HANDEL'S RINALDO AT CARNEGIE HALL

James Hall, Luca Pisaroni, Jane Archibald, Harry Bicket, Iestyn Davies, Joélle Harvey, Jakub Józef Orlinski, and Sasha Cooke

What an incomparable Sunday afternoon, spent at Carnegie Hall reveling in the sound of seven glorious voices giving Händel his due--and then some. Only The English Concert, conducted by their Artistic Director, could have managed such a lucid and lively performance, holding our attention continually for over three hours.

The plot of Rinaldo is based loosely on Torquato Tasso's epic poem Gerusalemme Liberata, the source of plots for many other operas.  It is set during the First Crusades and the Christians are portrayed as the good guys and the Saracens as the bad guys. The happy ending involves the Saracens converting to Christianity. There are those who might find the story politically incorrect but we are not of that ilk. 

This was the first opera in Italian Händel wrote for the British stage in 1711, when the composer was only 26 years old.  Much of its music was borrowed from operas Handel wrote in Italy and he revised it periodically to accommodate voices of different fachs. After an initial success, it lay dormant for two centuries. We are so glad it was resurrected, especially since Planet Opera is well populated these days with brilliant countertenors. Thankfully, the era of castrati is long gone!

Goffredo and his brother Eustazio (a role often omitted) count on their greatest warrior Rinaldo to defeat the Saracens.  Rinaldo is betrothed to Goffredo's daughter Almirena. The leader of the Saracens is Argante who is under the power of the sorceress Armida. Remember her from Handel's opera Armida? In this opera, she kidnaps Almirena and falls in love with Rinaldo whilst Argante falls in love with Almirena.  It takes a Christian sorcerer to counteract Armida's sorcery.

The plot is just an excuse for a compilation and recycling of some of Händel's most glorious music from his Italian period; listeners are sure to recognize much of it.  From our point of view, we were must taken by Almirena's aria of grief and longing--"Lascia ch'io pianga" and its counterpart sung by Rinaldo --"Cara sposa". 

Other moments that grabbed our ear was "Augelletti, che cantate" due to the brilliant work of the recorder;  the sopranino created some very realistic bird song. Tom Foster's harpsichord solo at the end of Act II dazzled us with its virtuosity as Armida planned her battle with the Christians. The three (and later four) trumpet players did a swell job of announcing battles. These trumpets had no keys and we were amazed by their tonality.

As we come to discuss the singers, full disclosure requires that we repeat what we often say; when we have written about a singer for a few years we feel a heavier investment in their success and a greater pleasure in their achievements.  We are not saying, however, that we are biased.  Of course not!

We first heard counter-tenor Jakub Józef Orlinski in a Polish church in Greenpoint when Il Giardino d'Amore presented Carnevale di Venezia as part of their tour. We went to hear our friend, soprano Amaya Arberas who, coincidentally, sang "Lascia ch'io pianga". We heard Mr. Orlinski and went bananas. What a thrill to find out that he was getting his Graduate Diploma from Juilliard, where we would go on to review his work at least a half a dozen times. We heard him in recital and in Baroque opera, and most memorably, singing  "Duetto buffo di due gatti", which may or may not have been written by Rossini. Whoever wrote it, it was a performance we will never forget.

We have heard him sing Polish songs in recital at the Kosciuszko Foundation, as well as Schubert lieder. We watched him break hearts in Jonathan Dove's Flight. He has never turned in a performance less than perfect and deserves every award he has won. In our opinion, he stole the show yesterday with his fine technique and expressiveness. There was strength down to the lowest end of the register. We are so glad that the part of Eustazio (Goffredo's brother) was not eliminated!

We were very happy with all the singing but our focus on Mr. Orlinski has been explained.  As Rinaldo, counter-tenor Iestyn Davis made a fine hero, one who was more lover than warrior. His timbre is appealing and our only quibble was a bit of weakness at the bottom of the register.

Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke en travesti handled the role of Goffredo with fine style and vocal technique. The glamorous soprano Jane Archibald created a powerful Armida, especially in "Vo' far guerra". We enjoyed her love/hate duet with Argante in Act III.

Argante was sung by bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni who always gives a great performance and managed to convey the ambivalence of his leadership and his importuning of Almirena--both successfully.

Lovely soprano Joélle Harvey made a wonderfully complex Almirena.  Just as Rinaldo's heroism is invaded by his romantic nature, her romantic nature is affected by her lust for winning battles.

In a bit of luxury casting, the excellent counter-tenor James Hall took on several of the smaller roles. We'd like to hear more of him.

Mr. Bicket conducted from the harpsichord with Mr. Foster at a second harpsichord. Outstanding work by the winds was laid over a warm carpet of strings. The presence of the grand theorbo is always exciting. a:What a terrific sound!

Concert versions of operas are rarely this compelling.  We can now consider ourself a fan of The English Concert and eagerly await their next visit.

(c) meche kroop

LUCA PISARONI and WOLFRAM RIEGER

Luca Pisaroni (photo by Marco Borggreve)

For us, an evening of 19th c. lieder might be our very favorite vocal event.   To have two truly incomparable artists onstage together in the not-too-large Zankel Hall was beyond our wildest dreams.  Bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, known to us before last night as a world-class opera singer, gave every evidence of being a world-class recitalist; we were thrilled to see a new aspect of his artistry.  Likewise, we have never attended a solo recital in which Wolfram Rieger has been the collaborative pianist.  The teamwork of the two artists resulted in an evening that set the bar for vocal recitals.  We were transfixed.

Mr. Pisaroni is in perfect control of his instrument and chose wisely in his selections.  For many of the earlier songs in the program, he used the lighter baritonal qualities of his voice, enabling the flexibility necessary for the ornamentation;  he revealed the majesty and depth of the bass range later on when the songs called for it. 

He has impeccable diction, making every word audible and comprehensible--very valuable since no titles were projected and we could not tear our eyes away to read the translations in the program. His phrasing always made sense and his ability to change the feeling tone from song to song, and even within a song, allowed us to feel the feelings along with him.

Mr. Rieger is a piano partner any singer would be fortunate to work with.  In last night's performance, he seemed to breathe along with Mr. Pisaroni while always bringing out the emotional subtext of the song.  He has a light touch that always supports but never overwhelms the vocal line.  The ease with which his fingers fly over the keys is nothing short of astonishing.

We agree with the common belief that Schubert was the greatest composer of lieder, not just in his own century but for all time; his work has never been matched.  We only wish that contemporary composers could learn from his vocal lines; from the way he wrote for the voice, one would think his background was that of a singer.  We mention this because holding this belief does not take away from the genius of Mozart, who tossed off his songs as gifts; nor of Beethoven or Mendelssohn.  They were titans, all of them.

Most of the songs on the program were familiar to us so it pleased us to just sit back and allow Mr. Pisaroni's communicative skills to invite us into the world of each song.  From the set of Mozart songs, we enjoyed the delicacy of "Das Veilchen", the lovely light piano figurations in "Komm, liebe Zither" and the charm of "An Chloë".  But when Mr. Pisaroni sang the philosophical "Abendempfindung" we were moved to tears, perhaps not flooding down our cheeks but surely moistening our eyes as we contemplated the message of the transitory nature of life.

In the set of songs by Beethoven, we particularly enjoyed the piano accompaniment and the gentle melody of "Zärtliche Liebe".  Mr. Pisaroni brought out the humor in "Der Kuss" which is one of our very favorite songs. 

He put particular color into the set of songs by Mendelssohn.  The rhythmic motion of the galloping elves in "Neue Liebe" painted quite a picture in our mind's eye.  The familiar "Auf Flügeln des Gesanges" was given a particular lyrical spin.

The second half of the program was Schubert, all Schubert and nothing but Schubert.  (You won't hear any complaints from a woman who heard almost all of Schubert's 600 plus songs at the hands of Lachlan Glen and Jonathan Ware.)  It was in the first grouping, all settings of texts by Heinrich Heine, that we heard the depths of Mr. Pisaroni's vocal register and the depths of  Schubert's despair as well as Heine's irony and bitterness. "Der Atlas" is a grim song and "Ihr Bild" expresses intense loss.  What a relief it was to hear the cheerful barcarole "Das Fischermädchen".  In "Die Stadt" the diminished arpeggios in the piano lent a mysterious air.  "Der Doppelgänger" was given a solemn reading and a sense of eeriness.

The group of songs composed to texts by Goethe included the four-voiced highly dramatic "Erlkonig".  The narrator is neutral, the father's voice is lower and attempts to reassure the sick child and the erlkonig's voice is high and seductive.  Mr. Pisaroni nailed three of them especially the oily erlkonig, but the frightened child sounded too deep and forceful for our taste.    "Grenzen der Menschheit" gave the singer an opportunity to exercise the very bottom of his register and the sweetness of "Ganymed" with its shift from major to minor mode was a lovely contrast.

It was a most generous program and we were surprised and delighted that Mr. Pisaroni gave us two encores.  He charmingly announced that he was tired of singing in German and did two songs in Italian, one by Beethoven, "L'amante impaziente", and one by Schubert, "Il modo di prender moglie".  They were lovely songs but at this point I would have listened raptly if he were singing the phone book.

What a completely satisfying evening!  The next time this duo gives a recital, guess who will be first in line.

ⓒ meche kroop

LAST DISPATCH FROM SANTA FE

           
Glamorous mezzo Susan Graham made a delightful hostess for the Santa Fe Opera's fundraiser "Susan Graham and Friends".  With several changes of    attire and a charming manner, she introduced the glittering stars of the      evening who competed with the star-studded New Mexico skies.                 
Especially glittering onstage was coloratura soprano Erin Morley who sang "O beau pays de la Touraine" from Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots.  Ms. Morley's technique is amazing; her trills are liquid silver and her fioritura is always invested with pinpoint accuracy.  Most of the selections from the first half of the program were from lesser known operas, and while given with great artistry, were not always perfectly suited to the singers who performed them, and unfamiliar to the audience who might have preferred some old chestnuts.  Nonetheless, hearing bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, soprano Leah Crocetto, tenor Bryan Hymel, soprano Erin Wall, baritone Mark Delavan and Ms. Graham herself is always a treat.  The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, conducted by Kenneth Montgomery, has played remarkably well all season.  Frederic Chaslin accompanied Ms. Graham for her "Ch'io mi scordi di te".The second half of the program was given over to lighter works--operetta and Broadway musicals.  Still, it is difficult to consider the "Epiphany"  from Sondheim's Sweeney Todd as a light work and Mark Delavan showed every nuance of its nastiness.  We were surprised and delighted to see Nicholas Pallesen, well remembered from Juilliard days, who gave a stirring performance of "If ever I would leave you" from Lerner and Loewe's Camelot.  Ms. Graham was hilarious in "The boy from..." by Sondheim and Rogers.  The program closed with the finale from Bernstein's Candide, sung by Zach Borichevsky whom we enjoyed so much as Matteo in Arabella. His Cunegonde was sung by promising coloratura soprano Lindsey Russell, one of this year's apprentices.

WOW-METTO

Luca Pisaroni

Patricia Bardon

Bruce Sledge

Leah Crocetto

The Santa Fe Opera has come through with another major success--a totally fulfilling production of Rossini's Maometto II.  There has been some extensive scholarship involved in bringing this masterpiece to the stage, in light of the plethora of extant  versions, but what matters to us in the audience are the musical and dramatic values.  And of those, not an element can be faulted.

As the titular hero, bass Luca Pisaroni gives us vocalism and dramatic energy in spades.  His Maometto is compelling--virile, dominant, vengeful and arrogant--a warrior who also has moments of tenderness, all of which is reflected in his multihued voice and total commitment to the role as he strides around the stage looking every bit the conqueror. Soprano Leah Crocetto has a coloratura of warmth and color; her fioritura is spot on.  We wind up caring deeply for her character Anna, the daughter of a Venetian commander Erisso, so perfectly portrayed by tenor Bruce Sledge.  Mr. Sledge's voice is strong but always pleasant to the ear and modulated to suit the mood of the scene.  Mezzo Patricia Bardon won our admiration in her vivacious and accurately sung portrayal of Calbo whom Erisso has chosen as husband for his daughter.

What Erriso and Calbo don't know, but are soon to learn, is that Anna has fallen in love with Maometto who has deceived her into believing that he is a Venetian nobleman.  Her anguish over this deception and its effect on her father and the risk to the Venetian efforts to hold onto the citadel at Negroponte make up the plot which sweeps us along in a great current of Rossinian melody, here so marvelous interpreted by Maestro Frederic Chaslin, leading the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra.  This opera is considered to be quite inventive for its time and also sadly neglected.  Most operagoers think of comedy when they think of Rossini, but he has created some valuable tragic operas, of which this is surely one of the most important. He has given some beautiful melodic lines to the woodwinds and, at times of battle, to the brasses.

We have been impressed all season with the performance of the chorus, comprising apprentices who have been whipped into shape by chorus master Susanne Sheston.  Peggy Hickey's choreography for the "Ninja warriors" was most interesting and added to the totality.  David Alden's direction was straightforward and kept the action moving along.

Last night's performance also had a contribution from Mother Nature.  Peals of thunder accompanied Ms. Crocetto and the astute lighting of Duane Schuler was abetted by bolts of lightning.  In the final act, as the libretto speaks of fleeing the approaching storm, a handful of audience member did exactly that.  We were happy to stay and revel in the gorgeous duets and trios as the cast of four worked through their complex issues with one another.  Once again we have duty trumping love.

The interesting set by  Jon Morrell comprises sliding curvilinear walls recreating the citadel and the church where Anna prays over her mother's ashes. Corinthian columns are in evidence, as is an engraving of a quote from Petrarch claiming that Venice is unique in its support of liberty and peace.  Maometto's tent is suggested by a roof supported by a spear.  Costumes also by Jon Morrell  are interesting with Maometto's warriors dressed in black like Ninja warriors.  Maometto's costume outshines everyone else's; he looks like Gengis Khan.  The women are in soft robes as might have been worn in Rossini's day.  There appears to be no definite commitment to the Byzantine period but it didn't seem to detract from the theme.

We hope to hear more Rossini in years to come!

(c) meche kroop

NICOLE CABELLl--from the heart

It is always evident when a singer communicates from the heart.  Such was the case at The Santa Fe Concert Association's Festival of Song when glamorous soprano Nicole Cabell gave a warm interpretation of two Ricky Ian Gordon song cycles accompanied by Mr. Gordon himself at the piano, both artists deeply immersed in both their artistry and their abilities to communicate with the audience.  The poetry, chosen by Mr. Gordon, was by African-American poet Langston Hughes, remarkable for its conciseness and (!) lines that rhymed, which was graceful to the ear.  The moods vary from sorrow to exaltation and Ms. Cabell's ability to convey this variety was remarkable.  We particularly admired "In the Time of Silver Rain" which might do for rain what Beethoven's sonata did for moonlight.  The romanticism of "Love Song for Antonia" was followed by the bouncy "Port Town" which involved the seduction of a sailor boy.  "Song for a Dark Girl" conveyed the tragedy of a lynching.  And that was only the first cycle.

The second cycle, entitled "Genius Child", was introduced by Mr. Gordon with a quote about how geniuses can be and often are misunderstood.  We particularly liked "Genius Child" and "To Be Somebody" about the dreams of children.  The sadness of "Troubled Woman" and "Strange Hurt" let us know about some female suffering.  To end on a more sanguine note, we heard the delightful "Joy".

The enthusiasm and ambition of Joseph Illick, Executive and Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Concert Association, knows no bounds and this series "Festival of Song" will be repeated next summer, with even more performances-- if he and we have anything to say about it.  We regret having missed what we heard was a brilliant recital by soprano Leah Crocetto last Sunday and deplore the fact that our travel schedule will prevent us from hearing a recital by the much sought after bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni.  But that shouldn't stop YOU from being there!  Mr. P.  will be singing lieder by Schubert and Liszt as well as canzone from Rossini.


Let it be noted that the SFCA also brought half a dozen artists from the New York City Ballet to Santa Fe for a Festival of Dance.  Santa Fe is surely the place to be in the summer!


(c) meche kroop