SPANISH INSPIRATION

Gustavo Ahualli, Anna Tonna, Luiz Ottavio Faria, Lucy Arner, and Miguel Borrallo

At this point, dear reader, we have realized just how difficult it is to pull off a successful recital; furthermore we have learned how valuable it is to have a good theme. It was a brilliant idea to present arias from operas that were inspired by Spain, or located in Spain. Quick....how many can YOU name?

Last night, with the stunning Church of the Transfiguration providing an appropriate backdrop, we were treated to a satisfying survey of arias and ensembles drawn from some of these operas, sung by an experienced cast. At this level of singing our attention is drawn to interpretation and emotional content. If we see in our mind's eye an imaginary setting, or perhaps a remembered one, we know the singer is giving her/his all. Last night we heard just such a cast, accompanied by the excellent pianist Lucy Arner.

Ladies first! We have heard mezzo-soprano Anna Tonna many times and feel that this was the best we have ever heard. Perhaps there was something in the music that inspired her, just as the country of Spain inspired the composers.

She opened with what must be every mezzo's favorite aria, "Una voce poco fa" from Rossini's comic masterpiece Il barbiere di Siviglia. With a beautifully textured tone, Ms. Tonna used a variety of vocal colors to capture the nuances of a basically good young woman who is capable of all kinds of devious behavior to get her way. Ms. Tonna's embellishments to the vocal line were often incredibly inventive and illustrated Rosina's fiery temper. The gestures and facial expressions sprang directly from the text. Altogether a fine performance!

From Donizetti's La favorita, "Fia dunque e vero...Oh mio Fernando" was performed with dramatic recitativo and a lovely legato aria with a fiery cabaletta. We couldn't help but admire the secure placement of the voice. The purity of the vowels was ensured by an accurate embouchure. The sound of "maledetta, disperata" still rings in our ears. Povera donna!

If we had to name our top five favorite operas by Verdi, Don Carlo would surely be among them. We were fortunate to hear several selections which brought to mind the first time we saw the opera at the Metropolitan Opera with Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the role of Rodrigo, the Marquis de Posa. 

Ms. Tonna sang Princess Eboli's Act II aria in the original French with a fine brightness of tone in the upper register and flights of fioritura. We detected a strong whiff of saffron in the melody.

The other selections from Don Carlo took up a major portion of the program. The male members of the cast were similarly excellent. It isn't often that we hear Verdian voices since we write mainly about singers at the beginning of their careers. 

We always wonder how Verdi's music could make us feel pity for King Filippo who is a thoroughly reprehensible character. The performance of "Ella giammai m'amó" by bass Luiz Ottavio Faria accomplished just that as he realizes the wife he stole from his son (!) has never loved him. Faria's voice is authoritative and his delivery revealed a deep understanding of the text. To the credit of the accompanying pianist Lucy Arner, the theme was beautifully highlighted.

Argentinian baritone Gustavo Ahualli showed depth of tone and depth of feeling in his delivery of "Per me giunto", Rodrigo's aria of self-sacrifice. There was a great beauty of harmony in Mr. Ahualli's duet with tenor Miguel Borrallo "Dio che nell'alma infondere" in which they establish their loyalty and brotherhood. We'd call it perfect casting! Mr. Borrallo has a ringing tenor with lovely overtones.

Mr. Borrallo also had his special moments with other composers: from Mozart's Don Giovanni, we heard Don Ottavio's aria of devotion "Dalla sua pace" sung with tenderness. This artist utilizes dynamics to expressive ends; the messa di voce was more than admirable.

He also had a chance to exhibit his bel canto chops with one of the best arias in the tenor fach--Nemorino's showstopper "Una furtiva lagrima" from Donizetti's L'Elisir d'amore. There were a couple times we wished he would back off a bit at the upper register; we notice this a lot when tenors go for volume. Just in case you were wondering about the inclusion of this opera on the program, Mr. Borrallo assured us that the setting is the Basque part of Spain. We believe him!

"Lo vedremo, veglio audace" from Verdi's Ernani was introduced by a propulsive piano, after which baritone and tenor joined once more in gorgeous harmony. The entire company sang the ensemble from the finale of Act I and we wished that we knew the opera better. Mr. Faria's booming bass filled the sanctuary of the church with overtones in "Infelice tu credevi" and dug deeply into the sound at the lowest end of his register.

We enjoyed the trio from Donizetti's Don Sebastiano, although we know nothing about the opera. Ms. Tonna sang a phrase and then Mr. Borrallo and Mr. Ahualli joined in with harmony. We realize that our high estimation of Donizetti's artistry has been "kicked up a notch".

Finally, let us mention something about the Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Gomes. We have heard excerpts from his opera Salvator Rosa but never heard the entire opera. The libretto is in Italian and the music is definitely worth a hearing. Thanks to Mr Faria we heard "Disposo di Padre", a gem indeed.

The program was presented by Centaurus Artes which showcases artists from Spain and Latin America.

© meche kroop

ALANNA FRAIZE PROFESSIONAL STUDIES RECITAL

Alanna Fraize

We are gluttons for vocal music! We were feeling totally satisfied by a superb George London Foundation concert at The Morgan Library and yet...and yet we could not pass up the opportunity to hear the lovely mezzo-soprano Alanna Fraize for what could be the last time for a couple years. Students we love at the local conservatories graduate and enter young artist programs around the country and around the world. We lose sight of them for awhile and have only our memories to hold onto until they return. And by then they are usually famous!

We have followed Ms. Fraize for a few years, both at Manhattan School of Music and in her performances with A.R.E. Opera (now City Lyric Opera). We have reviewed her Mozart, Rossini, Delibes, and Puccini. How could we not witness her final recital at MSM!

With that in mind we rushed up to Manhattan School of Music, rain-soaked and wind-blown. We were rewarded with some outstanding performances, our favorite of which was Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. Although usually sung by a baritone, it is not unheard of for a woman to perform it. Indeed, Ms. Fraize has as deep a feeling for Mahler as a performer as we have as a listener.

The poet witnesses the marriage of the beloved to someone else. He (the actual translation of "Geselle" is "journeyman"--a step above an apprentice) endures the grief of loss, the consolation of nature (at first rejected but ultimately accepted) and finally comes to some kind of peace with himself. This offers the performer all kinds of opportunities to express grief, despair, suffering, and resolution. Whether Mahler first wrote it for voice and piano or voice and orchestra is debatable but there is no doubt that the evocative melodies appear in his symphonies.

Hearing Ms. Fraize's dramatic interpretation with all manner of vocal coloration justified our mad dash uptown. But that wasn't the only gem on the program. As much as we love Verdi's operas, we are enchanted by his songs. The fine vibrato Ms. Fraize employed suited the songs very well. We love the indifference of the singer in "Stornello" in contrast with the deprecating attitude toward the neglectful lover in "Non t'accostare all'urna".  "Keep your damn flowers", she says. "Where were you when I needed you".  ("You tell him sister", we were thinking.)

There was a set of songs by composers who wrote for film in the mid 20th c. Our favorite in this group was Nino Rota's "Come stai? Hai dormito?" from I due timidi which we enjoyed so much last winter at MSM.

The program closed with Jake Heggie's cycle Paper Wings, which was commissioned by Frederica von Stade who composed the lyrics. The work premiered in 1997.  We enjoyed Ms. Fraize's storytelling and personality in "Paper Wings". We also liked the bluesy "A Route to the Sky" in which we heard strains of Beethoven's "Für Elise" in the piano of Ms. Fraize's excellent coach/accompanist Nobuko Amemiya.

It was a lovely recital and there was a very special encore in which the singer's mother accompanied her singing "Song for Newfoundland" by Wayne Chaulk. Imagine all these years, all those reviews, and we never knew that Ms. Fraize comes from Newfoundland!  Let's have a big round of applause for Newfies!

(c) meche kroop

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA WITH FUSION THEATER

Brian Holman, Eilin O'Dea, and Byron Singleton

Guest review by  Cullen Gandy

Opera, and opera outreach, is important. The first point of contact for any prospective opera lover is the grassroots artistic effort; made available in their community. When we as the arts community come together to put on concerts for audiences to enjoy, it is a great opportunity and privilege to be able to do so. They don’t have to be large productions, either. Simple operations where there’s a voice, a piano, and an audience, there too you can find great art. I have experienced it in my hometown, with the, mostly student-run, concerts of Opera On Tap. These shoestring budget companies who put every single dime, and then some, back into their performers. So when I review Fusion Theatre’s offering of opera highlights from three Italian favorites, that is the perspective from which I am reviewing.

At the Opera Center today, Fusion mounted a production that highlighted two singers and a pianist in an intimate, minimally staged and costumed style. The repertory was rather ambitious, if not unrelenting, for even the most seasoned of vocal performers. The first half of the concert comprised highlights from Madama Butterfly and Aïda; the second half was from the inimitable Tosca.

Tenor Byron Singleton began the show by singing Pinkerton’s first aria “Amore o Grillo” (Love or whim). He has a well produced sound, and fairly good control in the middle, up through the passaggio between registers. It has a nice brightness, but with a fair amount of depth. While the voice may not be suited for some of the roles on display tonight as a career, it was more than capable enough to meet the challenges in this setting. His acting was earnest, and one felt the sense of ease in his movements and gestures.

It’s not uncommon for companies to want to offer these big sings to audiences, because they are lovely, memorable melodies. My qualm here was that he had to keep singing all of the most difficult passages of the big Italian repertory; all night. Injudicious tenors (and believe me, I am counted among them) relish the opportunity to sing into these arias like rock anthems.

Note that what makes this repertory so big is the size of the orchestra. Absent the orchestra, I think it is important for tenors to give themselves permission to sing it in their comfortable dynamic intensity. Like so many caught in the trap before, gunning it for the duration of the evening in this type of music can lead to a straining at the very top, and an unease in more nuanced passages at softer dynamics. This happened to him in a few key spots at the end of the concert (such as in the more furtive passages of "E lucevan le stelle", and understandably so. That being said, he has a fine instrument, and I would love to hear more of him; especially in Dichterliebe, which was listed in his biography.

Eilin O’Dea was having a little bit of a rough night. For whatever reasons, she seemed to be struggling with low blood sugar, or some kind of sickness that caused her to have to disengage and walk-off stage in the middle of the Aida/Radames duet. It was apparent from the inception of the evening that something on the voice felt a little bit weary.

The majority of the singing that a spinto soprano is going to have to do in these large Verdi operas, lies a bit lower in the voice that a normal lyric soprano. The voice absolutely has to retain the breath pressure connection, and include a sufficient amount of squillo (resonance); to be carried up through the more swelling, romantic passages. Her voice lacked too much of that connection. Her vibrato was unevenly distributed in that register, and sometimes even absent. When Ms. O'Dea ascended through her medium-high range, however, she really projected a sizable, resonant, impressive sound. Sometimes though, in her enthusiasm with that sound, she overshot, and there were intonation issues throughout the evening as a result. It became kind of like a tale of two voices.

Diction was also an issue here, more with the soprano than the tenor. Though there were no subtitles to convey the meaning of the text, proper attention to Italian diction lends so much to the flavor and the authenticity of the style.

The pianist Brian Holman conducted the entire endeavor with grace and class. It’s no small feat to accompany Italian opera arias. There is this constant game that they have to play with how much rubato to let singers have, and how much of the reins should be taken in. He had no reservations, and the scenes ran smoothly, cleanly, and with musical intention; one to the next. He was vocally opportune, too, with some of the bit parts throughout the Tosca finale; which was fun and added a nice touch.

That analysis may have been daunting, and there is a lot for this company to unpack; with regard to the programming and preparation for these concerts. That being said, I think it is vitally important that we support companies like Fusion Theatre. Anyone can have a less than stellar night, but there were some really bright spots to be found on offer tonight. Take as many of them as you can, dust them off, and then try to replicate more of that for the next time around.

(c) meche kroop

TUTTA CARNE--NON GRASSO

Xueyan Fan, Courtney Delisle, Edgar Jaramillo, and Scott O'Brien onstage at SpoonFed NY

We couldn't think of a better way to introduce a newbie to opera than by bringing them to one of Opera New York's cabaret style evenings. Last night's show "From Italy, With Love" was held at SpoonFed NY where the welcome is warm, the drinks are well crafted, and the food is genuine Soul Food.

The program was all meat and no fat. Each of the four singers, well chosen by impresario Judith Fredricks, got right into his/her aria or duet. The atmosphere in the room is intimate with room for only about 35 opera lovers, all of whom had a marvelous time appreciating the emotional content of the material, so difficult to get when you are sitting the length of a football field away from the stage.

Of the four singers, Edgar Jaramillo is the one we know the best. Over several years he has mesmerized us with the warmth and roundness of his tenor and his complete dedication to the material. Last night he gave a very well-rounded picture of his versatility.

He offered several examples of operatic suffering in "Vesti la giubba" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and "E lucevan le stelle" from Puccini's Tosca. The audience went wild for that long held money note!  He was one triumphant tenor in "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's Turandot.

He also limned the joy of falling in love in a scene from Act I of Puccini's La Bohême with the lovely soprano Courtney Delisle as his shy Mimi. Speaking of versatility, Ms. Delisle was also able to do justice to the "bad girl" of La Bohême in "Quando m'en vo" in which Musetta torments her off-again-on-again lover Marcello.

Soprano Xueyan Fan also had a chance to shine in a variety of roles. Our favorite character always was, is, and will be Violetta from Verdi's La Traviata. In the first act her lengthy aria involves a number of changes of mood as she weighs the fantasied pleasure of submitting to love against the joy of living a wild and free life style. Ms. Fan was totally convincing and used her beautiful soprano effectively with changes of vocal color as called for.

We also enjoyed her performing a very different role--that of the shy and modest Liu from Turandot--investing the slave girl with nobility of character. Even more different was her performance of "Chi bel sogno di Doretta", Magda's light-hearted aria from Puccini's La Rondine.

New to us was lyric baritone Scott O'Brien who sang "Finiculli, Finiculla" and "Santa Lucia" with so much garlic that we have decided to rename him Salvatore Obriano!  (Please don't kill us Scott!)

The evening closed with all four singers performing "O Sole Mio", taking us back many years to operatic evenings at Caffé Taci when such a stunt was regularly performed. 

Michael Pilafian was the excellent accompanist for the evening.

(c) meche kroop

100% and 100 degrees

David Pershall, Maestro Alvise M. Casellati, Larisa Martinez, and Cody Austin

We will have much to say about last night's Opera Italiana in Central Park but let us begin by lauding the singers who performed with 100% commitment in sweltering 100 degree weather. No one less compelling than soprano Larisa Martinez could have pulled us out of our air-conditioned home; her prodigious talent was matched by that of tenor Cody Austin and baritone David Pershall, whose award-winning performances (Giulio Gari and George London) we wrote about in 2016. Last night he made a fine Figaro in the "Largo al Factotum".

We consider ourself to be rather good at predicting future stardom and Ms. Martinez' gifts impressed us from the first time we heard her five years ago, when we found her Barbarina overwhelmingly "winsome". A superb Musetta followed and we have been a great fan ever since. She has fame written all over her and witnessing her rising star has been a privilege.

Although we loved re-hearing Musetta's waltz last night what impressed us the most was her investment in the role of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata. This role makes incredible demands on the soprano, not just vocally but dramatically. What makes her one of our very favorite female characters is her emotional growth.

In her duet with an appropriately lovestruck Mr. Austin ("Un di, felice") Ms. Martinez successfully portrayed the outwardly indifferent woman who secretly wants true love in her life.  In her confrontation with Germont père (Mr. Pershall), "Pure siccome un angelo", she colored her voice with dignity and restraint with flashes of anger and terror peeking through. Reunited with Alfredo at the end of the opera, (the duet "Parigi, o cara") she colored her voice with a very touching vulnerability and hopefulness.

The duets Ms. Martinez performed from Puccini's Madama Butterfly were excellent as well but were all from the romantic part of the opera and we were left wondering how she might have shown the emotional growth of Cio-Cio San. Mr. Austin's warm tenor made him the perfect romantic partner. We heard just about the entire end of Act I!  This was preceded by a duet between the upstanding consul Sharpless (Mr. Pershall) and the callow Lt. Pinkerton (Mr. Austin) who shows the audience his true colors.

There were other delights on the program. Soprano Jennifer Zetlan was joined by "vocalist" Helga Davis for an arrangement of Paola Prestini's Oceanic Verses. The shimmering texture of Ms. Prestini's orchestral writing were balm to the ear but we couldn't understand a word of Ms. Zetlan's Italian. Although the tonal quality of her voice was superb, we couldn't even tell it was Italian until we looked at the libretto. We cannot fault the sound design (uncredited) because the other singers were perfectly clear. We wonder whether the tessitura remained too long in the upper register. By contrast, Ms. Davis' smoky low tones were kind to the text, even though it was in English.

There were orchestral treasures to delight us as well. Maestro Alvise M. Casellati conducted a spirited reading of a couple of Rossini overtures that reminded us of the composer's gift for both memorable melody and rhythmic thrust. The overture from La Gazza Ladra came early in the program and had us tapping our toes.  The overture from William Tell was performed in its entirety with a profusion of themes that could only be described as "l'abbondanza". There was happily no haste to get to "The Lone Ranger" theme and we enjoyed the slower lyrical section equally, if not more.

It must be noted that the orchestra comprised seasoned players from The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra as well as gifted young musicians from our three local conservatories. From this diverse group, Maestro Casellati melded a fine unit.

The evening was produced and hosted by Dani Bedoni, sporting bejewelled butterfly sunglasses.  Her warmth and enthusiasm exceeded her familiarity with the Italian language and opera. She graciously brought to the stage Ms. Prestini and the teenaged Pauline Castro, a member of the New York Philharmonic young composers program, whose symphonic work opened the program.

The event was listed as a free event at the Naumberg Bandshell in Central Park; like so many other cultural events in the city, the benefits were heavily weighted towards the well-to-do. Only supporters got to sit in the chairs set up behind velvet ropes; we were rather impressed by their Italian style. Everyone looked as if they had just come from the salon or the spa. Men wore suits and ties. Women were groomed to a fare-thee-well. Meanwhile the paesani of NYC sat on the cement off to the side or on chairs they lugged from home. It may have been a smart move to watch the livestream from home!

The singers sang in the bandshell with the orchestra situated in front at audience level. Maestro Casellati occupied a large platform and we wished the singers had also been on the platform. If you have seen the fuzzy photos on our FB page (Voce di Meche) you will realize how far the audience was from the bandshell. Actually we were on the second row. For the finale "Libiamo", the singers moved toward us, making for a better experience. We were invited to sing along but no one did.

We just remembered that we were among those who vigorously protested the tearing down of the Naumberg Bandshell some years ago. We are so glad our efforts succeeded. What a great use it was put to last night!

(c) meche kroop

THE TRIUMPH OF MUSIC

Fanyong Du, Anna Viemeister, Ricardo Rivera, Richard Owen, Megan Nielsen, Riad Ymeri, and Andrew Cummings in Camerata New York Gala

How well we remember last year's star-studded Camerata New York Gala! This year's version was equally thrilling. The theme was "The Triumph of Music" and the same successful formula that packed St. Jean Baptiste Church last year was again put into play. Favorite arias and duets from well known operas were performed by a cast of international opera stars; each piece was introduced by Maestro Richard Owen who gave the audience just a brief synopsis.

Once again, we had the notion that the audience was partly opera devotés and partly newcomers attracted by the stellar cast, the popularity of the pieces, and a modest ticket price--less than one would pay for a balcony seat at the Met. There were no titles and we didn't see many people reading the translations.  We got the impression that people were truly listening and feeling entertained.  And that's what opera is all about, isn't it?

Readers will recall how much we love duets and the program opened with a solo performed by two tenors!  After the wonderful Camerata New York Orchestra treated us to the Easter Morning Prelude to Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, not neglecting the underlying menace in this familiar melody, the "Siciliana" was sung by Fanyong Du and Riad Ymeri, both sounding tenorrific. Pardon our neologism!

Mr. Du appeared again with baritone Ricardo Rivera in the Act IV duet from Puccini's La Bohème in which the two Bohemians chat about their lost loves with seeming carefree nonchalance. Puccini's music gives the lie to their jolly chatter. Mr. Du's sweet tenor balanced beautifully with Mr. Rivera's substantial baritonal colors.

These two singers make a fine pair, as manifested in their "Au fond du temple saint" from Bizet's Pêcheur de Perles, in which their love/lust for the temple priestess Leïla threatens their friendship. By the end of the duet, they are affirming their amity.  But we know better that one of them is going to break that vow of friendship!

Yet another sensational duet was the final scene from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin in which Tatiana, still in love with Onegin, dismisses him partly out of duty to her husband Prince Gremin, and partly out of suspicion that Onegin is only interested in her because she has a high position in society. The lovely soprano Megan Nielson made a fine ambivalent Tatiana and baritone Andrew Cummings excelled as the importuning Onegin who just won't take "nyet" for an answer.

The final duet on the program was the Act I finale of Puccini's Madama Butterfly in which Butterfly was performed by Ms.  Nielson with Mr. Ymeri as Pinkerton. Mr. Ymeri's voice is so sweet we could scarcely believe that he is such a heel who will abandon this Butterfly with whom he is so taken. Their two voices soared as they invoked nature and he distracted her from the rejection she suffered at the hands of her family. It was a lovely way to end this very special evening.

But we are not ending our review here because we have yet to mention the marvelous arias we heard. Mr. Ymeri got a huge round of bravos for his portrayal of the troubled Riccardo, Governor of Boston, in Verdi's Ballo in Maschera. He must send away his aide Renato because of his love for Amelia, Renato's wife. Mr. Ymeri gave this aria "Forse la solia" an emotional reading without any hint of tightness.

Renato's rage, as he believes Amelia to have been unfaithful, permeated Mr. Cummings' affecting performance of "Eri tu".

Mezzo-soprano Anna Viemeister did her best with Ulrica's aria "Re dell'abisso" but did not always penetrate the dense orchestration with the very low-lying tessitura. 

We enjoyed her much more in "Senta's Ballade" from Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer, which is a soprano role.  Go figure! But she had the power and the top notes and the touch of madness needed to show us that Senta was a bit off-kilter. It was a splendid performance with the intervals of descending fourths particularly affecting.

We heard two popular arias from Gounod's Faust. Mr. Rivera's performance of Valentin's "Avant de quitter ces lieux" was particularly well handled with the prayerful part colored with tenderness and the patriotic part with resolve. Mr. Du did equally well with Faust's serenade of Marguerite "Salut! Demeure chaste et pure" which was filled with romantic longing, fine French phrasing, and a lovely messa di voce. 

Although opera was the major focus of the evening, the Camerata New York Orchestra was given their opportunity to shine, not only in the Easter morning prelude to Cavalleria Rusticana, but also in the "Polonaise" from Eugene Onegin. The lively ballet from Faust had a lovely lyrical central section. Similarly, the Prelude to the Madama Butterfly duet was filled with tenderness. Maestro Owen has wonderful command of his orchestral forces.

We found the harp accompaniment (Hannah Murphy) to the Mascagni particularly lovely and also heard a lovely flute solo in the Verdi.

The only downside to the evening was the overly resonant acoustics of the gorgeous St. Jean Baptiste church. This tended to smear the sound, but what can we do? Placing the orchestra at audience level with the singers behind is not a great solution but there seems to be no alternative. There are no suitable midsize theaters with an orchestra pit in Manhattan, although there are dozens of small opera companies that need one. To coin a phrase..."If you build it, they will come".

Let us call the evening "The Triumph of Music Over Acoustics"!

(c) meche kroop

KISSED BY EUTERPE

Maestra Speranza Scappucci and soprano Felicia Moore

Between the Verdi and the glories of Felicia Moore singing Beethoven we felt more at home at a symphonic concert than we usually do.  For this commencement concert, the remarkable Juilliard Orchestra was fortunate to have Maestra Speranza Scappucci on the podium. Juilliard is indeed her home.

One could also say she was kissed by Terpsichore since she used her entire body to elicit a focused and stunning performance from the students. The overall sound was that of a professional orchestra and better than many we have heard.

The program opened with Giuseppe Verdi's overture to La forza del destino, the music of which we hold dearer than that of any other Verdi opera.  Unfortunately the opera is rarely performed due to the three demanding major roles. The overture comprises the melodies from the opera itself and was added a few years after the opera premiered.

It opens with a propulsive theme conveyed by the brass but a lyrical melody follows close upon its heels. There is a wealth of melodic material and we particularly enjoyed the brass chorale. The familiar initial theme which we call the fate theme recurs several times with alterations, lending unity to the piece.

It is sad that Beethoven composed only one opera (Fidelio) so we must content ourself with a concert aria he wrote as a young man.  Who better to sing "Ah! perfido...Per pietà, non dirmi addio," Op. 65 than the stunning soprano Felicia Moore. 

It's the old abandoned woman story but it gives the singer an opportunity to marshal all her gifts in conveying a range of emotions from rage and revenge to self pity and pleading. We are left to imagine the opera Beethoven might have written around such a story.

Ms. Moore has uncommon talent and a huge voice that sails over the orchestral forces. We loved the range of emotion she displayed.

The final work on the program was Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A major, composed in his youth and known as The Italian Symphony. It began with a rhythmic Allegro that any lover of classical music would recognize immediately. Still, we prefer the weary minor key Andante with the basses plodding along. Even better was the third movement in waltz time with some lovely horn calls. The work ends with a Saltarello (an Italian dance form) played Presto. After a forceful introduction there were swirling figures moving through the orchestra that made us think of the music Mendelssohn wrote for Midsummer Night's Dream.

(c) meche kroop

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.

(c) meche kroop

TRIPPLE WHAMMY AT THE MORGAN LIBRARY

Mark Markham, Leah Crocetto, and Zachary Nelson

Yesterday's torrential downpour did nothing to dissuade us and a hall full of fans from attending the first recital of this season's series at The Morgan Library--a celebration of the human voice produced in collaboration with The George London Foundation for Singers.  The Foundation presents the finest singers of the world's stages for us to enjoy in an intimate environment. They also hold an annual competition giving generous awards to rising vocal stars.

Although the superb collaborative pianist Mark Markham is world famous, this was our first hearing of his consummate and subtle artistry which is remarkable by virtue of not calling attention to itself. On the other hand, we have been thrilling to the vocal gifts of soprano Leah Crocetto and baritone Zachary Nelson for as long as we have been writing and even before.

Ms. Crocetto first captured our attention when we reviewed her performance as Anna in the rarely heard Rossini opera Maometto II. We were dazzled by her artistry in her New York recital debut at the Schimmel Center of Pace University when she used her plush instrument and embracing stage presence in the service of Strauss, Duparc, and Liszt.

Her performance as Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni was the highlight of the 2016 season at the Santa Fe Opera. All reviews are archived and accessible through the search bar.

Similarly, we have been following the meteoric rise of Mr. Nelson's star. He first came to our attention as an Apprentice Singer at the Santa Fe Opera. His first role there was that of Angelotti in Puccini's Tosca. They were just as impressed as we were, inviting him back to sing the role of Figaro in Mozart's Nozze di Figaro. He was just about perfect.

He delighted us with his comic side in Donizetti's Don Pasquale in which he sang the role of Dottore Malatesta. He continued his connection with the Santa Fe Opera last summer when we heard him as the detestable Enrico in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

What a pleasure it is to document the growth and development of these two artists who complimented one another onstage at yesterday's recital!  What they have in common is a total commitment to what they are singing--and the ability to connect with the audience who can then share in their feelings.

But there are differences of approach, both valid. Ms. Crocetto is expansive in her presentation making ample use of gesture, whilst Mr. Nelson is self contained and employs gesture economically.

When the two came together for the penultimate scene of Verdi's Il Trovatore, their individual styles served them well and provided the highlight of the recital. In "Mira, d'acerbe lagrime" poor Leonora pleads Il Conte di Luna to spare the life of her lover Manrico. He is unmoved. Finally she offers her favors for his life. He is moved! But she, faithful to Manrico, swallows poison, in true 19th c. operatic fashion. 

It is quite a challenge to take a scene out of an opera and perform it convincingly, but this pair of artists succeeded brilliantly. We believed every minute and felt every feeling.

Individual performances were also superlative. We have previously reviewed Ms. Crocetto's artistry in Liszt's Petrarch Sonnets and find they suit her well. The obsessionality of Petrarch comes through loud and clear. There are some lovely arpeggi in the piano between the verses of "I vidi in terra angelici costumi".

We also enjoyed the Rachmaninoff songs, especially our favorite Russian song "Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mnye" with its exotic mournful melody. In "Vokaliz, Op 34, No. 14" we were able to appreciate the warmth and purity of tone and the plethora of overtones that tickled our ears and filled the hall, wall to wall.

Mr. Nelson's individual choices suited his dramatic baritone well. The lower register of his voice seems to be deepening and expanding. Selections from Schubert's Schwanengesang mainly utilized the text of Heinrich Heine. We loved the major/minor shifts in "Das Fischermadchen". The cheeriness of this song yielded to the the grief of "Die Stadt" with the arpeggiated diminished 7th chord lending an eerie feeling.

The grimness of "Der Doppelganger" (just heard two days earlier at a Cantanti Project evening) gave way to the joy of "Die Taubenpost" with text by Johann Gabriel Seidl. Mr. Nelson's German was just about flawless.

Ralph Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel will never be among our favorites but we did enjoy "The Roadside Fire" and particularly admired Mr. Nelson's excellent diction, something we never take for granted when English is sung.

The final selection on the program was the delightful duet "If I Loved You" from Richard Rodgers' Carousel. When we think of American Art Song, this is what comes to mind, not what is coming out of conservatories. This relates to 20th c. American culture the way Schubert's oeuvre related to 19th c. German culture. Ms. Crocetto and Mr. Nelson performed it so charmingly and so vocally astute that we were swept away.

Both encores spoke to us in similar fashion. Mr. Nelson sang "Some Enchanted Evening" from Richard Rodgers' South Pacific so magnificently that our belief stated above was confirmed. In both cases, the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II partnered with Rodgers' music as Heine's did with Schubert's music.

Ms. Crocetto's encore was a very jazzy "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" from Jerome Kern's Showboat, with lyrics also by Oscar Hammerstein. Mostly, we don't enjoy "crossover" but this was a very special performance and just might change our minds about jazz. With an incredible artist like Ms. Crocetto bending those notes we were even more convinced of what Steven Blier is doing at his New York Festival of Song, mixing classical lieder with contemporary songs.

A good song is a good song.  And a great singer can make a good song great.

(c) meche kroop

HIDENORI INOUE RECITAL

Jonathan Heaney, Seok Jong Baek, and Hidenori Inoue

A Masters Degree recital marks the commencement of a singer's career, but, as often as not, the singer has already begun singing roles in small companies.  Such is the case with bass Hidenori Inoue whom we have heard and admired on a few occasions. His performance as the eponymous hero of Donizetti's Don Pasquale was a revelation and we later enjoyed his appearance with New Amsterdam Opera as Leonora's father in Verdi's Forza del Destino. And we will soon be hearing his Don Magnifico in Rossini's Cenerentola with A.R.E. Opera.  That's quite a range of roles!

Yesterday's recital at Manhattan School of Music was his first foray into lieder which thus demonstrated his versatility as an artist. Basses have a long "shelf life" as does Mr. Inoue's teacher James Morris. So it makes sense to try everything whilst one is young. The problem with lieder recitals for the basso fach is that most of the songs are dark in color and it is difficult to establish variety.

The three songs by Schubert that opened the program are a case in point--they are all grim. Jonathan Heaney's piano established the mood in the introduction to "Der Tod und das Madchen" and we would have enjoyed a more tender color from the maiden than we heard from "Death". We enjoyed the eerie tone and anguish of "Der Doppelganger" and found the German to be quite good. Overall we like the quality of Mr. Inoue's instrument and the appealing vibrato. And he has plenty of strength at the lower end of the register.

It was evident in the three songs by Henri Duparc than Mr. Inoue can sing with a more tender color, as he did in "Phidyle". It was also clear that he knew what he was singing about and we saw les abeilles and les oiseaux through his eyes. "Extase" was lovely but "La Vague et la Cloche" took us right back to "grim" with its disturbing nightmare.

After intermission, Mr. Inoue was back on more familiar territory. He is a natural on the opera stage and gave a superb performance of Fiesco's aria from Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. Although Fiesco is an enemy of the hero, Verdi's music and Mr. Inoue's performance stimulated our sympathy for the character who has just lost his daughter. He is filled with grief which he transmutes into anger at Boccanegra and at the Virgin. We enjoyed it so much that we were moved to listen to several of the great basses singing the same aria--Cesare Siepi, James Morris, and Nicolai Ghiaurov. Mr. Inoue can be proud of his performance!

Four songs by Aaron Copland were well handled and injected some variety into the program. "The Little Horses" has rhythmic variety and some notes at the top of the basso range which the artist handled well. His English is sung with only the slightest accent which didn't interfere with our understanding of the text. We particularly liked the lively and spirited reading he gave to "Ching-A-Ring Chaw".

The program closed with the marvelous duet from Bellini's I Puritani which we recently saw at The Metropolitan Opera.
We have heard the rousing "Suoni la tromba" often at award recitals because it it a stunning showpiece for baritone and bass. In this case the baritone was Seok Jong Baek, whom we always enjoy. The two artists shared a beautiful blending of tones.

Although Mr. Inoue's upcoming schedule will take him to Maine and to Oklahoma, we suggest you catch his upcoming performance in the afore-mentioned Cenerentola. We believe he is destined for great success and you will be able to say "I heard him when...".

(c) meche kroop

NEW OPERA NYC

Keith Chambers, Mikhail Svetlov, and Kirsten Chambers

We know Maestro Chambers as the conductor of New Amsterdam Opera where he is putting on some wonderful opera, the latest of which was Verdi's La Forza del Destino. His lovely wife Kirsten was heard and enthusiastically reviewed in Fidelio. Mikhail Svetlov, however, is a basso previously unknown to us.

Last night at the Sheen Center, the three appeared for New Opera NYC which will be producing Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Golden Cockerel May 18th to the 21st and we have already put it on our calendar. What an opportunity to hear a work we've never heard! But last night's program comprised a varied program of opera, art song and Broadway favorites.

For us, the highlight of the evening was Ms. Chambers' performance of "Vissi d'Arte" from Puccini's Tosca. She showed all the conflicted emotions of Floria Tosca--the despair, the incredulity, the guilt.  Come to think of it, she did the same with Turandot's aria "In questa reggia" from the Puccini opera Turandot. One could feel the fear and vulnerability of the character underneath the icy exterior, which is important if we are to forgive the character for her brutality and to realize that she is worth Calaf's risking his life to win her.

Ms. Chambers has a sizable soprano which she utilized well in the "Liebestod" from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, a role she covered at the Metropolitan Opera, and also in Elizabeth's aria "Dich, teure Halle" from Tannhauser.

We also enjoyed a song by Sven Lekberg entitled "The Spring and the Fall'. Every word was clear and the song benefitted from the rhyming text.  Ms. Chamber's warmth here was engaging.

We didn't enjoy "La ci darem la mano" as much. Part of the problem was a mismatch between Ms. Chambers and Mr. Svetlov. Her elegant and glamorous appearance did not suggest a cute little peasant girl. However, it was a cute "wrinkle" to have her be rather overeager towards the seducing Don Giovanni.

The Russian basso is a fach which we usually enjoy but we found Mr. Svetlov's bass to be gravelly and not too pleasant. His best effort was in Rachmaninov's "Ves tabor spit" from Aleko, an opera we hope to hear someday. We generally love "Spring Waters" but his performance was too bombastic for our taste.  We prefer a lighter touch for that song.

He also sang "Come dal ciel precipita" from Verdi's Macbeth, in which Banco is warning his son to escape the assassins.

He sounded better in the lively aria "Fin ch'han dal vino" from Mozart's Don Giovanni and showed sufficient flexibility in "Le veau d'or" from Faust, which he also did in the wonderful aria "La calunnia" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia. 

We thought it was a grievous error to have this pair sing "Bess, you is my woman now" from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Hearing a Russian accent and an educated American accent trying to imitate the dialect of Catfish Row sounded almost funny. We are anything but "PC" but this smacked of cultural appropriation.

It also felt wrong to hear Mr. Svetlov singing Broadway tunes with his Russian accent. It didn't add anything to the program.

As always, Mr. Chambers' piano was elegant and supportive.

(c) meche kroop

OPERA TO DIE FOR

Jason Graae, Michael Pilafian, Veronica Loiacono, Edgar Jaramillo, Jodi Karem, Elena Heimur, Roberto Borgatti

Judith Fredricks, Artistic Director of Opera New York, came up with the perfect theme for last night's Opera/Cabaret at The Metropolitan Room--it was all about operas ending in death. But she also came up with a compensatory final scene illustrated above--the "Libiamo" from Act I of Giuseppi Verdi's masterpiece La Traviata--a celebration of life.  This masterstroke ensured that the audience would leave smiling, not weeping over the sad fates of Violetta, Cio-Cio San, Turridu, Carmen, and Tosca.

Scenes from each opera were extracted and presented with narration by host Jason Graae (who plays a mean oboe).  The major focus seemed to be on Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Soprano Veronica Loiacono made a touching Cio-Cio San with her intense acting matching the glories of her voice. As Suzuki, mezzo-soprano Jodi Karem made a fine supporting presence and tenor Edgar Jaramillo excelled as Lt. Pinkerton. We enjoyed the love scene, the flower duet which was performed in perfect harmony, and Cio-Cio San's lamentable suicide sung with heartbreaking intensity.

Scenes from Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana followed with a curious twist.  Ms. Loiacono performed the role of the seductive Lola which is normally given to a mezzo, and Ms. Karem took the lead as Santuzza, a role generally sung by a soprano!  That they both were extraordinarily effective is evidence of their versatility. Mr. Jaramillo took off his jacket and dug deep into the role of the fickle and ill-fated Turridu who gets stabbed offstage, in contrast with Cio-Cio San who committed hara-kiri in full view of the audience, leaving the ladies at our table gasping for breath.

Ms. Karem returned to her usual fach for the death scene from Georges Bizet's Carmen with Mr. Jaramillo as her murderously jealous lover Don José.  Ms. Loiacono jumped to her death as Tosca.

After these two brief numbers, a number of scenes from Verdi's La Traviata served to whet the appetite for the missing bits. Our tubercular courtesan Violetta was passionately performed by soprano Elena Heimur who had to negotiate three very different stages in Violetta's sadly truncated life.  In her Act I scene, performed with Mr. Jaramillo as her Alfredo, she is about to fall in love.  In Act II, after Mr. Jaramillo did justice to Alfredo's joy in "De' miei bollenti spiriti", she must face Alfredo's father with dignity.  And in Act III, she is on her death bed, exhausted by her illness, and collapses into Alfredo's arms.

Baritone Roberto Borgatti made a fine Germont Père, who has come to Violetta's country retreat to get her to make the ultimate sacrifice--to give up Alfredo whose scandalous affair is about to ruin his daughter's chance to make a favorable marriage. (Autre temps, autre moeurs!) Here, Ms. Heimur was called upon to show her nobility of character.

And Germont is required to begin with severity towards a woman of whom he disapproves and to end with some compassion for her.  Mr. Borgatti handled this beautifully, as well as his subsequent "Di provenza il mar, il suol", in which he must console his devastated son. We recall well Mr. Borgatti performing the entire opera a couple years ago with New York Opera Exchange. He was superb then and even better now.

The versatile accompanist for the evening was pianist and Artistic Director Michael Pilafian.  Significant contributions came from Mr. Graae's oboe.

This program will be repeated Sunday night at 7:00.  It is not to be missed!  It's a fine way to introduce people to opera in a relaxed setting and minus the longueurs.

Additionally, there will be two nights of operetta at the same venue on Thursday at 7 and Friday at 9:30.

(c) meche kroop

A RAINBOW OF SONG

Atsuko Nieda and Antonio Signorello

It was a short recital at The National Opera Center but all the bases were covered in terms of repertory for an Italian tenor.  Accompanied by pianist Atsuko Nieda, Antonio Signorello, who hails from Catania in Sicily, appeared under the auspices of New York Lyric Opera Theatre. Elizabeth Heuermann is the General/Artistic Director of this organization and we have enjoyed her creative directing on a number of occasions as well as her vocal performances. (The last time we heard her was in the role of Adele in Die Fledermaus.)

We hope she was not responsible for Mr. Signorello's changing scarves for each aria and canzone. Every color of the rainbow was represented and perhaps the color was meant to relate to the lyrics, but we found this bit of stage business to be quite distracting.

We loved the well-chosen program which included arias by Puccini and Verdi (what's not to love!) and canzone by Tosti, Cardillo, and Cali. We enjoyed the use of rubato in "L'ultima canzone" with its lovely vocalise at the end, and "A vucchella", both by Tosti. We would have called Cardillo's "Core 'ngrato" our favorite until we heard a song new to us--Cali's "E vui durmiti ancora", or Mattinata Siciliana.  We ourselves must have been asleep to have overlooked this gem.  Many thanks to Mr. Signorello for introducing us!

There were two curiosities on the program--from Meyerbeer's L'africaine, which we have never seen, we heard "O paradis", sung in French.  And from Franz Lehar's 1929 operetta Das Land des Lächelns we heard "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz"--in Italian! Well, that was really something!

From the world of opera, we heard arias from Verdi's La forza del destino and from Puccini's La fanciula del West and Manon Lescaut. We found Mr. Signorello's delivery to involve more "grandstanding" than that to which we are accustomed. "Money notes" were held just a bit too long with some distracting grimaces.

On a positive note, we always admire an Italianate sound and Mr. Signorello has an embouchure that any American singer would do well to emulate.  He has a darker sound than we had anticipated and he has plenty of depth in the lower register.

We had heard him sing previously ("Vesti la giubba") and he was sufficiently intense at that time. We believe he would do well to "pull it back a notch". A variety of color and intensity would be welcome. So...more color in the sound and less in the fabric!

(c) meche kroop