BALTIC OPERA FESTIVAL

 Lech Napierala and Ryan Speedo Green

It was quite the gala event at The Kosciuszko Foundation Monday night introducing the Baltic Opera Festival which will take place the first week in July in Gdansk and Sopor. Those fortunate enough to travel to Poland will get to experience the first two operas of Wagner's Ring Cycle. A lucky visitor could get to experience Das Rheingold (strangely described as "a children's opera") on July 1st and Die Walküre on July 2nd--both at the Sopor location and sung in Polish, on the 150th anniversary of the premiere of Wagner's magnificent opus.

Additionally, one could also enjoy a staged performance of Joseph Beers' Polish Wedding, a tribute to to Penderecki, and a recital by German soprano Anett Fritsch. What a way to begin a new festival!

Guests for this very special event were seated in the gorgeous second floor salon of The Kosciuszko Foundation where we have enjoyed so many thrilling musical events, all under the watchful eye of a portrait of the very handsome Thaddeus Kosciuzko himself, a hero of the American Revolution.

There were a lot of speeches and a warm welcome but our interest was in the singing. It was probably no accident that most of the singers belonged to the cast of The Metropolitan Opera's production of Tristan and Isolde and we got to enjoy them "up close and personal" as we most enjoy. Perhaps it was their night off!

We never have an opportunity to be that close to such renowned singers with the exception of Ryan Speedo Green. We have been writing about this exceptional bass-baritone since 2012--witnessing his rapid rise to stardom and loving every step of the way as he made his way through the Lindemann Program and kept winning competitions. On this occasion about which we are writing, Mr. Green delighted us with "Wotan's Farewell". If we ever get over our total devotion to James Morris' take on the role, it will be Mr. Ryan's. Currently at The Met singing King Marke, you are hereby urged, Dear Reader, to make an acquaintance with this super star.

The rest of the Tristan and Isolde cast also gave remarkable performances, accompanied by Lech Napierala. Soprano Lise Davidsen (portraying Isolde at The Met) is just as phenomenal as we heard she was. Aside from the gorgeous instrument and sensitive interpretation, we were most impressed by the way she scaled her voice to the room. She sang a pair of songs from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder--"Der Engel" and "Stehe Still!"

Tenor Michael Spyres ( The Met's Tristan) sang "Im Treibhaus", mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova (The Met's Brangäne) performed “Schmerzen", and Tomasz Konieczny  (The Met's Kurvenal) sang  "Traume".

We also got to hear an excerpt from the aforementioned Polish Wedding --Monika Radecka and Piotr Buszewski  performed the  "Duet of Jadzia and Bolesław" (presumably the. couple getting married). If the entire opera is as good as the duet, it must be a hit!

As a final vocal treat we got to hear Aleksandra Kurzak perform “Vissi d’arte” from Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca. Having thrown herself into the role, we got a fine taste of drama as well as some mighty fine vocalism.

There were also some piano solos rounding out a very generous program, one worthy of a festival! As is common at The Kosciuszko Foundation, the evening ended with a reception where we enjoyed some pierogi and wine. We left feeling nourished body and soul.

© meche kroop

BELLISSIMO CANTO

Vincenzo Bellini

Could Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne have sung it any better in 1961?  Having never seen nor heard Vincenzo Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda, we jumped at the chance to hear a concert version of this rarely performed masterpiece of the bel canto period.  Long luscious vocal lines and gorgeous instrumentation made up for the rather tedious libretto by Felice Romani.  Have we heard this story before? Tyranical husband?  Check.  Falsely accused wife?  Check.  Husband in love with another woman?  Check.  The tyrannical Duke of Milan is in love with Agnese who is in love with Orombello who is in love with the widow Beatrice who should never have married the Duke.  Got all that?

This timeless but overworked plot is familiar this year by way of Anna Bolena at the Met.  If only the famous soprano who valiantly attempted the bel canto style of singing had coached with Angela Meade!  Her voice is as ample as her body and filled Carnegie Hall with ringy-pingy sound that was never harsh but somehow soothing and simultaneously exciting to the ear with perfectly executed fioritura, perfect vibrato and liquid trills.  Mezzo Jamie Barton, another big girl with a big voice, did equal justice to the role of Agnese, singing with poise and the requisite phrasing so necessary for Bellini.  The evil Duke of Milan was sung by baritone Nicholas Pallesen in wonderful style, fearless technique and all-around gorgeousness.  His final scena in which he expresses his ambivalence toward his wife's sentence kept us on the edge of our seat. Tenors Michael Spyres and Nicholas Houhoulis were no less terrific.  This was a case of luxury casting indeed!  Voices blended beautifully in duets and the Act II quintet.

James Bagwell conducted the American Syphony Orchestra with gusto and precision, limning Bellini's matchless melodies and orchestration.  We heard some delightfully delicate harp playing accompanying Agnese's opening offstage aria as well as some fine sounds from the wind section toward the end.  The Collegiate Chorale, positioned as a Greek chorus admonishing or supporting the major players, was glorious.  This opera surely deserves more attention.

(c) meche kroop