us, tenor Piotr Buszewski who performed three songs by Henri Duparc. In "Phidylé", he established a nice line in the French style, evincing a fine delicate vibrato. We loved the delicate messa di voce on the word "repose". Otherwise the delivery was on the restrained side.

The mood changed completely with "Le manoir de Rosemonde" which was filled with drama and excitement, echoed by the piano of Michal Biel. We had no trouble understanding every word of Mr. Buszewski's French.

Soprano Angela Vallone had impressed us last year and we were delighted to hear her once again. Her selections were Claude Debussy's Ariettes oubliées, settings of texts by Paul Verlaine, most of which she had translated herself. We do believe that such an exercise gives the singer a better handle on the song.

The sweet sadness of "Il pleure dans mon coeur" gave way to the wild excitement of "Chevaux de bois". Ava Nazar made a fine piano partner, creating the various moods of the songs along with Ms. Vallone, whose French is mighty fine.

The final set on the program comprised a quartet of songs from Gustav Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn, songs of which we never tire. Hearing them sung by mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey, well remembered from last year, was a special treat.

Mahler's music always has a special poignancy, even the humorous and cheerful songs. "Ablösung im Sommer" ostensibly describes the nightingale replacing the cuckoo but has a deeper resonance for us about loss in general, making way for the new. Perhaps our favorite song in this group is "Rheinlegendchen" in which one can discern the same theme. The farmer throws his golden ring into the Neckar when his sweetheart abandons him; but a fish will swallow it and wind up on the King's table where the girl will get it and return to the farmer.  Loss and replacement.

All this was beautifully conveyed by Ms. Hankey accompanied so well by Adam Rothenberg. The two of them captured the painful irony of "Das irdische Leben" in which the mother's stalling leads to her child's death by starvation, a dreadful commentary on the life of the poor. 

The final selection "Wer hat die Liedlein erdacht" allowed Ms. Hankey space for some impressive melismatic embellishment. It was a fine performance needing only one small correction to make it perfect.  More attention needs to be paid to the "ch" sound. So many American singers avoid pronouncing it altogether because they are afraid it will sound harsh. But it is required!

Last night's excellent program was coached by Andrew Harley. The artists are students from the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts and the Collaborative Piano Department.

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THE WEARIN' O' THE GREEN

Front Row:  Peter Manning, Rachel O'Byrne, Dearbhla Maire Collins, Miles Mykkanen
Second Row: Avery Amereau, Rebecca Rodgers, Iain Burnside and Conor Hanratty
Third Row: Andrew Gavin, Sam Lilja, William Kelley and Angela Vallone

A stirring program outside of the usual is always welcome and last night's program at Juilliard--"Ten Thousand Miles Away"-- offered an opportunity for a trans-Atlantic collaboration between The Royal Irish Academy of Music, the Juilliard School, and The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art in Trinity College Dublin.  Students from the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts at Juilliard and students from Ireland participated in the program which was conceived by Iain Burnside and directed by himself and Conor Hanratty.

Last week the program was presented at LNADA in Dublin and this week presented here.  We found it absolutely enchanting, as we did the visitors from overseas.  The program was meaningful in several ways.  For one thing, the music that was chosen came from all genres and all were treated respectfully.  This can be considered a furtherance of our awareness from last night's NYFOS recital.  The program produced the same awareness of Ireland's musical heritage as last night's program produced for Italy's.

For another thing, it made us aware that, unless we are 100% Native American, we have all had ancestors that left the security of their homelands, bid farewell to loved ones, and set out for a new country to which they were obliged to adjust.  The main difference today is that most immigrants are able to return home to see those they left behind.  At the turn of the 20th C. the voyage by ship was a long arduous one and farewells were painfully permanent.  Of course there are many plays about the immigrant experience, especially Irish plays.  Still, there is something particularly poignant and universal about music.

In this case, printed programs were withheld until after the performance ended; this was a wise decision, permitting the audience to be totally present and not busy figuring out the program.  The directors made sure that the artists moved onstage in meaningful clusters and in a manner that heightened the drama. There was even some spritely folk dancing.

There were art songs by Samuel Barber, Ben Moore, and Frank Bridge and folk songs woven together with readings from Irish writers about the immigrant experience. Actors Sam Lilja and Rachel O'Byrne handled the readings beautifully. There was love and sex and religion.  There were texts from James Joyce, of course.

Juilliard soprano Angela Vallone and Dublin soprano Rebecca Rodgers were equally lovely and Juilliard mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau showed impressive depth of color. Juilliard tenor Miles Mykkanen used his versatile tenor in a new way and shared tenorial duties with the fine Dubliner Andrew Gavin.  Both excelled in conveying the feeling tone of the songs.  The sole baritone Peter Manning more than held up his share of the music-making.

Collaborative pianists also came from both sides of the Atlantic with Dearbhla Máire Collins sharing duties with William Kelley. There was always a special lilt to the music. The program was seamless without the usual pauses for applause resulting in an intense experience of the trials and tribulations of leaving, arriving and trying to assimilate.  This program achieved what the St. Patrick's Day Parade, with all its politics of pride had failed to do for us--to give us that special Irish flavor and a deep appreciation for a special people.

We cannot help but think that there might be musical solutions to the ubiquitous misunderstandings extant among the world's cultures today.  If only!

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LIEDERABEND AT JUILLIARD

Hea Youn Chung and Angela Vallone

At Juilliard's latest liederabend, with Natalia Katyukova's coaching, all 10 Juilliard artists performed exquisitely, which is not to say that we enjoyed all of them equally. It was the final set of  songs by Joseph Marx, performed by the lovely soprano Angela Vallone in collaboration with pianist Hea Youn Chung, which captured our heart. Of all the composers on the program, Marx is the one most suited to our 19th c. ears and Ms. Vallone sang the songs most expressively.

Not only do we favor the Romantic period but we prefer songs about love and nature to those about war, depression, religion and conflict. Love is something to sing about!  And Marx carried over the mood of the 19th c. right into the 20th.  We particularly enjoyed "Nocturne" with its A-B-A form and lovely writing for piano.

Benjamin Britten set Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, also about love. These belong firmly to the 20th c. and are not nearly as melodic. They were passionately sung by the wonderful tenor Miles Mykkanen with William Kelley at the piano.  Mr. Mykkanen has been extending himself in new directions, which we applaud.  That being said, we most enjoy his particular artistry in songs of humor and irony.

Soprano Razskazoff joined forces with Valeriya Polunina to perform three selections from Olivier Messiaen's Poèmes pour Mi, written for his violinist wife in 1938.  Ms. Razskazoff has a marvelously poised stage presence and a sizable voice just begging for the opera stage. Of the three selections, only "Le collier" expressed a sentiment to which we could relate.  But Ms. R's voice was thrilling, especially in the extended melismatic passages.

Bass-baritone Tyler Zimmerman utilized his voice and body in a most expressive fashion in two songs by Alexander Zemlinsky--both expressing anti-war sentiments with irony and bitterness. Mr. Zimmerman did his own translations of both. He also sang a trio of songs by Shostakovich--of later origin and lesser melodic interest. Kathryn Felt was his fine collaborative pianist.

Tenor Alexander McKissick performed six Poulenc songs with Ava Nazar as pianist. Poulenc chose to set texts by Apollinaire who survived World War I.  The poetry is surreal and said to reflect the visual arts--i.e. Cubism.  Our personal favorite was "Mutation". Notably, Mr. McKissick did his own translations.

It was greatly appreciated that each singer introduced the set of songs to be sung and told a little about their origins.

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DEUS EX MACHINA

Andrew Stenson and Ying Fang  (photo by Marty Sohl)

The production of Christoph Willibald Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide was so outstanding we do not know whom to credit first.  Undeniably, conductor Jane Glover had a hand in it, or should we say "two hands" as she used them in balletic fashion to guide Juilliard415 (Juilliard's period-instrument orchestra) through Gluck's lean expressive score.  From the very first theme of the overture, heard at key moments later in the opera, we knew we were in good hands.  We want to call her Jane Goodhands, no "gloves" necessary.

Gluck can be said to have revolutionized opera in the mid 18th c.  By eliminating many excesses of the baroque, he paved the way for Mozart's genius.  By selecting libretti with authenticity of emotion, psychological insight, and sincere simplicity, he engages the listener who can examine his or her own predicaments and find resonant parallels.  Who has not struggled with desires that conflict with duties?  In this case, the libretto by du Roullet was based on the Racine play of 1674.  The opera premiered in 1774 in Paris.

Still, it is the singers themselves that carry the opera and we found the performances to be beyond criticism.  Each and every singer, drawn from the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and Juilliard Opera, was astutely cast, vocally perfect and dramatically affecting.  Were it not for the unexpected happy ending (unexpected because we had not read the synopsis beforehand) we would have gone home in tears.  Thankfully, due to the intervention of the goddess Diane, the innocent Iphegénie gets to live and to marry her beloved Achille.

Soprano Ying Fang made a perfect Iphegénie, using her expressive limpid voice, face and body to convey the nobility of character that enables her to express both despair over losing her young life and submission to her fate as a sacrifice.  At one point, convinced that Achille had been unfaithful (a ruse), she summoned up quite a lot of outrage.

Similarly, her intended husband Achille, as performed by tenor Andrew Stenson, conveyed rage at Agamemnon, tender love and protectiveness toward his bride and also had to exhibit outrage at being falsely accused of infidelity.  He accomplished all this without compromising his warm appealing tone.

As the conflicted Agamemnon, baritone Yunpeng Wang limned the character of a man torn between love for his daughter and duty to the gods who demanded the sacrifice. Mr. Wang has a round sturdy baritone that can sound authoritative when necessary to control others, angry when confronting the recalcitrant gods and yet tender when thinking of his child.

Mezzo-soprano Virginie Verrez was stunning as the mother Clytemnestre.  She has a true rich mezzo sound with a great deal of depth.  In the closest thing to a mad scene that one might see in a pre-19th c. opera, she nearly loses it in her rage at her husband--all without losing her magnificent phrasing and tone.  At her entrance she is all regal dignity and it was upsetting yet understandable to watch her decline into near madness as she wished to substitute her life for her daughter's.

As the high priest Calchas, bass-baritone Brandon Cedel demonstrated why he has been winning prizes everywhere.  His lordly tones expressed the matter-of-fact information that Iphegénie must be sacrificed.  It was in different tones that he announced toward the end of the opera that the goddess Diane had arrived.

As Achille's friend Patrocle, baritone Takaoki Onishi gave his usually fine performance, lending truth to the saying in the theater world that "There are no small roles".  

All of the singers mentioned so far are familiar to us as we have watched their growth from one year to the next.  But last night we heard two singers for the first time and enjoyed their performances enormously.  Serbian bass Sava Vemić made a fine showing as Arcas, Agamemnon's lieutenant who is responsible for conveying messages important to the plot.  His rich substantial sound made us want to hear more of him.  As Diane, soprano Liv Redpath had the enviable role of the "deus ex machina" making everyone happy.  It will make us happy to hear her again.

As Three Greek Women, Angela Vallone, Kara Sainz and Mary-Elizabeth O'Neill made a fine showing as well.

Although billed as a "concert version" the young artists, performing onstage in front of the musicians, acted up a storm.  The only features missing were costumes and sets; we never missed them due to the persuasive acting and fine singing.  David Paul directed the enterprise, a collaboration of The Metropolitan Opera and The Juilliard School.

Finally, let us not forget to mention the fine French diction.  Even the chorus, positioned on the sides and at the rear of the orchestra made the language comprehensible.  There is only one more performance on Saturday at 2:00.  Miss this at your own peril.  Don't say we didn't tell you!

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THE BUDS OF SPRINGTIME

Art Williford, Valeriya Polunina, Eva Gheorghiu, Angela Vallone

For Voce di Meche, the greatest pleasure of Springtime is not the budding of the trees but rather the budding of vocal talent.  This is the time of year when music students get to give recitals.  We can think of no greater seasonal satisfaction  than witnessing these young artists whose full flowering we anticipate in the years to come.  It is a long journey for them and this is but one crucial step.

There will be more reviews this week but let us focus on last night's satisfying recital at Juilliard where we heard two fine sopranos, both students of Edith Wiens.

Eva Gheorghiu (no relation to Angela) has a crystalline tone and a fine sense of drama.  She performed two very different arias: "Frère! Voyez!" from Jules Massenet's Werther and "Prendi, per me sei libero" from Gaetano Donizetti's  L'Elisir d'Amore.  In the first, young Sophie tries to cheer up the morose Werther and Ms. Gheorghiu captured the spirit and nailed the French diction.

In the latter, Adina lets Nemorino know that she has bought back his military contract and that she loves him; she tells him with flights of rapturous coloratura, leaving us enraptured.

A quintet of songs by Prokofiev which she herself translated  permitted her to demonstrate a lovely diminuendo  and strength in the lower register.  Valeriya Polunina accompanied with a light sensitive touch and fleet fingering.

Soprano Angela Vallone, working with the excellent collaborative pianist Art Williford, performed songs in Russian, French and Swedish.  We just saw her three days earlier performing in a cabaret and were impressed by her versatility. 

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Nightingale and the Rose" has the most exotic melody and delighted the ear.  In Rachmaninoff's  lavish "In the silence of the mysterious night", Ms. Vallone allowed the passionate sentiment into her voice to fine effect.

A pair of Debussy songs--"Regret" and "Paysage Sentimental" were delivered in fine French that was understandable without the printed text.

But where Ms. Vallone truly shone was in the concluding set of songs by Jean Sibelius with which she clearly connected.  We have always loved "Var det en dröm?" but it was "Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings mote" that truly spoke (or, rather, sang) to us because of her deep involvement.

Stay tuned for more "buds" tomorrow!

© meche kroop

COME TO THE CABARET

Front Row:  Alex McKissick and Miles Mykkanen  --  Back Row: Nicolette Mavroleon, Lacey Jo Benter, Angela Vallone, Elliott Carlton Hines, Dan K. Kurland, Michael Chiarello

The Juilliard Vocal Arts Department is not just about opera, just in case you didn't know.  The talented artists who call that department home are equally adept at contemporary music, and we don't mean those tedious unmusical settings of awful poetry.  We mean lively American songs that relate to contemporary experience, the kind of songs that singers of lesser talent perform with (yikes!) amplification.  Not these artists!  Their glorious and finely trained voices just sang it out.

The songs were well curated to reflect the kinds of things we are interested in--love, fulfilled and frustrated, and life in our wonderful city in all its glory and occasionally loathsome complexity.  The black box theater was bare except for a quartet of cafe tables, chairs and two step ladders.  Jeanne Slater can be credited with some mighty fine directing and choreography. 

The ensemble got the evening off to a rip-roaring start.  We loved the manner in which they performed Stephen Sondheim's "Another Hundred People" from Company; the energy level was through the roof and conveyed all the excitement of life in the Big Apple.  "Coffee in a Cardboard Cup" from John Kander and Fred Ebb's 70, Girls 70 likewise expressed the frantic nature of New York existence in a most charming way.

Tenors Miles Mykkanen and Alex McKissick were joined by baritone Elliott Carlton Hines for the delightful trio "One Track Mind" from Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia's Sweet Smell of Success.  Sopranos Nicolette Mavroleon and Angela Vallone joined voices with mezzo Lacey Jo Benter for a very funny rendition of "Forget About the Boy" from Thoroughly Modern Millie by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan.  The interactions were so well directed it felt like overhearing your friends.  What woman has not tried to console a broken-hearted BFF who was dumped by some guy!

The duets were equally inspired.  One could chuckle over the friendship between Mr. McKissick and Ms. Vallone as she tried to talk him out of making a fool of himself in "Coffee" from Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham's I Love You Because.  The touching "What Do We Do It For?" from the same show was movingly performed by Ms. Benter and Mr. Mykkanen.

Solos were not neglected.  From Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights, Ms. Mavroleon used her excellent voice to sing "It Won't be Long Now" and Mr. Hines used his fine baritone to sing the romantic "When I First Saw You" from Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen's Dreamgirls.

On the funnier side, the marvelous Mr. Mykkanen was all over the stage with "The Life of the Party" from Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party.  He truly IS the life of the party and the ensemble joining him for "Wild, Wild Party" seemed totally organic as if his performance had roused them.

Mr. McKissick's fine solo was the defensive "What Do I Need with Love" from Thoroughly Modern Millie; Ms. Benter's solo told a wonderful story about what women face in "Expectations of a Man" by Joathan Reid Gealt, but her story had a twist at the end.  Ms. Vallone sang the moving and satisfying "A Way Back to Then" from Jeff Bowen's [title of show].

There were other ensemble pieces that we will cherish long after the evening has passed: "West End Avenue" from Stephen Schwartz' The Magic Show  which struck very close to home (so to speak) and Sondheim's "What More Do I Need" from Saturday Night.  And from his Merrily We Roll Along the song "Our Time" closed the evening in fine style.  For these impressive artists, it truly is "their time".

Excellent accompaniment was provided by Musical Director Dan K. Kurland at the piano with Michael Chiarello on bass and Andrew Funcheon on drums.  By the end of the show we were grinning from ear to ear and suffused with good feelings.  So superb was this show that it could be transplanted intact to Broadway.  Now why didn't someone think of that!

© meche kroop

GREAT BRITTEN

Pierre Ferreyra-Mansilla, Nathan Haller, Angela Vallone, Brian Zeger, Jessine Johnson, Samantha Hankey, Eric Jurenas

A Juilliard Songfest last night at Alice Tully Hall offered an opportunity to get your fill of Benjamin Britten's songs, curated by Artistic Director Brian Zeger who also lent his prodigious talent as collaborative pianist.  The ten singers are in various stages of training at the Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts but we dare you to distinguish between the graduate students and the undergraduates; all have superb voices and stage presence to spare.

The opening piece on the program turned out to be our personal favorite, the 1952 Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac, Op. 51.  We first heard this work a year ago at Chelsea Opera in a fully staged and costumed version with young Benjamin Perry Wenzelberg doing more than justice to the role of the young Isaac about to be sacrificed by his father.  Tonight in this role we heard counter-tenor Eric Jurenas with tenor Miles Mykkanen as Abraham in a semi-staged performance that worked beautifully, both vocally and dramatically.  The most arresting singing was the voice of God produced by the two men singing in the most amazing unison.

The other major work on the program comprised Songs and Proverbs of William Blake, written in 1965 for Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
1965.  Last night this vocally demanding material was finely handled by two exemplary baritones--Theo Hoffman whose fine work is familiar to us and Kurt Kanazawa whom we had never heard before but look forward to hearing again.

The remainder of the program consisted of a grouping of sorrowful folk songs and a grouping of joyful ones.  We particularly liked tenor William Goforth's connection with the text in "At the mid hour of night" and Mr. Kanazawa's humorous complaint "Lord! I married me a wife". Tenor Nathan Haller gave a moving performance of "The Children".  Tenor Michael St. Peter demonstrated a lovely vocal quality in the strophic "O Waly, Waly", standing out against the chordal accompaniment.

In the set of joyful songs, we particularly enjoyed Mr. Haller's performance of "Bonny at Morn".  Mr. Jurenas' performance of "The Miller of Dee" was set against piano work by Mr. Zeger that left no doubt that mill wheels were turning.  Mr. St. Peter's strophic "Plough Boy" was pure delight.

Several songs were accompanied by the guitar of Pierre Ferreyra-Mansilla who seemed to have a very personal relationship with his instrument.  Our favorite was the jaunty "Sailor Boy" sung by Mr. Haller.  The program was not entirely male; sopranos Jessine Johnson and Angela Vallone and mezzo Samantha Hankey made valuable contributions to both groups of folk songs.  Ms. Vallone sang "The Big Chariot" and "How sweet the answer". The closing number of the evening was a duet "Underneath the Abject Willow" performed by Ms. Johnson and Ms. Hankey.  Their voices blended splendidly and y'all know how much we love duets!

If you didn't get your fill of Britten last night, don't despair.  It's his centennial and you will have many more opportunities.

© meche kroop