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Maria Nockin's Letters from America July
In 1892 Anatole France wrote a short story about a religious miracle. Maurice Léna fashioned a libretto from it and that became the basis for Jules Massenet's opera, Le jongleur de Notre-Dame, which was premiered on February 18, 1902, in Monte Carlo. The same work, with a few adaptations, was performed by Colorado's Central City Opera on July 10.
The main character is a penniless minstrel called Jean who does acrobatics and can juggle. Although the part was originally written for tenor, the composer also wrote a version for soprano which was most notably sung by the renowned Scottish soprano, Mary Garden. In the Central City production, however, the juggler was sung by tenor, Jon Garrison, whose characterization showed the vulnerability of the man. Although he started off somewhat insecurely, he grew in the role and was a shining star by the finale.
Bass-baritone Eduardo Chama who sang the role of Boniface, the cook, got some of the most melodic music in the opera to sing and he rendered it with robust, resonant tones. His was a good natured portrayal of the jovial character. Bass Gaetan Laperriere sang with an elegant legato as the rule-bound prior who is sympathetic to the juggler despite himself. Theodore Chletsos was an impressive poet-monk who sang with dulcet tones.
The only parts for women in this production were those of angels and they were sung by two talented and bright voiced members of the Central City Young Artists Program, Karen Wolverton and Jessica Kasinsky. Other young, strong voiced members of this program were Jason Switzer as the drunk, Jason McAdams as the knight and Daniel Cilli as the painter-monk.
Stage director Ken Cazan told the story clearly while updating it to the early 20th century, but because it takes place in a timeless monastery, the time change was not always evident. He had his singers moving energetically but never in such a way that interfered with their singing. The result was a truly inspirational performance, of which the orchestra under the leadership of J David Jackson also played a large part.
On July 10, Los Angeles Opera, home of many serious works, offered some lighter fare for the summer: Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. The piece, which has lyrics by Hugh Wheeler, was first seen on Broadway in 1973. The story was taken from a 1955 film by Ingmar Bergman called Smiles of a Summer Night, so it was most fitting for Tinseltown's opera to perform this work at the warmest time of year.
Although he is more actor than singer, Victor Garber completely humanized the character of the lawyer, Frederik Egerman. As his virginal young wife, Anne, Laura Benanti was a lovely looking but hard edged character, giving the audience the idea that she had not married for love. You don't wonder why Frederik once again falls for his old flame, Desirée, played by the charming actress, Judith Ivey. She was beautiful and seductive as she sang the best known song in the show, 'Send in the Clowns'.
Desirée's mother, Mme Armfeldt, was played, sometimes with malicious glee, by the fabulously talented actress, Zoe Caldwell. It is she who waxes philosophical and tells us that the midsummer night smiles on three groups: young innocent lovers, those who fall in love in mid life and the old who know too much about it all. Danny Gurwin was credible as Henrik, the young divinity student who runs off with his stepmother and Jessica Boevers was an amusingly earthy servant. This is a good-humored piece that leaves the audience wanting more - perhaps it should be topped off with a fabulous after theater dessert!
Every summer artists and audiences alike travel to Utah, a state renowned for its incredible natural beauty as well as for the music at the Utah Festival. Some of the operas are given in the neoclassical Ellen Eccles Theater and on July 9 the performance of Gioacchino Rossini's La Cenerentola took full advantage of this well designed intimate space. Set designer Jack Shouse included gilded box seats as part of the production's decor, also showing reproductions of the composer's manuscripts and images of the man himself. Brad Carroll's direction emphasized the comic aspects of the piece and utilized the abilities of a young and talented cast.
On July 8 Cincinnati Opera presented a revival of Nicholas Muni's 1988 production of Don Giovanni, which presents the characters as game pieces on a board. It was staged this time by Jose Maria Condemi in a minimalist style that seemed to lack energy. Singers are often given too much to do while they are singing, but in this case they sometimes had too little stage business. Conductor Xian Zhang, who will soon be joining the New York Philharmonic, gave a lively reading of the score that brought out its champagne sparkle but was at times a bit too fast for the singers.
On July 24 Glimmerglass Opera, the summer festival in northern New York state, presented composer Richard Rodney Bennett's 1965 opera, The Mines of Sulphur. It features 20th century type atonality but with an occasional flash of romantic melody. Its libretto, by Beverly Cross, is an original gothic tale. These summer performances were dedicated to the composer's hero, Benjamin Britten, who had offered to premiere the work at Aldeburgh if it could be finished in six months. Bennett did not want to agree to such a short time so it was first seen at English National Opera instead.
At Glimmerglass, director David Schweizer divided the work into two acts instead of the original three and added some comic relief to this dark story by featuring clowns in the play-within-a-play. James Noone's set was in keeping with the style of the piece and provided an effective background for the eerie goings on. John Conklin's costumes helped set the mood of the story as did Kevin Adams' lighting.
Brandon Jovanovich was a wonderfully menacing Bocannion and he acted not only with his body but with his virile sounding voice as well. His fellow conspirator, Rosalind, was convincingly played by smoky voiced mezzo-soprano, Beth Clayton, who floated ethereal pianissimi. Tovey, the third conspirator, was sung with robust tones by veteran baritone, James Maddalena. Caroline Worra sang with a silken sound and gave a touching performance as Jenny who portrays the young wife in the all too real play. The role of Braxton was performed with stylistic command by Kristopher Irmiter. Brian Anderson was a strong voiced Fenney and Michael Todd a formidable Tooley.
© Maria Nockin, 2 August 2004 August Summer in Santa Fe
The most difficult tickets to obtain at Santa Fe this summer were for Vincenzo Bellini's seldom performed opera, La sonnambula. It was a great pleasure to hear the sumptuous long melodies of this lyrical work, which was written in the same year as the composer's more famous Norma, even if it does not have the latter's forceful rhythmic intensity.
Sonnambula was selected as a vehicle for the incomparable French coloratura, Natalie Dessay, who made a lasting impression on Santa Fe operagoers at her sold out concert in 2003. The opportunity to sing the Bellini work insured the soprano's return and on August 13, 2004, she showed that she was worthy of the new production. She decorated her lines with graceful coloratura and proved to be an excellent actress as well. Although small in stature, she has a sizable clear and radiant voice with quicksilver agility.
The role of Elvino was taken by Shalva Mukeria, a tenor with a large voice from Tbilisi, Georgia. He sang with fine phrasing and an exciting sound. Evelyn Pollack, a beautiful strawberry blonde Lisa, acted with intensity and sang with sultry tones. Count Rodolfo was sung with exquisite dark tones by Giovanni Furlanetto who brought his character to life with fine stagecraft. Ann McMahon Quintero is an apprentice with a glowing future. As Teresa she was a sympathetic mother to Amina while singing with crème caramel tones.
Director Stephan Grögler elicited fine acting from his interpreters but changed some aspects of the original story. In his version, Amina's fiance, Elvino, makes his entrances and exits by paddling a tiny boat across a real lake constructed on one corner of the stage. By the end of the rather cool evening both lovers were splashing around in the water.
Veronique Seymat's attractive set was topped by an arch of period design, but the space inside it was so small that its walls had to be moved out for many of the scenes in order to accommodate the chorus. Except for the title character, Seymat costumed the artists in charming Swiss folk dress. Amina, however, wore a white gown at all times. Robert Wood, the chorus master, made a fine ensemble out of the group of young soloists who are apprentices for the summer. Conductor Evelino Pidò did not have a very complex orchestration to work with but drew beautiful bel canto style playing from his musicians.
Santa Fe Opera had several outstanding productions this summer and one of the most popular was Georg Frideric Handel's Agrippina which starred Metropolitan Opera diva, Christine Goerke. This central role, around which everything in the opera revolves, was the perfect vehicle to showcase this soprano's huge, mellifluous and flexible voice.
Lisa Saffer is a beautiful young singer with a voice to match. Her Poppea was an irresistible sex kitten and her voice contrasted well with that of Goerke. Agrippina's son, Nerone, would grow up to be the Roman ruler who is said to have played his lyre while his city burned. In this opera, however, he is a teenager with an attitude problem and Christine Jepson's portrayal struck a familiar chord with everyone who has had to deal with adolescents. At the same time her smooth mezzo singing was a delight for the ears.
Tall, good looking French countertenor, Christophe Dumaux, made his Santa Fe debut as Ottone with secure, well articulated coloratura and velvet low tones. He was convincing as a military leader as well. Emperor Claudio was sung by British bass Brindley Sherratt. Unfortunately, his voice is not overpowering and in comparison to his colleagues he was a bit lacking in vocal stature. Conductor Harry Bicket led the orchestra in sensible tempi that kept the performance moving but always allowed the singers sufficient latitude for breathing and emotional emphasis.
Santa Fe's new production of Don Giovanni is a memorable version of the Mozart masterpiece and for this summer's performances, one of which I saw on August 14, director Chas Rader-Shieber told the story in a traditional manner. David Zinn's substantial sets suggested the blood vengeance of the centuries old story with red tinged walls and rosy leafed trees while his colorful dresses and leather coats indicated more modern times. Lighting designer Duane Schuler used varying shades of red, purple and pink to underscore the emotional content of each scene.
Mariusz Kwieczen was a perfect choice for Don Giovanni. He was the epitome of sexiness and his singing was splendidly virile. He has a big sound with a thrilling ring to it. Ana Maria Martinez, who sang Donna Elvira, carried the show for the distaff side of the gender equation. She was a striking image in her shocking pink dress and she portrayed her character as a woman who was angry at the Don but still loves him. Her voice was radiant and she sang passionately while unfolding her complex interpretation.
Leporello was sung by Kevin Short whose dark toned voice contrasted nicely with Kwieczen's. He was an agile, bold and energetic, if unwilling, servant. Christina Pier was a Donna Anna who sang all the notes with a strong voice, but whose acting was somewhat less impressive. Tall, handsome tenor, Eric Cutler sang Don Ottavio's difficult arias with dulcet tones.
Ying Huang was a lovely and delicate Zerlina with a small, sweet sounding voice that was sometimes difficult to hear. She sang her arias tastefully but in a rather restrained manner. Her Masetto, Patrick Carfizzi, gave an interesting interpretation of the peasant who is uneducated but intelligent. He knows exactly what the Don is planning but is frustrated when he cannot defend himself because of his low birth. Brindley Sherratt was a somewhat underpowered Commendatore but he sang with good Mozartean style. Newly appointed music director, Alan Gilbert, has a fine rapport with the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and his musicians played so perfectly on this occasion that there was not an audible wrong note all evening.
On August 11, Santa Fe Opera presented Giuseppe Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, with an excellent cast. Mark Delavan seemed to have no difficulty whatsoever with the long and difficult title role which he sang poignantly with well focused, resounding tones. He has a charismatic stage presence and he gave a very human portrayal of the conflicted character.
Patricia Racette was a superb Amelia with powerful top notes and exquisite pianissimi. Daniel Borowski's Fiesco was a malevolent old man, thin as a rail, but with a memorably strong voice. Lester Lynch was an imposing, sonorous and cunning Paolo Albiani. Gabriele Adorno was sung by bright voiced tenor, Marcus Haddock, who was a thoroughly believable love interest for Amelia. The apprentices who sang the smaller parts: mezzo-soprano, Sonia Bruzauskas; baritone, Andrew Oakden, and tenor, Matthew Edwardsen, all added measurably to the success of the evening.
The presentation of this work by director Stefano Vizioli was modern in its concepts and it told this complicated story in an understandable manner. The set designed by Robert Inness Hopkins consisted of a box within a box, sometimes with three solid sides, and with transparent walls at other times. Anna Maria Heinreich's costumes were eye catching. Particularly stunning were Amelia's sea blue and white ensemble and her deep orange brocade coat.
On August 9, 2004, one day after the one hundred and forty second anniversary of the premiere of Hector Berlioz's opéra comique, Béatrice et Bénédict, Santa Fe Opera presented it to an expectant audience. The work is based on Shakespeare's play, Much Ado About Nothing, and in this version, translated into English by Geoffrey Dunn and arranged by Colin Graham of the Opera Theater of St. Louis, much of the bard's original language was used. Berlioz wrote the piece as light fare to be presented at the German resort of Baden-Baden, so its presentation at a cosmopolitan summer festival like Santa Fe was very fitting. Graham arranged the English lines in an extremely skillful manner and the result was a charming play with music. Director Tim Albery worked intensively with his singers and they performed both the spoken words and the music with emotional conviction. In this production the story takes place in a military hospital, so Antony McDonald dressed the soldiers in either hospital or military garb. The women choristers were presented as nurses while the female soloists were swathed in colorful, rich fabrics.
The title role of Béatrice was to be sung by Viktoria Visin but, as sometimes happens in high altitude settings, she became ill and had to withdraw. The role was then given to her understudy, apprentice Eudora Brown. This was her big opportunity and she made the most of it, although her energy level seemed a bit low by the end of the show. She has a strong expressive voice and she gave a meaningful portrayal both in speech and song. William Burden sang Bénédict with solid resonant high tones and expert use of dynamics. He delivered his Shakespearean lines with distinction, too. Celena Shafer was a petite and radiant Hero who spoke and sang brilliantly. An apprentice in 1999 and 2000, she is now making an international career. Keith Phares was a commanding Claudio and a worthy partner for Shafer's Hero. Jill Groves sang Ursula with gorgeous low tones and made the audience wish that her part was longer. The comic chorus master, Somarone, was portrayed with considerable hilarity by Timothy Nolen who proved that he can act as well as he can sing.
© Maria Nockin, 3 September 2004 September
On September 17, Los Angeles Opera presented Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera seria, Idomeneo, in a production originally conceived by David McVicar for Flanders Opera of Belgium but directed in California by Vera Lúcia Calábria. Michael Vale’s sets were plain and, while they did not detract from the story, they did not do much to help tell it either. McVicar’s costumes were detailed and colorful, however, and they added a visual element not supplied by the decor.
As Idomeneo, the charismatic Plácido Domingo imbued his character with nobility and sang the relatively low lying tessitura with exquisite musicianship. He made the audience feel the anguish of the king whose unthinking vow makes him the enemy of his own son. The most interesting portrayal in this performance was the wildly dramatic Elettra of Veronica Villaroel. She sang her difficult music with great accuracy even though she was flinging out her top notes with abandon. She created a fascinating character whose tormented existence always put her at odds with the other players.
The artists who had been expected to sing the parts of Ilia and Idamante cancelled their appearances, so those roles were assumed by younger singers who showed a great deal of talent but were somewhat lacking in stage experience. Adriana D’Amato, the 2003 Operalia first place winner, was a silver toned Ilia who phrased skilfully, but was not able to put across the more dramatic aspects of her character. As Idamante, Kate Aldrich sang with well projected, honeyed tones coupled with a distinctive coloration which aided her characterization. She created an appealing portrayal but not a commanding one. Both these singers can be expected to grow in their roles as time goes on. Corey Evan Rotz, a promising young singer with somewhat more experience, was an impressive Arbace, while stalwart veteran tenor, Gary Rideout was a formidable high priest of Neptune. Kent Nagano led the orchestra in a translucent, well paced reading of Mozart’s passionate, melodic score.
On September 18, Los Angeles Opera presented a wonderfully imaginative and colorful version of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos directed by Academy Award winning movie director William Friedkin. He definitely emphasized the work’s comic aspects with sets and inventive props by Edwin Chan that furthered the action. Michael Curry’s puppets added immeasurably to the success of the performance. Sam Fleming’s costumes were flattering to every artist, but his designs for Zerbinetta were particularly outstanding.
Lyubov Petrova, the Zerbinetta, was the star of this show. She played her part with comedic skill and sang its difficult coloratura with both tonal and rhythmic accuracy. Since Friedkin set the piece in modern Los Angeles, she was first seen in tight fitting jeans that emphasized her lean and lithe figure. When she and the police officer went into her dressing room no one thought he was going to write her a traffic ticket. The main characters, Ariadne and Bacchus, were slightly less charismatic but performed with romantic fervor. As Ariadne, Petra Schnitzer sang with warm, silken tones and was a poignant heroine waiting for her hero to rescue her. Peter Seiffert, Schnitzer’s actual husband, sang Bacchus with a bright, incisive sound and exhibited a fine command of the musical style.
Lioba Braun was convincing as the composer. She sang with a lustrous voice and succeeded in putting across the trauma of the young musician’s entry into the commercial world of opera. A native German speaker like several other members of this cast, her excellent diction was a joy to hear. As Harlequin, Truffaldino, Scaramuccio and Brighella, Hugh Russell, James Cresswell, Ian Thompson and Peter Nathan Foltz were energetic, proficient comedians who sang with vocal acumen. Niad and Echo were interpreted by soprano resident artists, Sarah Jane McMahon and Johee Choi, who together with mezzo-soprano, Deanne Meek, formed a harmonious trio of nymphs. These fine young artists looked and sounded heavenly. Other singers who added their artistry to this rendition were Georg-Martin Bode as a martinet of a major-domo and Gary Rideout who looked like a real motorcycle cop.
What could be a more festive occasion than opening night at the Metropolitan Opera? On Monday evening, September 20, New York’s most famous opera company opened its season with Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello, starring Ben Heppner. The Canadian tenor was in excellent form from the beginning and his ringing ‘Esultate’ was backed by a reliable technique. He easily fulfilled the requirements of this difficult role with seemingly endless stamina and some blowtorch high notes. With this powerful performance he brought the composer’s intentions to life in a new and interesting interpretation.
Barbara Frittoli, who has a sumptuous voice and well coordinated registers, was a passionate Desdemona. She had a creamy sound in the duet and was extremely moving when she sang her plaintive ‘Salce’. The Iago, Carlo Guelfi, had excellent diction and used his moderately sized voice judiciously. He sang a powerful ‘Credo’ and was thoroughly evil in his insinuating ‘Era la notte.’ Jane Bunnell was a dramatic Emilia who proved her acting proficiency in the final scene. Garett Sorenson sang Cassio with bright tenor tones and Vitali Kowaljow was a velvet voiced Lodovico. Charles Edwin Taylor’s huge resonant voice marked him as a baritone who will not be relegated to singing Montano for long.
Another major company that started off its season this month was the Washington National Opera which chose Umberto Giordano’s verismo masterpiece, Andrea Chénier, for opening night. It was staged by Polish film director, Marius Trelinski, who also directed the company’s recent Madama Butterfly. This Chénier, a co-production with Teatr Wielki of Poznan, updated the action by bringing in references to modern political turbulence which resulted in constant motion on stage throughout the evening. The timeless but intriguing costumes were designed by Magdalena Teslawska and Pawel Grabarczyk. Baritone John Avey was a burly, robust sounding Peneios in a ‘roaring twenties’ striped bathing suit. The low lying part of Gaia was well sung with dark tonal colors by Ursula Ferri, who was made to look matronly in a not-too-stylish dress and hat. Tenor Roger Honeywell was an impressive Leukippos, but Robert Chafin, who made his debut singing the more difficult tenor role of Apollo, seemed out of his element and ended up pushing his voice so that it did not have all the necessary resonance. Conducted by George Manahan, the NYC Opera Orchestra kept to sensible tempi. Although the difficult late Strauss score is new to these musicians, they played it with few misplaced notes. While it is true that the first performance of Daphne was not perfect, it certainly was worth hearing. Seeing this rare piece staged by a New York opera company was a delight. © Maria Nockin, 4 October 2004 October
On October 29 Houston Grand Opera presented the long awaited world premiere of Daniel Catán’s Salsipuedes which had been postponed from the previous season. The libretto for the three act opera is by Eliseo Alberto, a Cuban novelist who lives in Mexico, and Mexican poet, Francisco Hinojosa. The plot is based on an oft-told Caribbean tale about a World War II warship that is said to have accidentally put out to sea before allowing some non-military musicians who were playing at the departure ceremony to disembark.
Director James Robinson assembled a production that brought out many of the colors and traditions of the islands during the 1940s. The lighting by James F. Ingalls helped establish the feeling of the sunlit tropics. Allen Moyer’s sets gave the viewer a glimpse of the area before the onslaught of tourism, while Constance Hoffman’s costumes were reminiscent of those worn by Ricky Ricardo on the ‘I love Lucy Show’ and even, on occasion, of Carmen Miranda’s outfits.
The cast assembled to create the roles in this premiere production was absolutely first class. Ana Maria Martinez sang the part of Lucero with romantic fervor and her accustomed beauty of tone as she portrayed a bride who loved her husband no matter what happened. Mezzo-soprano, Zheng Cao, was an affective Magali as she sang with well projected silken sounds. That proficient interpreter, Chad Shelton, was a golden voiced Ulises and Scott Hendricks, who sang with robust tones, was a spirited Chucho.
In the end, however, the most emotion-packed role belonged to Oren Gradus as Captain Magallanes whose life is sacrificed for the good of the young people. His portrayal of the role was truly memorable, not only for his formidable singing, but for his moving last scene. In dual roles, James Madalena was a credible Colonel and an amusing Madame Colette while Joseph Evans was a rambunctious dictator.
The music of Salsipuedes is quite different from that found in most operatic scores because wind instruments replace the violins and violas usually heard in an opera orchestra. Conductor Guido Maria Guido handled the unusual instrumental combination and the intricate Caribbean rhythms with ease. The result was a totally charming rendition of a delicious work. This is a new piece that should appeal to a wide audience with its combination of color, romance and excitement coupled with some very poignant moments
The October offering of Los Angeles Opera was a production of Carmen from the Teatro Real of Madrid. Staged by Emilio Sagi, it had handsome sets by Gerardo Trotti and colorful, well fitted costumes by Jesús del Pozo. The LA company presented it on succeeding evenings with two casts of internationally famous singers. Carmen Giannattasio was a shy and retiring Micaela, but that is in keeping with the words she sings. Her voice was strong, however, and she sang with radiant silvery tones. Plácido Domingo conducted the Bizet score at a rather brisk pace which worked very well for the choral passages and dances. He also kept the dynamics in check so that the orchestra never overwhelmed any of the singers.
On the next night the same production was presented with the cast headed by soprano Catherine Malfitano. She brought out all of the dramatic possibilities of the role and reached the high notes easily but did not have the smooth and creamy low tones of Kitic. Nevertheless, she gave a formidable portrayal of the Spanish gypsy. Her Don Jose, Mario Malagnini, interpreted his part with passion and occasional violence, making their intense interaction enthralling. Angela Marambio was a more mature, bolder Micaela who sang with artful phrasing and glinting lyrical tones as she energized the text of her aria with conviction. Vocally, Franco Pomponi was an impressive Escamillo, but his acting was not on a level with the rest of the cast. Conductor Nicola Luisotti led the performance at a very fast tempo and some of the instrumental passages lacked clarity. Also, there were times when he allowed the orchestral sound to cover the voices of the singers.
On October 8, Indianapolis Opera presented Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia in a production originally directed for Virginia Opera by Vera Lucia Calabria. The elegant traditional sets were designed by Eduardo Sicango and the appropriately styled costumes were by Susan Memmott-Allred. Debra-Jo Barrett directed the production in Indianapolis and she kept the cast busy. Her sight gags were funny but there were times when the constant motion took the audience’s attention away from the beauty of the music.
On October 29, Arizona Opera presented the unusual but potent combination of Puccini’s Il tabarro and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci at the Gammage Auditorium in Tempe. It was a power packed evening and the excellent singing emphasized the emotional content of both works. One of the advantages of this venue was that the audience could always see the conductor. Cal Stewart Kellogg led these dramatic scores with propulsive energy and never let the tension cease for a moment. He also brought out the many colors and detailed orchestrations of both pieces.
Sally Day’s set designs were effective for each opera. Il tabarro was set on a docked barge. Thanks to Nicolas Cavallero’s lighting, one could see the glinting reflections of the water on the sides of the boat until the sun began to set and the distant silhouette of the city became more evident. For Pagliacci, the comedians set up a small portable stage in front of a background of rolling hills. Stage director Bernard Uzan gave a traditional rendering of the Tabarro story that emphasized its savagery. To Pagliacci, he added some mimes who were useful bringing in the trunk from which Tonio came forth to sing his prologue and taking it back off stage with him in it at the end. During the rest of the opera, however, their presence was sometimes a distraction.
Opera has been a part of life in New Orleans since 1796 when the city was part of a French colony. On October 9 the New Orleans Opera Association, together with the Louisiana Philharmonic, presented Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata in a production by David Morelock that emphasized the dramatic values of the piece and the emotions raging in the hearts of the lovers. Although the traditional sets by David Gano are almost 20 years old, they were serviceable and looked well on stage. © Maria Nockin, 3 November 2004 November
On November 6, the Florentine Opera of Milwaukee presented Giuseppe Verdi's Il trovatore. Great interest had been generated in this performance because it involved Ewa Podles's first Azucena. She gave a committed portrayal of the middle aged gypsy who was, in her interpretation, the victim of something akin to post traumatic stress syndrome, but not insane. Podles's sumptuous, claret-colored voice washed over the audience like a tidal wave and at the end of the performance she received a well deserved standing ovation. Handsome Venetian tenor, Renzo Zulian, made an auspicious American debut as Manrico. He has a huge, powerful, even-timbred voice and he interpreted his role with great intensity. 'Ai nostri monti' as sung by Podles and Zulian had an unforgettable emotional punch.
Also making her debut with this company was Lori Phillips as Leonora. She proved to be a good singing actress endowed with limpid top notes and the ability to handle coloratura. Veteran baritone Donny Ray Albert, who has sung many fine performances in Milwaukee, projected a well thought out interpretation of the count. His di Luna was an understandable, if not likeable, human being and it was sung with warm, bronze tones. Even the smaller parts were carefully cast. Kathy Pyeatt sang Inez with idiomatic Verdi style. John Marcus Bindel, who had portrayed Hunding with the Washington National Opera, was an impressive Ferrando and University of Wisconsin voice teacher, William Lavones, was a substantial Ruiz.
In this somewhat unconventional production, the medieval costumes and realistic scenery were designed by director, Dejan Miladinovic and designer Mileta Lescovac, utilizing stone walls and staircases that could be arranged in various configurations.
On November 27, Los Angeles Opera presented Samuel Barber's first opera, Vanessa, in its 1964 revised version. This production, originally mounted in Monte Carlo, had previously been staged by the Washington National Opera for Kiri Te Kanawa, who also sang the title role here. The libretto by Gian-Carlo Menotti was based on one of the stories in Isak Dinesen's 1934 work, Seven Gothic Tales. Although this opera has never become part of the core repertoire, it has been revived periodically ever since its Metropolitan Opera premiere. It is one of the strongest operas written in the middle of the 20th century, an important American epic which deserves to be heard periodically at opera houses in the USA.
Director John Cox told the story in an understandable fashion. Paul Brown's costumes were correct for the period and his scenery was effective - except for some panes of Plexiglass that were too easily set in motion. Paul Pyant produced interesting lighting that varied in color and intensity. Conductor Simone Young gave a propulsive rendition of the emotion packed music that fills this neo-romantic score. She captured the idiomatic essence of Barber's work and allowed the inner dissonances of the score to contrast with its more familiar melodic content.
Kiri Te Kanawa has all the qualities that the role of Vanessa calls for. She is ageless and glamorous, possibly more so than Eleanor Steber who created the role after Maria Callas had turned it down. Looking every inch the diva, Te Kanawa sang it with sumptuous creamy tones couched in exquisite phrasing. Tall, confident, good-looking John Matz was a perfect choice for the role of the cad, Anatol. He sang the punishingly high tessitura with a secure technique and good taste. The gifted young mezzo soprano, Lucy Schaufer, created a memorable character as she sang the part of Vanessa's niece, Erika, with her honeyed voice. Rosalind Elias, who had portrayed Erika at the opera's premiere, was a commanding, charismatic Baroness. She sang with great power and clear diction. David Evitts was a rough voiced, comical doctor while David Babinet and Peter Nathan Foltz, who sang Nicholas and the footman, created believable characters.
On November 21, Arizona Opera presented La Cenerentola at the Orpheum Theater, a venue originally built for vaudeville. Because Phoenix's Symphony Hall is closed all season for reconstruction, the company has had to choose intimate works and scale down some productions so that they could fit into available theaters. Conditions were not ideal for opera in the 19th century. Composer, Gioacchino Rossini and librettist, Jacopo Ferretti were given only one month in which to compose La Cenerentola, so Ferretti incorporated many pieces he had already written into the new work. He also had to use a bracelet instead of a shoe for the identification of the heroine because Roman censors would not allow a woman's shoeless foot to be seen on stage. Despite limited space, stage director Joseph LoSchiavo brought out the humor in this light, sparkling work and conductor Cal Stewart Kellogg kept the piece moving with brisk, propulsive tempi. Unfortunately, the size of the orchestra had to be reduced to fit the theater's pit and as a result the storm scene sounded a bit thin. Harpsichordist Michael Dauphinais, who was seated on stage, accompanied the recitatives with flowing Rossinian style. In the title role, Margaret Lattimore started off slowly as a mousy, unhappy housekeeper but as the act wore on, both her voice and her acting ability strengthened. She then sang the florid music clearly and with beautiful bel canto style, flinging vocal gems into the far reaches of the house. Curt Peterson was a charming prince with a golden sound and accurate coloratura but with some noticeable strain on one or two top notes. The artist who got the most laughs was veteran bass baritone, François Loup, whose fast patter was sung with elegance and taste. Maryann Madden and Korby Myrick, who were purposefully strident as Clorinda and Thisbe, also had the entire house laughing at their antics. Keith Phares, a very welcome regular with this company, was an outlandish Dandini who sang with a totally secure bel canto technique while bass, Todd Robinson, was a conniving Alidoro. On November 11 the touring Mozart Festival Opera made its St Louis debut presenting Le nozze di Figaro at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, a new auditorium with excellent acoustics. Valio Topencharof designed the traditional, solid looking set and the colorful, attractive costumes for this new production. The result was a visually piquant background for this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy. Conductor J. Ernest Green began the overture at a lively pace and kept the opera moving with well-coordinated rhythmic vitality, while the orchestra played with great virtuosity. Giorgio Lalov's stage direction brought out the all the nuances of Lorenzo da Ponte's brilliant libretto, especially the ongoing conflict between servant and master. At the same time he emphasized the comic aspects of the piece and treated the audience to a wonderfully entertaining evening. Stefano De Peppo was a clever and jovial Figaro who sang with a warm burnished baritone sound. As Susanna, Veselina Vasileva was a charming young bride with silvery soprano tones. James Bobick portrayed the Count as an egotistical noble who obviously considered himself completely above the law. His large, resonant dramatic voice brought this character to life. Steffanie Pearce has a fine vocal technique and she rendered the Countess's difficult arias with gorgeous high notes and exquisite pianissimi. Viara Dantcheva portrayed the adolescent Cherubino with all the perpetual motion of a teenager while singing with well projected silken and sometimes plaintive tones. The smaller roles were also cast with fine artists. Dimiter Stantchev sang with an authoritative bass sound that were as solid in the lower reaches as it was in the middle register. Roumiana Petrova has a beautifully dark mezzo-soprano voice. She made Marcellina an active middle aged woman so that the possibility of her marriage to Figaro did not seem totally outlandish. The dual roles of Basilio and the stuttering Don Curzio were cunningly portrayed by strong voiced tenor, Vasia Krastef. Hristo Sarafov, a talented character actor with brawny tones, was a comical drunk gardener, while his lovely daughter, Barbarina, was sung sweetly by the seductive Lyubov Ivanova. This performance took place on a college campus and there was a large number of young people in the audience. Although the Spanish zarzuela, Luisa Fernanda, is set at the time of the 1868 royalist uprising in Madrid, it was composed by Federico Moreno-Torroba in 1932. On November 5 the piece was presented at the Washington National Opera in a production from the Teatro Real in Madrid. The stage direction was by the Teatro Real's artistic director, Emilio Sagi, and the plain, colorless but functional sets were by Paul Taylor. Pepa Ojanguren's monochrome costumes were attractive but did not jibe with most Americans' idea of Spanish couture. The lighting by Joan Sullivan Genthe did not add any warmth or color to the picture, either, so it was largely up to the performers to provide visual interest. The role of Vidal Hernando had been sung many times by Plácido Domingo's father, but this time it was Plácido, himself, who sang the older man and his interpretation had tremendous emotional impact. In the love song, 'Ay! Mi morena,' and in the opera's heart rending final scene, he showed his exquisite vocal artistry with powerful dynamics and tasteful phrasing. Maria José Montiel gave a sparkling portrayal of Luisa with a warm mezzo sound in the middle register that made up for her seemingly short top. She is a good musician and her ensemble work was excellent. Operalia winner Israel Lozano, in the role of the self-centered Javier, proved that he has top notes to spare. Although his voice is not large, it is well-projected and has a pleasant sound which should enable him to make a successful career in the lighter tenor roles. Elena de la Merced was a seductive and dulcet voiced Carolina while Suzanna Guzmán was a motherly and good humored Mariana. Conductor Miguel Roa is well known in Spain for his work in zarzuela, but here his choice of extremely quick tempi seemed to overwhelm both chorus and orchestra. It would also have been better if he had lowered the volume of the instrumental playing when the smaller voiced singers had solos. This was an interesting excursion into the realm of Spanish music and it was an excellent vehicle for exhibiting the still prodigious talents of the ever fascinating Plácido Domingo. © Maria Nockin, 1 December 2004 December
On December 2, the Metropolitan Opera presented an excellent new production of George Frideric Handel's 1725 work, Rodelinda, regina de'Longobardi. Handel wrote this opera for the stars of his day so it was fitting that this premiere should be a vehicle for the talents of some of today's finest artists.
Stephen Wadsworth, making his company debut, kept the plot flowing with pertinent action which made a true theater piece of this Baroque opera. Scenic designer Thomas Lynch took full advantage of the Met's technical capacity to switch scenic backgrounds and even used the stage elevator to bring up a subterranean dungeon, an interesting contrast to the sumptuous Milanese palazzo scenes.
Bejun Mehta sang the supporting role of Unulfo with clear-cut, silken coloratura, while Bass John Relea was a virile and robust sounding Garibaldo. Working with a small orchestra that included theorbo, lute and recorders, conductor Harry Bicket gave a rhythmically alert reading that brought this fine performance to an intensely dramatic conclusion. This is only the fourth time the Met has mounted a Handel opera, but after this success, Baroque music might be heard there more often.
Christmas vacation is the perfect time to take children to their first opera and Rachel Portman's The Little Prince is a fine melodic piece written explicitly for that purpose. Portman is the British composer who won the 1996 Academy Award for the film score of Emma. The libretto for The Little Prince is based on French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's 1943 story which Nicholas Wright fashioned into a very workable theater piece. The music consists of inventively orchestrated short melodies played by a small group of musicians and it features a boy soprano in the title role.
Eleven-year-old sixth grader Jeffrey Allison was a charming and believable prince who sang with a sweet voice. His singing was carefully amplified so that he could be heard as easily as the other singers and he gave a credible interpretation of the impressionable young hero. Except for Allison and Harrison Gerald Moore who was an authoritative businessman, the singers were all members of Houston's well known young artist's program.
Under the direction of Karen Reeves, Houston Grand Opera's Childrens Chorus has become an impressive group and their sound was a good metaphor for the stars of the night sky. Associate conductor James Lowe made the performance come together as a fluent whole and he brought out the tuneful beauty of the score. (The piece is expected to be broadcast on PBS in April.)
On December 10, Vivica Genaux made a long awaited appearance as Angelina in La Cenerentola at the Dallas Opera and mesmerized the audience with her extraordinary vocal agility. Opera fans from this part of Texas had been waiting to see her in a staged performance ever since 1993 when she won the McCammon Competition in nearby Fort Worth.
Richard Croft sang Don Ramiro's difficult coloratura with seeming ease. His handsome voice carries well in the huge auditorium and he gave a heartfelt interpretation of the searching prince. Stepsisters Jeanine Thames and Susan Nicely fulfilled their roles with gusto. Not much of their singing could be called pleasant, but they were always in character.
Only Alexander Rom's chorus seemed to have some trouble keeping up with the pace maintained by the rest of the performers. Edoardo Müller conducted an energetic reading of the score and drew fine sparkling performances from his players that kept the comic tension taut and contributed to the success of the evening.
On December 14, Los Angeles Opera presented Giacomo Puccini's 1896 opera, La bohème, in a revival of the production by film director Herbert Ross that had a successful run at this venue a few years ago. This year's stage direction by Stanley M. Garner was effective and told the story in a charming manner, adding some mimed characters like Benoit's wife who brought visual humor to the stage picture. Gerard Howland's realistic set showed each scene in detail, even to making the principals walk upstairs to the garret. Peter J. Hall's costumes established Ross's updating of the piece to the time of the opera's premiere. © Maria Nockin, 1 January 2005 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.
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