ORATORI-OH?

Curtain Call at Premiere of Emigré

(Photo by Chris Lee)

 

The project began with a co-commission for an oratorio by The New York Philharmonic and Maestro Long Yu of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Emigré  premiered in Shanghai last November and had its American premiere last night in the Wu Tsai Theater at Lincoln Center. Perhaps an oratorio was requested of composer Aaron Zigman and librettists Mark Campbell and Brock Walsh; but what they got was a music theater piece with one foot in the opera house and the other on Broadway.

We think of an oratorio as a sacred work performed concert style without sets, costumes, or acting. The only sacred moments in Emigré  were the first few when the New York Philharmonic Chorus sang phrases from the Hebrew Kaddish and a Buddhist prayer. That the work is dramatic is all to the good since music theater moves us more than music alone.

For this dramatic success, credit goes to Director Mary Birnbaum who did a fine job of telling the story with nothing more than the strip of stage in front of the massive forces of the New York Philharmonic and a small area in front of the equally massive forces of The New York Philharmonic Chorus on the level above, plus the stairways connecting the two.

The story is well worth telling. In two visits to The People's Republic of China, we never learned that Shanghai played host to Jewish refugees fleeing The Holocaust. That China suffered a holocaust of their own at the hands of the Japanese during WW II was, however, known to us from films such as Spielberg's Empire of the Sun and history books describing the Rape of Nanking.

For us there is great appeal in a work of art that meets our "Three E Requirements". We want to be entertained, educated, and enlightened. Emigré hit the mark. However, our preference would be to see it in a medium-sized opera house in which the excellent opera singers could be heard unamplified, with a small orchestra. The piece could also work on Broadway although we detest amplification.

However, that was not what was intended by the commission; it is just our preference. We are well acquainted with some of the singers, somewhat familiar with the others; all deserve to be heard better which is impossible with orchestral and choral forces of such magnitude.

The story concerns two brothers fleeing Germany for Shanghai after Kristallnacht, understandably devastated by leaving their parents behind. Otto (tenor Matthew White) is religious and bonds with a rabbi (bass-baritone Andrew Dwan) whose daughter Tovah (soprano Diana Newman) welcomes him and sings the lovely "In a Woman's Hands".

Josef (tenor Arnold Livingston Geis) is a young doctor who wanders into a Chinese pharmaceutical shop, eager to learn about Chinese medicine. He experiences an instant and mutual attraction with the doctor's daughter Lina Song (soprano Meigui Zhang). Her father (bass-baritone Shenyang) is rejecting but older sister Li  (mezzo-soprano Huiling Zhu) is more sympathetic.

The couple have a lovely courtship in the Yu Garden and an equally lovely song "In a Perfect World". All is well until Shanghai isolates the Jews in a ghetto and, since the couple defied their family's wishes and became man and wife, there is nowhere for them to go.

Here we have a situation just made for opera--political issues driven home and made personal by romantic consequences. Just think of all the situations in the world today in which love is made difficult or impossible by barriers of one sort or another.  Consider the plight of displaced people with nowhere to go.  Think of the heavy cost of cultural insularism and fear of "the other". This work touched so many bases for us and probably had many audience members talking about it afterward.

As far as the music is concerned, there is plenty of variation of styles--what one might call eclecticism. There was nothing excruciatingly "post-modern" about it and we found it accessible. Composer Aaron Zigman has written scores for film and television and has orchestrated for jazz and popular singers.

The libretto by Mark Campbell, whilst not quite as wonderful as the one he wrote for The ( R ) evolution of Steve Jobs,  has avoided the trap of long prosy lines but in keeping the phrases short and rhyming, the effect verged on doggerel at times.  The lyrics contributed by songwriter Brock Walsh were more than usually accessible.

Maestro Long Yu commanded the aforementioned "massive forces" with aplomb and Chorus Master Malcolm J. Merriweather ensured that every word was comprehensible. We consider it rather a miracle to have achieved this degree of clarity  with such a huge chorus.

Projections by Joshua Higgason were notable for being apropos and non- intrusive. There were stills and film clips in black and white of street scenes and battle scenes from China during WW II, as well as colorful Chinese symbols. Titles were projected overhead but rarely needed since everyone's diction was clear.

Our only disappointment was that these excellent singers were not given the opportunity to show their superlative voices. Audience members who had never heard them on the opera stage missed what we cherish in our memories of prior performances.

We walked home deep in thought about all the issues brought up by the work. We had a couple hours of entertainment and quite a bit of education and enlightenment. We enjoy doing the work of seeing something historical and comparing it with what is going on in the world today. So many directors these days deprive us of that participation.

© meche kroop 

ADULTING in the 19th century

Gabriella Reyes
(Photo by Ken Howard for Santa Fe Opera)

Vanessa Vasquez, Mario Chang, Will Liverman, Zachary Nelson, and Solomon Howard
(photo by Ken Howard for Santa Fe Opera)

In today's musical universe, it is rather common for contemporary operas to be praised by critics (not by us, to be sure) but abhorred by the opera going public. How interesting it is to us that Puccini's masterpiece La Bohême was adored by the public right from its premiere in Turin in 1896, yet strangely attacked by critics.

Today, we cannot imagine anyone finding fault with Puccini's melodies as they twine themselves around our hearts; nor do we find the libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa to be shocking or revolutionary. As a New Yorker, all it takes is a walk on the Lower East Side to see counterparts to the six young folk of the opera. Residing several to a room, scrounging meals, working day jobs to support themselves whilst they create art--all are features in common with the six young folk in the opera. Even Musetta has a counterpart among the young women who seek "arrangements".

The librettists wrote a somewhat romanticized version of the Bohemian lifestyle which the stories of Henri Murger presented in a more realistic fashion. This is a good thing because the carefree Mimi that Murger wrote about --who died alone in a hospital --might never have aroused our care and sympathy. As we  pointed out in our recent reviews, we need to connect with the lead characters and to see ourselves in them; we need to care what happens to them. The story is instrumental but it's the music inspired by the story that gives us the true operatic experience.

We have been looking forward for months to the production at Santa Fe Opera directed by one of our favorite directors--Mary Birnbaum. The cast is filled with familiar names --singers we have known and loved.

Take, for example, the radiant soprano Vanessa Vasquez who has won prizes at countless competitions singing Puccini; we have written many times about her glorious soprano and her convincing acting. Last night she gave the audience a memorable Mimi, perhaps a bit closer to Murger's Mimi than we usually see; she gave the impression of having had her eye on Rodolfo and was just waiting for an opportunity to connect with him.

As Rodolfo we heard the excellent tenor Mario Chang whose sweet vocal colors were just right for the role, although a bit on the soft side. We particularly loved the Act III duet "Senza rancor" in which the lovers go through several emotions, reminiscing about their lives together. We confess to being relieved when they decided to spend the rest of the winter together, even though we know the rest of the story more than well enough. We have been writing about Mr. Chang for years and still recall some noteworthy performances in the Lindemann Program of the Metropolitan Opera.

As Musetta, we heard Gabriella Reyes, another superb soprano who shared the stage with Ms. Vaquez at the Met National Council Finals. We recall her lovely "Il est doux, il est bon" from Massenet's Hérodiade, and an aria from Daniel Catan's Florencia en el Amazona. We had the pleasure of reviewing her excellent performances as a singer with the Lindemann Program, the most memorable of which, for us, was her singing in Spanish-- above all in zarzuela. Last night she showed her versatility, singing and acting up a storm; she showed very different vocal colors in her showpiece aria "Quando m'en vo" in Act II, and a far more tender side in Act IV.

Brilliant baritone Zachary Nelson admirably fulfilled the role of the painter Marcello, besotted with the mercurial Musetta. We particularly enjoyed his interaction with Mimi in Act III. Mr. Nelson has a long-standing relationship with the Santa Fe Opera and was first heard as an Apprentice a number of years ago. It delights us that his artistry was noted and developed.

Baritone Will Liverman made a fine Schaunard. We loved the part in Act I when he tells the captivating story of the poisoned parrot, and his three friends, distracted by the food and wine he has brought, pay absolutely no attention. Since hearing Mr. Liverman as an award winner with Opera Index, we have followed his promising career with interest. There have been awards and recitals aplenty but what we recall best is that he introduced us to two operas we'd never heard--Albert Lortzing's 1842 comic opera Der Wildschütz, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tsar's Bride.

This is only the third time we have heard the booming bass of Soloman Howard; once was as the Bonze in Puccini's Madama Butterfly and the other was as the Commendatore in Mozart's Don Giovanni; both performances at the Santa Fe Opera. We were quite impressed with the depth of his sound and by his compelling stage presence. Our favorable impression was ratified by his performance as Colline. His "Vecchia zimarra" was beautifully rendered; it is a real heartbreaker as we in the audience realize that the coat he is parting with is symbolic of the carefree days of youth.

Veteran bass-baritone Dale Travis could not have been better as the landlord Benoit, getting tipsy with his delinquent bohemian tenants, and as the much put upon Alcindoro, Musetta's latest "patron".

Santa Fe Apprentices filled the stage in Act II and three of them filled small roles--Elliott Paige as the toy-seller Parpignol, Jarrett Logan Porter and Seungyun Kim as Customs Officers.

Maestro Jader Bignamini led the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra through their Puccini paces and brought out every theme as it recurred in different guises. He brought a lively tempo to the horseplay in Act I and a slow heartbreaking tempo to Act IV. 

Director Mary Birnbaum wisely did not alter the time or place of the opera and gave us a fairly traditional production with a few novel flourishes. We were surprised in Act I when Mimi made the move on Rodolfo. Our only moment of disbelief was when Mimi asks Rodolfo to stop something when he wasn't doing anything!

It was a novel idea to have the Parisian folk ice-skating (actually on roller blades which looked like ice skates) and it's a wonder that Ms. Reyes did a creditable job.

It was also a novel idea to have Musetta very very pregnant in Act IV. We don't think it added to the story.

Grace Laubacher's set was effective. The garret had a sloping roof made of leaded glass and was set in front of a backdrop of typical French buildings off in the distance. The tavern in Act III (humorously called "La Mer Rouge"--recalling the panting Marcello was working on) was realistic; in the transition to Act IV, it was turned inside out to become the aforementioned garret.

Camellia Koo's costumes worked well. The bourgeois citizens of Paris were dressed in colorful typical early 19th c. costumes. The "bohemians" were notably dressed differently. In Act II, Musetta appears in a shocking pink jumpsuit and in Act III, she is wearing a man's suit. But isn't that what young artistic folk do in every generation?

This is a story of "adulting"; the lives of the surviving characters will be forever changed. It is a mark of a production's success when we care!

(c) meche kroop

SCORES BY THE "FOUR SCORES"

Nicole Thomas, Gregory Feldmann, Matthew Pearce, Kathryn Henry, Dominik Belavy, and Myka Murphy celebrating the 80th birthdays of William Bolcom and John Corigliano

It was quite a party, celebrating two elder "statesmen" of the music world with Steven Blier as host. New York Festival of Song collaborates annually with The Juilliard School for a special evening, giving graduate students of the Vocal Arts Department a chance to stretch themselves, cross some boundaries, and have some fun.

It was the fun numbers that we enjoyed the most. Take for example the closing number of the first part of the program which was devoted to the works of John Corigliano. The sure directorial hand of Mary Birnbaum was felt in "Liebeslied" when the simple repetition of the common phrase "I love you" was repeated in endless variety, each iteration carrying its own message as interpreted by various groupings of the six singers. For us, it was the highlight of the evening.

Similarly, the encore--William Bolcom's "Amor"--was performed by the ensemble, giving each woman an opportunity to revel in the fantasy of commanding the attention of an entire small town. We have often heard and enjoyed this song as an encore, but never heard it performed by a group!

Oh, those women!  Kathryn Henry lent her stunning soprano to "Otherwise" from Bolcom's Briefly it Enters; this is a simple song about the ephemeral nature of life and the fleeting nature of its bounty. Jane Kenyon's text was pithy and moving, and the piano accompaniment had a searching quality.

We also enjoyed the simplicity of her delivery in "Forever Young" from Corigliano's setting of text by Bob Dylan. Much of it was sung a capella or with minimal accompaniment and she made every word clear, which we truly appreciate.

Mezzo-soprano Myka Murphy grabbed the audience's attention and held it firmly from start to finish in "At the Last Lousy Moments of Love" from Bolcom's Cabaret Songs. All the bitterness of the text came through because of her clear enunciation; not a word was missed.

Mezzo-soprano Nicole Thomas was memorable in "Marvelous Invention" from John Corigliano's  Metamusic. It's been a long time since the iPod was the thing to own; each generation has its own way of listening to music but the threatened replacement of live music with "portable instant listening devices" is a hot topic. The prop was supplied by Steve Blier from his personal collection!

The singers were accompanied by Mr. Blier and by Chris Reynolds who never fails to delight. His piano perfectly limned the sound of chimes in "Chimes of Freedom", Corigliano's setting of text by Bob Dylan from Mr. Tambourine Man.

Getting to the men on the program, baritone Gregory Feldmann had the responsibility of singing the world premiere of Mr. Corigliano's song cycle Rhymes for the Irreverent. Our favorite among this group was "The Odds-on Favorite" which he performed with ample gesture and plenty of personality. "Critical" brought the challenge of a very low register which he met successfully. We loved his melismatic singing on the word "bloom" in "One Sweet Morning".

Baritone Dominik Belavy showed his acting chops several times in the evening. In "Dodecaphonia", Corigliano makes fun of 12-tone music and Mr. Belavy, suitably costumed, portrayed a detective tracking down the notorious "serial" criminal Twelve-Tone Rose. Mark Adamo's text was quite clever.

Tenor Matthew Pearce made a perfect permissive priest hearing the sexy confession of Nicole Thomas in "His Manner is Gentle" from Bolcom's Lucrezia. Accompanied by the fine guitarist Jack Gulielmetti, he sang "Soneto de la dulce queja" from Bolcom's Canciones de Lorca. We were glad that the got off the book for "El poeta llega a la Habana" with it's spirited rhythms which got the entire ensemble dancing.

The evening ended with a love fest among the singers and the venerable composers--lots of balloons and hugs and audience appreciation.  Another fabulous night at Juilliard!

(c) meche kroop

THE GARDEN OF JUILLIARD

Christine Taylor Price, Marie Engle, Joshua Blue, Tamara Banješević, and Jacob Scharfman (photo by Hiroyuki Ito)

Mozart was just shy of 19 years of age when he composed La finta giardiniera which premiered in Munich in 1775. In spite of a trivial libretto (insecurely attributed to Calzabigi), one can readily appreciate Mozart's exuberant melodic invention and skills at orchestration. The opera achieved but 3 performances and fell out of the repertory until a copy of the score was rediscovered in the 1970's.

That we have seen the opera three times in two years gives some indication of the many glories of the score and the challenging roles it provides for seven singers. The seven we heard last night at Juilliard Opera seemed to enjoy their performances as much as we in the audience did. What vocal glories!

We love to see romantic foibles onstage--the mismatches, the betrayals, the fights, the reconciliations. We have no need for modern sets or costumes to recognize our own passions and obsessions.  The blind child shoots those darts and we are helpless.

The Marchioness Violante Onesti (splendid soprano Tamara Banješević) had been stabbed by her jealous lover Conte Belfiore (terrific tenor Charles Sy) on their wedding day. Left for dead, she recovered, took the name of Sandrina, disguised herself as a gardener, and sought refuge by gaining employment at the estate of the Podesta Don Anchise (tremendous tenor Joshua Blue) who has fallen in love with her.

The Podesta's housekeeper Serpetta, portrayed by the gifted soprano Christine Taylor Price, would like to marry her boss and fights off the courtship of the gardener Nardo, Violante's servant Roberto in disguise--a role delightfully inhabited by Baritone Jacob Scharfman.

Meanwhile, the Podesta's bossy-pants niece Arminda (glorious voiced soprano Kathryn Henry) arrives at the estate to be joined in matrimony with none other than Belfiore. If we could overlook his tendency to commit violence on his brides, we might even feel a tinge of pity for the ambivalent count. He thinks he recognizes Violante in disguise but she denies her identity.

In the role of Cavalier Ramiro, Arminda's rejected suitor, we heard the marvelously convincing mezzo-soprano Marie Engle in travesti.

To make this crazy mixed up story clear, we had the talented young director Mary Birnbaum who has a very special way of getting her cast to work as an ensemble and to interact in believable ways, no matter how preposterous the story.

The first act moved along at a lively clip but there was a scene at the end of the second act that baffled us and our companion. It is the scene in which Belfiore goes mad and Violante gets kidnapped by Arminda (or was it vice versa?). When Tim Albery directed this opera at Santa Fe Opera, it didn't make much sense either and when Eric Einhorn directed it for On Site Opera, he omitted the scene entirely which was probably the best choice!

Both Ms. Henry and Ms. Prize dazzled us with their coloratura but the aria we remember best belonged to Ms. Engle who managed the extensive fioritura while conveying masculinity at the same time in "Va pure ad altri in braccio". Not only does everyone get an aria but there are interesting ensembles that foreshadow Mozart's later works.
 

Another memorable moment was Nardo's courting of Serpetta in several languages; Mr. Scharfman was irresistible in the role.  Mr. Blue pompously strutted around the stage but also conveyed the manner of a kind man. Ms. Henry did a great job creating a real bitch of a character. We loved the moment when she arrived with a horse and her servant Giuseppe (bass William Guanbo Su).

The Juilliard Orchestra performed in their usual exemplary fashion under the baton of Joseph Colaneri who brought subtle understanding to the various and changeable moods of the work. The continuo comprised Michael Biel on the harpsichord and Clara Abel on the cello.

Much favorable comment could be devoted to Amanda Seymour's luscious period costumes and even more to scenic designer Grace Laubacher's witty sets. After a clever prologue in which Joan Hofmeyr and Olivia McMillan portrayed two gossipy housemaids relating the backstory in English (another one of Mary Birnbaum's clever inventions), servants carried in trompe l'oeil set pieces. Even the horse was two dimensional but reared convincingly.

Lighting Designer Anshuman Bhatia spared no effort in changing the mood; one scene takes place in near darkness and the ensuing confusion reminded us of the final act of Nozze di Figaro.

Once again, Juilliard Opera has given us a memorable evening in which superlative production values provide a setting for the splendid singers--the jewels of Juilliard.


(c) meche kroop

NYFOS AFTER HOURS--PROTEST SONGS

Mikaela Bennett, Joshua Blue, Jacob Scharfman, Andrew Munn, Amanda Lynn Bottoms, Chelsea Shephard, and Dimitri Katotakis

Hosted by the gracious Henry of Henry's Restaurant, an Upper West Side institution, New York Festival of Song After Hours presented their final show of the season; it was a different sort of show, comprising songs of protest, but just right for the mood in NYC these days. We liberal arts loving folk feel like a persecuted minority with a great deal to worry about and against which to protest.

Our pianist/arranger/host Steven Blier picked up an idea by the highly esteemed young director Mary Birnbaum and immediately compiled a list of songs on the theme of protest. There was no trouble finding a cast of talented young singers from Juilliard's Department of Vocal Arts to perform the songs.

This was indeed a different kind of show. There was no "Sing for Your Supper" to get us all in a jolly mood and Mr. Blier eschewed his customary banter about each song. He told the audience that he wanted the songs to "speak for themselves". Many of the songs related to oppression in foreign countries, in which case the singer read the text in English.

The wildly talented Mikaela Bennett opened the program with Stevie Wonder's song "If It's Magic". We were not too sure about what was being protested, unless it is the carelessness of our culture in not taking care of the things that matter. Ms. Bennett is unceasingly eclectic and just when we were enjoying the soul and jazz inflected song, she burst forth with some operatic riffs that reminded us of her versatility.

Toward the end of the evening she sang Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" which clearly protested the despoiling of nature and the failure to appreciate our blessings until they are gone. Ms. Bennett's personality is larger than life and she put her own expressive stamp on this song which was written in the 60's, long before she was born.

Her duet with Amanda Lynn Bottoms was sung in Spanish and the two women harmonized beautifully in "Como la cigarra", a protest by lesbian poet/musician/writer Maria Elena Walsh against the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983).

Ms. Bottoms had a couple fine solos as well. She sang "Song for Peace" from A Prayer to the New Year by the young Arabic/American composer Mohammed Fairouz, setting of text by Fadwa Tuqan. It was a prayer for peace in the Middle East and we were not sure whether Ms. Bottoms sang in Arabic or the original Aramaic.  In any event, it was lovely.

She was absolutely riveting in "Lamento esclavo" by the 20th c. Cuban composer Eliseo Grenet with text by Aurelio G. Riancho.

Also in Spanish was Leonard Bernstein's l977 setting of text by feminist Puerto Rico poet Julia de Burgos, from his work Songfest. Chelsea Shephard performed "A Julia de Burgos" with passion, revealing the strong core of a woman who has found it necessary to be outwardly conventional and compliant.  

Ms. Shephard had a good time in her duet with Dimitri Katotakis, performing Randy Newman's ironic song "Political Science"--at heart a protest against American aggression.

Mr. Katotakis did well with "Pampamapa", Carlos Guastavino's setting of Hamlet Lima Quintana's poetry--more resistance to Argentinean fascism, although the text is more allusive than descriptive. The complex folkloric rhythms were stirring.

What Joshua Blue did with Fats Waller's song "Black and Blue" was extremely powerful. The text by Andy Razaf speaks to the painful damage done to an individual's sense of self worth by prejudice. It felt very personal and filled with truth.  It hurt! Mr. Blue is appropriately named since he has a real feeling for the blues and knows just how to bend a pitch.

He was similarly superb in Stevie Wonder's "Big Brother" which deals with government surveillance.  It made us think of racial profiling; it made us uncomfortable, which is a good thing. We might add that Mr. Blue's instrument has a very special timbre.

Jacob Scharfman sang a wonderful song about Gay Pride called "The Lavender Song", written by Mischa Spoliansky in 1920 as "Das Lila Lied" and popular in German cabaret. The lyrics were written by Kurt Schwabach and translated by Jeremy Lawrence. It's a fine song but we wish we had heard it in the original German.

But we did hear Mr. Scharfman sing in Yiddish--the 1943 "Zog Nit Keynmol", by Vilna poet Hirsh Glik and also known as "The Partisan's Song". The pre-existing melody was written by Soviet-Jewish composer Dimitri Pokrass.  It's hopeful message was adopted by the Vilna Partisans who were inspired by the Warsaw ghetto uprising, and it spread from one concentration camp to another with its inspirational message.

Andrew Munn sang "Bella, Ciao", a traditional song of resistance to Mussolini and also Marc Blitzstein's "The Cradle Will Rock" from the 1937 show of the same name--a pro-Labor musical during the Great Depression which protested against wicked greedy capitalists.

The entire ensemble performed the encore--"Now is the Cool of the Day" an Appalachian folk hymn recorded by Jean Ritchie. With seven stunning voices raised in harmony, singing about taking care of Mother Earth, it was an inspiring way to end this special evening.

Additional musical support was provided by Chris Reynolds on piano and Jack Gulielmetti on guitar.

(c) meche kroop

A DIFFERENT ENLIGHTENMENT

Kara Sainz and Theo Hoffman (photo by Richard Termine)

Miles Mykkanen (photo by Richard Termine)

The most wonderful aspect of Mozart's operas, beside their glorious music, is their humanity. The singspiel that he wrote for his friend, the singer/actor/impresario Emanuel Schikaneder, is generally presented in all its mythic glory with elaborate costuming and sets. Many of these productions can be appreciated in the current exhibit at the Lincoln Center Library of the Performing Arts.

The production we saw last night at The Juilliard School was a production with another dimension. Gone were the fairy tale trappings of exotic sets and costumes, and, in their place, Director Mary Birnbaum gave us a human drama. We could identify with the universal psychological issues we face as we attempt to unravel the complexities of our existence and to evolve into more complete human beings.  This gave a new meaning to "enlightenment"--not just the 18th c. philosophical movement.

In Ms. Birnbaum's take on the opera, we witnessed real people, not cartoon characters, and not stereotypes. Tamino is not dressed like a prince but he evolves into a princely fellow, having earned the love of Pamina.  As sung by the incredibly sweet-voiced tenor Miles Mykkanen, he starts out as the helpless victim of...a row of hedges he takes to be a serpent! During the course of the opera he achieves menschheit by facing his fears during the trials. We witness his growth and cheer him on.

Pamina, perfectly portrayed by soprano Christine Taylor Price, must learn to accept the fact that her mother is flawed. She must integrate the "good mother" who wants to protect her and the "bad mother" who is possessive and filled with rage. She must learn to accept a father (or father figure) who loves her but has failed to protect her from the evil Monostatos and has placed her in a virtual prison. Ms. Price did well at creating a character who moves from innocence and helplessness to a position of equality-- "standing by her man" as he goes through the trials.

Not everyone is cut out to be a spiritually enlightened person. In a star turn unlike no other, baritone Theo Hoffman represented "Everyman". He wants his food, his wine, and his woman. His life has no meaning otherwise. His Everyman is not one to which one condescends; this is an Everyman to love; he is an Everyman who makes the world work. Mr. Hoffman revealed impressive comedic skills, utilizing flexibility of body and mobility of facial expression to get this across. . His task in life is to learn honesty and modesty. He learns that from the Three Ladies who also serve the Queen of the Night.

That role was wonderfully filled by coloratura soprano Liv Redpath whose top notes gave us chills by virtue of their clear ringing tones and pinpoint accuracy. The Three Ladies were performed by two superb sopranos (Alexandra Razskazoff and Caitlin Redding) and mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau whose smoky voice is completely distinctive and entirely memorable.

One of the funniest scenes was the first one in which these Three Ladies fight over the limp body of Tamino who has fainted from fright.

We loved the way bass Önay Köse created a Sarastro who was anything but pompous. He projected the air of a leader who was entirely human and not at all ecclesiastically boring. His voice rang out with power and authority.

As the wicked seducer Monostatos, handsome tenor Alexander McKissick had a hard time convincing us that he was "hässlich" but easily convinced us of his evil intentions toward Pamino. He had her imprisoned in an off-kilter underground bunker, reminding us of all those stories in the news about men who kidnapped young girls and kept them for years as sex slaves. We were quite relieved when she was rescued and Monostatos got punished! Tenors don't usually get to sing the bad guy and Mr. McKissick sang it very very well.

Mezzo-soprano Kara Sainz as Papagena was the perfect partner for Mr. Hoffman's Papageno. Not only was her singing excellent but she created a charming character who was totally convincing as an old lady climbing onto Papageno's lap, trying to convince him to marry her--one of the funniest moments of the evening.

The Three Spirits were adorable and harmonized just as finely as did the Three Ladies.  Dressed as schoolgirls in uniform, they represented the innate and instinctual wisdom of youth which contrasted well with Sarastro's hard-won rational wisdom. Christine Oh, Sophia Kaminski, and Kelsey Lauritano gave wonderfully physical performances.

Sarastro's crew of followers, dressed in suits, seemed to be a no-nonsense lot. Bass-baritone Thesele Kemane was excellent as The Speaker. Baritone Fan Jia and tenor Matthew Swensen made important contributions as First and Second Priest respectively, while tenor Samuel Levine did equally well as The Armed Man.

Ms. Birnbaum made sure that all the characters related to one another as people. That is one of the benefits of having a group of artists who know each other and can work well as an ensemble. It enabled so many moments of emotional depth and so many moments of humor. This could never happen at The Metropolitan Opera with stars flying in from all over the world!

The sets by Grace Laubacher were said to have been inspired by Joseph Cornell and his boxes. Indeed, they were boxlike and punctuated by doors down low and windows up high. Birds were flown from the balconies, Japanese-style, delighting the audience.

Anshuman Bhatia's lighting emphasized the difference between the darkness of the Queen of the Night and the light of Sarastro's temple.

Costumes by Maria Sine Clinton comprised streetwear for the most part but we were dazzled by the masks worn by the beasts who were tamed by Tamino's magic flute.

Choreography was shared by Adam Cates and Sean McKnight. The wildly successful break-dancing was performed by Jakub Jozef Orlinski who has delighted our ears with his angelic counter-tenor and here dazzled our eyes with his astonishing dancing. Now we know!

The singing was so fine all around that we decline to single out any one artist. The Juilliard Orchestra never disappoints; under the baton of David Stern they filled the Peter Jay Sharp Theater with glorious sound. During the overture, Maestro Stern's firm control allowed us to distinguish the emphatic chords and their progressions. We could hear things we'd never noticed before in the play of the strings against the winds. Totally wonderful!

(c) meche kroop

HARRY, HOAGY, AND HAROLD

Christine Price, Mikaela Bennett, Samuel Levine, Kelsey Lauritano, Dimitri Katotakis, and Amanda Bottoms (photo by MIchael DiVito)

Thanks to Steven Blier, our "horizons of appreciation" have expanded beyond opera and lieder.  Similarly, the "horizons of performance" of members of the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts at Juilliard have also been extended to include the classics from the Golden Age of American song.  Last night we experienced some of our favorite artists who became for the evening "hoofers, belters, and comedians". (Those are the words of Maestro Blier, but we wish they were ours).

The program comprised songs of three American greats--Harry Warren, Hoagy Carmichael, and Harold Arlen--three men from greatly different backgrounds but united by their compositional contributions to American musical style.

Tenor Gerard Schneider opened with an instrumental version of Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" played on the acoustic guitar. We never knew he played the guitar but we loved the way he began with a simple statement of the melody which grew in complexity, marked by some lovely arpeggios. Yip Harburg's lyrics were sung only in the mind's ear.

This doesn't mean that Mr. Schneider didn't sing; he sang the haunting lyrics (Mack Gordon) of "At Last" from Orchestra Wives, calling attention to Warren's melodic vocal line.  He also sang "Old Buttermilk Sky" (Jack Brooks) with fellow tenor Samuel Levine joining in with a ukulele (who knew!) and a spirited "Yee-Haw".  These are surely multi-talented artists.

As far as tenors go, Mr. Levine is no slouch! We liked him best in Arlen's "Buds Won't Bud" (lyrics again by the wonderful Mr. Harburg) which built to a passionate crescendo.  He charmed us with Arlen's "Evelina" (Harburg) from Bloomer Girl with ukulele and Southern accent as he wooed Ms. Price.  He assumed a rather world-weary mien for the chromatically complex "Last Night When We Were Young" another Harburg/Arlen pairing from Metropolitan.

Soprano Mikaela Bennett grabbed our attention with a passionately delivered eulogy to the evil lover she had just shot in "Sleep Peaceful, Mr. Used-to-Be" from the Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen St. Louis Woman, a show which should have been more famous than it was. She also thrilled in a jazzy version of "A Sleepin' Bee" from the Truman Capote/Harold Arlen House of Flowers, which also deserved more fame.

Ms. Bennett paired with mezzo-soprano Amanda Lynn Bottoms for the delightful duet "Two Ladies in de Shade of de Banana Tree", also from House of Flowers. We believe some shows did not become the hits they deserved to be because of cultural issues, not musical flaws.  Ms. Bottoms gave us a very jazzy version of Carmichael's "Old Man Harlem" complete with "scat" singing.

But we enjoyed her most in the Mercer/Arlen "That Old Black Magic" from Star Spangled Rhythm. Mr. Schneider's guitar and Mr. Blier's piano went absolutely wild with abandon.

Soprano Christine Price delivered "It's a New World" with simplicity and sincerity. Arlen's vocal line here was exceptional and Ira Gershwin's lyrics moving. Similarly, Carmichael's "The Nearness of You" (Ned Washington) touched the heart with Ms. Price conveying every ounce of emotion, spinning out the final note like a silken strand.

Mezzo-soprano Kelsey Lauritano did a bang-up job as a Carmen Miranda type character in "I, Yi, Yi, Yi Yi (I Like You Very Much" (Mack Gordon/Harry Warren) from That Night in Rio and "When I Love, I Love"(same team) from Weekend in Havana. Apparently, these tropical musicals put Brazil and Cuba on the map, so to speak. The gentlemen of the cast doffed their shoes, rolled up their trousers, and did a fine send up of Latin caricatures. The ladies of the cast wiggled around with bananas and a pineapple while Ms. Lauritano sported a hatful of fruit.  Major fun!

Another humorous number was "I'm Going Shopping With You" by Harry Warren from Dames. Baritone Dimitri Katotakis put heart and soul into his comedy routine and Mr. Blier contributed a few extra lines giving the ending a gay twist, something Mr. Blier does so delightfully in almost every show.  The beautiful duet "Hard to Replace" from The Barkleys of Broadway (Ira Gershwin/Warren) was sung by Mr. Katotakis and Ms. Lauritano. The lyrics of Gershwin are intensely moving and the two artists filled them with meaning.

The company performed as an ensemble for "Cheerful Little Earful" from Warren's Sweet and Low and in "Jeepers Creepers" from Going Places by Warren. We got to hear Mr. Schneider's guitar again and saw some fun tap dancing.  (Oh, those Juilliard students can do anything!) Adam Cates was credited as choreographer.  They closed with "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" from Here Comes the Groom by Mercer/Carmichael. They sure can harmonize!

Mary Testa was the guest coach and Mary Birnbaum was Stage Director. Ms. Birnbaum always adds something original and clever.  In "The Old Music Master" from True to Life (Mercer/Carmichael), cast members were used as a hat rack and a writing desk while Mr. Katotakis performed the vocals.

In "I'm Going Shopping With You", cast members became clothing racks. And in "Two Ladies in de Shade of de Banana Tree" Ms. Bennett and Ms. Bottoms fought over a fan, to comical effect.

Chris Reynolds was assistant pianist.

This yearly collaboration between Juilliard and New York Festival of Song always produces surprises and delights. Beneath the surface of fun was a lot of hard work but the artistry lies in showing the fun and hiding the labor.

(c) meche kroop

ENJOYING RAPE

Kurt Kanazawa and Avery Amereau (photo by Ken Howard)

We are filled with wonder whenever brought to the point of appreciating that which we might have disdained.  Whom do we credit for the reversal of taste?  In the case of Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, credit must be shared by the super-talented young artists and the incredibly astute production team.

The libretto by Ronald Duncan did not sound promising; the evil Etruscan prince Tarquinius rapes the faithful wife of Collatinus, his comrade in arms. But look what director Mary Birnbaum has made out of this slender story.  She has placed the Greek chorus firmly in the 21st c., allowing them to comment on the story through the prism of Christianity and also to address the characters in this 500 BCE story. For the most part, the narrators appear to be reading from a history book.  She has mined the tale for contemporary relevance, highlighting the contrast between the creative productivity of women and the destructive power-seeking and war-mongering of men.

Jocelyn Dueck merits special mention for getting each and every artist to enunciate each and every word clearly so that not a single word was missed, thereby overcoming our dislike of operas sung in English.  The dialogue, based on Le Viol de Lucrèce, a play by André Obey, has language that rivals that of Homer with some beautiful metaphors that deserved to be heard and savored. They were.

And what a cast!  There is such strength in Juilliard's Vocal Arts Department that each role could be perfectly cast.  As the eponymous Lucretia, mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau fulfilled the demands of the role both vocally and dramatically.  She has a rich and resonant instrument that she employs skillfully and flawlessly.  Dramatically, she was totally convincing as the beautiful and innocent Lucretia who, in a fit of self-directed "slut shaming", stabbed herself after being raped.

As the rapist, the good-natured baritone Kurt Kanazawa transformed himself into an arrogant entitled brute who cannot bear the fact that his fellow comrade-in-arms Collatinus is married to the only faithful woman in Rome.  His mellow voice was given a bitter edge that was chilling. His wild ride into Rome was breathtaking.

As the aforementioned Collatinus, bass Daniel Miroslaw, whom we had not previously heard, made a fine showing--the only sympathetic male character amongst the warriors.  We look forward to hearing his booming bass in the future.

Baritone Joe Eletto portrayed Junius, another soldier, with great vitality.  He too has been cuckolded and feels resentment toward Collatinus' good fortune but would not act on it.  All the ambivalence was there in his wonderful voice and body language.

The three military men have a wonderful scene in their encampment outside Rome as they malign women and strut about emanating testosterone-fueled rage.  It was made clear how humiliation leads to rage and that rape is an act of rage, not sex.

Tenor William Goforth beautifully handled the role of narrator (Greek chorus), telling the story in a meaningful manner and with supernally clear diction. Mezzo-soprano Marguerite Jones held up the female part of the chorus with her customary skill.

As Lucretia's two women servants, mezzo-soprano Amanda Lynn Bottoms impressed as the maternal Bianca as did soprano Christine Price as Lucia.  One of our favorite scenes was that of the three women joining voices in a stunning trio while spinning wool on spindles.  Might we add that they appeared to know exactly how this task is accomplished!  Britten's music at this point was extraordinarily lovely.

The opera itself was composed by Britten as one of a group of chamber operas written in the impoverished post-World War II period when faith and funds were in equally short supply. Members of the excellent Juilliard Orchestra, under the baton of Mark Shapiro, brought the compelling score to vivid life.  We do so love the harp and Marion Ravot's playing was ravishing. The wind section was particularly well employed.

The simple but effective set by Grace Laubacher comprised a simple table and chairs for the two narrators and a large rotating platform for the historical scenes. Lighting was by Anshuman Bhatia. Costumes by Sydney Maresca were effective, particularly the soldiers' garb. Adam Cates choreographed Tarquinius ride and the rape scene most grippingly.

Who could ask for anything more?

© meche kroop

GREAT AMERICAN SONGWRITING TEAMS

Kelsey Lauritano, Theo Hoffman, Tiffany Townsend, James Edgar Knight, Alexander McKissick, Aaron Mor and Hannah McDermott

Steven Blier, Founder and Artistic Director of New York Festival of Song, is a major presence at Juilliard and a favorite among the students of the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts.  At last night's performance, it was easy to see why.  Mr. Blier prepares the program with the students, accompanies with great panache and serves as charming host and raconteur, introducing the songs with interesting tidbits.  This is the 10th edition of NYFOS@Juilliard and it was a celebration of collaboration.

In the case of presenting some of America's great songwriting teams, he gave the seven students he worked with a great amount of latitude in choosing two solos each wished to perform.  The rest of the evening comprised duets and ensembles.  The entertainment value was top-notch.  Much credit goes to Mary Birnbaum for the stage direction and Adam Cates for the choreography.

Mr. Blier made two points with which we are in total agreement.  He described the mutual support of Juilliard students for one another and the lack of envy.  We have witnessed the same phenomenon with pleasure and have often spoken with "outsiders" about it.

The other point he made is that working on "popular" songs is an experience that carries over into the young singers' performance of opera.  Yes indeed.  They get to "let loose" and exercise their dramatic skills in a supersized delivery.  Of course, it is also true that their operatic experience affects their performance in American musical theater.  They perform using all their operatic training to project without the use of amplification. That in itself is a treat for us in the audience who can't stand amplification and love the sound of a human voice.

Verbal clarity was quite good for the most part with some singers getting every single word across.  Tenor James Edgar Knight made a huge impression with "Captain Hook's Waltz" from Comden and Green's 1954 Peter Pan.  The music is tuneful, the lyrics are funny and Mr. Knight used his background in musical comedy to create a wonderful character.  He created a totally different character in "Real Live Girl" from Coleman and Leigh's 1962 Little Me.  Kelsey Lauritano's silent reaction to his country bumpkin character was a masterpiece of acting.

Ms. Lauritano gave a soulful reading to "It Never Entered My Mind" from Rodgers and Hart's 1940 Higher and Higher.  We liked the touch of irony and bitterness. She showed her funny side in "My Father the Gangster" from Bolcom and Weinstein's 1990 Casino Paradise which was not just funny but a moving lament.

Another song from that show, "The Establishment Route" permitted Andrew McKissick to draw some laughs as he donned a wiseguy persona.  He showed his versatility by performing "You and the Night and the Music" from Dietz and Schwartz' 1934 Revenge With Music.  He hammed it up to great effect when he switched to Spanish.

Theo Hoffman excelled in the same team's "Blue" from their 1996 Cabaret Songs and balanced that serious song with the light-hearted (and unpublished) "Luckiest Man in the World" from George and Ira Gershwin's 1933 Pardon My English. Ms. Lauritano was his gum-chewing bimbo, another acting triumph. Mr. Hoffman also excels in verbal clarity and threw himself totally into his supporting roles in the ensembles.

Tiffany Townsend delighted the audience with some bluesy renditions of "Blue Grass" from Dietz and Schwartz' 1945 Inside U.S.A. and was even better in "I Ain't Here" by Leiber and Stoller.

Hannah McDermott performed the romantic "I Was Doing All Right" from the Gershwin brothers' 1937 The Goldwyn Follies and got to show off her funny side in "Arthur in the Afternoon" from Kander and Ebb's " 1977 The Act.  She was a very funny foil to Aaron Mor's delivery of "We Can Talk to Each Other" from Maltby and Shire's 1976 Starting Here, Starting Now.  

Mr. Mor waxed rhapsodic about the couple's communication without allowing Ms. McDermott to get a word in.  There was a surprise ending. Mr. Mor was hilarious telling the 1922 tale of  "The Sheik of Avenue B" by Kalmar and Ruby, which he delivered with a funny Yiddish accent.

Aside from the sensational solos, we enjoyed the staging of "No Other Love" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1953 Me and Juliet in which Mr. Knight was auditioning Ms. Townsend in a charming duet. 

Several ensembles rounded out the evening with our hands down favorite being Lerner and Loewe's "Ascot Gavotte" from the 1959 My Fair Lady, in which the singers had a grand time portraying the pretentious British upper classes--sneers and plummy accents included.  The men were very funny in "Little Tin Box" from Bock and Harnick's 1959 Fiorello.  The women were no less funny in "I Want It All" from Maltby and Shire's 1983 Baby.

The cast was wise to choose songs that are less often heard.  The audience was roused to torrents of applause in appreciation for a very entertaining evening.

(c) meche kroop

JEROME KERN VIA NYFOS

Mary Feminear, James Knight, Hannah McDermott, Alexander McKissick, Avery Amereau, Josph Eletto, Benjamin Lund and Steven Blier

It was the final "Sing for your Supper" of the season--therefore a bittersweet occasion as the young stars of NYFOS AFTER HOURS made their final appearance before departing for various young artists programs around the world.  We have taken so much pleasure in their performances all year, we wish them well in their summer programs and we can hardly wait for their return.

Last night's program centered on the lyrics of P.G. Wodehouse as set by Jerome Kern, with a couple songs by Cole Porter thrown in for good measure.  Steven Blier (Pianist, Arranger and Host) gave us the lowdown on Mr. Wodehouse's primness and Cole Porter's raciness.  He described Kern's music as akin to Schubert's and indeed, tenor Alexander McKissick's performance of "Go Little Boat" from Miss 1917 struck us as deeply as any of Schubert's lieder.

Baritone Benjamin Lund's artistry in "The Land Where the Good Songs Go" from the same work was equally beautiful.  Could this show really be nearly a century old?  We wish we could see it reprised one day but only if it were done with the same sincerity we heard from Mr. Lund and Mr. McKissick.

Soprano Mary Feminear allowed her sincerity to shine through as well in her lovely performance of the original "Bill", which began life in another show before winding up in Showboat.

Avery Amereau used her dusky mezzo to great advantage in "Siren's Song" from Leave It To Jane.  To add to the overall effect she dressed herself as a flapper!  It was delightful.

Baritone Joseph Eletto sang "My Castle in the Air" from Miss Springtime with the most affecting vibrato and phrasing. He was joined by the very funny tenor James Knight for an hilarious duet from the same show entitled "Saturday Night" about a woman who began the week with virtuous intention but whose "virtue sprang a leak" by the end of the week.  Priceless!  Mr. Knight's solo "Napoleon" from Have a Heart was LMAO funny, not only from the lyrics and his comedic style but also from the fact that he is 6'4".

There were other funny songs--mezzo Hannah McDermott delighted with "Cleopatterer" from Leave it to Jane.  Mr. Wodehouse could certainly come up with some clever rhymes.  She was just as delightful in the opening trio with Mr. Knight and Mr. Lund from the same show--"Sir Galahad', the message of which, strangely enough, did not sound at all dated.

More humor, and perhaps one of the funniest songs on the program, could be found in "We're Crooks" in which Mr. McKissick and Mr. Lund adopted heavy wise-guy accents.  What made the song very timely were the references to Congress and Wall Street as being too crooked for the crooks' taste!

Mr. Blier considers Jerome Kern to be rather refined and Cole Porter to be rather risqué.  The two songs chosen to be on the program to represent Mr. Porter were "You're the Top" and "Anything Goes", both of which were performed by the ensemble.  It appeared that they enjoyed themselves as much as the audience.

This entire affair was staged by the brilliant director Mary Birnbaum, ensuring that each song's dramatic potential was mined.  One doesn't get this quality in the typical cabaret show!

It was a most enjoyable evening and an introduction to many songs we had never met before but of which we were delighted to make the acquaintance.  The only thing missing was Miles Mykkanen singing "Sing for Your Supper".

 © meche kroop

OLD WINE IN A NEW KEG

 Takaoki Onishi and Raquel Gonzalez (photo by Richard Termine)

We are thrilled to the bone after another splendid evening at Juilliard, witnessing the gifted young artists of the Juilliard Opera bring new life to Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin.  It's not as if we have anything against the several traditional productions we have seen; it's just that this chamber reduction allowed us to experience the story and the music in a new way.  Discovering something new is always a treat.

Director Mary Birnbaum has mined the story and found gold.  By focusing on the four young people at its core and emphasizing the psychological aspects, she has revealed the opera's heart; it's a coming of age story.  Each singer has plumbed the depths of his/her character and come up with meaningful and dramatically valid choices.

As Tatiana, soprano Raquel González captured all the vulnerability and recklessness of a girl's first love, having no trouble looking about 16 in pigtails.  In the final two scenes, she demonstrated the poise of a woman who has been married to a Prince for perhaps 6 years and has firmed up her boundaries, so to speak.  Although she is still in love with Onegin, she will not dishonor her husband.  She used a multiplicity of vocal colors as well as posture, gesture and facial expression to convey her maturation.  Her fine instrument and diction served the character and was never used to call attention to itself.

Likewise, Takaoki Onishi's creation of the eponymous Onegin was creative and original.  He avoided the clichés of arrogance but evinced a character that was perhaps 19 years old and full of himself in the opening scene when he meets Tatiana.  He thinks he knows himself--a man who could never love and settle down to domesticity.  He is only as honest with Tatiana as he is with himself; he suffers from the blindness of youth. He is not cruel to her; he seems almost avuncular as he advises her to keep a lid on her passions.  He acts out his boredom with country life by flirting with his friend's sweetheart--provocative in the way a thwarted teenager can be.  When the situation goes too far, he is remorseful but he cannot put a halt to the chain of events he has initiated.  By the end of the opera, he realizes he has ruined his life.  The tumultuous emotions never interfered with Mr. Onishi's luscious baritone sound.

Lensky was so stunningly portrayed by tenor Miles Mykkanen that we wept for his youthful benightedness.  At the beginning he is carefree and madly in love with Olga.  He endures paroxysms of jealousy when Olga responds to Onegin's overtures.  Again, we heard an incredibly wonderful instrument that disappeared into the characterization.  His "Kuda, kuda" was imbued with all the colors of the palette of an artist, which, of course, he is.  We heard doubt, fear, regret and passion.  We suffered along with him.

Mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau has a rich caramel voice and turned in a splendid performance as the light-hearted Olga, the carefree younger sister.  During the orchestral prelude, a pantomime of two little girls had established the warmth of the relationship between the sisters as well as the difference of their characters.  We always wondered what happened to Olga after her fiancé was killed in the duel but Ms. Amereau's characterization led us to believe that she recovered from the shock and went on to lead a rather carefree life post-opera!

Because the opera was presented chamber-style we enjoyed the feeling of intimacy that provided and never missed the huge chorus or ball scene in the last act.  Madame Larina and Nanny Filipyevna were combined into one character, portrayed by the excellent mezzo Samantha Hankey with soprano Marguerite Jones as the maid Anya.  For comic relief there was the foppish Monsieur Triquet, portrayed with fine style by the excellent tenor William Goforth.

Bass Önay Köse had a single aria in the final act which was perfectly sung; he was every inch a Prince Gremin who has achieved favor with the court by virtue of his military success.  One could amazingly hear all this in his voice, as well as his tender feelings for his wife Tatiana who has brought youth and joy to his later years.  Bass-baritone Tyler Zimmerman made a fine Captain Zaretsky who was so proud of running a duel according to meticulous standards.  Indeed, there are no small roles!

Musical values were superb.  Youthful conductor Matthew Aucoin surely deserved all the foot-stamping at the end, as much as the singers merited their thunderous applause.  Under his baton and dancing hands, interesting melodic and harmonic elements emerged that generally get lost in a full orchestra in a large house. The reduced orchestration by Jonathan Lyness for the dozen musicians of the Juilliard Orchestra  worked very well for the small space of the theater.

Brian Zeger, Artistic Director of the Marcus Institute, said that this work is not meant as a replacement for the full-length work but rather an intimate look at the piece.  That being said, we will never look at the opera in the same old way, not ever.  And given the choice, we would prefer to see this version with its stunning insights.

We wonder how many operas there are that would lend themselves to such a treatment as Ms. Birnbaum provided.  There would seem to be a plethora, as long as there are musicians to do the reduction and gifted singers who can withstand such intimate scrutiny. 

© meche kroop

WHERE THE GOOD SONGS GO

Mary Feminear reclining atop Joseph Eletto, Benjamin Lund, James Edgar Knight and Alex McKissick (photo by Michael DiVito)

Put together writer P. G. Wodehouse's witty words, composer Jerome Kern's elegant music , pianist and raconteur Steven Blier's narrative gems, and seven singers from Juilliard and what do you get?  Transatlantic champagne, that's what you get!  It was an effervescent New York Festival of Song evening at Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater-- "The Land Where the Good Songs Go" and the audience lapped it up like thirsty puppies.

Sopranos Mary Feminear and Raquel González were joined onstage by mezzo Hannah McDemott, tenors James Edgar Knight and Alex McKissick and baritones Joseph Eletto and Benjamin Lund.  What fun to hear these operatic voices try their wings at something new.  There is not only depth but breadth in Juilliard's Vocal Arts Program

The show was directed by Mary Birnbaum who, we surmise, was responsible for the clever choreography and hilarious hijinks onstage.  Hal Cazalet, great-grandson of Mr. Wodehouse, was onboard for coaching and Greg Utzig contributed some string sorcery by way of guitar, banjo, mandolin and ukulele.

Some solos were true standouts:  Mr. Eletto's "My Castle in the Air" from Miss Springtime, accompanied by some delicate filigree by Mr. Blier on the piano; Ms. Gonzalez' singing the original "Bill" from "Oh, Lady, Lady"  (this lighthearted version later altered and darkened by Oscar Hammerstein II for Showboat);  Mr. Knight's hilarious "Napoleon" from Have a Heart, and Mr. Lund's "The Land Where the Good Songs Go" from Oh Boy! and recycled for Miss 1917.

Our favorite duets were Ms. Feminear and Mr. Eletto's performance of "Tell Me All Your Troubles Cutie" from Miss 1917, "We're Crooks" from the same musical performed  by Mr. McKissick and Mr. Lund, and the humorous "You Never Knew About Me" from Oh Boy! performed by Ms. McDermott and Mr. Knight.

Mr. Wodehouse also wrote with Cole Porter and the ensemble performed their "You're the Top" from Anything Goes.  He also wrote with George Gershwin and as encore the ensemble performed "Oh Gee, Oh Joy" from Rosalie.

Mr. Wodehouse's fame as a writer of songs that have endured for nearly a century was eclipsed by his Bertie and Jeeves books.  What a gift Mr. Blier & Company have given us by resurrecting these gems.

© meche kroop

A NIGHT AT THE OPERETTA

Steven Blier

When Steven Blier puts a program together, one is assured of an entertaining and artistically valid evening.  Such was the case last night when The New York Festival of Song joined with Juilliard for an evening of arias, duets and ensembles from the world of operetta.  One doesn't get to hear much operetta these days and we hope that the excitement generated by this sampler program will result in some productions of entire operettas.

Nine singers from Juilliard's Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts captured the light-hearted spirit of these tuneful numbers, written by Franz Lehar, Jacques Offenbach, Jerome Kern, Sigmund Romberg, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Sullivan and others.  Sopranos Simone Easthope and Raquel Gonzales were joined by mezzo-sopranos Virginie Verrez and Rachael Wilson.  Tenors Kyle Bielfield, Nathan Haller and Miles Mykkanen along with baritone Philip Stoddard and bass-baritone Davone Tines completed the company.

Not only was the singing exemplary but we had an opportunity to witness other gifts possessed by these promising artists.  Davone Tines surprised us with some fine fiddling in Emmerich Kalman's "Mein alter Stradivari" from Der Ziguenerprimas.  Kyle Bielfield distinguished himself as a happy hoofer when he led the ensemble in "Je suis gai, soyez gai!" from Offenbach's La Belle Helene.

Our favorite romantic duet was "Schon wie die blaue Sommernacht" from Lehar's Giuditta.  Simone Easthope was compellingly Iberian in "Yo quiero a un hombre" from Caballero's El Cabo Primero.  Mr. Bielfield and Mr. Tines were hilarious in the slapstick "Quien es uste?" from Sorozabal's La del Manojo de Rosas.  We loved Rachael Wilson's performance of "Cancion de Paloma" from Barbieri's El Barberillo de Lavapies.  Her romantic duet with Mr. Haller, "April Snow" from Romberg's Up in Central Park was equally wonderful.  Ms. Easthope was winsome as "The Amorous Goldfish" from Sidney Jones' The Geisha.

The Gilbert and Sullivan entries from Princess Ida and Iolanthe (done as an encore) could have used some crisper diction, as well as Sondheim's "A weekend in the country" from A Little Night Music.  A pair of pianos were perfectly played by Mr. Blier and Michael Barrett.  Percussionist Andrew Stenvall contributed some fine sounds.  Mary Birnbaum served as Stage Director and the delightful choreography was attributed to Jeanne Slater.  The entire evening felt like a gift one didn't expect.  Like Oliver, we felt like asking for MORE!

(c) meche kroop