MANNING THE CANON

Efraín Solis, Matt Boehler, Daniel McGrew, and Scott Murphree

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of The Stonewall Riots, the wildly entertaining concert Manning the Canon: Songs of Gay Life was revived ten years after its debut at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center. Just as we feel a little bit Irish on St. Paddy's Day, and a little bit Italian on Columbus Day, we feel a little bit "queer" this month.

It surely wasn't necessary to be a member of the tribe to appreciate the program. In the eloquent words of Steven Blier, taken from his copious and fascinating program notes, it is "a rainbow-colored celebration of wit, beauty, emotion, and forthright honesty". The concert is a co-production of Mr. Blier, Artistic Director of New York Festival of Song, and Jesse Blumberg, Artistic Director of Five Boroughs Music Festival--both champions in the world of song.

And what songs we heard! Sets of well-curated songs about gay life were interspersed with songs by gay composers. The songs were universal in appeal; we all have a wide palette of feelings about love and sex, longing and disappointment, closeness and distance. 

Our favorites ranged the gamut, from hilarious cabaret songs to serious 19th c. compositions. Let us describe a few. As readers may have predicted, for our ears Schubert always comes out on top. The four members of the cast joined in exquisite harmony for Schubert's "Der Gondelfahrer", a setting of text by Johann Mayrhofer with whom the composer shared a bed for a couple of years. The lyrics scan and rhyme just the way we like and the melody took its cue from the text. 

Walking on the wilder side, we loved the cabaret song "An Admission" by Joseph Thalken with funny and tender lyrics by Mark Campbell whose libretto for The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs enchanted us so at Santa Fe Opera. The subject was the disappointment felt when one's prospective bedmate undresses and appears in all his naked inglorious glory. We are quite sure that everyone could relate to that one! Tenor Scott Murphree got all the feelings across, including the resolution at the end.

Drag offers so many opportunities for humor and John Wallowitch's cabaret song "Bruce" gave bass Matt Boehler an opportunity to use his loose-limbed frame, mobile face, and deeply resonant voice to portray a man criticizing Bruce's over-the-top style of dressing. The rhymes were beyond clever and Mr. Boehler did a swell job of getting the song across.

On the serious end of the spectrum, baritone Efraín Solis imbued Manuel de Falla's "Polo" with the requisite pain and just enough Latin sabor. Mr.Blier's insistent piano added to the drama.

There are songs that were written about a man and a woman that can be readily co-opted and placed firmly in the gay corner. Perhaps at the top of the list is Cy Coleman's "Tennis Duet" from City of Angels, for which David Zippel wrote the incredibly clever lyrics, filled with double entendres. Tenors David McGrew and Mr. Murphree made a marvelously flirtatious couple, sparring wittily with tennis rackets and provocative dialogue.

The program ended with Cole Porter's "You're the Top" in which the repetitive phrase "Baby, I'm the bottom you're the top" took on new meaning and was all the funnier for being played mostly straight by the ensemble. Porter's rhymes are hilarious and it was worthwhile to search out the lyrics to catch a few words and references we missed. 

The encore was sensational--"My Guy", written by Smokey Robinson (of The Miracles). In true Motown fashion, there was plenty of extravagant synchronized gesture and terrific harmonies.

We are sure that every person in that room had their own favorites. Those were ours. We were there when the show had its debut at the same LGBT Community Center ten years ago and were happy to enjoy its warmth and wit once again. Indeed it remains a source of PRIDE for its creators and its cast.

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POISE AND PRESENCE

Bronwyn Schuman and Anneliese Klenetsky

Soprano Anneliese Klenetsky is about to say farewell after eight years at Juilliard, from pre-college to Master of Music; we are pleased to report that she will be staying in New York City for the immediate future--so we can avoid a tearful goodbye. A presence like hers is a joy to behold, as beautiful of spirit as she is of voice, and as well endowed. We enjoyed her gracious tribute to Juilliard almost as much as her performance.

We will never forget her starring role as the Governess in Britten's Turn of the Screw, nor her spirited performance in NYFOS at Juilliard, nor her performance with Juilliard 415, not to mention the numerous recitals.

As a matter of fact, we were delighted to revisit works that she has performed before, among which the set which contrasted views of Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet was our favorite. Brahms' Fünf Ophelia-Lieder are gorgeously melodic and portray Ophelia as a pathetic victim; Richard Strauss' Drei Lieder der Ophelia portray her as deranged. The same text set to wildly different music gave the singer an opportunity to show off her versatility.

Ms. Klenetsky has a bright and brilliantly focused soprano that is never harsh; she employs it with fine technique that never calls attention to itself but exists to serve the music. Following the two sets of Ophelia songs, she ended her program with a charming a capella folksong "Let no man steal your thyme", the melody of which had a rather Irish sound.

Another set that we have previously heard her perform comprised songs by Francis Poulenc--the anxious tale of "Le disparu" counterintuitively set to jolly piano music, the sad "C" and the surreal "Fêtes galantes". Ms. Klenetsky has a real feeling for Poulenc and his ironies. She uses gesture generously to get the songs across.

The evening opened with an assist from the harpsichord (Francis Yun) and a string quartet comprising violinists Rachel Ellen Wong and Ethan Lin, violist Sergio Muñoz Leiva, and cellist Madeline Bouïssou. Vivaldi's work In furore lustissimae irae, sung in Latin, opened with a spirited Allegro, the heavily ornamented line of which provided Ms. Klenetsky with the opportunity to display marked flexibility. There was a sorrowful recitativo, a Largo and a rapid fire conclusion with a melismatic "Alleluia".

The Händel which followed was more to our liking. "Caro! Bella!" from Giulio Cesare amounts to the swapping of endearments and we found it endearing, thanks to a delightful performance by Ms. Kelentsky and countertenor Jacob Inbar. We were completely captivated.

Even better was "Io t'abraccio" from Rodelinda in which the overtones of each singer's voice augmented those of the other's. Mr. Ingbar had some low notes here but was undaunted. Both singers excelled.

There was also a cycle of songs by Lili Boulanger, the sister of the famous Nadia Boulanger. This promising musician died tragically at the age of 25. Neither the text nor the music of the cycle Clairières dans le ciel appealed to us but the performance was highly expressive and made good use of dynamic variation. The piano writing was more interesting than the vocal line but we did like the melodic "Nous nous aimerons tant".

It was an impressive and enjoyable farewell recital; tribute was paid to all those folks who fostered Ms. Klenetsky's development as an artist, especially her teachers Edith Wiens and the late Sanford Sylvan, who would have been very proud of her.

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WIE WUNDERBAR!

German Forum President Barbara Heming, pianist Babette Hierholzer, oboeist Julia Obergfell, and baritone Äneas Humm

Last night's German Forum presented their Fall Concert at Lincoln Center's Bruno Walter Auditorium and we are pleased to report that in spite of ex-President Henry Meyer-Oertel's retirement, the music and good fellowship remain intact under the stewardship of new president Barbara Heming.

Guests were welcomed, the mission reiterated, and the young artists presented. We were introduced to the astonishing young baritone Äneas Humm several years ago when the German Forum brought him here from Switzerland. We were amazed by his artistry back then and he has only gotten better each time we hear him.

Last night his light lyric instrument served well in a selection of Schubert lieder. In "Der Wanderer" (the one with text by von Lübeck) the poet is lonely and unhappy; this was successfully conveyed by the singer's word coloring. The contrasting third stanza ("Wo bist du") was filled with anguish. Mr. Humm rose to the challenge of the low tessitura.

The poet in "Der Wanderer an den Mond" is also lonely; but the colors were different as he contemplates the moon and compares their differing situations. The excellent collaborative pianist Babette Hierholzer established a walking rhythm.

"Der Jüngling an der Quelle" tells of a youth filled with unrequited longing; both singer and pianist filled out the music with sweetness.

We can think of no lieder composer we love more than Schubert but we have no love for "Der Zwerg". The problem is not with the music or its performance. We just hate the story of the jealous dwarf who strangles his Queen and throws her into the sea. Still, our singer is a master story-teller.

Robert Stolz's compositions of the early 20th c. bring fresh delights to the ear. From his operetta Mädi, we heard "Bisschen Liebe tut gut" and for this our singer assumed a rakish pose and a charming seductive mien that suited him well.

Not as well suited to his voice was "Sorge infausta una procella", sung by the magician Zoroastro in Händel's opera Orlando. This aria is usually sung by a heavy bass and was not the best choice for a lyric baritone. Furthermore, work needs to be done on the articulation of the fioritura.

Far better were two songs by Viktor Ullman, the Austrian composer who wrote the satirical opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis which we have twice reviewed. Mr. Humm performed two songs of his that were translated from Farsi--"Vorausbestimmung" and "Betrunken". The music is replete with early 20th c. irony.

Co-starring on this interesting and varied program was young German oboist Julia Obergfell who began her musical childhood as a pianist until she fell in love with the oboe. We have also loved the oboe solos in symphonic works but have never heard the oboe in recital. Last night we realized how similar to singing it is.  Breath control and phrasing and color are all important.

The first movement of Schumann's Romance, Op. 94 had some graceful phrasing and a mournful feel. In contrast, we heard Telemann's Fantasy in B minor which demanded a crisper sound and some impressive staccato. Ms. Obergfell's artistry is unmistakable.

Her major work on the program was Poulenc's Sonata for Oboe and Piano. The Elégie was melodious and mysterious and had an impressive trill.  The Scherzo was frisky and fast with fleet fingering required on the repeated notes. The final movement Déploration involved some pensive phrasing and lived up to its meaning--"lamentation". In Ms. Hierholzer, the singer found a worthy piano partner indeed!

We were so happy to see Mr. Meyer-Oertel in the audience and equally happy that the German Forum continues its worthy mission of bringing young artists from German speaking countries to the USA to perform. We have a high level of confidence in the new President Barbara Heming. You too can be part of this valuable organization for a modest contribution. Music, food, wine, and good fellowship!

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ART SONG WANTED! DEAD OR ALIVE?

Nils Neubert and Robert Brandt

 Art Song recitals are a tough sell these days and one wonders why this perfect marriage of poetry, piano, and voice has fallen out of favor with the musical audiences of today. It seems as if a celebrity singer can fill up Carnegie Hall; but the true artistry of this genre is best enjoyed in an intimate venue.

Frank Daykin and Thomas

New York City has a number of organizations devoted to the survival of the art song and chief among them is The Art Song Preservation Society which is in the middle of its annual festival.  We love their motto--"Where Music Speaks & Words Sing". Headed by singer/pianist/educator/arts administrator Blair Boone-Migura, ASPS provides opportunities for education and performance for both emerging and established composers, singers, and accompanists. They are also involved in community outreach, mentoring, and an internet-radio podcast.

This week there will be daily master classes at 2:00 PM held at Manhattan School of Music; the master teachers are some of the best in the field.  Although not available in the daytime, we are mostly excited about the Friday evening recital of Latin American Art Song.  And anyone free next Saturday at 1:00 can enjoy the finals of the Mary Trueman Art Song Vocal Competition; an added bonus is the opportunity to vote for your favorite competitor.

We have just returned from a delightful recital in which two seasoned recitalists presented both solos and duets of this genre, accompanied by two veteran and legendary collaborative pianists who are both "poets of the piano". This complement allowed for the hearing of rarely heard duets and four-handed piano pieces.

The program opened with tenor Nils Neubert joining forces with baritone Robert Brandt for three duets by Brahms, none of which we have heard before. The sound fell sweetly on the ear with great attention paid to crisp consonants, lovely phrasing, and a perfect balance between the two voices. We do love German lieder with the same affection which Italian holds for us in the area of opera. Furthermore, the composers of 19th c. Germany astutely chose fine poetry to set.

We are pleased to share with our readers that the early 20th c. English songs held no terrors for our 19th c. ears. We heard a selection of songs by Gerald Finzi, Herbert Howells, and John Ireland, all distinguished by their wise choices of text and their astute use of our mother tongue to amplify this text.  Of course, one can never go wrong with Shakespeare, whose iambic pentameter lends itself to musical setting. We wish contemporary composers would choose better text to set!

These songs were given a fine performance by the mellow voiced Mr. Brandt, accompanied by Frank Daykin, who brought out the subtleties of the piano score, especially the sound of the nightingale in Howells' "King David". In Finzi's flirtatious "O Mistress mine", we enjoyed Mr. Brandt's lovely pianissimo in the last verse.  The philosophical "Fear no more the heat o' the sun" from the Bard's Cymbeline, and Ireland's nostalgic "The Salley Gardens" were followed by the frisky "It was a lover and his lass" from As You Like It. Mr. Brandt colored each song according to its text and his English diction was particularly well defined.  Not a word was lost.

Mr. Neubert also had his turn as a soloist and we enjoyed his performance of Quatre Melodies de Claude Debussy, settings of text by Paul Verlaine. Thomas Grubb's piano was the ideal partner; Mr. Grubb is renowned for writing the popular Singing in French, a manual of French Diction and French Vocal Repertoire. "C'est l'extase langoureuse" was given an appropriately languid reading. In "Il pleure dans mon coeur", we enjoyed the rippling piano, quite different from the rolling waves of "La mer est plus belle".

The two singers joined forces for two duets by Gabriel Fauré that were new to us. The lovely French lines involved the two voices echoing one another, not only in the textual lines but on the pleasing sound of "ah". The audience favorite seems to have been the jolly "Tarantelle". Mr. Grubb was truly in his element.

Besides this banquet of vocal music, we were treated to some four-handed piano.  We heard a sonata for four hands by Francis Poulenc--lively and somewhat dissonant. The program closed with Ravel's Ma Mère l'Oye, written in 1908-1910. Mr. Daykin, known for his widely used Encyclopedia of French Art Song: Fauré, Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, gave a droll introduction to this work by Ravel, here at his picturesque best in programmatic music written for the children of his friends, who were unable to learn the piece!

We particularly enjoyed "Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bête" in which Mr. Daykin expressed Belle's beauty in the lyrical part played in the upper register, whilst the rumbling of the Beast was taken by Mr. Grubb at the lower end of the register. Both themes were transmogrified over the course of the movement.

The audience clamored for an encore but there was none.  Still, we left feeling completely fulfilled.

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ADES COMPETITION WINNERS RECITAL

Craig Rutenberg, Shaina Martinez, and SeokJong Baek

This is the time of year when singers we know and love are graduating from our three local music conservatories; it is a bittersweet time for us. We are thrilled for their accomplishments and excited about their summer programs and young artist programs; we feel sad because we will miss them; we always hope they will stay in touch and let us know how they like their "new homes".

Thankfully, Opera America's Emerging Artist Recitals series (the last of the season) presented two singers who won the Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition; the purpose of the competition is to select singers who possess outstanding talent and potential for careers in opera. As pointed out by Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic Director of the MSM Opera Theater, the winners' prize money is used to support the singers' professional development in many ways, subject to approval.

Competitors are selected from among students getting their degrees from Manhattan School of Music.  The top three winners this year were baritone SeokJung Baek, mezzo-soprano Hongni Wu (who just won the Met National Council competition) and soprano Shaina Martinez, all of whom are being awarded their Masters of Music degree.

Onstage last night in Scorca Hall at the National Opera Center were Ms. Martinez and Mr. Baek, both covering wide musical territory that revealed their versatility. They were accompanied by the always wonderful Craig Rutenberg whose light touch and sensitivity toward the singers always impresses us.

Ms. Martinez opened the program with "Come scoglio", from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte; Ms. Martinez' sizable soprano was put in the service of Fiordiligi's resoluteness in the face of temptation. Whilst negotiating the huge leaps Mozart wrote (purportedly to embarrass an unpopular soprano) and some lovely embellishments, she managed to portray a young woman who "doth protest too much". 

This soprano is poised onstage and able to use expressive gestures to amplify her expressive voice. She switched gears for two selections from Poulenc's Fiançailles pour rire which shows Poulenc's lighter side--the languorous "Violon" and "Fleurs" with its delightful piano part. Her French was quite good.

But, for reasons of our own, we got the biggest thrill from her singing in Spanish, a language that resonates with us on par with Italian. We heard a trio of songs by the 20th c. Argentinean composer Carlos Guastavino. Ms. Martinez' partnership with Mr. Rutenberg was outstanding in "Pampamapa" with its vigorous rhythms. In "Abismo de sed" she sings "Soy cantor" (I am a singer) and we smiled. The third song was "Hermano".

Even better was "Hija del amor" from Gonzalo Roig's zarzuela Cecilia Valdés in which a mother vows to protect her daughter from the romantic betrayal she has endured.  The air was thick with passionate intensity and we were transported.

This versatile artist, having done justice to opera, art song, and zarzuela, joined Mr. Baek for the duet "Nedda! Silvio!" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. The pair left no doubt about the high stakes they were facing. Ms. Martinez limned Nedda's conflict; Mr. Baek used every strategy he could to persuade her to leave Canio--seduction, promises, and even guilt. Meanwhile, Mr. Rutenberg's piano sustained the tension.

Mr. Baek is similarly versatile and we were very happy to hear two of his "signature arias" which he performed in 2016 when we was an Opera Index Competition winner. His facility in French has gotten even better with more legato in the line; his interpretation of Valentin has also grown. His baritone is capable of silky smoothness and also vigor. In "Avant de quitter ces lieux" he used the vigor as he sang of battle and a smooth tenderness when he spoke of his love for Marguerite. His voice swelled to a passionate climax.

The other "signature piece" is Tosti's "L'alba sepàra dalla luce l'ombra" sung with great depth of feeling. We think we understood the meaning of the song for the first time.

Renato's rage at Amelia, the wife he wrongly suspects of infidelity, is the subject of the aria "Eri tu ce macchiavi quell'anima" in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. Only an artist can reveal both the outer contempt of Renato whilst letting the grief and pain peek through. Looks like we have a new Verdi baritone worth celebrating! 

In yet another manifestation of versatility, he captured the wry humor of "La Maîtresse volage" by Poulenc.  Two other songs from Chansons gaillardes were "Madrigal" and the rather naughty "L'Offrande" in which Mr. Rutenberg's piano portrayed the postulate's innocence.

From Copland's Old American Songs we heard the tender "Long Time Ago" and the jaunty "The Boatmen's Dance". They were sung in crystal clear well-enunciated English and given the grace and simplicity they require.

It was over all too soon.  Mr. Baek leaves for San Francisco Opera's Merola Program and then will be a resident artist at Lyric Opera of Kansas City. 

We wish all good things to these artists but also to all of the wonderful students getting their degrees from MSM this month. We wish we might have heard all of their graduation recitals.

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APPLE OF OUR EYE (and ear)

Ken Noda, Sarah Mesko, and Paul Appleby

What gives us the greatest pleasure in life is witnessing the growth of young artists. We have thrilled to the performances of tenor Paul Appleby since we started writing--no, even before--from Juilliard to leading roles on the stages of the world's greatest opera houses. We have been there when he was showered with awards from all the leading foundations. And yesterday he appeared as the "senior" member of a duo at the George London Foundation recital series, having been awarded a half dozen years ago. His rapid ascent can be attributed to his impressive expressive qualities and commitment to whatever he sings.  Besides all that, he has a tonal quality that goes straight to the heart.

The final piece on yesterday's program at The Morgan Library (a very special series for those of us who adore the human voice) was a duet with the "junior" member of the team mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko, who was honored by the foundation just two years ago. The duet was the final scene from Georges Bizet's Carmen, a scene which has always seemed to go on a bit too long for our taste causing us to inwardly mutter "Stab her already".  But not yesterday!  The performance was so intense that we had to restrain ourselves from leaping onstage to prevent Don Jose from stabbing Carmen.

This frightening reality was created without set or costumes. We have never seen/heard it performed better. When Don Jose cradled the dying Carmen in his arms we could not hold back the tears. Ms. Mesko has experience with the role and Mr. Appleby absolutely must add this to his already substantial repertoire. Don Jose is a complex character and Mr. Appleby's artistry captured all of it. Interestingly, the two artists appeared together at the Santa Fe Opera a few years back in Offenbach's La Grand Duchesse de Gerolstein, which we reviewed so enthusiastically.

With that bedazzlement out of the way, let us consider the remainder of the program. Ms. Mesko's voice has the quality of liquid caramel and felt so totally perfect for Brahms whose "Die Mainacht" was the standout of her first set. Accompanied by the fine violist Andrew Gonzalez, she also gave a beautiful interpretation of Brahms' Zwei Gesange, op.91. The artist filled "Gestillte Sehnsucht" with restless longing. "Geistliches Wiegenlied" is a lullaby to the Christ child that we have often heard. Mr. Gonzalez' line echoed the vocal line and the repetition of the phrase "stillet die Wipfel" will not quit our ear.

We might add that Ms. Mesko's German diction was superb and she filled Hugo Wolf's "Der Mond hat eine schwere Klag erhoben" with wonder. She also accomplished a rare feat by singing English with superb enunciation. As far as the French, we found Gabriel Faure's "Clair de lune" to be wanting more fluidity of line to bring out the sensuality achieved by Ken Noda's superb accompaniment.  We even had the curious thought that the English song preceding the "Clair de Lune" had set her up for a choppier delivery.

We liked the way Ms. Mesko addressed the audience and told about her choices. She related how Hector Berlioz added something to Virgil's account of Dido's death when he wrote the libretto for Les Troyens. When she sang "Ah! Je vais mourir" we got Dido's anger at the abandoning Aeneas...followed by Berlioz' addition of an adagio section in which she expresses her gratitude for the good things in her life. In this part, we heard the longer legato line that we wanted to hear in the earlier "Clair de lune".

Mr. Appleby, so passionately convincing in opera, revealed a different side of his artistry in a set of songs by Britten. He is a thinking man's artist and can only be admired for choosing material that resonates with him. That it doesn't resonate with us does not take away anything. His attention to text is impressive and he mines every song for meaning. When we read the title of the song cycle On This Island, all we could think about was Mr. Appleby's thrilling performance at the Met in Enchanted Island! But this set of songs, settings of text by W.H.Auden, although they did not enchant us, held our interest.

We enjoyed the embellishments in "Let the florid music praise!" and the Brecht/Weill flavor of "Now the leaves are falling fast". The dirge-like "Nocturne" appealed to us because the text rhymed and scanned. But the most affecting was the sardonic and bitter "As it is, plenty" which Mr. Appleby invested with great dramatic import.

We cannot say that the set of Poulenc songs held our attention. Tel jour, telle nuit was set to text by Paul Eluard which struck us as surreal and not worthy of setting.

We would have been happy to have left the recital all shook up by the Carmen but the generous artists supplied encores. Ms. Mesko gave a delightful delivery of "Everybody Says Don't" from Sondheim's 1864 Broadway show Anyone Can Whistle. The show did not do well but the song is a winner.

Mr. Appleby's encore was Ned Rorem's paean to "The Lordly Hudson". Well performed as one would expect, but we would prefer to see the river through the eyes of a painter of the Hudson River School!

The talented pair closed the program with Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Dirge for Fidele" also known as "Fear no more the heat o' the sun", text from Shakespeare's Cymbeline. The overlapping voices and peaceful harmonies were perfect.

But the most perfect performance of all was that of collaborative pianist Ken Noda who is as supportive of the artist as he is brilliant on the keys.

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THE MASTERY OF WILL KELLEY

Will Kelley

It is incredibly rewarding to witness artistic growth and especially so when an artist you have been enjoying for some time is achieving a master's degree. We arrived at Juilliard last night rain-soaked and wind-blown but by the end of the recital our frown had turned upside down, a phenomenon that will be familiar to music lovers.

Mr. Kelley is an outstanding collaborative pianist, as we already knew.  But last night was an opportunity to hear him work with several different singers and a cellist heretofore unknown to us. He subtly adjusted his prodigious technique to suit each and every circumstance.

First on the program, he was joined by countertenor Jakub Jozef Orlinski and tenor Matthew Swensen for Benjamin Britten's Canticle II: "Abraham and Isaac" which we saw performed last year at Chelsea Opera. (Review archived). We are never fond of bible stories but this is one of the most immoral and despicable of all. In our opinion, true morality is doing what is right regardless of what one is told, whereas doing what you are told regardless of what is right is nothing more than obedience.

Personal distaste for the subject matter aside, the three artists performed magnificently with Mr. Swensen as the misguidedly obedient father and Mr. Orlinski portraying the heartbreakingly obedient and trusting child. Even with scores in hand they acted with body as well as voice; Mr. Kelley modulated his playing to fit every mood change. The harmonies of the final duet were strikingly accomplished.

The next work on the program was Francis Poulenc's Sonata for Cello and Piano. Mr. Kelley pointed out that both the Britten and the Poulenc were written contemporaneously in the post WWII period. This was an excellent opportunity to hear Mr. Kelley partner with another instrumentalist, a new experience for us. 

Julian Schwarz' playing was just as fine as Mr. Kelley's; the two seemed to have a superb partnership and both navigated the many moods evinced within the four movements. The first was light-hearted; the second was lyrically somber and marked by gorgeous glissandi and a peaceful conclusion; the third was downright frisky by way of staccati given a Gallic shrug; and the fourth exhibited tension, ponderousness, then a music hall type franticness. Whew!

The second half of the program brought us to more familiar territory. By this time we had decided that Mr. Kelley chose his partners well and mezzo-soprano Caitlin Redding was just the right singer for a quartet of early songs by Arnold Schoenberg and three selections from Cinq poèmes de Baudelaire set by Debussy.  

Among the Schoenberg songs we loved the evocative "Erwartung" and the sensual "Schenk mir deinen goldenen Kamm". It has taken many hearings for us to appreciate Schoenberg but the artistry of Ms. Redding and Mr. Kelley brought us farther along the path.

Among the Debussy selections, our favorite was "Le jet d'eau" in which Mr. Kelley's piano limned all the rippling and splashing of the fountain.  Indeed we decided that Debussy did for fountains what Beethoven did for moonlight.

The final part of the program comprised four selections from Sergei Rachmaninoff's Six Romances, Op. 38 for which soprano Christine Price was an excellent choice.

The more we listen the greater is our admiration for the art of Collaborative Piano. It is not enough to be an excellent pianist; there is so much involved in matching the other artist's tempi, coloring, and dynamics.  We'd say that Mr. Kelley has mastered the art!

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MAHLER AND MORE AT JUILLIARD

Jinhee Park, Ava Nazar, Theo Hoffman, Samuel Levine, Kelsey Lauritano, Fan Jia, Ho Jae Lee, and Erika Switzer

Thursday's Liederabend at Juilliard, coached by Erika Switzer, was a stunning event offering multiple delights. We feel compelled to begin at the end, at which point baritone Theo Hoffman's performance of Viktor Ullmann's "Abendphantasie" segued directly into Gustav Mahler's lied "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen".  It was the only piece on the program that we know well and we seemed to be greeting an old friend who never looked so fine.

Mr. Hoffman is a consummate artist and his depth of understanding of the text revealed to us, in a new and profound way, the very particular situation of the creative artist and his need for solitude. We felt as if Mahler himself had taken the stage and was telling us about his creative passion. The melody and harmony are exquisite and collaborative pianist Ho Jae Lee captured the nuances as effectively as Mr. Hoffman. Had we trekked up to Juilliard and heard that one song we would have been satisfied.

The remainder of the program was unfamiliar and seemed challenging for the artists and the audience. We asked tenor Samuel Levine about the difficulty of performing the 20th c. Five Sonette an Orpheus by the Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara. To us, the vocal line seemed abstract but Mr. Levine was very comfortable with the work and knew it well.

He employed multiple colors in his voice.  We preferred the gentle "Und fast ein Mädchen wars" and the somewhat more melodic "Errichtet keinen Denkstein".  Jinhee Park was Mr. Levine's piano partner. We may never have another opportunity to hear this cycle of songs and were happy for the experience although they will never be among our favorites.

The remainder of the program comprised two cycles by Poulenc. Baritone Fan Jia, accompanied by CP Kathryn Felt, created his own art gallery with Le travail du peintre, in which Paul Eluard's text was brought to life. We couldn't help thinking of Moussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, since the text described paintings by seven 20th c. painters.

It came as no surprise that our favorite chanson was the one about Marc Chagall who is our favorite modern painter. In line with the playful surrealism of the artwork, Poulenc's music and Eluard's text were equally playful, as was Mr. Jia's delivery. He has a muscular baritone which he modulated dynamically to suit each piece, be it playful or serious, quiet or vigorous.

Mezzo-soprano Kelsey Lauritano performed Poulenc's "Poèmes de Ronsard". She is one of those singers who excels at storytelling. She was frisky in "Attributs", relating what is sacred to each of the goddesses. We enjoyed Ava Nazar's syncopated piano in "Le tombeau". But our favorite part was a song that we are sure Ms. Lauritano favors above the others--"Ballet". Her personality just shone.

Happily, everyone's French and German were both excellent and performances were so polished that no one's technique called attention away from the music, which was well served by everyone.

But it's the Mahler we can't get out of our mind and our ears.

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DOUBLE SPOTLIGHT

Clarissa Lyons (photo by Marielle Hayes)

Miles Mykkanen (photo by Kristin Hoebermann)

Thursday night's Spotlight recital featured two fine young singers, both of them in collaboration with the wonderful pianist Ken Noda. The recital is part of the Marilyn Horne legacy at Carnegie Hall. The program, part of the week-long The Song Continues, was filled with delights.

Soprano Clarissa Lyons is new on our radar screen but tenor Miles Mykkanen has been delighting our ears for several years as he pursued his training at Juilliard.  The Divine Mr. M. is always full of surprises, tackling unusual material or presenting old songs in new ways. Thursday night there was no gender bending, which we have enjoyed when he sings with New York Festival of Song.

Mr. M. is always a compelling performer and has a unique sound that is distinctive and memorable; the quality of the vibrato lends a textural richness. The tone is sustained right through the lower register.

He sang five songs from Benjamin Britten's On This Island and sang them with perfect English diction, a rare quality indeed. Britten will never be among our favorite song composers but we certainly did enjoy this particular performance, particularly the despairing "Now the leaves are falling fast" and "As it is, plenty" in which Mr. M. was able to exhibit his passionate intensity. In "Seascape" he painted with words and handled the rapid notes of "Nocturne" with aplomb.

We were far more enthusiastic about his trio of Schumann songs--the bittersweet "Des Sennen Abschied" was our favorite.  His German is impeccable. Mr. Noda's pianism was thrilling, especially in the arpeggios of "Requiem".

The final set comprised three songs by Grieg and it was here that we enjoyed ourselves the most. "Takk for dit råd" expresses the strong impulse toward freedom which Norwegians associate with the sea. Mr. M. captured the essence of the text.

He introduced the song "En svane" with a sad and romantic tale about the poetry and the "fact" that swans only sing when they die. Mr. Noda's playing here added so greatly to the depth of feeling. But his final song "En drøm" filled us with the joy of love achieved and passionately appreciated. What a performance!

Soprano Clarissa Lyons filled the stage with beauty. Her statuesque presence reminds one of a Modigliani painting. Her voice is a lovely one with a diamantine sparkle. We were pleased to hear two songs by Joseph Marx, a composer of whom we do not hear enough. "Ständchen" was given a convincing delivery and "Selige Nacht" had some lovely word coloring to delight the ear.

We heard three songs by Poulenc, settings of surrealistic poetry by Louise Lalanne. "Le présent" and "Chanson" were of a whimsical nature but "Hier" was filled with longing. It was a fine way to show off the singer's versatility.

Next we heard a pair of songs by Rachmaninoff--"A Dream" and "Au!", which comes to an end without resolution. We loved Ms. Lyon's involvement in the text.

Her final set comprised two selections from Barber's Hermit Songs--"Saint Ita's Vision" and "The Desire for Hermitage". We have often heard them but cannot love them. We did love the way she sang them however, with deep commitment.

Both singers collaborated on an encore which sent us out smiling--Bernstein's "Wrong Note Rag".  This was the only wrong note in a wonderful recital. So much ground to cover in an hour! But the artists made every minute count.

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A-VERY FINE RECITAL

Sophia Muñoz and Avery Amereau

Let us begin by saying that we love Avery Amereau's voice.  We have enjoyed listening to her as she made her way through the Juilliard Vocal Arts Department and last night's recital marked her upcoming achievement of a Master of Music degree. So many singers who are billed as mezzo-sopranos sound like sopranos who don't have the high notes; not so Ms. Amereau whose voice reminds us of a creamy chocolate stout, or maybe a Guinness. It is a very special voice.  A true mezzo.

Last night we heard her sing Bellini with a warm Italianate song, Poulenc with fine French diction, Brahms in perfect German, and English in an emotionally demanding piece by Britten.

Bellini's songs require a long sustained line and Ms. Amereau's phrasing was just right. We loved the choice of songs which were all familiar to us. "Malinconia, ninfa gentile" has such a lilting melody but perhaps our favorite was "Dolente immagine di Fille mia" with its sorrowful image. The long lines were beautifully embellished.

In "L'abbandono" we appreciated the phrasing and dynamic control. In "Torna, vezossa Fillide", Ms. Amereau gave equal attention to tempi and to color, especially at the transition from major to minor key, as did Ms. Muñoz.

Poulenc's Banalités are always fun and we generally seem to favor the shorter ones like the languorous "Hôtel" and "Voyage à Paris", filled as it is with charm and excitement. In "Sanglots" we heard some really fine piano work from Ms. Muñoz.

Thanks to Ms. Amereau's programming skills, we heard for the first time (and hope it won't be for the last time) Two Songs for Viola and Alto, Op. 91 by Brahms. With the fortunate participation of violist Matthew Lipman we heard "Gestillte Sehnsucht" and "Die ihr schwebet" with its two catchy melodies, one in the viola and the other in the voice.  Supported by Ms. Muñoz on the piano, the artists played off one another to the delight of our happy ears.

Our ears were not so happy with Britten's Phaedra. Readers may have anticipated that this 20th c. work would not be our favorite. It was very intense and we could admire the artist's delivery without wanting to hear it again. It is an emotionally demanding work and Ms. Amereau had the goods to deliver. We just didn't think Greek tragedy required such a musical interpretation. The words could have done as well in a dramatic reading.

We are happy to report that Ms. Amereau can be seen and heard in Carmen at the New York Opera Exchange, coming up in May. We are seriously excited about this and hope you will be as well. Watch on our Facebook page (Voce di Meche) for further announcements.

(c) meche kroop

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NORA LONDON

Craig Rutenberg, Danielle Orlando, Nicholas Pallesen, and Angela Meade

Some songs were old and some were new; perhaps some were borrowed and many were blue.  It was a most unusual program at the Morgan Library as Nora London's birthday was celebrated yesterday.   As you have read here, the George London Foundation for Singers is renowned for supporting young singers.  Winners of the annual competition are invited back to perform in a series of superb recitals.

Both baritone Nicholas Pallesen and soprano Angela Meade have been setting the opera world on fire and garnering lavish praise and precious prizes for their dazzling vocal artistry.  Yesterday we got to see and hear them "up close and personal".

Mr. Rutenberg, a peerless piano partner, opened the program with some introductory remarks about Francis Poulenc's 1942 song cycle Chanson villageoises, written under the German occupation of France.  France under siege is a topic that cannot help but resonate with us today.  Poulenc's songs are spiky, filled with irony and somehow reminiscent of the cabaret.  We have never heard this cycle before but hope to become more familiar with its treasures.

Mr. Pallesen is a singer of great artistry, demonstrating a consummate ability to communicate the intentions of the composer.  He is equally comfortable with the charming, the frisky and the angry.  His technique is so refined that one doesn't notice it.  We found ourself overwhelmed by the drama, particularly in the bitter "Le mendiant" and the sad "Le retour du sergent".  Poverty and war are never pretty but Mr. Pallesen made them moving and upsetting.

Continuing in the French language, Ms. Meade offered a quartet of songs by Giacomo Meyerbeer that we had likewise never heard before.  Her piano partner Danielle Orlando leapt right into "Le voeu pendant l'orage" with some rumbling in the piano which shifted to some rather tinkly figures.  She is fearless in her accompanying and a perfect partner for Ms. Meade who grabs a song by the throat and doesn't let go. Her operatic expressiveness served her well in these songs of melodic richness and rhythmic intensity.  These songs also merit a second hearing.  Truth to tell, we would happily have had an instant replay of the entire recital!

This ground-breaking portion of the program was not over yet.  Mr. Pallesen and Mr. Rutenberg returned for "Ha! noch einen ganzen Tag!....Ha! welche Lust aus schönen Augen" from Der Vampyr by  Heinrich Marschner, a contemporary of Meyerbeer. This is a role Mr. Pallesen has been performing and he filled the aria with great excitement and power without neglecting German diction.  Every word was clear as crystal; consonants were crisp without cheating the vowels.  We never noticed the absence of titles.

The second half of the program took us to more familiar territory.  Ms. Meade initiated with "Crudele!...Non mi dir", Donna Anna's aria from Mozart's Don Giovanni. This was the perfect vehicle for Ms. Meade to show the ample size of her beautiful instrument, her elegant phrasing, and ease with embellishments.

Five songs by Charles Ives were then sung by Mr. Pallesen; our favorite was "Charlie Rutledge" which he sang with a Texas accent with some contributions from Mr. Rutenberg.  What fun!

The four Strauss songs chosen by Ms. Meade for the next set are very familiar to us but that never detracts from the pleasure we get from the passionate importuning "Stänchen", the joyful "Zueignung", the soulful "Allerseelen" and the enthusiastic "Cäcilie".  Indeed, Ms. Meade brought her unique communicative skills to the performance and made the songs new again.  Her voice seems made for Strauss!

To close the program, both singers joined to perform one of Verdi's father-daughter duets--"Figlia t'avanza...Tu pur lo sai" from I Due Foscari.  In this duet, a woman begs the Doge of Venice, her father-in-law, to intervene on behalf of his son.  It is beyond our understanding how he could resist!  It was such a captivating performance that we now yearn to hear the entire opera, if and when we get the opportunity.

So...happy birthday Nora London and many thanks for the fine way in which you honor your husband's memory.

© meche kroop

MARILYN HORNE SONG COMPETITION WINNERS-2013

Tracy Cox

Maureen Zoltek

Opera America did well to inaugurate their Emerging Artist Recital Series in collaboration with the Music Academy of the West's 2012 Song Competition Winners.  Marilyn Horne herself was present to introduce the two lovely ladies who performed a recital worth boasting about.

Accompanied with consummate artistry and sensitivity by collaborative pianist Maureen Zoltek, dramatic soprano Tracy Cox let loose with a huge creamy voice, eminently suited to the Verdi and Strauss that she performed side by side in the first half of the program.  Ms. Cox broke the "one set, one composer" mold and inventively paired a song by Verdi with one by Strauss, counting on a unity of theme to bind them together.  Verdi's "In solitaria stanza" was paired with Strauss' "Die Nacht", one of our personal favorites.  "Stornello", one of our favorite Verdi songs was performed with convincing humor and paired with Strauss' "Die Verschwiegenen".  "Il Tramonto" by Verdi was well-matched with Strauss' "Heimkehr".  Strauss' charming "Muttertanderlei" stood in opposition to Verdi's  tragic "La Seduzione".  Two "drinking songs" closed the first half of the program--Strauss' romantic "Heimliche aufforderung" and Verdi's "Brindisi" in which the wine itself is the love object.

The second half of the program included Mark Carlson's setting of four sonnets by Pablo Neruda, of which our favorites were "Cuando yo muera" and "Reposa con tu sueño".  The very dramatic "La Dame de Monte Carlo", Poulenc's setting of Jean Cocteau's text, gave Ms. Cox the opportunity to demonstrate her acting chops which are significant.  The closing work was fun; Gabriel Kahane's setting of some very amusing Craigslist ads; one was of a very neurotic man seeking female companionship and the other was of a person seeking a roommate and offering a very cheap rent if only the roommate would tolerate his rather peculiar affliction.  Ms. Cox made the most of these songs to the delight of the audience.

Ms. Cox has a stage presence as commanding as her voice.  She knows just when to widen her eyes or wrinkle her nose and yet nothing is studied or artificial; it all seems to come out of her connection with the material.  Her connection with the audience is equally impressive.  Her huge voice just fills up the room, making all the molecules of oxygen vibrate.  There is a thrill in the listening and we hear Wagner in her future.  Could this be the Wagnerian we are all waiting for?

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EMALIE SAVOY RECITAL

Emalie Savoy and Nimrod David Pfeffer

We are thrilled to report that soprano Emalie Savoy's third season with the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program has resulted in a finished artist who would grace any opera stage with her exciting voice, physical beauty and relatedness.  We have long admired the purity of her voice and her musicality but this past year has put the finishing touches on her performance.  The connection with the material has increased in depth and consequently, the connection with her audience.  There is a new relaxation and welcome warmth about her that was evident from the first song.

The program opened with Poulenc's Banalités which gave this dazzling soprano an opportunity to explore many moods from the languor of "Hôtel" to the sadness of "Sanglots" to the utter joy of "Voyage à Paris", the latter being our personal favorite.  We were ready to go home and pack our bags!

Hugo Wolf's Mignonlieder was sung with intensity and dramatic artistry; one could feel a deep connection with the tragic character from Goethe's 1795 novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre.  Ms. Savoy's German diction was just as fine as her French.  This set of songs also gave collaborative pianist Nimrod David Pfeffer an opportunity to play a stunning postlude in "Mignon III" and to indulge in some wildly powerful playing in "Kennst du das Land".

The final set was Samuel Barber's Hermit Songs.  We especially enjoyed Ms. Savoy's warmth in "St. Ita's Vision", the lightheartedness of "The Heavenly Banquet", the terror of "Sea Snatch", the humor of the brief "Promiscuity" and the gentle "The Monk and His Cat".  With her expressivity of voice and gesture, each song had great character.  Mr. Pfeffer's piano was no less expressive.  There was a bone-chilling eerie quality in "The Crucifixion" and he made the roaring of the sea audible in "Sea Snatch" as well as the pouncing of the cat in "The Monk and His Cat".

As encore, Ms. Savoy and Mr. Pfeffer let loose with "Il est doux, il est bon" from Massenet's Hérodiade; he played some marvelously articulated rolling chords and she stunned us with a huge high note at the climax. 

One may no longer consider this prize-winning artist an emerging artist.  To our ears, she is now a fully fledged star.  Another triumph for the Lindemann program.

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OUR FIRST TIME

It was our first time hearing Poulenc's "La Dame de Monte Carlo", a 1961 setting of a work by Jean Cocteau.  To hear it sung at all would have been a treat, but to hear this scena as performed by Adrienne Danrich was a revelation.  Ms. Danrich dressed for the part of a down-on-her-luck potential suicide who is keeping herself going by gambling at Monte Carlo; she threw herself completely into the part with her grandly expansive soprano and conveyed every nuance in the piece.  A triumph!She did equal justice to four Rachmaninoff songs, our favorite of which was "Child, You are Fair as a Flower".  Her a cappella encore "Lord, I just can't keep from crying" was incredibly moving.

Baritone Sidney Outlaw sang four songs by Brahms that gave a lie to the oft-repeated claim that Brahms' songs don't measure up to those by Schubert and Schumann.  One can especially appreciate the way the vocal line and the piano reflect one another.  There is nothing lightweight about "Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer", another heartbreaker.  Switching to French, Mr. Outlaw sang the tender "Phidylé" and followed it with the intensity of "Le manoir de Rosemonde".  The songs of Henri DuParc are all little gems!  Mr. Outlaw's a cappella encore  "Fix Me Jesus" allowed him to really let loose and pour his feelings into song; this brought down the house.  A duet of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" was finely harmonized.

Mr. Bagwell's accompaniment is always exceptional.  Not only is he a genius at putting together a program and finding the right singers but his playing is always totally supportive of the singer.  The piano part of this afternoon's recital involved breezes, waves, warm fragrances and a galloping horse--all of which came through perfectly.  But it is in contemporary music that one listens more intently to the piano part (because the vocal lines are rarely lyrical) and Mr. Bagwell's playing did ample justice to the contemporary works on the program.  Drew Hemenger's setting of Langston Hughes' "Genius Child" seemed the most interesting of the set.

As the final concert of The Lotte Lehmann Foundation Recitals drew to a close, we found ourselves anticipating more to come for the next season.  In the meanwhile, we hereby notify you to save next December 1st for a recital in commemoration of World Aids Day in the Great Hall of Cooper Union.

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THREE HYSTERICAL WOMEN

Leading off Opera Manhattan's triple bill of one act operas was the 1959 solo piece by Francis Poulenc entitled La Voix Humaine, starring lustrous voiced soprano Kala Maxym as an abandoned woman speaking on the phone with her ex-lover.  The libretto, based on a 1930 play by Jean Cocteau, is a monologue in which a woman pretends at first that she has been out for the evening and is feeling fine-- but we soon learn that she is completely distraught following a suicide attempt.  Ms. Maxym convincingly portrays every shade of emotion in the piece with stunning vocalism, convincing acting and exquisite French diction.  We may not have fallen in love with Poulenc's music but we were dazzled by her performance which built to a fine climax as the woman's shaky composure unraveled.  The piece was directed by Sarah Frazer and Tristan Cano performed the piano score.

Just as "Elle" was undone by love, Madame Flora in Menotti's 1946 work  The Medium was undone by greed, alcohol and guilt.
For years she has run phony seances and taken money from believers desperate to contact their dearly departed loved ones.  To this purpose she has enlisted the services of her daughter Monica and a mute Hungarian gypsy boy named Toby whom she rescued from the streets.  While under the influence she begins to hallucinate the "ghosts" and blames Toby.  She becomes fearful and then hysterical with tragic results.  Director John Schenkel has staged this opera simply but imaginatively while Kathryn Olander did justice to the piano score.  Elizabeth Moulton was vocally and dramatically successful in the contralto role and sang a moving "Afraid, am I afraid?".  Soprano Megan Candio was equally fine as Monica and delighted the ear with "Monica's Waltz" and "Black Swan" in which Ms. Moulton's voice harmonized to great advantage.  Soprano Sheba Buckley sang the role of Mrs. Gobineau with fine lyricism and was quite convincing as a woman grieving a baby she lost long long ago.  Baritone Greg Kass portrayed the husband effectively but one was left wondering about the verissimilitude of an interracial couple in that epoch.  Mezzo Anna Petrie was excellent as Mrs. Nolan who tries to contact her daughter and is so ready to believe the "ghost" that Monica creates.  In the non-speaking role of Toby, Parker Scott acted well but appeared at least 20 years too old for the part as much as he tried to act like a youth.

The causes of Suor Angelica's decompensation in the eponymous 1918 opera by Puccini (libretto by Forzano) are family and society.  Having disgraced her aristocratic family by bearing a child without benefit of matrimony, the poor young woman had been hustled off to a convent to repent for the rest of her life.  Desperate for some family contact, she becomes overjoyed when learning that her aunt has come to see her.  But the aunt hasn't come for a pleasant visit; she has come to get Angelica to sign over her financial assets.  Angelica craves news about her young son and is told he has died.  As one can imagine the news is devastating.  Soprano Kristi Bulot succeeds admirably in the role whereas Anna Yelizarova falters as La Principessa, a contralto role.  Dramatically, in spite of her youth, she effectively portrays an elderly woman struggling with a cane to hold herself aristocratically erect; but she seems to have artificially darkened her voice.  All of the nuns sang well but at times reminded one more of sorority sisters.  We were especially moved by the sweet voiced Elana Gleason who portrayed Sister Genovieffa who missed her life as a shepherdess.  Italian diction was quite good.  Sarah Fraser directed and Tristan Cano accompanied at the piano.

Opera Manhattan excels at giving singers an opportunity to add new roles to their repertoire and also at giving the audience an opportunity to get "up close and personal".  St. Clement's Church has a fine theater and we urge you to attend the remaining performances and to fill it up.

(c) meche kroop