A FESTIVAL OF SPANISH MUSIC

Tziporah Miriam Halperin and Rachel Hippert

Finally our passion for Spanish music has been sated, thanks to Scott Foreman-Orr's Clef Note Productions and Project 142.  Not only did we hear some favorites from the world of zarzuela but had the thrill of hearing an aria from a contemporary opera that is (we couldn't believe our ears!) actually MELODIC. 

Salvadoran Luis Diaz Hérodier composed El Mozote in 2006 to a libretto by his sister, the famous poet Claudia Hérodier, dealing with the country's civil war in the early 1980's. The tender aria "Y yo que haré sin vos, Rufina" was beautifully interpreted by the sweet-voiced tenor Oswaldo Iraheta, a fellow Salvadoran, if we are not mistaken. Perhaps the future of opera lies in El Salvador!  

Two other Latin American tenors captivated the capacity audience with their passionate delivery. We particularly enjoyed José Heredia's nicely modulated delivery of Augustin Lara's "Granada".  This popular song has been sung in many languages but there's nothing like the real thing.

The more passionate "No puede ser" from Pablo Sorozábal's 1936 zarzuela La Taberna del puerto is another favorite of ours and full-voiced tenor Hamid Rodriguez poured a full measure of Latin passion into it, nicely varying the dynamics and volume to hold our interest.

Although the women on the program were not Latin American, they made an equally fine impression. The harmonies of Maria Malibran's "Le prisonnier" were effectively captured by soprano Rachel Hippert and mezzo-soprano Tziporah Miriam Halperin as they sang about the beauties of nature in fine French. The Spanish Malibran, a famous 19th c. bel canto singer, obviously knew how to write for the voice.  Perhaps what we need today are songs written by singers!

These two women are so in tune with one another! They thrilled us with "Séparation", Pauline Viardot's adaptation for voice of "Mazurka #6" by Chopin. Fine French diction is difficult to find but they nailed it. 

Ms. Hippert shared a convincing duet with Mr.  Heredia--"El duo de la Africana" by Manuel Caballero. This zarzuela was a satire of Meyerbeer's opera L'Africaine. Equally convincing was the final scene of Bizet's Carmen, sung by mezzo-soprano Galina Ivannikova and Mr. Rodriguez.

We heard two versions of "Les Filles de Cadix", one by Leo Delibes which gave Ms. Hippert the opportunity to exhibit a flirtatious personality; the other setting by Pauline Viardot, sung by mezzo-soprano Anna Tonno, who did her best to convey the same flirtatiousness, hampered by being "on the book".

This brings us to the marvelous soprano Alexis Cregger, whose use of the music stand detracted from her ability to connect with the audience. She clearly connected with the material and has a marvelous instrument; there must have been a compelling reason for her not to have memorized her selections but we sadly cannot approve. Attending a vocal recital involves a reciprocal relation between artist and audience. Anything that interferes with this connection is a distraction.

This was particularly unfortunate because her selections were among the choicest on the program: Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona's gorgeous "Escucha al Ruiseñor" and Heitor Villalobos' thrilling "Bachianas #5".

Soprano Rosa d'Imperio showed excellence in performance of an aria from Lecuona's tragedy "Maria la O". We also enjoyed her in an intensely dramatic duet with Mr. Rodriguez "Amor mi raza sabe conquistar" from the 1924 zarzuela Leyenda del Beso by Reveriano Soutullo.

Accompaniment by Winston Vogel fell short. He was mainly focused on the score and neglected to "breathe with" the singers.

We will close with an unsettling fact previously unknown by us: Georges Bizet's "Habanera" from Carmen first saw light of day as Sebastian Yradier's "El Arreglito"!  Bizet claimed that he thought it was a folk song that he arranged.  Uh-oh!  Well, that wouldn't be the first and only example of musical plagiarism. Last night Ms. Halperin sang it and we enjoyed it, no matter who wrote it!.

(c) meche kroop

LOVE BY COMPARISON

Rosa D'Imperio as Tosca

Alexis Cregger as Salome

Edgar Jaramillo as Edgardo

A few days in advance of Valentine's Day, impressario Scott Foreman-Orr, Artistic Director of Clef Note Productions, presented an evening of operatic arias that encompassed the many faces of love: love fulfilled, love unrequited, forbidden love, desperate love, seductive love, and foolish love.

We always enjoy programs that show off the varied talents of a wide selection of singers.  There are always a couple that stand out--those that we want to hear more of.  Sometimes we have heard them before and relish the opportunity to hear them in a different role. And sometimes we enjoy being introduced to singers that are new to us.

In the former category is up-and-coming tenor Edgar Jaramillo whose rapid rise we have witnessed for the past few years.  Mr. Jaramillo is one of those rare singers who sings from the heart and doesn't hold back. His round Italianate tone was perfect for the love duet "Verranno a te" from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, with the fine soprano Heather Kelley-Vella in the titular role.

We had never before heard him sing in French and his Don Jose was a revelation.  With the convincing Carmen of mezzo Galina Ivannikova, the pair created the final tragic scene of Bizet's masterpiece in a manner so powerful that we forgot our surroundings totally.  It was a triumph of acting that this kind sweet singer could muster such murderous rage.

As far as tenors go, we were glad to hear another one of the same ilk with a similar warmth of tone and dramatic commitment. José Heredia made a fine showing as the Duke in Verdi's Rigoletto.  It's no surprise that he could seduce Gilda with a performance like that.  His Gilda, soprano Heather Kelley-Vella, has such a sweet young sound! She was equally convincing as Gilda and as Lucia.

Mr. Heredia was just as fine portraying the victim of seduction when he became helpless in the face of Manon's wiles in the Massenet opera named for this dangerous young woman, nicely sung by soprano Rachel Hippert.

Strauss' heroines are not cut from the same cloth.  We particularly enjoyed Alexis Cregger's encore piece from Salome as she exulted over the head of Johannan.  She has a voice of great amplitude and beauty and was also a standout as the Marschallin in the final scene from Der Rosenkavalier with Page Lucky taking the role of Sophie and Leslie Middlebrook performing the role of Octavian. This is such a perfect trio with three characters each having her/his own thoughts.

Another sizable voice on the program belongs to soprano Rosa d'Imperio who impressed us with the "three questions" aria from Puccini's Turandot.  Her acting chops were evident as she performed a little later as the eponymous Tosca venting her jealousy on poor Mario, and still later as the seductive Manon in Manon Lescaut.  We don't know how Puccini's name became associated with "piccole donne". There is nothing small about any of these heroines and Ms. d'Imperio gave them each their due.

Accompanist Ming Hay Kwong shifted styles well and added something extra to the evening when he performed the challenging third movement of Beethoven's Appassionata, fingers flying over the keys.

We opera lovers must do everything we can to support the folks on the other side of the curtain who give of themselves so generously. Why not see what you can do on Indiegogo.  Here's the link.

http://igg.me/at/26iqjL2y0lk/x/9855770

MORE BEL CANTO PLEASE

The cast of Bel Canto Gems

Scott Foreman-Orr established Clef Note Productions to offer talented singers a chance to be heard in themed concerts which would showcase their voices.  Last night's theme was Bel Canto Gems and we were delighted since that is our very favorite period of opera.  The definition of bel canto was somewhat stretched but there is no denying that we heard some beautiful singing.  The program included something for everyone.

Two singers made a huge impression--one known to us and one new to us, which is usually the case.  Soprano Zhanna Alkhazova is a singer to look up to, literally and figuratively.  Her imposing appearance is matched by a powerful voice giving her a great deal of onstage presence.  She blew us away with her intensity in Elettra's aria from Mozart's Idomeneo in which she handled the ornamentation with style.  Even better was her "Tacea la notte placida" from Verdi's Il Trovatore.  She was one of the few singers who prepared her arias well and sang off the book.

New to us was mezzo Hayden Dewitt who sang everything with grace and subtlety. She too was excellently prepared; singing without a music stand always permits greater connection with the audience.  From Rossini's Otello she sang the Willow Song "Assisa pie d'un salice" filled with distracted grief.  

She also sang in French--the part of Isolier in the trio from Rossini's Le Comte Ory and, more impressively, the part of Mallika to Julia Lima's Lakme from the Delibes opera of the same name. The harmonies were exquisite.  Still better was her ardent Romeo in Bellini's I Capuletti e i Montecchi.  

Her Giulietta for "Si fuggire" was the lovely soprano Sarah Moulton Faux who beautifully handled the trills and scale passages.  The harmony in thirds was glorious to the ear. There is nothing faux about Ms. Faux.  She is the real thing and was just as winning as Amina in "Son geloso" from Bellini's La Sonnambula.  Her Elvino was the tenor Jon Thomas Olson who has a sweet youthful sound. 

We enjoyed hearing soprano Rosa D'Imperio in several selections.  As Mathilde in "Selva Opaca" from Rossini's William Tell, she exhibited a lovely resonance and floated her top notes effortlessly.  Our only quibble was the use of the music stand. She has a real flair for Rossini and sang in the duet "Non arrestare il colpo" from the composer's Otello, although the role was written for a mezzo-soprano. 

We would like to credit soprano Rachel Hippert for her fine handling of the descending scale passages and syncopated rhythms as Isabelle in Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable.  

Julia Lima, so lovely in the Lakme has a lovely vibrato and was perky as Susanna in "Colle dame piu brillanti" from Mercadante's I Due Figaro.  Singing off the book, she connected well with the audience.  Soprano Roza Bulat made a fine Lucrezia in Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia.

Space does not permit discussion of several of the other excellent singers but we are sure to have other opportunities in the future.

Accompanying was deftly handled by Ming Hay Kwong.  It was a long evening although shortened by the illness of some of the singers.  Happily, bel canto always leaves us wanting more.

(c) meche kroop