LONDON FINALS

 Finalists at the George and Nora London Foundation Competition

(photo by Joan Greenberg)

For as long as we can remember we have considered this competition a highlight of the musical season. Not only are the finalists some of the very best young singers in the country, but we in the audience get to share the excitement with them after their respective performances whilst the judges perform the nigh impossible task of deliberating. Unlike some other competitions which we will not mention, the group is not divided cruelly in half. Of course five of them will get cash awards that are significantly higher than the other seven but no one is left feeling like a loser.

As usual, we would like to address the smooth running of the competition, held at The Morgan Library. There was no excessive fanfare nor lengthy speeches. The overall quality of the performances indicates marvelous futures for these young artists. Please do not count on us to tell you how much each singer won or who was "the best". That information is probably available on the Foundation's website, if you care about such things. The judges are all luminaries in the opera world and must have had a most difficult time.

 Gracing the piano bench was a dear friend of ours, the renowned Lachlan Glen who managed to switch gears from one singer to the next and to give each one the necessary support. That aspect alone lent a very special quality to the fast moving display of artistry.

Readers will recall that we lack affection for contemporary opera and for the English language. We all have our preferences and it is most rewarding when we hear a performance of something we did not expect to like and find ourself relating to it and wanting to learn more about the opera. Since all of the voices were beyond excellent, we would like to focus on audience engagement and dramatic presentation.

Take, for example, the riveting performance of "A Dream Wasted" from an opera completely unknown to us--Highway One, USA by W.G. Still, performed by bass-baritone Joseph Parrish. Mr. Parrish has been on our radar for quite some time; no surprise that he was selected by Young Concert Artists after making quite a splash as a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice. His performance was so intense and seemed spontaneous; we got a real sense of the character and intend to learn something about the opera. We might add that alone among the singers who sang in English, Mr. Parrish made every word comprehensible.

Another dramatically riveting performance was that of another bass-baritone Evan Lazdowski, well remembered from his time at Juilliard, who performed Bottom's aria from Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. This was a highly physical performance that showed off his dramatic skills. There was Bottom crawling around the stage and hiding under the piano. Even if you didn't know the Shakespearean plot, you would have marveled at the convincing nature of the characterization and the humor. 

And whilst we are talking about convincing male performances, bass-baritone Sam Dhobhany made a fine Figaro in "Non più andrai" from Mozart's  Le nozze di Figaro. Similarly, baritone Korin Thomas-Smith enacted a perfectly arrogant and perfectly clueless Count Almaviva in "Hai già vinta la causa". We could have cast Mozart's masterpiece right then and there.

Bass Alan Williams utilized his splendid instrument to limn the nastiness of Claggart in Britten's Billy Budd. Tenor Alec Carlson did equal justice to Peter Grimes' mad scene from the eponymous Britten opera. Both men awakened us to Britten's skill at writing music specific to unlovable characters.

Let us move on to the women on the program. We were particularly excited to learn that soprano Shelen Hughes would perform an aria from the very same role that we heard her sing at Manhattan School of Music some years ago. Rimsky-Korsakov's Snegurechka (The Snow Maiden) is so rarely performed and it is truly a gem of a fairy tale, allowing the singer an opportunity to reveal a variety of emotions. We loved it back then and we loved it even more last night as Ms. Hughes has grown in her artistry. We might add that her Russian sounded fine to our ear, although it is not one of our languages.

Soprano, Magdalena Kuźma, is another singer we have admired and she also sang in a language that is not one of ours. We have always enjoyed the music of Moniuszko and his opera Halka is one we yearn to see, especially after hearing Ms. Kuźma's portrayal of the romantically betrayed village girl.

Happily French is a language we do understand and especially enjoyed mezzo-soprano Ruby Dibble's portrayal of Carmen, the heroine of Bizet's beloved opera. Carmen is anything but a stock character and we love to hear a singer who can make the role her own. Ms. Dibble's Carmen was a clever one, and a woman of mercurial emotions, confident of her power over men.

Mozart seemed to be a favored choice among the women as well as the men. Soprano Dalia Medovnikov as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte presented just the type of heroine we want to see, full of innocence but fearful of the loss of her love. 

Soprano Emily Damasco brought some fine singing to her portrayal of Fiordiligi in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. In "Come scoglio", Fiordiligi emphatically declares her steadfast faithfulness but the audience can see that she will soon lose her resolve.

Closing the program was a puzzling selection from Jonathan Dove's children's opera The Enchanted Pig. Soprano Rachel Kobernick threw herself into the role of Adelaide but, truth to tell, we had to look up the opera to get an idea what it was about. Apparently Adelaide is a witch's daughter who wants to marry a King who is destined for someone else. Had Ms. Kobernick's English diction been clearer we might have gotten some inkling of the story but we did not. She sang with a lot of "personality" but our ignorance of the situation and inability to understand the text added up to disappointment.

On the whole, we were sufficiently impressed by the dozen finalists (selected from 175 applicants), that we considered the afternoon a complete success. We don't believe in heaven, but if we did, we would think of George and Nora London looking down with pride and pleasure.

© meche kroop

GETTIN' RELIGION

 Lachlan Glen and Michelle Bradley

We give very little thought to religion other than an idle curiosity about what other people derive from it.  But last night concert gave us a glimpse of how deeply held beliefs can affect an artist's performance, suffusing it with intensity, passion, and light.  It was the encore of Michelle Bradley's divine performance when she sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands".  Words fail us and that's rather unusual.  Let's just say we "got the feels".

The entire hourlong concert was way too short.  Ms. Bradley, a bright light on the world's opera stages, possesses a rich dramatic soprano of consummate flexibility and phrasing that likely took countless hours of practice to achieve such perfection--but seemed as natural as speaking. Not only is she a gifted artist but a charming raconteur, sharing intimate thoughts about her selections.

We continue to grow in our appreciation of Samuel Barber's Hermit Songs. One can perform them or one can reveal them. The range of moods of the monk-poets encompasses the deepest spirituality and also some naughtiness.  Our favorite is always "Scholar and Cat" with its lighthearted good humor and sensitivity to the poet's relationship with and respect for his cat Pangur. We only wish that Ms. Bradley had included the naughty one!

In terms of a challenge for a large voice, there is nothing like Richard Strauss' Vier Letzte Lieder. The texts are filled with references to the natural world and the mood is elegiac. We know well the collaborative piano artistry of Lachlan Glen but we had never heard him recite poetry before. He read a translation of each song with expressivity and fine rhythm.  He also alerted the audience to listen for the birdsong which was cleverly produced by an unseen flutist. A delicate violin accompanied for a brief period.

The final piece on the program was "Vissi d'arte" from Puccini's Tosca. Before last night, we thought of this aria as a showpiece, the highlight of the opera, the moment we are all waiting for with bated breath. The manner in which Ms. Bradley performed it, we realized how deeply religious Tosca is.  The aria is in many ways a prayer.  

In describing her deeply religious feeling and beneficent behavior Tosca cannot believe that her god would abandon her. She is begging for help. What we are left to imagine is how she then reconciles her beliefs with her murder of the evil Scarpia. It is more evidence of Ms. Bradley's artistry that we learned more about the character and experienced her in a new light.

Mr. Glen has a true knack for bringing new people into the fold of classical voice. He chooses only the finest artists to perform, keeps the program brief enough so that newbies could not possibly get bored, and includes socializing with wine and food.  Acquaintances are greeted and friendships initiated. After such a long Covid-fueled hiatus, it was a special treat to get together once more with opera lovers.

© meche kroop

MUSIC AND WINE

The Verona Quartet: Jonathan Ong, Abigail Rojansky, Jonathan Dormand, and Dorothy Ro

Imagine being in a glamorous penthouse in Tribeca.  Imagine being surrounded by a bunch of the "beautiful people" of New York City. Imagine being entertained in this private salon by a world class string quartet. Imagine a charming sommelier introducing you to some interesting beverages including champagne, hard cider, and stout. Imagine nibbling on interesting cheeses.  (No pepper jack or generic Swiss here!)

If you were a member of Mise-en-Scène Studios, affectionately called MESS, you might have shared this stellar experience with us. This was just one of three exciting experiences this week created by MESS founders Lachlan Glen and Ben Bliss.  Just in case you don't know them, Mr. Bliss is the Metropolitan Opera's new star tenor and Mr. Glen travels the world as solo pianist, conductor, and collaborative pianist.

MESS programs allow for lots of socializing between sets of music and sommelier Andrew Stenson (who also happens to be a terrific tenor) curated the wines to match the musical program.

Guests were treated to several movements of Beethoven's final String Quartet Op. 135, of which we preferred the slow movement.  As a matter of fact, we would have preferred to hear the work in toto and in its proper order but no one else seemed to mind its balkanization.

The Beethoven was interspersed with movements of Jánaček's "Intimate Letters" Quartet which was informed by the composer's unfulfilled longing for a young married woman. We heard some of this work this week at other MESS events but, in this venue, it was easier to concentrate on just how engaging is the artistry of the Verona Quartet.

Each member seemed totally involved with the music. Moreover they have engaging personalities and each one shared a bit about themselves as well as information about their respective instruments--some new and some centuries old.

They also played a work they commissioned from contemporary composer Julia Adolphe. I appreciated their description of the composer's intent but regular readers will recall how strongly I believe a work should speak for itself. Whatever the message of "Star Crossed Signals" was, we unfortunately failed to get it. Not a criticism.  Just our taste.

Speaking of taste, we loved Mr. Stenson's taste in beverages and admire the way he tried to pair them with the music.

We absolutely cannot wait for the next MESS event on December 11th in Williamsburg. We never miss the annual "Goyishe Christmas", devised by the beloved Steven Blier of New York Festival of Song, and comprising Christmas music written by Jewish composers.  Don't miss it!

(c) meche kroop

A CLOSE SHAVE, A NOT-SO-ILL WIND, AND SOME GLITTERY GAIETY

The highly gifted cast of MESS:IES event

Two back-to-back events at Brooklyn's Paper Box, featuring the same cast, revealed to us just how talented and versatile is every member of the Mise-en-Scène Ensemble. Having seen each singer in a variety of roles and different languages in such temporal proximity gave us a new appreciation, quite different from hearing them weeks or months apart. 

Furthermore, being exposed to brief scenes from operas we never enjoyed (like Berg's Wozzeck)--up close and personal--allowed us to experience more dramatic impact than we ever experienced from a distance.

Last night's opener involved tenor Andrew Stenson as the arrogant, callous, and narrow minded Herr Hauptmann getting a very close shave from military barber Wozzeck, portrayed intensely and convincingly by baritone Will Liverman. Berg's difficult atonal music only served to highlight the painful position Wozzeck occupied in his world.

Another riveting scene from Wozzeck involved soprano Jacquelyn Stucker as Marie, putting up with the taunts of mezzo-soprano Renée Rapier as her neighbor Margret.

The famous and famously wonderful Verona Quartet gave a luminous account of the Adagio from Janáček's String Quartet #2.  Although this is nothing like the composer's more accessible music for Vixen Sharp-ears, our ears picked up snippets of folk tunes that were most agreeable.

A particularly powerful scene from Massenet's Werther was enacted by Ms. Rapier as the conflicted Charlotte and tenor Ian Castro as the eponymous Werther. Charlotte gives in to her feelings for Werther and then, filled with shame, rejects him. Charlotte, in her flustered state is discovered by her husband Albert (baritone Theo Hoffman) who then orders pistols to be delivered to Werther. Never on the stage of a major opera house have we felt so involved with Charlotte's ambivalence, Werther's despair, or Albert's jealous rage. For us, these three major singers provided the highlight of the evening.

Accompanied by Mr. Nielsen, soprano Felicia Moore portrayed the grieving Elettra with great depth of feeling in the aria "O Smania" from Mozart's Idomeneo.

That was not the end of the Mozart. We loved the scene from Cosi fan tutte in which the lovers are separated under false pretenses, with Don Alfonso (Erik van Heyningen) laughing up his sleeve at the prank of his own devising. Ms. Stucker sang Fiordiligi, Ms. Rapier sang Dorabella, Mr. Castro sang Ferrando, and Mr. Hoffman sang Gugllielmo. It's a funny scene and Paul Curran's direction added a few additional humorous touches. Mozart's exquisite harmonies in "Soave sia il vento" were well handled and Mr. Reynold's piano added to the enjoyment.

We heard several excerpts from Bernstein's Candide, the seldom heard "Nothing More Than This", poignantly sung by Mr. Stenson, and the ironic "Glitter and Be Gay" delivered with brilliant fioritura by coloratura soprano Brandie Sutton, both accompanied in very different colors by pianist Chris Reynolds.

And the closing number "Make Our Garden Grow" was performed by the entire cast with several singers doubling up on roles; doubling up on the piano were Mr. Reynolds and the excellent Adam Nielsen. Those four hands made a lot of music. Maestro Glen's conducting was astute throughout.

It was a sell out crowd with many new faces, which bodes well for the future of the company. Word has certainly gotten out! We can scarcely wait for the next MESS event.

(c) meche kroop

GETTIN' MESSIE

Maestro Lachlan Glenn at Paper Box-- M.E.S.S. Event

The streets were messy as all get-out last night but "Messies" (members of Mise-en-Scène Studios) and their friends somehow got themselves to the depths of Brooklyn for the first of two events at Paper Box. Co-founders star tenor Ben Bliss and Maestro Lachlan Glenn welcomed the huge crowd and introduced a magnificently varied program of opera, dance, and instrumental music. The program had something for everyone and everyone seemed wildly enthusiastic.

It is a wise idea to introduce young people to opera, not as a lengthy ordeal to endure, but rather a small taste to relish, with the expectations that those exposed to world class singers in small increments will want to hear more. It seems to be a great approach and even a seasoned opera-goer such as ourself found the program both entertaining and stimulating.

The initial entry was the opening scene from Britten's The Rape of Lucretia in which tenor Andrew Stenson narrated and three Roman soldiers discussed the fidelity of the women left behind. Tenor Will Liverman as Prince Tarquinius and baritone Theo Hoffman as Junius are soured on wives and lovers who betrayed them. They are envious of Collatinus (bass Erik van Heyningen) whose wife is faithful. Fueled by alcohol and testosterone, the two soreheads plot to get Collatinus' wife to betray him as well. The singing was powerful on all accounts and the direction by Paul Curran made the scene all too believable.

Following an interlude of "Danse Russe" from Stravinsky's ballet Petroushka, played "one piano four hands" by four of the best hands we know (two belonging to Adam Nielsen and two belonging to Chris Reynolds), we witnessed a scene from Berlioz' Béatrice et Bénédicte that had as much estrogen as the prior scene had testosterone.

Felicia Moore wielded her clarion soprano instrument deftly in fine French as she expressed her love for Claudio. The role of Ursule, her lady-in-waiting, was sung by the marvelous mezzo-soprano Renée Rapier.

A less familiar aria from John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles-- "Long Live the Worm"-- was sung with intense gesture and vocal expressiveness by Mr. Stenson, accompanied by Mr. Reynolds. This must be Mr. Stenson's "signature area" because we don't recall being quite that riveted by Bégearss' nasty aria on prior hearings.

The format of MESS events allows for a break between sets so that guests can enjoy socializing, drinking, and eating--in this case bespoke crepes. Food for the tummy as well as the ears!

The well known final quartet from Verdi's Rigoletto is a "can't fail" number as long as you have great singers in all four fachs. In this case, Gilda was sung by soprano Jacquelyn Stucker with the eponymous jester portrayed by Mr. Liverman. The pair cowered below stage, eavesdropping on the onstage pair--the lascivious Duke (Ian Castro) working his charms on the innkeeper's sister Maddalena (Ms. Rapier). It was absolutely thrilling.

We got an advance taste of the entertainment scheduled for next Spring, a program involving Indian dancer Preeti Vasudevan and singer Roopa Mahadevan, wearing traditional garments and bringing a lot of color to the evening.  See photos on our FB page Voce di Meche.

The final scene from Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier is another scene we love and here we had soprano Brandie Sutton as Sophie and the versatile Ms. Rapier as Octavian. Ms. Moore appeared again lending vocal and gestural dignity to the role of the Marschallin. The three voices harmonized so beautifully and Mr. Reynolds created an entire orchestra in the piano. The "silver rose" theme came through gently but clearly.

An interlude of the third movement of Mozart's String Quartet #23 in F Major, performed by the superb Verona Quartet, was followed by the Finale of Act II of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.  In this scene, poor Lucia (Ms. Stucker) is being reluctantly married off to the unwitting suitor Arturo (Mr. Stenson) by her desperate brother Enrico (Mr. Liverman). Lucia's true love Edgardo (Mr. Castro) arrives at a crucial moment and bloodshed is threatened with Raimondo (Mr. Van Heyningen) trying to keep the peace. The other singers for the evening composed the chorus. Again, the direction was astute and the scene was not only finely sung but believably acted.

Maestro Glen has been known to us for years as an outstanding pianist but just wait until you witness his conducting acumen! 

There were excellent titles for the operas in foreign languages but there were also useful brief summaries of the scenes in the program.

Tomorrow's event promises to be just as compelling with the same superb singers on hand. Tonight proved just how versatile these artists are and we have no doubt about their ability to handle all the goodies on tomorrow's program.  We don't want to give everything away but let's just say there will be something wonderful from Bernstein's Candide and something by Mozart that everyone will love.

(c) meche kroop

M.E.S.S.n AROUND

Lachlan Glen and Ben Bliss at Mise en Scene Studios event

The gestation period for Mise en Scene Studios is a long one. There are excellent physicians and midwives in attendance. The embryo is healthy--viable and kicking. The nursery is well-furnished and friends and relatives are lined up to greet the newcomer. This love child will reflect the many gifts of its parents and will be quite different from any other--a unique offspring.

We have been present since the egg was fertilized and cannot wait to welcome the new opera company to its New York home. While we are waiting the parents have invited us to some baby showers, along with all the other citizens of Planet Opera who are just as excited as we are.

Last night, in a spacious loft in the East Village, we socialized with a great group of equally enthusiastic folk.  We dined on custom made pizza, we drank wine, we talked about music, we toasted the happy parents-to-be. And, most importantly, we heard some exciting music that gives us a taste of the quality we can expect from this nascent group.

Entertaining us royally were tenor Ben Bliss and collaborative pianist Lachlan Glen (both graduates  of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program), along with soprano Leah Hawkins and The Verona String Quartet. Mr. Bliss has had a meteoric rise and sings at The Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Glen tours the world and captivates audiences everywhere as a solo star of the keyboard and as a collaborative pianist.

Soprano Leah Hawkins came to us from the Washington National Opera Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. She is one of those big beautiful women with big beautiful voices. She performed two songs by Francis Poulenc, the first a 1938 setting of text written in 1912 by Wilhelm Kostrowicki (known as Apollinaire). Ms. Hawkins fine vibrato and word coloration made clear that the song "La grenouillere" (the Froggery) was about nostalgia for les temps perdus.

Her second offering was "Les chemins de l'amour" the 1940 setting of text by Jean Anouilh, which shared the nostalgic feeling and had a similar "old-fashioned" feeling as the first melodie, a quality that we treasure. Ms. Hawkins knows how to spin a decrescendo into a fine silken thread of sound.

The Verona String Quartet, comprising Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violins, Abigail Rojansky, viola, and Warren Hagerty, cello are all graduates of Juilliard and have achieved significant fame in the four years they have spent together. Residencies at Caramoor and at the New England Conservatory have been added to their graduate residency at Juilliard.

Last night we got a taste of their talent as they performed with Mr. Glen a most successful arrangement of an excerpt from Prokofiev's 1936 Romeo and Juliet, a suite for orchestra. It was so evocative that we couldn't keep from visualizing the ballet itself, which we love.

They also performed the second movement of Borodin's 1881 String Quartet No. 2 which was made popular by being "borrowed" for the 1953 musical Kismet. The writing is lush and melodic and is one of our personal favorites among so many string quartets.

Joined by Dominik Belavy and Alex Rosen for the "Laughing Trio", Mr. Bliss blissed us out with "Un aura amorosa" from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. He will be performing the role of Ferrando at The Metropolitan Opera this coming Spring and audiences will surely go mad for him. His ardent lyric tenor is perfectly suited to Mozart.

Mr. Glen then joined The Verona Quartet for the fiendishly difficult and spirited final movement of Brahms' Piano Quintet in G minor, following which the four strings gave us the first movement of Ravel's String Quartet which sounded just as anxious as the first movement of the Grieg which we heard a couple days earlier.

Not to worry because we were soothed by a duet from Franz Lehar's Die lustige Witwe. Mr. Bliss sang the role of Camille, persuading Valencienne (Ms. Hawkins) to join him in the little pavilion for a fond farewell. We were very glad to hear it in German!

The final offering was "This is My Night to Dream" by James Monaco and Johnny Burke, popularized by Nat King Cole. We thought the entire night was a dream!

Before we end, we would like to direct you to www.messnyc.com/membership. Did we tell you that YOU TOO can become a member of this vibrant and rapidly growing organization. A mere $99 for an entire year will give you admission to several evenings similar to the one we just described. This should keep all of us entertained and engaged until the opera season begins. That's the baby for which we are all waiting.

It is clear that those of us addicted to great music will find the quality we demand, whilst curious friends can be invited to share in the good fellowship, food, and drink and be introduced to the best the music world can offer in a relaxed and sociable environment. We do believe that the best way to get "newbies" on board is to offer quality.

(c) meche kroop

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL--A GLORIOUS M.E.S.S.

Mezzo-soprano Renee Rapier with Verona String Quartet and Lachlan Glen at the piano

We have wanted to share M.E.S.S. with our readers for some time but were sworn to secrecy on this innovative and daring project which seems destined for success.  Tenor Ben Bliss and pianist Lachlan Glen are not just amazing artists but thoughtful and industrious entrepreneurs.  Anyone who attended the year long survey of Franz Schubert's 600-plus song output in one season will know just how dedicated is Mr. Glen and how able to follow through on his ideas.

The idea for M.E.S.S., which stands for Mise-en-Scene Studios, is one which virtually guarantees the further life of opera for the next generation of opera goers and stands a good chance of bringing new life into the art form. The founders are not alone in their goals and several of their ideas have already been put into practice by other companies who are taking opera out of the concert hall and utilizing unusual venues.

What is new about this project is the consideration of every detail within a novel concept that appears to benefit everyone. We all want affordable opera in intimate spaces. We all want to see artists well remunerated for their work. We love the idea of spontaneity of attendance without tying ourselves down a year in advance. We all love the idea of making opera a social event, providing opportunities for artists and their fans to mingle over edibles and libations.

Last night was a great example of what this model will look like. Throngs of young people crowded into a loft, never mind the inclement weather, to enjoy drinks and crepes and music.  And oh, what music! For us, the highlight of the evening was being THIS close to top tenor Ben Bliss singing "Una furtiva lagrima".  It was our first attempt to make a video with our iPhone and it is posted on our FB page Voce di Meche. (This is the same Ben Bliss who starred in Die Zauberflote at the Met which would have seated you as far away as the length of a football field.) His performance of "Maria" from Bernstein's West Side Story was matchless.

There were no "low-lights". We were introduced to mezzo-soprano Renee Rapier who delighted us with Ernest Chausson's "Chanson Perpetuelle" and also sang some cabaret material with beautifully modulated dusky tone and affecting expression-"My One and Only Love", "Orange Colored Sky" and "Dream a Little Dream of Me". The combination of mezzo and tenor is not all that common (We don't believe that Ferrando and Dorabella ever sing together in Cosi fan tutte) but we loved every moment.

The instrumental entertainment was provided by the Verona Quartet who, among a legion of honors, are enjoying their second year as Graduate Resident String Quartet at The Juilliard School. The quartet comprises violinists Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violist Abigail Rojansky and cellist Warren Hagerty. They performed two movements from Ravel's String Quartet in F Major and, best of all, the first movement of Dvorak's Piano Quintet #2 in A. We would have killed to hear the rest of the work, a personal favorite. Mr. Glen's piano knitted everything together in a terrific tapestry of sound.

Let us not forget Mr. Bliss' performance of two songs by Vaughn Williams which could absolutely change our mind about singing in English. He is a consummate storyteller and made every word as clear as crystal in "From far, From Eve and Morning" and "Bredon Hill".  If he wants to sing an editorial about politics we would still want to listen!

Of course, the purpose of this glamorous Saturday night was not just to wine and dine and entertain us, but to introduce the audience to this novel concept, some elements of which have been borrowed from other successful companies. The business model has been thoroughly worked out. Membership will replace rigid subscription commitments. Adequate endowments will substitute for expensive fundraising efforts. There will be several levels of involvement in M.E.S.S., from free entertainment for students all the way to elite membership for big donors.  Everyone will have a place. Venues will shift. Flexibility will be a key word. There will be no attempt to have "a house". But there will be "a home".

We have counted ourselves in and will keep you, dear readers, informed of future events.  M.E.S.S. expects to have a full season of opera with a resident ensemble company within three years but there will be more events starting in the Spring.

(c) meche kroop

MAD ABOUT THE BOYS

Ben Bliss and Lachlan Glen

What a perfect partnership!  Tenor Ben Bliss and collaborative pianist Lachlan Glen met each other at the Lindemann Program and the rest is history.  Last night at Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall we experienced the final event in their tour but we wouldn't be at all surprised if the first night of the tour was as polished. The pair have an ease of working together and an equivalence of prodigious talent.

We have reviewed their recitals on prior occasions and are always overcome by their level of artistry and professionalism. Mr. Bliss addresses the audience with such ease that one feels as if you are a guest in his home hearing tidbits about the composer and the song. In everything he does, his musicianship stands out. Nothing gets short shrift and so-called "popular music" gets the same attention as cherished classics.

Mr. Glen is nothing if not colorful but musical values are never sacrificed at the altar of showmanship. His support for the singer is constant from moment to moment. Mr. Glen is also a consummate soloist, as evidenced by his recent recording (Embraceable You) which tackles standard piano chestnuts like Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and Debussy's Clair de Lune; but just listen to his improvisations on Chopsticks!

There was some of this improvisation going on in the final set of the program when we heard Eden Ahbez' "Nature Boy" given such a depth of mystery that we were bowled over.  But we are getting ahead of ourself....

The program seemed to comprise a wide range of styles and each piece seemed to be one that the artists truly enjoyed performing. This was quite different from a recital given over to one composer, or a recital attempting to show off the singer's linguistic skills. This one was just things the artists love.

Fortunately, we loved them too. We can never hear enough Strauss and Mr. Bliss serenaded us with "Ständchen" bringing this tender tune to a passionate climax. Mr. Glen's rippling piano and peaceful postlude were perfect.

In "Barkarole", Mr. Glen really rocked the boat while Mr. Bliss gave us the sweetest "süsser" we have ever heard. His pianissimo was incredibly delicate with no loss of tone. The meditative "Morgen" observed a slow tempo and the final "stummer Schweigen" hung in the air for the lovely postlude.

We were introduced to a composer previously unknown to us and are grateful for the introduction.  Composer Nadia Boulanger had a younger sister named Lili who died tragically at the age of 24, leaving behind some gorgeous songs. At the tender age of 19 she won the Prix de Rome for her compositions, the first woman composer to have achieved this honor. 

We heard selections from Clairières dans le ciel, a fragrant setting of Francis Jammes' text.  Mr. Bliss' performance was marked by finely floated top notes as Mr. Glen's piano rippled underneath. The French seemed flawless.

This delicacy was succeeded by the robust "Marechiare" by Paolo Tosti, sung in Neapolitan dialect and given an expansive and powerful reading by the two artists. Talk about fragrant!  You could smell the garlic!

The recently deceased music critic John Gruen set some playful poetry by e.e.cummings to some equally playful music.  We enjoyed the whimsy of "Spring is like a perhaps hand" and "Lady will you come with me into". The works were unpublished and we hope that situation will change.  More people should hear these delightful ditties but we are not sure another duo could have brought them to such enchanting life.

Our favorite contemporary composer Lowell Liebermann set a text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which was entitled "The Arrow and the Song", drawing an analogy between the two. The arrow is found long afterward in an oak tree, while the song lands in the heart of a friend. There was a grandness to this song and it did indeed reach our heart.

Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was given a lovely setting by Ned Rorem in which the music was quietly pensive as sound can be when muffled by snow.  Theodore Chanler's  "I Rise When You Enter" is a charmingly lighthearted paean to love which Mr. Bliss sang with personality to spare.

There was a set of Benjamin Britten songs as well; we like him best when he embraces humor and Mr. Bliss did complete justice to "The Children and Sir Nameless", an ironic depiction of a pompous lord who gets his comeuppance.  In the melancholy "The Last Rose of Summer", Mr. Glen brought out the troubled chords in the piano and Mr. Bliss made the most of the melismatic passages, as he did in "The Choirmaster's Burial". There was some gorgeously spun out tones in the decrescendo passages.

The final set comprised the aforementioned "Nature Boy" which is still circling our brain and haunting our soul, Harold Arlen's "One for My Baby" and Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So". We were inspired to listen to Nat King Cole's recording of the first, Frank Sinatra's rendition of the second, and Ray Charles' performance of the third. We decided that Mr. Bliss' "cover" surpassed the originals of the first two but maybe, just maybe, Mr. Charles had a slight edge on the third!

Two encores were offered. The first was "Una furtiva lagrima" from Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore when Nemorina realizes that he has won Adina's love. The heartfelt aria is perfect for Mr. Bliss' warm and flexible tenor.  The second offering was "Maria" from Bernstein/Sondheim's West Side Story, another joyful celebration of first love.

So! Blissed out are we by this recital! A recording of favorite songs by Mr. Bliss and Mr. Lachlan is available on Mr. Bliss' website. If you missed this landmark recital you can still enjoy some incomparable vocal music by this versatile duo.

(c) meche kroop

BLISSED OUT!

Lachlan Glen and Ben Bliss

It would take a far better writer than we are to fully convey the impact of yesterday's lieder recital. The word that comes to mind is gifting. Carnegie Hall's program of Neighborhood Recitals is a gift to the community and Mr. Bliss and Mr. Glen gifted the audience. Both gifts were majorly appreciated.

We could walk through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, filled with valuable paintings and stop, arrested, in front of one that captivates us completely.  Is it the subject matter?  The colors? The way one's eye is pulled across the canvas? The technique of the application of paint? Inexplicably the eyes mist over. They are not tears of sorrow and not quite tears of joy.  Perhaps they are tears of awe and appreciation for beauty and all that went on in the heart and soul of the artist who produced it.

That is how we felt at Carnegie Hall's Neighborhood Recital at St. Michael's Church, produced as part of the Marilyn Horne Legacy. We were "stirred and shaken", in awe of such talent belonging to two exemplary artists in the early stages of major careers. 

Mr. Bliss' incredible artistry has already been recognized by The Metropolitan Opera (Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and the LA Opera (Tamino in Die Zauberflöte). His gentle tenor caresses the ear; his impeccable phrasing makes emotional sense out of whatever he sings; his diction ensures that titles are superfluous.

Mr. Glen has prodigious skills as a pianist with his fingers flying over the keys. On top of that his artistry as a collaborative pianist is legendary. He breathes along with the singer, always supporting and never stealing the show, although he easily could. He is already a successful recording artist.

Together, they were even greater than the sum of their parts and held us in their spell by means of their partnership. Whether the result was achieved by a great deal of practice or by instinctual connection we know not.  But we certainly felt it.

In everything they performed, we sensed a deeply felt connection with the material, which was effectively transmitted to the audience. The program opened with Ottorino Respighi's "Pioggia" in which Mr. Glen's piano produced the raindrops and Mr. Bliss' voice had us inhaling the scent of nature refreshed. Similarly, Respighi's "Nebbie" filled us with the coldness and loneliness of a barren landscape with Mr. Glen's decisive piano making significant contributions.

Three songs by Vincenzo Bellini delighted us: "Malinconia, ninfo gentile",  "Vanne, o rosa fortunata", and "Ma rendi pur contento". All were performed with full attention paid to Bellini's long melodic lines.

Of the four Benjamin Britten songs, we are happy to report that every word was understood, due to superlative English diction. We wish that were always the case but it is not to be taken for granted. We loved the charming "Sally in our Alley".

Two sonnets were performed: Britten's "Spirito ben nato" from Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo (noted for some lovely a capella phrases) and Franz Liszt's "Pace non trovo" from Tre sonetti di Petrarca. Having heard this a dozen times this year at various master classes, we thought we were tired of it.  But yesterday we seemed to be hearing it for the first time. The artists brought it to a thrilling dramatic climax.

Opera was not neglected. "Una furtiva lagrima" from Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore was absolutely stunning.  Never mind that we just heard it the night before! It was sung with depth and simplicity; the messa di voce at the end was exquisite.

A group of French songs by Henri Duparc and Ernest Chausson were beautifully performed with lovely long Gallic lines and not a whiff of effeteness.  Perhaps our favorite was Reynaldo Hahn's "L'heure exquise" with its delicate piano part and the vocal skips upward.

A prior reviewing commitment forced us to leave before the final set of songs. We hated missing any part of this recital. This is one recital that will remain in our memory.

(c) meche kroop

JOY QUADRUPLED

Lachlan Glen, Dimitri Dover, Steven Eddy, and Lilla Heinrich Szász

Joy of Singing was born in 1958 as an award program to foster the performance of art songs with special attention paid to interpretation and communication.  It was begun by Winifred Cecil, a noted singer and teacher. The program continues and is flourishing under the musical direction of Paul Sperry . Every year the winner of the competition is given a recital. This year, the quality of the competitors was so high that the judges were obliged to share the prize.

Thus it was that we had the opportunity last night at Merkin Concert Hall to hear two gifted singers and two exemplary collaborative pianists perform a program of art songs in several languages and a variety of styles.

Soprano Lilla Heinrich Szász has impressed us since her days at Juilliard, eventually winning their 2013 Honor's Recital among many other honors, all richly deserved. She has a lively winning onstage personality and a glorious ringing instrument that she easily bends to her will.

Her collaborative pianist, Australian Lachlan Glen, is also well known to us for several years, having won us over by his producing all of Franz Schubert's songs over the period of a year--a delicious extravagance never to be forgotten.  If there is a better interpreter of Schubert alive today we would be surprised. Besides this, he has incredible sensitivity to the singer. We noticed him actually breathing with Ms. Szász in rhythm.

Naturally, Schubert songs were selected to open the program and we were glad for it. "Vedi quanto adoro ancora ingrato!" is a bit unusual for Schubert; it is sung in Italian, the setting of a text by Pietro Metastasio. It was the perfect vehicle to show off both passion and delicacy in both artists.

We also heard the sorrowful "Die Liebe hat gelogen", the gentle "Der Jüngling an der Quelle" in which Mr. Glen's piano became rather spry, and the intense "Die junge Nonne", the most familiar of the set. The two artists drew us in totally with Ms. Szász seemingly losing herself in the throes of religious ecstasy and Mr. Glen creating quite a storm in the piano.

From a century later came four folk songs set by Zoltán Kodály which Ms. Szász, whose roots are Transylvanian, sang in Hungarian.  Fortunately she translated them herself for the program. We heard cries of despair and poverty, not the cheerful folk songs of Brahms. Our favorite was the final song which bore a mournful melody. The final note hung suspended in mid air.

The final set comprised songs by Benjamin Britten, the first of which was a setting of a W.H. Auden poem "Fish in the Unruffled Lakes" which did not make much sense to us. We greatly preferred "The Salley Gardens" to a text by W. B. Yeats.  The final song "Calypso" from Cabaret Songs had an urgent rhythm, with Mr. Glen creating the sound of a railroad train in his piano.

The second half of the program was given over to the other prize winner--baritone Steven Eddy and collaborative pianist Dimitri Dover. The two seemed to enjoy a special partnership, opening with one of our favorite Brahms songs "Meine Liebe ist grün". Another Brahms song "Botschaft" was performed later and we would have preferred hearing them in the same set. They are both so melodic and romantic.

Instead, there were two songs by Clara Schumann interposed. The first, "O weh des Scheidens, das er tat" was a sad one and seemed unresolved at the end.  The second "Liebst du um Schönheit" was quite lovely but suffered a bit by comparison to the Richard Strauss setting with which all lied lovers are far more familiar. (We couldn't help thinking of the Löwe setting of Frauen Lieben und Leben which one rarely hears because of Schumann's arguably better setting.)

Mr. Eddy excelled in his interpretation of Barber's Mélodies passagères. We enjoyed Barber's music so much better in French and we think that Rilke's poetry inspired him to new heights. Mr. Eddy's French served the music well and the fact that he translated them himself likely increased his involvement.  Particularly suited to his voice was "Le clocher chante" and Mr. Dover's piano made sure we heard the carillon. We also liked "Départ" a great deal.

Mr. Eddy explained the Jake Heggie songs which followed.  They were written for baritone Nathan Gunn and were inspired by paintings in the Dallas Art Museum. We found the concept more interesting than the music. Mr. Eddy's English diction is better than most but we still missed a lot of the words and there was no text provided to read. Our English-speaking companion was of the same opinion.

Fortunately the remainder of Mr. Eddy's program was thrilling. We love Dvorák's Gypsy Songs and have mainly heard them in German. Mr. Eddy, to our delight, sang them in Czech. We do not understand the language but loved the way the melody and the rhythm of the words lined up It was a spirited song about a folk dance and we were ready to get up and dance!

Similarly, we loved Respighi's "Invito alla danza", a more sedate and romantic song and perhaps our favorite song by this early 20th c. composer. Following along with the dance theme was Camille Saint-Saëns' "Danse macabre" and that's one dance we'd like to pass up!

If all we had heard were the encore we would have considered it a successful evening. That's just how wonderful it was!  From a rare Donizetti opera entitled Il Campanello di Notte, we heard the Brindisi "Mesci, mesci". Mr. Glen joined Mr. Dover for a four-handed accompaniment while Ms. Szász and Mr. Eddy performed with gusto and glee. We considered ourselves well prepared for the champagne reception upstairs!

(c) meche kroop

A BLISS-FUL RECITAL

Lachlan Glen and Ben Bliss

Our writing skills are insufficient to do justice to the artistry we witnessed onstage yesterday at the recital of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. We felt enthralled for 80 short minutes and wanted more. How do we find the words to convey what it's like to have one's heart and soul swept away in torrents of music? We may fail but we must make the effort.

Tenor Ben Bliss has a remarkable instrument, the timbre of which has a near magical effect on the very cells of the body. The phrase "liquid balm" comes to mind. One hears the tone and it's as if one is in touch with the music of the spheres.

Add to this the musicianship--the phrasing, the diction, the pacing--and every song became a mini-opera. Mr. Bliss seems to be so involved with the emotional tone of each song and conveys it so successfully that it becomes a shared experience. We sat with moist eyes, partly from the sheer beauty we heard and partly from identifying with the emotions in many of the songs.

To add to the intensity of the experience we had the piano partnering of Lachlan Glen who touches the keys and thereby touches the heart. He seemed to become one with the instrument and brings forth joy and sorrow, delicacy and passion, each in its own turn.

The first half of the program included songs of Vincenzo Bellini and Ottorini Respighi. The three canzone by Bellini are well known to us and much loved. "Malinconia, Ninfa gentile", "Vanne, o rosa fortuna", and "Ma rendi pur contento", which was rendered with great delicacy. We are sure that Bellini would have loved the interpretations which were imbued with a great variety of color.

As far as the Respighi songs, they belong to the category of songs that we've heard that never made much of an impression on us. All that was changed by Mr. Bliss and Mr. Glen who took them to an entirely new level. 

In "Pioggia", the poet (Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj) speaks of "il tumulto dei colori" and Mr. Bliss sang in such a tumult of colors!  In "Nebbie" the lonely unloved feelings of the poet (Ada Negri) came through with such clarity that we wept. The gradual crescendo led to feelings of near horror at the conclusion. We have written before about how a deeply felt performance can change the way we feel about a song and such was the case.

Franz Liszt's "Pace non trovo" from Tre Sonetti di Petrarca was filled with passion and clearly illustrated the poet's bafflement over his contradictory feelings towards the mysterious Laura. Each feeling came through by means of adept and artistic word coloring. There was a suspenseful pause just before the final pair of lines ("In questo stato son") in which we realized we were holding our breath!

The second half of the program included the participation of The Kleio Quartet: violinists Christina Bouey and Clare Semes, violist Isabel Hagen, and cellist Madeline Fayette. Ralph Vaughan Williams composed the evocative On Wenlock Edge in 1908, scored for tenor, piano and string quartet. The influence of Maurice Ravel is marked. The text is from A.E. Housman's A Shropshire Lad.

The instrumental effects are poignant and add greatly to the tenor's storytelling. We heard "From far, from eve and morning", followed by the very sorrowful " 'Is my team ploughing" in which the texture of cello and piano alternated with the voices of the violins and viola. Mr. Bliss brought out the chilling end, as a storyteller must.

Mr. Glen employed his piano artistry well in "Bredon Hill"; there was no missing the pealing of the church bells. This sad tale had the violins weeping.  And we wept along.

Mr. Glen had his chance to shine in his performance of Ravel's "Jeux d'eau" for solo piano. He addressed the audience and shared that the piece represents the river goddess laughing as the waters of the Fountain of Versaille tickle her. Needless to say, our ears were equally tickled as Mr. Glen's fingers tickled the ivories.  What a performance!

The program closed with a few unusual choices. Mr. Bliss began "As I went down to the river to pray" a capella and with great simplicity.  Then the piano entered and each verse grew in fervor. It became a work of wonder.

Ann Ronnel's "Willow weep for me" was followed by "Orange colored sky" by Milton De Lugg and Willie Stein, a jazzy number that Mr. Bliss sang with flair and more than enough facility with "scat".

As encore we heard in impeccable German the luscious arietta "Magische Töne" from Karl Goldmark's 1875 opera Die Königen von Saba. The music and the words are equally seductive and Mr. Bliss floated the notes of his upper register in a lingering pianissimo. We could feel the "milde abendluft".  Pure Bliss!

(c) meche kroop

A CHALLENGING PROGRAM BY LINDEMANN ARTISTS

Lachlan Glen, Dimitri Dover, Brandon Cedel, and Mary-Jane Lee

We await the annual Lindemann Recitals with great anticipation and we have never been disappointed.  Yesterday's recital was filled with delights both familiar and new. As much as we love to be turned on to works we've never heard, we get even greater pleasure when an artist gets us to understand works we've never favored.

Such was the case when soprano Mary-Jane Lee sang Alban Berg's Sieben Frühe Lieder, accompanied by Dimitri Dover. We have always found these songs inaccessible but Ms. Lee, by some alchemical process, managed to get inside the songs and to convey what we have never heard before. 

Ms. Lee has a soaring soprano that dazzles in the upper register.  But she also has an engaging manner and musicianship that made sense of Berg's strange vocal lines; they became rather haunting. Although our favorite will always be the melodic "Die Nachtigall" we also enjoyed the gemütlich atmosphere of "Im Zimmer".

Mr. Dover's immense contribution was to bring out the connection between the vocal line and the piano part. We also enjoyed his fine pianism in a later set of Rachmaninoff songs.  In "At night in my Garden" he established the mood of the sad weeping willow even before Ms. Lee began to tell the tale. His playing of the prelude of "In the silence of the secret night" was lavishly romantic.

As far as Ms. Lee's Russian diction, our Russian-speaking companion declared it very good.  Surely it sounded just fine to us!

The other artists on the program also excelled.  Bass-baritone Brandon Cedel formed a perfect partnership with collaborative pianist Lachlan Glen; they seemed to inhale and exhale in unison and we would swear that Mr. Glen was singing along in his head!

The most challenging work on the program was Schumann's lengthy ballad "Belsatzar" and Mr. Cedel confirmed our confidence in him as a master storyteller. The tale he told was one written by Heinrich Heine about an evil king and some mysterious handwriting on the wall. We still have goosebumps.

Mr. Cedel has a wonderful instrument of depth and amplitude with a finely textured vibrato, so different from the burly type. This allows him to sing more delicate songs like those in his first set which he performed with refinement and polish, achieving expressiveness with an economy of gesture.

We have never heard a man sing Mahler's  "Liebst du um Schönheit" and never even thought of it, but Mr. Cedel's delivery was heartfelt and meaningful. We loved Mr. Glen's pianistic passion in Schumann's "Requiem", quite a change from the delicate sensitivity displayed in the other songs.

This perfect pair closed the recital with a trio of Mahler songs. We have never had a problem relating to Mahler's output so we just relaxed and enjoyed "Um Mitternacht" with the haunting minor thirds in the piano. Mahler was surely inspired by Friedrich Rückert's poetry.

In "Urlicht" the piano and voice both reflected a depth of spiritual feeling. The pace was leisurely but the colors shifted rapidly. The final song was "Revelge" a story of the horrors of war told in march tempo. Mr. Glen's piano became wild and passionate. Mr. Cedel's performance was chilling in its effect. We believe that Mahler wanted us to feel horrified and the artists succeeded admirably.

All four artists have earned awards and recognition here and abroad. But what really matters to the audience is how they perform onstage at that particular moment. No one left disappointed.

(c) meche kroop

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE....

Lachlan Glen and Kyle Bielfield (photo by Jordan Chaplecka}

What is the difference between a recital and a CD?  That's not a riddle but a question we have been asking ourselves during the fortnight since we came into possession of the chart-topping CD recorded by tenor Kyle Bielfield and collaborative pianist Lachlan Glen.

A number of answers come to mind but the most obvious one is that a recital is evanescent and very much "of the moment" whereas a CD is forever.  If you like it you can listen to it again.  And if you love it, as we do this recording, you can play it every day and find new delights each time you listen.

Another difference is the perfection that can be achieved in a recording studio that one cannot expect in a live recital. One other difference in this particular recording is that the songs have not been arranged in "sets" containing the works of one composer as they would be in a recital; rather they have been arranged to provide a balanced listening experience and to create a variety of moods by varying the tempi.

What is remarkable about "Stopping By" is the exquisite partnership between Mr. Bielfield's sweet tenor and Mr. Glen's fine collaborative piano.  All the songs are treated with equal respect.  The program notes distinguishe between "classically oriented" and "Americana".  We make no such distinctions.  Brahms set many folk songs which seem to our ears no less worthy than settings of renowned poets.

Our particular taste leans toward settings of text that rhymes and scans.  Thus it is that the songs of Stephen Foster, called "the father of American song" filled us with pleasure.  Made famous by Marilyn Horne in our own time, "Beautiful Dreamer" is here given an exquisite performance with a perfect ending in the upper register; in Foster's setting of the sad "Gentle Annie" Michael Samis' cello makes a lovely contribution.  Here is proof that a folk tune can be made into art.

Going from the earliest entry in this survey of American song to the most recent, Leonard Bernstein's "Dream with Me" tickled our ears with excellent phrasing on the part of all three artists, as did his "Spring Will Come Again" in which Mr. Bielfield seems to caress each word. Again, Mr. Samis' cello was a welcome addition to the music.

But our absolute favorite song in the album is Irving Berlin's "Change Partners"; anyone who has yearned for a person who was "taken" can relate to the futile hopefulness.  Mr. Bielfield's heart and soul was in this one!

A special treat is hearing three settings of Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening".  The splendid poetry seems to have inspired three equally fine but different compositions.  Perhaps the most accessible is that of Samuel Barber and the most melancholy that of John Duke in which the piano is given a superb prelude and postlude.  But Ned Rorem's is no less terrific for its spareness.

Two folk songs arranged by Aaron Copland captured the ear with their directness and simplicity: "Long Time Ago" and the Shaker hymn "Simple Gifts".  Paul Bowles' "In the Woods" requires the singer to whistle in imitation of birdsong; to our ears it sounded exactly like a mating call; we loved it.  Ned Rorem's brief gem "Snake" had a slithery vocal line and a churning piano.

"From the Land of the Sky-Blue Waters" by Charles Wakefield Cadman is a lovely old-fashioned ballad with some nice figuration in the piano.  Charles Griffes "The Water Lily" has an impressionistic feel.  Songs by Amy Beach, Celius Dougherty and Mark Abel are also represented in this compendium of American song.

By now you will have realized that this banquet of song offers something for everyone to enjoy.  We have mentioned our favorites but with further listening we are sure to appreciate some of the less accessible songs.  Please feel free to comment below on your favorites!

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THREE GENTLEMEN OF LINDEMANN

Brandon Cedel, Lachlan Glen, Benjamin Bliss

When you put three artists from the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program onstage together, you get an hour of bliss--Bliss, Cedel and Glen that is!  All three conspired to amaze and delight us with their respective gifts.

We consider Lachlan Glen to be he finest pianist of his generation.  After a year of his Schubert recitals we are constantly amazed at how many other composers he has mastered, how many different styles at which he excels  and how readily he responds to every singer with whom he collaborates.  He is not only versatile but original.

Take for example last night's Purcell to whom he gave some  improvisatory flourishes; no one can say whether old Henry would have approved but our ears were tickled and we can honestly say that we have never enjoyed Purcell more.  The songs chosen by him and tenor Benjamin Bliss have graced many a program and have sounded rather similar and, dare we say, a bit boring.  But last night they sounded exciting in a way that baroque songs rarely do. 

Mr. Bliss has a lovely clear sound, impressive legato and flawless diction.  He sings with a depth of feeling, using facial expression and gesture to mine every nuance of the text.  "Come All Ye Songsters" from The Fairy Queen is a fragile thing and Mr. Glen's delicate fingering matched Mr. Bliss' pianissimo singing.  "Music For a While" from Oedipus was swoon-worthy with a secure crescendo at the beginning and some impressive singing in the upper register at the end.  Just hear how Mr. Bliss leaned into the appoggiature!   The lavish ornamentation in "Sweeter Than Roses" from Pausanias was reflected from singer to pianist and the word coloring for "freeze" and "fire" surpassed what one would hear in Mozart's "Non so piu".

Three songs by Franz Liszt were revelatory.  We generally associate that composer with passionate turbulent music and were amazed by his "Wie singt die Lerche Schön" which is in a tender vein and gave Mr. Bliss an opportunity to demonstrate a fine portamento.  In "Es rauschen die Winde", Mr. Bliss expressed the internal sorrows of loss while Mr. Glen's piano evinced the storm without.  We had never heard Liszt's setting of Heinrich Heine's "Im Rhein, im schönen Strome" but it is a thrilling one and Mr. Glen's fingers were flying from one end of the keyboard to the other in an orgy of arpeggiation.  Mr. Bliss' German was flawless.

Bass-Baritone Brandon Cedel just keeps getting better and better.  His deep round sound is balm to the ear and his fortuitous choice of Schumann's Liederkreis  gave him the opportunity to show a wide expanse of emotional tone.  The loneliness of "In der Fremde" was followed by the sweetness of "Intermezzo".  We particularly enjoyed the menace of "Waldesgespräch" with the seductive rider and the vengeful Lorelei.  In "Die Stille" Mr. Cedel conveyed the gentle rapture of love and Mr. Glen's delicate touch in "Mondnacht" was a thing of great beauty and joy forever, to coin a phrase.  Similarly he conveyed the rushing stream in "In der Fremde".

"Zwielicht" conveys the same fear of loss as Strauss' "Die Nacht" and Mr. Cedel and Mr. Glen gave the song a poignant ending as they did in "Im Walde" when Mr. Cedel descended to his lowest register.  Happily the cycle ended with a sanguine verse about love fulfilled and Mr. Cedel's voice opened up with joy.  We have only one small quibble about Mr. Cedel's otherwise fine German.  Like many singers, he seems timid about final "ch"s as in "ich" and "dich".  That would be a simple thing to correct and then we could say he was perfect.

© meche kroop


 

MORE BUDS ON THE VOCAL ARTS BRANCH OF THE JUILLIARD TREE

Alex McKissick, Nicolette Mavroleon

Kurt Kanazawa, Virginie Verrez, Laura Levoir, Jessine Johnson

Lachlan Glen, Theo Hoffman, Leann Osterkamp, Mary-Elizabeth O'Neill

A week of recitals at Juilliard have left us reeling with pleasure. There wasn't a mediocre singer in the bunch; all were promising but some seem to have a better sense of what suits their particular voices and interpretive skills.  It takes a lot of courage to introduce a new work or to choose songs that are rarely performed.  Sometimes a gem is discovered and sometimes we are left realizing why a particular work has been neglected.  (Anyone who has worked with Steven Blier knows of his gifts for choosing songs and finding the right singer to inhabit them.)

Let us begin with Theo Hoffman whose third-year undergraduate status tells us absolutely nothing about his prodigious talents.  His generous smoky baritone was heard twice on Thursday.  At the Vocal Arts Department's Liederabend (an all-Schumann program) he sang in perfect German four lovely lieder, perfectly modulated in volume and word-coloring.  He was accompanied by the fine Ari Livne.

And two hours later he was onstage at his third-year recital with the amazing Lachlan Glen (whose new CD we will be reviewing shortly) as piano partner, making music out of some songs in English that we did not expect to enjoy; it is testament to the talents of these two artists that we found ourselves loving the material.

Mr. Hoffman has preternatural stage poise and dramatic chops; he can really bring a song to life.  He drew selections from the oeuvre of Jonathan Dove, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, John Musto, Samuel Barber, Rufus Wainwright and Marc Blitzstein.  One cannot go wrong with poetry by Alfred Tennyson, Robert Louis Stevenson or William Butler Yeats.  But the big surprise was Rufus Wainwright's "True Loves" and Marc Blitzstein's "Stay in My Arms". Both men composed their own texts and both songs were pure delight.  As encore, Mr. Hoffman sang Noel Coward's "Uncle Harry", a reprise of his success at a recital at the National Opera Center. What fun!!!

Sharing the program was mezzo Mary-Elizabeth O'Neill whom we enjoyed in those wonderful Schubert songs from Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister.  She was just the right interpreter for these songs of the mysterious Mignon.  We were somewhat less enchanted by her choice of Mirabai Songs, John Harbison's setting of texts by Robert Bly.  The writing for piano was difficult and dense, performed well by the fine collaborative pianist Leann Osterkamp, but the vocal line was spare and not melodic.  The work obviously meant a great deal to Ms. O'Neill but we found ourselves incapable of caring about the Hindu princess who left her family to devote herself body and soul to Lord Krishna, although Ms. O'Neill's diction in English was easily understood.

To return now to the all-Schumann Liederabend, we enjoyed baritone Kurt Kanazawa, accompanied by Joseph Yungen, having a great deal of fun with his choices.  His light and pleasing baritone sounded wonderful and seemed particularly suited to songs about seduction--"The Hidalgo" for example.  He is one of those singers who uses his body and facial expression to good advantage, as in his imitating the ladies of Seville with their fans and mantillas.  What a storyteller!

Soprano Laura LeVoir with her piano partner Zsolt Balogh sounded especially fine in "Der Sandmann", "Schmetterling" and "Schneeglöckchen", singing with lightness, delicacy and charm.

Jessine Johnson has a larger voice that was well suited to the tragic "Der Soldat" and the scary "Muttertraum".  The Rückert lied "Mein schöner Stern" was equally impressive.  Siyi Fang followed along with her as piano partner, contributing to the apt interpretations.

Mezzo Virginie Verrez, accompanied by Miles Fellenberg, undertook the very sad Gedichte der Königin Maria Stuart.  Her very textured voice was expressive and she demonstrated exquisite phrasing, dynamic control and word coloring.  We were moved and enthralled.

Soprano Nicolette Mavroleon and tenor Alex McKissick shared a third-year recital and made a fine showing, the most amazing part of which was their versatility.  Just a few days earlier we heard them both singing in a cabaret (also reviewed here) and were impressed with the ease with which they shifted gears.

We always love Dvořák and were thrilled that Ms. Mavroleon chose to sing a quartet of his songs, three of which were about unfulfilled love.  We especially loved the typical Czech melody of "My heart often becomes mournful".  Piano partner Valeriya Polunina captured the mood perfectly.

She also sang a Schubert concert aria in Italian that was filled with emotion--"Vedi quanto adoro ancora ingrato!"  How wonderful to discover a new side of Schubert; we would not have recognized it as Schubert.  Two songs by Rimsky-Korsakov followed and we were blown away by the erotic "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Tenor Alex McKissick essayed selections from Die Schöne Müllerin which we have always considered to be best sung by a young man.  He conveyed enthusiasm and contentment, tenderness and exultation. We liked the way he changed color for the various voices in "Am Feierabend".

He has a facility for Spanish and did a fine job conveying the insecurity of the serenader in "Te quiero, Morena" from the zarzuela El Trust de los Tenorios by José Serrano.  José Padilla's "Princesita" had a lovely melody.  Raymond Wong was his able accompanist.

A week spent at Juilliard provided a lifetime of musical memories!

© meche kroop