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Maria Nockin's Letters from America January to June 2003 January
On Monday, January 13, the Metropolitan Opera premiered its third production of Leos Janacek's violently dramatic opera, Jenufa, in an imaginative version by Olivier Tambosi that featured a rock gradually working its way through the stage floor as the drama became progressively more taut. The rock, shattered into many pieces by act three, was a hard edged symbol inhabiting Tambosi's otherwise realistic production. The surrounding sets by Frank Philip Schlössmann were solid and reflect the voices well, while his costuming was properly austere. Vladimir Jurowski is fast making his mark in the opera world as a conductor of a great deal more than the Russian repertoire. At this performance he brought out the Czech composer's variegated orchestral colors without ever allowing the tension of the tightly constructed piece to sag. It seems that Finnish soprano, Karita Mattila, can toss off the difficult role of Jenufa with complete ease. Although she was barefoot and wore only a plain brown dress, she lit up the stage with her charisma. Moving gracefully and confidently, she flooded that huge auditorium with wave after wave of expressive sound. She is not a large woman but she has a big voice and an excellent technique. Because she is a fine actress as well, she gave an extremely moving portrayal of this troubled young woman living in a repressive society. Making his Met debut as Laca, tenor Kim Begley showed excellent vocal and acting skills. He has a warm sound to his middle register and his high notes have a considerable ring to them. Deborah Polaski's lean, edgy dramatic sound was a good contrast to Mattila's more sympathetic tones and she made you fear the evil that appeared to emanate from her character. Christopher Ventris, a young heldentenor, made his Met debut in the role of Steva. He has a fine physique and a impressive voice which is secure and pleasing to the ear. Sheila Nadler was a commanding Grandmother Buryja, while James Courtney gave a fine portrayal of the foreman. Jane Shaulis sang the part of his wife with steady well-projected tones and Paul Plishka received a great deal of applause for his solid singing in the cameo role of the Mayor. This is not an opera that the Met has done very often, perhaps because the New York public has not yet learned to appreciate it. Let's hope that this fine performance will give the piece new life in the 'Big Apple'.
On Friday, January 10, the Dallas Opera presented Giacomo Puccini's unfinished fairy tale work, Turandot, with the new ending by contemporary composer, Luciano Berio. More lyrical than the commonly heard finale by Franco Alfano, Berio's music follows Puccini's sketches closely and uses his themes in imaginative ways. In answer to some questions that were raised by the Dallas omission of some 30 measures of Berio's work, the conductor Graeme Jenkins wrote, "In discussion with the singers who performed the roles of Turandot and Calaf in the uncut version, it became clear that the nature of our set with its smaller acting area made the long interlude before the 'Tristan moment' [of suddenly falling in love] simply too long". The Dallas performances made use of Allen Charles Klein's opulent production which still maintains a visual impact after 23 years, especially when seen under the imaginative lighting of Marie Barrett. Stage director, Garnett Bruce, told the story in a straight-forward manner that was easily understood. Ukrainian dramatic soprano, Anna Shafajinskaia, was a vocally powerful Chinese princess with a somewhat metallic top which seemed to come through the orchestra rather than soar over it. Her acting was restrained, in keeping with her regal role and the heavy, exquisite costumes that indicated her station. Franco Farina was an exciting Calaf who sang with a great deal of passion. His burnished gold tones were surmounted by ringing top notes. He combined his Italianate sound and good diction with skilled stagecraft to produce an excellent portrayal of the winning suitor. Chen Sue Panariello was a sympathetic Liu with silvery top tones, but few demands were made upon her acting skills other than asking her to pluck a pin from Turandot's costume and use it to commit suicide. Ping, Pang and Pong were sung by Thomas Barrett, John Easterlin and Kurt Lehmann who, in this performance, had some slight problems staying together with the orchestra, but sang with pleasant tones and showed good stage presence. Conductor, Graeme Jenkins, gave us a propulsive, passionate rendition of this final Puccini score retaining its tension throughout the evening and inspiring his players to make beautiful music together.
On January 28 the San Diego Opera presented its first production of the season, Beethoven's Fidelio, as envisioned by stage director Michael Hampe with set and costume designer John Gunter. Because this opera takes place in a prison, the sets consisted of imposingly thick walls, the solidity of which was broken only by an iron gate. The costumes added to the atmosphere of sensory deprivation with their appropriately drab colorations. As Leonore, Danish soprano, Eva Johansson, began with a tiny bit of uncertainty but soon grew into a full blooded, passionate portrayal of this wonderfully strong and loving woman who in real life rescued her husband from a prison during the French revolution. Johansson's character was totally convincing and she sang with a lustrous, resonant, well schooled voice that easily surmounted the difficulties of the 'Abscheulicher'. Only at the end, when she took off her cap and let her long blonde hair fall over her shoulders, did you realize that this excellent singer is also a beautiful woman whom we might also like to see in a more feminine role. John Keyes was a fine Florestan, with ringing high notes and the burnished middle tones that this part calls for. Although he evoked the audience's pity in his first scene, he never appeared to give up his dream of release from prison and, as soon as he was freed of his chains, he was again the proud nobleman he had been before his unjust detention. As Marzelline, Ute Selbig looked like a teenager as she sang with radiant silvery tones and elegant phrasing. Her voice has a magnificent bloom at the top. Martin Zysset, making his SDO debut, fashioned a believable character of the rather unsympathetic Jaquino, while declaiming his lines in a rich, clear voice. As Rocco, Reinhard Hagen, who also sang this role to great acclaim in Dallas, was the embodiment of practicality while singing with robust, distinctively colored low tones.
Greer Grimsley, who excels at the portrayal of villains, was a truly evil Pizarro. He sang with exciting dark dramatic tones and fine diction while Ukrainian Bass, Pavel Daniluk, sang with eloquent deep sonorities and made an auspicious debut as Don Fernando. Under the direction of Timothy Todd Simmons, the San Diego Opera Chorus gave a stellar performance, both dramatically and vocally. In Act I, the men looked ragged and ravaged by fear, but their singing was powerful and emotionally uplifting. The solos by SDO Ensemble members, Chad Frisque and James Newman, were performed with grace and poise. Also making his debut with this company, conductor, Christof Perick, never once let slip the intensity of this emotional piece. He led the orchestra in some brisk tempi but he also stretched and moulded phrases to underscore the feelings being expressed. As a result, this evening which started off with the galvanizing Leonore number three instead of the usual overture, followed an unswerving course to a rousing end with Beethoven's paean to freedom and fidelity.
Another company in the state of Texas, the Austin Lyric Opera, took its turn at presenting Jake Heggie's hit opera Deadman Walking in a realistic production by Leonard Foglia, Michael McGarty and, with the exception of the title role, a brand new cast. Stage director, Christopher Harlan Doerr, who had assisted in the production at the New York City Opera, moved all the characters expressively and realistically through the brutal environment of this story so that this opera was once again the powerful piece that had already received much praise in various parts of the country. Guido Ajmone-Marsan conducted incisively and with great intensity. He provided excellent orchestral support for the singers and gave them room to breathe without allowing them to lag behind. In the title part, John Packard was a strong Joseph de Rocher who sang with well-controlled, clear stentorian tones but was not as menacing as some might have liked. It has been previously noted that mezzo-soprano Margaret Lattimore has the stuff of which stars are made and she proved it yet once again as Sister Helen, a role that is totally different from this singer's more accustomed parts of Rosina and Cherubino. Not only was she convincing as the spiritually powerful nun, she sang her lines with a well supported, distinctively-colored voice and diction that made every word clear. In the role of the convict's mother, Kathryn Day gave a heart rending appeal on behalf of her son. Although she missed a few of her high notes, she presented a moving portrayal of this mother who has no control over her erring son. A young singer from the Austin Young Artist's Program, NaGuanda Rose, was a radiant Sister Rose with clear high tones that were a balm on the ears and which provided a bit of respite from the starkness of this prison drama. The smaller parts were all cast with well trained, talented singers and one of the high points of the evening was the ensemble confrontation between the crime victims' parents and the mother of the murderer. Heggie started by writing songs and this legacy is still evident in the care he takes to see that each voice is heard over his definitive orchestration.
Arizona Opera presented Richard Strauss's once shocking opera, Salome, in Tucson on January 17 and 18 in a realistic co-production by Sonja Frisell, Raquel Stewart and Harry Frehner. The simple but solid set with its huge moon and variably colored sky served its purpose well, while the costuming of the major characters was attractive but not overly ornate. As is usual with this company, the main roles were double cast. Amy Johnson, a former mezzo-soprano who has been praised for her New York City Opera performances as Tosca, sang Salome on 17 January, and Susan Marie Pierson, the highly lauded Virginia Opera Brünnhilde, portrayed the Judean princess on 18 January. Johnson, whose lyric voice has a lustrous, silvery sound and ringing high notes, saved her power for the score's climactic moments and was occasionally overwhelmed by the orchestra, even though there were not as many players as indicated in Strauss original score. She looked like a petulant teenager and her visual characterization was thoroughly convincing. Pierson, whose voice is much more dramatically colorful, met all of the title role's vocal challenges with ease and also gave an effective portrayal of the spoiled princess. Both Salomes profited from the simple but sinuous choreography of Melissa Lowe which made them appear to be accustomed to dancing on stage. Christopher Robertson, singing Jokanaan opposite Johnson's Salome, was vocally forceful and looked the part of the hard bitten religious hermit whose dedication to his goal could not be swayed by the young girl's tempting invitation. John Fanning, who sang the part opposite Pierson, proved to have a larger voice with a warm, enticing sound but he was also able to utter a withering curse. The Herod in all these performances was Peter Kazaras, a consummate singing actor. He not only sang the part with technical skill, he made the tetrarch into a real human being. Veteran mezzo, Joyce Castle, was a steel voiced Herodias who, together with Kazaras, created a realistic picture of a bad marriage. The nicest surprise of the evening was the Narraboth of Corey Evan Rotz. He has a large tenor voice with a beautiful burnished sound that projects well and he has good stage presence. I doubt if this young singer will be doing small parts for very long. As the page, Jacqueline Zander-Wall, who will be singing Carmen with Opera Southwest, declaimed with excellent diction while Daniel A Kurek, Todd Strange, Reynaldo Romo, Erik Sparks and James Scott Sikon never missed a beat in their difficult ensemble. Conductor, Stephen Lord gave a rhythmically alert reading of the score and, even though he was working with a slightly smaller orchestra than called for in Strauss's original score, he had fine players at his disposal and he saw to it that no important sonorities were missing.
© Maria Nockin, 2 February 2003 February
On February 10 the Metropolitan Opera presented its long-awaited new production of Les Troyens, celebrating the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of its composer, Hector Berlioz. Directed by the often controversial Francesca Zambello, the production was symbolic and at times stylized, but it followed the libretto closely, telling the tale with impressive panoramic images and bringing out its romantic fervor while attending closely to the individuality of each character. Choreographer, Doug Varone, and Zambello obviously worked well together and the result was choreographed movement that helped advance the story line. The sets, designed by the late Maria Björnson involved cleverly used sticks held in place by netting and a round bridge which gave the impression of a war-torn city, underscored by subdued colors for Troy and brighter ones for Carthage.
As Cassandre, Deborah Voigt dominated the first part of the performance with her engrossing character portrayal. Her beautiful and confident singing of this difficult role showed off the many exquisite colors that make up her vocal palette. Lorraine Hunt Lieberson was a late addition to the cast, but she made an excellent Didon. Her voice has a rich timbre and she sang with the utmost refinement. Her French was idiomatic and the tonal quality of her voice blended wonderfully well with that of Ben Heppner in their duet. Elena Zaremba, who sang Anna, has a much darker alto sound which did not fit her role perfectly, but she made the best of the situation and her presence added much to this excellent performance.
Returning to the opera stage after shedding some seventy pounds, Ben Heppner sounded fresh and rested. His was a marathon role and he fulfilled it magnificently. The way his voice soared over the chorus was fabulous. He sang with a warm tone, phrasing with great taste throughout his four-hour stint. Dwayne Croft was a somewhat dry voiced Corèbe but he has an excellent grasp of Berlioz's style and his diction was impeccable. The smooth voiced Robert Lloyd was a dignified Narbal, Matthew Polenzani, an excellent young tenor, was a charismatic Iopas and Gregory Turay sang his ballad with clear, well focused tones despite being suspended on a high swing.
The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, assembled and conducted by James Levine, has always been an incredibly fine group of musicians and on this occasion it again proved its mettle. Not only was their playing was powerful and accurate, memorable solos were heard from the horns and woodwinds. Levine conducted with some brisk tempi punctuated by slower and more romantic interludes, never covering the singers voices, not even in their softest passages. What is more, he kept the sound of the orchestration translucent while maintaining the propulsive force of the piece as a whole. It was a gala evening and all the disparate forces of this epic work came together to produce a winning performance.
On February 26, San Diego Opera presented Vincenzo Bellini's Norma in a traditional production by John Copley previously seen at the Metropolitan Opera. John Conklin's sets were plain and functional while his strikingly beautiful costumes added to the glamor of the performance. This was Galina Gorchakova's role debut as the Druid priestess and the moment she stepped out on stage her charisma was mesmerizing. She approached her role with a powerful dramatic talent and made her character a real human being while never slighting the vocal aspects of the part. Her voice was warm and more flexible than one might have expected. Her tones were lustrous and golden as she sang the 'Casta diva'. Gorchakova's voice blended exquisitely with the port wine tones of her Adalgisa, Marianna Pentcheva, and both of them sounded thoroughly Italianate in the 'Mira o Norma' duet. It is interesting to note that Pentcheva, who was a fine Ortrud in San Diego a few years ago, can also sing bel canto roles with the spun silver tones that Bellini calls for.
Hugh Smith was a creditable Pollione who cut a fine figure on stage but seemed to tire as the evening wore on. Pavel Daniluk, the excellent Don Fernando of last month's Fidelio, was a robust sounding, warm toned Oroveso and it is hoped that we will be hearing a great deal more of him in San Diego. Commendable performances were given in the smaller roles by Beau Palmer and Lori Stinson. The chorus, led by Timothy Todd Simmons, was crisp in their phrasing and they moved well on stage. The legendary conductor and bel canto specialist, Richard Bonynge, was in the pit and his influence could be felt in every aspect of this fine performance. He brought out the full impact of Bellini's long-lined melodies while never losing sight of the drama or the forward motion of the piece. Under his leadership the orchestra played with total accuracy and great beauty of tone.
There is opera in every state of the US including one best known for its beaches, Hawaii. A scant two miles from the surf at Waikiki, the Hawaii Opera Theater presented Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, on February 2, in a production by Bulgarian director, Dejan Miladinovic. The sets by the Hawaii Opera's resident designer, Peter Dean Beck, consisted mainly of symbolic birch trees ingeniously positioned on revolving platforms. There was a path between the platforms and for indoor scenes windows were added. David Templeton sang the title role with a pleasing, dark timbred baritone voice that had a good bit of power, occasionally sacrificing tonal quality for dramatic impact as he projected Onegin's world-weary attitude and aristocratic arrogance. As Tatyana, the young girl who falls head over heels in love with him, Aimee Willis sang with a bright, well supported voice which encompassed the vocal demands of her role with ease. Although she did not do a great deal of acting, her 'Letter Scene' was passionate - despite being addressed to a teddy bear - and she made her character come to life. She had some true chemistry with Templeton, too, and it helped bring out the romance of this sad tale. George Dyer sang Lensky with ringing top tones and he gave a moving realization of his character. Larina was authoritatively portrayed by veteran mezzo-soprano, Judith Christin. Elena Bocharova was a charming and lively Olga with excellent high notes but, unfortunately, some of her lower tones were covered by the orchestra. Dorothy Byrne was a proper Filippevna and James Price an unusually fine and amusing Triquet. As Prince Gremin, Philip Cocorinos sang with the warm, burnished gold tones that the role calls for. His was some of the best vocalism of the evening and audience left the theater knowing that Tatiana had made a much better match in the long run.
Florida Grand Opera has begun a series which will present all of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's operas over an eight-year period and the production of La finta giardiniera given at the Miami Dade Auditorium on February 12 was the first of these productions. The staging by Mark Lamos was in no way traditional, however, and a third of the score was cut in order to facilitate the director's concept. He set the piece in an insane asylum where the protagonists are inmates playing out their delusions under the watchful eyes of non-singing doctors and orderlies. Michael Yeargan's set was an attractive Victorian spa which doubled as a locked ward and the costumes were light undergarments that allowed for the great freedom of movement required by the director. Sarah Coburn, who sang Sandrina/Violante, is an excellent comedienne with fine timing and a strong, radiant voice. Her interpretation was compelling and her reconciliation with Belfiore became a moving moment. As Ramiro, a trouser role character that looks forward to Idamante in Idomeneo, Sandra Piques Eddy gave a fiery portrayal and sang with clarion tones. Thus, one wonders why the director had her destroy the impression she gave as a male by removing the top of her costume late in the opera. Brian Anderson was an impressive Belfiore but he lacked sufficient volume at times and some of his fine singing was covered by the orchestra. Winner of the 2002 Metropolitan opera National Council auditions, Twyla Robinson, was a statuesque Arminda with luminous tones and an excellent technique that may foretell a good career. As Don Anchise, Dominique Moralez was delightfully deranged, Leah Hunt was a worthy Serpetta and Woiciech Bukalski gave an excellent portrayal of Roberto/Nardo. Stewart Robertson conducted from the harpsichord and he was rewarded with fine playing for the most part, although at this performance there was an occasional horn blunder. This was an interesting evening. It was not Mozart as it was presented in the composer's time, but it was a performance of a seldom heard opera presented in an imaginative fashion. On Sunday, February 2, Opera Omaha presented George Bizet's Carmen in the original Opera Comique version. The production by Joshua Major was traditional and focused on credible portrayals of the tragedy's characters by a cast of excellent singing actors. The set, originally designed for Kentucky Opera by Peter Dean Beck, allowed smooth transformations from factory to bar to mountain pass and finally to the plaza outside the bull ring. Kirsten Chavez was a strong Carmen, sometimes mischievous, always subtly seductive, and she created a memorable portrayal of the free spirited Spanish gypsy. She has a distinctive voice and this role shows off her sonorous lower register. At this performance her stage presence and handsome vocalism enabled her to weave a spell of enchantment. Her Don Jose, Jeffrey Springer, was emotionally touching as the spurned lover. His Flower Song was artfully phrased, if a bit dry voiced, and his final plea begging Carmen to return to him was heart wrenching. Hector Vasquez was a commanding, arrogant Escamillo who sang with clear tones and excellent diction. Vocally and physically, he made an excellent torero! The attractive Emily Pulley was a graceful but low keyed Micaëla who sang her aria brilliantly. Her passive interpretation was unusual but no less valid than more common portrayals of this character. Leanne Gonzalez and Rosalie Sullivan, who sang Frasquita and Mercédès, were enchanting in their parts and their accurate singing, coupled with realistic stage deportment, helped make this a fine performance. Christopher Irmiter as Zuniga, Corey McKern as Dancairo and Ryan McPherson as Remendado all sang well and added to the excellence of the ensembles. Conductor Hal France maintained a good balance between the pit and the stage. None of his tempi were extreme and he kept the piece moving along with sparkling vitality. © Maria Nockin, 3 March 2003 March
On March 19 the Metropolitan Opera presented a revival of Elijah Moshinsky's 1994 production of Giuseppi Verdi's Otello. As before, Michael Yeargan's sets were imaginative and picturesque while Peter J Hall's costumes were flattering and correct for the period they represented. New to the Met in their roles were the principal male protagonists, Vladimir Galouzine and Nikolai Putilin. Galouzine has a voice with a dark timbre that can sound baritonal at times. He was fearless in the way he tackled the role, especially the 'Esultate' and not all his tones were beautiful, but the concept of Otello is not so much one of beauty as of brute strength. Although his singing was rough at times, Galouzine gave a moving portrayal of the Moor, showing him to be impetuous much of the time, and terrifying when angry. As Iago, Putilin suffered from some indeterminate intonation, but he did some good legato singing. His concept of the role was effective too, showing one persona to Otello and quite another to the other characters.
Because of the illness of Barbara Frittoli, the first performance was sung by Kallen Esperian who portrayed an affecting Desdemona and sang with beauty of tone, but had problems with intonation. On April 19 Frittoli sang the part and she came as close to perfection in this part as anyone we are likely to see or hear these days. With her large lyric voice she can float pianissimi easily in the huge Met auditorium and she is an effective actress. On this evening her work was especially lovely in the sad lyrical moments. Jane Bunnell was a convincing Emilia whose voice contrasted well with that of Frittoli. Raymond Very was a gentle Cassio with a refined lyrical sound. Anoosha Galesorki and Mark Showalter sang lustily as Roderigo and Montano, while Robert Lloyd was a dignified Lodovico. Charles Edwin Taylor, who sang the herald, sounded as though he should be heard in larger parts soon.
Valery Gergiev conducted with a relentless forward motion. He provided the audience with an exciting performance, even if the instrumentalists occasionally over powered the singers. His balancing of the orchestral groups was excellent however, and he brought out some exotic colors not often heard in the Verdi score.
On March 25, San Diego Opera presented the West Coast premiere of Tobias Picker's Thérèse Raquin in a production originally conceived by Francesca Zambello and recreated by Herbert Kellner. Based on the 19th century Emile Zola novel, the opera tells of adultery, murder and guilt by means of a poetic libretto written by Gene Scheer. Marie-Jeanne Lecca's set, sturdy and representational for Act I, was more impressionistic for Act II. Lighting was very important in this production and Mark McCullough's imaginative designs contributed much to its overall effectiveness. Kirstin Chávez, the Thérèse, is a magnificent singing actress who has no trouble with notes that lie at the extreme ends of the mezzo-soprano range. Her low tones, in particular, had great resonance and distinctively interesting sound. She was properly reticent with her mother-in-law, cool with the husband who had been selected for her but her passion was boundless when alone with her lover, Laurent.
As the unloved husband, Camille, Gordon Gietz sang a difficult high lying part with seeming ease and his acting as a plodding clerk was believable, leaving his extraordinarily athletic death scene to be a heart stopping surprise. Christopher Maltman, who sang with a fine technique, was a sexy Laurent who made the plot believable. One could understand why Thérèse fell for him. The role of the mother-in-law was portrayed with great style by Dame Josephine Barstow. She is a fine actress and her singing of the lament for her dead son was truly touching. Smaller parts were strongly portrayed by Sheryl Woods and Kevin Langan as the Michauds and by Peter Kazaras as M. Grivet. San Diego Opera's resident conductor, Karen Keltner, brought out the dramatic intricacies and the propulsive rhythms of the score, interweaving all the varied aspects of this unusual piece into a colorful tapestry of great import. Thérèse Raquin is a fascinating opera that deserves many more hearings.
On March 15, the Pittsburgh Opera gave Richard Strauss's one-act blockbuster, Elektra, in a rather dark and brooding production originally created for Los Angeles opera by Thor Steingraber. Highly stylized decor by John Bury provided a good background for the action and the atmospheric lighting was designed by Thomas Munn. Susan Marie Pierson replaced the indisposed Renate Behle in the title role. Pierson has a huge, well focused voice with glorious high notes and she was magnificent in the part. She moves well, too, and her impersonation was extremely persuasive. Margaret Jane Wray, who will also portray Senta with this same company, sang Chrysothemis with great finesse, offering a blend of radiant singing and purposeful acting. As Klytemnestra, Reinhild Runkel created an imposing character that never became a caricature. She, too, had the vocal resources to be heard easily over the strong orchestral playing that this opera demands and she made a fine impression in this difficult role. Kristopher Irmiter's Orest was not as powerfully sung as one might have wished, but he acted his role with conviction. The maidservants and their overseer, Judith Ann Metzger, Holly Harrison, Karin Caspi, Zara Barrett, Carolyn Betty and Anna Singer, were all sung with ringing tones and serve to show the depth of young talent that this company has waiting in the wings. Conductor, John Mauceri urged his forces on at a fairly rapid pace, making for an exciting performance and he held down his well balanced sonorities so that the singers were not overpowered.
On March 22, the Los Angeles Opera presented a revival of the 1995 Julie Taymor production of Richard Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer. When first performed her staging was quite controversial, but much of the direction was changed in this revival by Vera Calábria and its questionable aspects are long gone, while the impressive sets by George Tsypin and the stunning costumes by Constance Hoffman remain. Bernd Weikl was effective as the pale spectre-like Dutchman and, despite the fact that on this evening his voice sounded less resonant than usual, he poured forth his character's woes in dramatic tones and beautifully phrased, understandable German. Daland was sung by Matti Salminen whose dark toned voice cut through the dense orchestration to wash over the audience in waves of gorgeous sound. His acting was somewhat stiff, but he was a convincing father to Senta. Senta is a young girl who has become obsessed with the legend of the Dutchman and Mlada Koudoley brought that aspect of her role to the fore, acting like the teenager she is supposed to be. She has a large dramatic voice with distinctively opulent tones and thrilling high notes but it is not yet completely under her control. She may be an artist to watch for the future, however.
Donald Kaasch, gave a robustly sung, well constructed portrayal of Erik, Senta's long suffering boy friend, while Greg Fedderly, one of the few remaining singers from the original production, sang the Steersman's music with clear, mellifluous tones. Los Angeles favorite, Susanna Guzmán, was an authoritative, strong voiced Mary. Conductor, Klaus Wiese, favored the brass section of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra to the point where the strings were difficult to hear, but his phrasing was gorgeous and he had a coherent conception of the piece that he brought out with strong rhythms and moderate tempi.
Sarasota Opera's Artistic Director, Victor DeRenzi, who is trying to bring some worthy, lesser known works back to the repertory, selected Italo Montemezzi's dramatic tale from the period of 'verismo' opera, L'amore dei tre re, for presentation on March 1. Although the production by Troy Hourie was not overly extravagant, it presented the medieval story in a straightforward setting which was completely faithful to the libretto by the D'Annunzio disciple, Sem Benelli. The appropriately colorful costumes were by Sarasota's resident designer, Howard Tsvi Kaplan. This was once a frequently performed piece, especially in the United States, but it fell from favor after the death of its composer in 1952, possibly because of its Wagnerian influence or because it's leading character is a bass, not a tenor. In any case Maestro DeRenzi knew he had an excellent bass for the pivotal role in Kevin Short and he gave the Florida audience a genuine treat in presenting a fine opera that is probably new to almost all of his audience. Short gave a charismatic portrayal of Archibaldo, the old blind king who still wishes to control his household if not his kingdom, singing with rich, ringing tones and excellent flexibility. He sang his first act aria to Italy with warmth and tenderness, proving that the old man was still more than just a cruel ruler. Carol Ann Manzi was a sensuous Fiora who sang with a great deal of well controlled power. Daniel Cafiero as her passionate lover, Avito, had an exciting sound, excellent Italian diction and graceful phrasing. Although his singing was not quite up to the level of the other principals, Joshua Benaim as Fiora's husband, Manfredo, was believable in his sorrow and dismay when he found that his wife had betrayed him. Maestro De Renzi, in his 21st year as principal conductor at Sarasota, kept the tension taut during the entire performance and, as a result, there never was a dull moment. © Maria Nockin, 1 April 2003 April
Houston Grand Opera was the venue chosen by Renée Fleming for her first Traviata Violetta, a gala event which took place on April 17. Desmond Healy's stunning sets and spectacular costumes, originally designed for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, blended beautifully with the artful stage direction by Frank Corsaro and Garnett Bruce, while Christine Binder's dramatic lighting set the right mood for each scene. Fleming's Violetta was all that her fans could have desired. Her singing was as secure as it was beautiful and her coloratura was clean and accurate. She is a very attractive woman as well as a singer with a sumptuous legato, and she created a character with whom the audience could easily empathize. Fleming's Violetta was a triumph in Texas and should be equally well received at the Met next season. As Alfredo, British tenor, Paul Charles Clarke, started off somewhat tenuously but sang passionately once his voice had warmed up. He performed his role with elegant singing and fine stagecraft, although he omitted the cabaletta, 'O mio rimorso' that follows his Act II aria 'De' miei bollenti spiriti'.
The elder Germont was sung by Bruno Caproni who has a rich, resounding baritone voice. His interpretation was detailed and showed his eventual change of heart toward the heroine. The smaller parts were also well portrayed, Angela Niederloh as a rich voiced Flora and Marjorie Owens a supportive Annina. Houston Studio tenor, Nicholas Phan, was a promising Gastone and music professor, Patrick Wroblewski, was an aristocratic Baron Douphol. The conductor, Patrick Summers, brought out the beauties of the score by eliciting accurate and sensitive playing from the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra.
On April 22, the San Diego Opera presented Giuseppe Verdi's Otello in a production staged by Sonja Frisell with solid looking sets and lavish Renaissance costumes by Zack Brown. Both sets and costumes underscored the setting of this opera in 15th century Cyprus, and Frisell's direction told the story of the jealous Moor with subtle touches that pointed out the culture of its characters. This was only the second performance of Otello ever sung by Sergei Larin and he paced himself well. His 'Esultate' was perhaps less powerful than it might have been, but he seemed to gain in strength as the evening wore on. His warm Italianate sound, ringing upper register and powerful, resonant middle tones were used to particular advantage in his rendition of 'Dio! mi potevi scagliar', and his 'Niun me tema' was heart breaking. Marina Mescheriakova was a radiant, silver toned Desdemona who had no difficulty with any part of her role from the first act duet to the pianissimi of the final scene. Her acting was credible and at the end of the opera she had the sympathy of everyone in the audience. Iago has to be played by someone who is a consummate actor as well as a fine singer and Alexandru Agache proved able on both accounts. He sang with burnished bronze, well projected tones and showed one personality to Otello and a completely different one to other characters in the opera. Richard Troxell, who will sing Alfredo in this company's Traviata next season, was a dashing and golden toned Cassio and an impressive actor. As Iago's wife, Emilia, Priti Gandhi easily projected her lustrous voice over the large Verdi orchestra and she was passionate in the final scene when she discovered her husband's villainy. James Scott Sikon was a creditable Montano, Julien Robbins a stylish Lodovico and Joseph Hu was a worthy Rodrigo. All the various aspects of this magnificent performance were brought together by conductor, Edoardo Mueller. He knows every possible nuance in the score of this opera and he seemed to draw the best possible performance from each singer. The orchestra played accurately and there was perfectly synchronization between pit, chorus and soloists all evening. General Director, Ian Campbell is celebrating his 20th anniversary with this company and this Otello was a fine example of the wonderful artistry he has brought to San Diego.
On April 4 the Metropolitan Opera revived Otto Schenk's other-worldly production of Richard Wagner's Parsifal which has sets and projections by Gunther Schneider-Siemssen and costumes by Rolf Langenfass. The level of Gil Wechsler's lighting was appropriately low and camouflaged any flaws in this aging production. In the title role, Plácido Domingo proved to be in excellent voice and he sang his part with burnished gold tones. Although he is a veteran performer, he can still move like a much younger man on stage. Assuming the part of Gurnemanz for the first time, René Pape added yet another jewel to his crown as he sang with ringing fortes and gorgeous pianissimi. His acting, too, was completely believable and he brought out many new facets of the role in his interpretation. Falk Struckmann was an intense and moving Amfortas who sang with great eloquence. Violeta Urmana sang a splendid Kundry and her huge voice enveloped the 4,000 seat auditorium in waves of beauteous sound. She has gorgeous high notes and she used them brilliantly to express her character's tormented soul. Nikolai Putilin was an evil and acid-toned Klingsor, Eric Halfvarson an impressive Titurel and a group of the Met's youngest sopranos and mezzos brightened up the middle of this long work as they sang the seductive music of the flower maidens.
Conducting this opera for the first time at the Met was Valery Gergiev who varied his tempi to fit his conception of each scene. He brought out his own chosen moments and allowed them to shine as played exquisitely by the Met's consummate musicians. His interpretation was more dramatic and intense than Levine's but his total time was similar. Parsifal is a very special work. It is not as universally popular as La Bohème or Carmen, but a performance like this one becomes indelibly marked on the musical souls of those who are blessed with a love for this opera.
With its world class casting of Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, the Pittsburgh Opera is taking its place among the top companies of the United States. On April 26 it presented the well known Puccini masterpiece in a traditional and conservative production by Sandra Bernhard with historically accurate settings by Michael Yeargan that evoked much of the beauty of Paris. Ruth Ann Swenson was a bit more sophisticated than the usual Mimi, and her golden voice flooded the hall with lustrous sound. Her duets with Franco Farina, her Rodolfo, were positively thrilling. Farina has a warm, powerful voice and his golden romantic sound made him a perfect young lover. His singing not only enchanted Mimi but the entire audience as well. Singing the role of Musetta for the first time was the charismatic Christine Goerke. A whimsical coquette in Act II, and a much more complex character afterwards, she sang with magnificently rich tones and her waltz was one of the highlights of the evening. Although her lover, Marcello, had turned against her in Act II, his attitude soon melted in the warmth of her charms and together they brought a great deal of fine singing and verisimilitude to the performance. Chen Ye Yuan was a lovable Schaunard and Peter Volpe sang Colline's overcoat aria with a robust voice. Comic talent, Howard Bender, was amusing as Benoit, the landlord, and wide-eyed as Alcindoro, the sugar daddy, who ends up with everyone's bill at the cafe. Conductor, John Mauceri, led a much improved orchestra which played in tune and he kept their sound level down to a point where the singers could easily be heard. On April 4 Arizona Opera presented its final opera of the 2002-3 season, Tosca, in a production originally conceived by David Gano for New Orleans Opera. Gano's scenery was sturdy and resembled the actual locales in Rome while Nicholas Cavallaro's lighting was properly atmospheric. The stage direction by Mark Verzatt had some interesting aspects: for example, the sacristan, portrayed with great skill with James Scott Sikon, was a comical, bumbling old man until the Angelus rang, but then he became the religious person that one would expect to see in his position. Also in Act I, Verzatt had Scarpia smear some red pigment on the face of the unfinished Madonna and in Act II he had Cavaradossi dragged out of the torture chamber on a bloody blanket. This was a thinking person's production and the acting was excellent. Lyric soprano, Victoria Litherland, sang Floria Tosca with sweet clear tones but she did not have the strength and color in her lower register that one might like to hear in this role. Tucson native, Antonio Nagore, who had just sung a fine Pollione in Seattle, was a warm voiced, believable Cavaradossi whose high notes rang out easily to the top of the balcony. With Scarpia, Gordon Hawkins added one more role to his list of excellent interpretations at American regional companies. His character pulled no punches in showing his desire for Tosca and in fomenting his plan to make her submit to him. His singing was dramatic but never forced as he coerced the other characters to do his bidding. Charles Robert Austin was a robust voiced Angelotti, Reynaldo Romo was a Quasimodo-like Spoletta and Benjamin Sorenson was a smooth voiced, mild mannered Sciarrone. Steven White conducted with some very slow tempi and an overly loud Te Deum, but he held the whole performance together well and the orchestra responded to his leadership with excellent playing. © Maria Nockin, 30 April 2003 May
On Saturday evening, May 10, Minnesota Opera presented the North American Premiere of Poul Ruders' opera about the dangers of theocracy, The Handmaid's Tale. Although this opera received its world premiere at the Royal Danish Opera, the libretto by Paul Bentley was translated for those performances. This production at the Ordway Center in St Paul was presented in the original English. Based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name, the opera tells of a future United States, now renamed the Republic of Gilead, that is run by fundamentalist Christians who have instituted a new constitution which reflects their ideology.
Eric Simonson's production attempted to soften the knife sharp edges of the original piece, but the main points still came through his somewhat ambivalent staging, and it was soon evident that this is a disturbing, important piece. Robert Israel's sets were stunning in their plainness and gave the feeling of sensory deprivation that the story infers. His costumes, too, underscored the mood of the story with shapeless beige shifts for the handmaids, storm trooper regalia for the guardians and aprons over black skirts for the aunts. Ruders' music quotes from J S Bach and uses the traditional hymn, 'Amazing Grace', as a returning motif. It even incorporates some popular music styles into its nightclub scene.
Elizabeth Bishop, as Offred, the handmaid whose tale forms the story of the opera, sang her demanding part with rich, well projected clear tones and, with her considerable acting skills, she brought out the various aspects of this many faceted character. Megan Dey-Toth gave an excellent account of Offred's other self, a more vulnerable, younger woman. She was on stage at the same time as the older Offred and together they sang a memorable, emotion filled duet. Coloratura soprano, Helen Todd, who sang Aunt Lydia, did not do a great deal of acting but sang her difficult role accurately. As Offred's commander, a man not overly concerned with her welfare, Gabor Andrassy created a well thought out character and he played his thankless role to the hilt.
Joyce Castle was impressive vocally and she gave a convincing portrayal of a Gospel singer defeated by the government's legal system. Tenor, Daniel Montenegro, showed great promise as Nick and Dennis Peterson was a powerful Luke. There were many other soloists in the huge cast and all of them added measurably to the success of the evening. Conductor, Anthony Walker, led the Minnesota Opera Orchestra in a supportive and colorful rendition of this difficult piece. Because this is a new opera with an interesting score full of imagination and invention, it will take more than one hearing for listeners to completely absorb its novel harmonic language. Let's hope it will soon be given again.
On May 18, San Diego Opera revived its tremendously successful 1998 production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Like most productions by Francesca Zambello, this setting of Puccini's masterpiece was a thoughtful recreation with some scenes that differed from traditional staging. Directed by Garnett Bruce, this production was realistic enough to tell the story effectively. Michael Yeargan's settings evoked turn of the century Japanese culture and Anita Yavich's costumes were accurate reproductions of Japanese and American fashions popular at the beginning of the twentieth century. Alan Burrett's lighting also played a large part in the effectiveness of the stage picture.
Mika Shigematsu, who will soon sing La Cenerentola in San Francisco, was a submissive, caring Suzuki. She has a lustrous mezzo voice and she phrased in excellent Italian style. As Sharpless, the one person in this story who always saw things as they actually were, Stephen Powell's singing was resonant and his acting was confident as he brought out the character's carefully controlled emotions. Joseph Hu was a wonderfully sleazy, scheming, unscrupulous marriage broker who was obviously out to make money any way he could. His characterization was energetic and he sang with well-focused tones. James Scott Sikon was a dramatic Bonze and he delivered a fiery curse. Gregorio Gonzalez was a preening, conceited Yamadori who obviously needed a broker to find a wife. A good actor, his voice sounds promising, too. Laura Portune portrayed Kate Pinkerton as a proper debutante and she delivered her few lines well.
On Monday evening, May 19, the Opera Orchestra of New York gave a concert performance of Gioacchino Rossini's La donna del lago in Carnegie Hall. Since we are not likely to see this opera staged under current economic conditions, it was a treat to hear it in concert with this first-rate cast. Based on a novel by Sir Walter Scott, with a libretto by Andrea Leone Tottola, this opera was composed in 1819 for the composer's first wife, the superbly talented Spanish mezzo, Isabella Colbran. Tall and majestic on stage, she was the excellent tragedienne who created the difficult role sung in this performance by Ruth Ann Swenson, who was more than up to the challenge. She sang it with beautifully shaped phrases, resonant high notes and an earthy chest register. © Maria Nockin, 2 June 2003 June
On Sunday evening, June 8, the Opera Theatre of St Louis presented the North American stage premiere of Flight, a comic opera by composer Jonathan Dove and librettist April de Angelis.Scored with traditional operatic arias, this work has easily accessible melodic music and a wonderfully witty libretto. It was a major success at its world premiere during the 1998 Glyndebourne Festival and it was a tremendous hit at St Louis, too, thanks to Colin Graham's clever, effervescent staging. Jerome Sirlin's set was built around a bird of prey, the symbol of flight, and it provided a great deal more interest than the ordinary airport waiting room one might have expected from reading the plot. Jane Greenwood's brightly colored costumes added an extra dimension to the amusing elements of the story.
Singing from a position high above the rest of the cast, Mary Wilson was an appealing 'Flight Controller' with precise intonation and easily understood diction. Counter-tenor, David Walker, gave an accomplished portrayal of the refugee whose awkward behavior echoed his difficult situation. Walker was particularly effective in the Act III aria which he sang with luxurious golden tones, a few of which were, unfortunately, covered by the orchestra. Cynthia Watters and Brandon Jovanovich were ideally cast as the young couple, Tina and Bill. Her mad scene was exquisitely sung and skillfully acted. Veteran artist, Myrna Paris, is a true contralto with plush low notes, great comic timing and excellent diction. She almost stole the show as she waited for her 'toy boy' fiance whom we soon realized would never appear.
Baritone, Carleton Chambers, and mezzo-soprano, Angela Horn, were thoroughly amusing as the sex crazed flight attendants and their pleasant voices projected well. The 'Minsk' couple, an arrogant man and his very pregnant wife, were effectively portrayed by Thomas Barrett and Mary Ann McCormick. Her Act II aria was particularly well sung and it was nice to see them turn into a pair of love birds at the end. Christian Van Horn was a menacing Immigration Officer for most of the evening but at the finale he, like all the other people in this opera, found an end to his loneliness, at least for a while. Conductor, William Lumpkin, led the St Louis Symphony in an energetic, if occasionally loud, performance of this well orchestrated score. Flight is a charming opera and it is hoped that many more audiences in the US will have a chance to see it.
On June 26 Cincinnatti Opera presented a trio of modern operas featuring dramatic soprano, Catherine Malfitano. On that evening she assumed the major roles in: La voix humaine, a one woman show by Francis Poulenc and Jean Cocteau; Die sieben Todesünden (The Seven Deadly Sins), as brought to modern life by Kurt Weill and Berthold Brecht; as well as in Medusa, the brand new mythological blockbuster by Wiliam Bolcom and Arnold Weinstein. The three operas were presented in a production by the opera's artistic director, Nicholas Muni, which utilized a single abstract set by Dany Lyne depicting a road. It was the scene of a car crash in the Poulenc, the route of Anna's travels in the Weill and, split into rocks and water, it was Greece for the Bolcom work. Thomas C Hase's lighting gave life and color to these scenes, adding greatly to the emotional impact of each.
Although traditional productions of the Poulenc work have taken place in the bedroom of 'Elle', the Muni placed her on a lonely road at night just after her car has crashed. Her medium of communication was updated to a cell phone but the ending, of course, was the same. Her emotional state was emphasized by her physical predicament. Malfitano used the softer, more plaintive tones of her dramatic voice to express the vulnerability of this woman who finds herself helpless and alone in the middle of the night.
Both the Poulenc and the Weill presented brand new roles for Malfitano and before this evening she had only sung the Bolcom in concert. Actually, Medusa was not originally scheduled to be part of this performance. It was added only after the soprano had premiered it and was sure that singing all three operas in one evening was possible. The Bolcom opera tells the sad story of how Medusa was changed from a beautiful young girl into the familiar mythological monster. This is, however, a tragedy with humorous aspects and some of the lyrics in this rather irreverent work are quite funny. In Medusa most of the notes are conventionally sung, but some phrases are spoken and others are shouted! Bolcom used a staff with three lines instead of five and most of the music is in the soprano's middle register. Since Bolcom and Malfitano have known each other for many years and he knows exactly what best fits her immense talent. Many of her artistic qualities are reflected in this new work.
The San Francisco Opera borrowed the Brad Dalton production of Giuseppe Verdi's Il trovatore from Seattle Opera and premiered it at a matinée performance on June 15. The settings, designed by John Conklin, ranged from perceptive to rather distracting. The spot of blood on the prison wall fit the plot perfectly, but the symbolic meaning of other items on stage was much less easily understood. A Dalton directive which prevented the singers from looking directly at each other at the most important moments in the opera did not increase the audience's comprehension of the story, either, but Robert Wierzel's colorful, sharp-edged lighting added a needed dimension to the unusual staging. Maria Nockin grew up in New York. Born of a German Jewish/British/Bahamian family, She enjoyed a thorough-going musical upbringing, inspired by family friends like the violinist Mischa Elman, pianist Alexander Siloti, and soprano Grete Stückgold. Eventually concentrating on vocal studies, she became a soloist in New York churches, worked for the Metropolitan Opera Guild and later became a public high school teacher. Moving to Arizona in 1993, she started a new career as a music journalist contributing reviews and articles to Opera Japonica and other print and web publications. At her ranchito in the desert near Casa Grande, she paints watercolors and keeps two cats called Figaro and Siegfried. See the current Letter from America and also Letters from America 2000, 2001, 2002 , July to December 2003 and 2004
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