Washington Concert Opera’s La Straniera: Beautiful Voices, Beautiful Singing, Beautiful Music

WCO logo; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera.

Opera cognoscenti have long known about the joys of concert opera.  I’m a recent convert.  Last year the Washington Concert Opera’s performance of Leonore, Beethoven’s earlier version of Fidelio, was my first concert opera; it turned out to be one of my top two or three performances of the opera season.  I followed up with a couple of trips over to see productions of the Baltimore Concert Opera; again excellent experiences.  I now have no hesitation about attending concert opera.

There were two additional reasons I was looking forward to La Straniera (1829), WCO’s initial opera of the season.  First, a highly talented young cast had been assembled, including a couple of Wolf Trap Opera alumni.  Second, it’s Vincenzo Bellini, and a Bellini I haven’t heard  of before.  Who are the titans of bel canto (beautiful singing) Italian opera?  Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini.  Bellini's Norma and I Puritani are staples of the classic repetoire.  However, Bellini’s La Straniera, while successful in it day, is not often produced in the modern era.  Washington Concert Opera does that -  often presenting worthy operas that you are not going to see performed by the large opera companies.  It’s refreshing, actually.

Henriette Meric-Lalande as Alaide in the original 1829 production of La Straniera. Image from public domain via Wikipedia.

This opera, when produced in modern times, has often been presented in concert.  Why might this be?  Let’s talk about the plot; it’s the standard boy meets girl; boy gets girl, and boy loses girl plot…but wait, it’s complicated…the boy (Arturo) is betrothed… the girl (Agnes) is married to the king…except the Pope ruled the king’s previous marriage still holds…so Agnes was sent into secret exile with her brother, Leopoldo, as guardian under assumed names…Agnes is now known to locals as Alaide or as the mysterious la straniera (the foreign woman), and her brother is known as Valdeburgo.  So, boy with baggage meets girl with baggage; he falls hard and she is attracted to him, but resigned to her fate.  Stuff happens along the way – Arturo, whose name should have been ‘Impetuous’, duels with the secret brother jealously thinking the brother is his rival.  He wounds Valdeburgo, who falls into the lake.  Then Alaide tells Arturo he has killed her brother; shocked, he jumps in the lake to attempt a rescue, leaving Alaide holding his bloody sword, which causes her to be blamed for Valdeburgo’s death. Well, the brother is not really dead and makes a surprise entrance at the trial.  I will stop here, but there are even more plot twists to come involving Arturo’s betrothed (Isoletta) and the king’s new wife.  In this performance of La Straniera, the surprise revelations along the way generated laughter in the audience, not the desired effect. True, opera plots are chosen for the range of emotions possible and not for simplicity or internal consistency, but La Straniera is over the top even for opera, especially for modern audiences.  If you don’t want focus on the plot and you have great music to offer, voila – opera in concert, where the focus is on the music and the singing.  By the way, if at this point you are holding out for a happy ending, read more Shakespeare; I did reveal that boy loses girl.

Javier Arrey as Valdeburgo, Gerald Schneider as Arturo, and Amanda Woodbury as Alaide. Photo by Don Lassell; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera.

It’s surprising to me that Bellini and librettist Felice Romani selected the novel, “L’Etrangere” by Charles-Victor Prevost D’Arlincourt (1825), for deriving a plot this complicated.  Romani is one of Italian opera’s most famous librettists.  It was a very popular novel of its day and spawned a number of plays.  I guess the times were different then, although frankly, I was not among those laughing at the revelations.  I was able to suspend disbelief, required of all operas I think, and go with the Italian flow.  When I was a young boy, I loved going to the movies on Saturday afternoon to see the latest western; it wasn’t serious involvement; it was just fun.  I reacted to La Straniera the same way: I was transported to Italy at the opera on a Saturday afternoon in the nineteenth century and was digging it.  Arturo’s love-struck impetuousness seemed perfectly normal to me.

Javier Arrey as Valdeburgo, Corrie Stallings as Isoletta, Matthew Scollin as Montolino, Jonas Hacker as Osburgo, Conductor Antony Walker, and the WCO Orchestra and Chorus. Photo by Don Lassell; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera.

Regardless, great music it is.  Within two minutes of listening to the opening music, I knew I was going to enjoy this opera.  WCO’s 54-piece orchestra under the direction of Antony Walker sounded great, and WCO has them on the stage behind the singers so the orchestra is in full view and the sound is more directly aligned to the audience.  I previously heard Mr. Walker conduct for WCO, Wolftrap Opera, and the Pittsburgh Opera; I have yet to be disappointed, and I find his enthusiasm in conducting, fully visible in concert opera, to be infectious.  The WCO Chorus sat directly behind the orchestra and performed well and often as Bellini makes full use of the chorus; kudos to the assistant conductor and chorus master, David Hanlon.

Matthew Scollin as Montolino, Corrie Stallings as Isoletta, Gerald Scheider as Arturo, Javier Arrey as Valdeburgo, and Timothy Bruno as the Prior. Photo by Don Lassell; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera.

There is legitimate drama in La Staniera.  The singers sang in character, conveying the emotions required by the plot and supported by the music.  Though not fully staged, this is storytelling at a very high level.  And the singers – oh my gosh, it was one beautiful voice after another.  Let’s start with soprano Amanda Woodbury, our Alaide.  I love it when a soprano has a voice that is so easy on the ears; her voice is honey.  She is the 2014 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the second place awardee in the international Operalia competition that year.  Even being under the weather, she sang with convincing emotion and ample power.  Her love interest, Arturo, was sung by tenor Gerard Schneider.  He has borne some criticism in the professional reviews for an inconsistent performance.  Even to my untrained ear, he seemed a bit off on occasion.  However, the Saturday afternoon movie-goer in me looked past that to enjoy the way he embodied the role of the smitten and hot-headed young Arturo.  And, Mr. Schneider has such a beautiful metallic tenor tone that he was sometimes thrilling.  Javier Arrey, with a gorgeous even baritone, is a rising star and was the smooth operator for the evening, playing Valdeburgo with passion and consistency.  Perhaps, the surprise performance for me was mezzo-soprano Corrie Stallings who played Isoletta.  My appreciation for mezzos has grown recently and she was outstanding, on stage far too little for my preferences.  Bass-baritone Matthew Scollin as Montolino was an impressive father figure for Isoletta; he is a resident artist for the Pittsburg Opera.  Two of my favorites from their Wolftrap Opera days were tenor Jonas Hacker who played Arturo’s friend and bass Timothy Bruno who played the Prior.  Mr. Hacker is a fine young tenor and it was fun to hear Mr. Bruno’s deep bass once more; I very much enjoyed their performances with WTO and hold them in high regard.  The cast overall, in both individual arias and ensemble pieces, provided beautiful voices and beautiful singing to make for as an enjoyable evening as you are likely to have at the opera.

If you haven’t been to a concert opera, what can I say to get you to give it a try?  A few years ago, I offered to buy my wife an iPad.  Nope, didn’t want one.  I bought one for her as a surprise gift anyway.  Now, the iPad goes wherever she goes (she’s getting an upgrade for Christmas – she knows) and she told me recently that she’s a digital girl.  Sometimes you don’t know what you are missing until you give it a try (my apologies to Yogi Berra).   Really, if you love opera and you are not attending opera in concert, you are missing some great fun.  Who knows?  You might be a WCO girl, or guy.

The Fan Experience: The WCO performs in Lisner Auditorium on the campus of George Washinton University.  There is a parking deck close to Lisner with typical DC rates, but on Sunday evening parking restrictions are lifted for most of the on street parking in the area which is free at that time; I managed to scarf a spot.  In general for Lisner, I recommend being as close to the center of the auditorium as possible for the best sound.  I was seated close to the stage slightly off center for the first act and got the full immersive experience of being so close.  At intermission, I took an unoccupied seat in the back right rear of the auditorium to see how the sound compared with being close (changing seats is bad opera etiquette, but this was for the cause).  The stereophonic sound that comes from being really close was diminished, but on the other hand, the volume of sound was quite good and the balance of sound was noticeably better farther back.  The voices carry extremely well in Lisner.  So, take your choice.  Program credits were offered for Dorothy and Ken Woodcock who made the performance possible through support of the WCO 2017-2018 season, and Ed and Andy Smith for support of Mr. Hacker, and The Guild for Washington Concert Opera for support of Ms. Woodbury and Mr. Arrey.  A downside for WCO offerings is that you only get one shot, one and done for each production.  The next WCO production is Donizetti’s Maria Di Rohan on February 18.  Tickets range from $40-100 and $15 for students.  The better seats are selling out, so purchase your seat as quickly as you can. 

The Exterminating Angel in Cinemas: The Met Done Good

Correction:  The next showing of The Exterminating Angel in cinemas is November 29 (not November 22); the incorrect date listed in my previous post has been corrected.  Note: this is an “Encore”, not "live" showing and many theaters will carry two showings that day.

I followed my own advice (posted here) on Saturday and attended the Metropolitan Opera’s The Exterminating Angel live in HD at Tysons AMC Theaters on Saturday.  I like the opera and am glad I saw it.  I can’t say I love the opera.  But here is the thing - though modified, it follows the plot of an extraordinary film; so, the element of surprise is lost for the most part.  In an interview during the intermission, composer Thomas Ades said the opera chose him, not the other way around, and we have to accept what our creative people have to offer us.  I would recommend seeing the opera even if you have seen the movie.  Here is what I like about the opera: the music, the character development, the cast, and the message. 

Society manners and personas rule the beginning of the dinner party in The Exterminating Angel. Photo by Ken Howard; courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

The cast truly was an ensemble cast of 15 singers.  No one stood out for me above many of the others.  All were quite good.  The singing was primarily the singers soaring up and down in their highest register to express their emotions, which I gather is not easy to do.  There were only a few arias, but one was a rather lovely duet between the lovers in Act 2.  The cast were also good actors, which is especially important for the cinema broadcast with its extensive use of close-ups.  The focus on recitative or sung dialog allowed for a deeper level of character development than I find in most operas, and towards the end, I found myself starting to care about each of these stuffed shirts and the pain of having their souls bared.  The music was modern and not often melodic enough to hum along with, but it was quite inventive in supporting the story and emotions being expressed.  Kudos to Mr. Ades and Mr. Cairns.

A betrothed couple displaying their passion and a scene where dark sides are emerging in The Exterminating Angel. Photos by Ken Howard; courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

It’s not that I liked the message so much as I liked that the opera, like the film upon which it is based, forces us to take a look at ourselves as we really are beneath our personas.  Early on, one of the characters complains that no coffee spoons have been set out; he says the breakfast spoons are too large for his coffee.  Towards the end, the people are slaughtering sheep with whatever implements they can find and cooking the meat over an open flame.  I think the world can be viewed as a dinner party where no one can leave.  The opera and film force us to look into the face of our primal natures.  One character toward the end says he would rather die than endure the degradation.  Perhaps there is a better path than death or hiding of our real selves.  I hope, perhaps optimistically, that this confrontation with ourselves moves us towards greater tolerance and love as the answer to our dilemma.

The need for the proper spoon and then more primitive dining in The Exterminating Angel. Photos by Ken Howard; courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

Personally, I am somewhat disappointed in the Met’s 2017-2018 season; in close to thirty offerings, this is the only new opera.  The Met is producing some good things this year in what they are doing with old operas and the quality of singers they can present.  However,  I feel they could be doing so much better for opera and their audiences.  However, in The Exterminating Angel, the Met done good.

The Fan Experience: I bought my tickets online using Fandango; this adds two dollars to the cost, but I get to skip the lines at the box office.  I love it that I can dress casually and take refreshments into the theater for opera.  Bear in mind that movie etiquette applies, so you may have folks squeezing by you to get seated after the opera begins and enjoying their soda and popcorn after it starts; mine was a very polite crowd.  Also, when Act 1 ends, stay seated a few more minutes and take advantage of the interviews with the cast and composer, an advantage of the cinema broadcasts.  You will then be given an intermission without commentary to take your bathroom break or make your soda run.  Also-x2, the opera is in English, but subtitles are also shown.

What I don’t like about the cinema broadcasts: not being able to see the whole stage and the quality of the sound compared to being there in person.  Even with the good quality sound in cinemas today, it is no match for live sound directly to your ears.  If you can make the live production in NYC, do that.

Simone Dinnerstein/Telegraph Quartet Candlelight Concert: Yes, I Believe in Magic

I went to Berry College just outside the small southern town of Rome, Georgia.  One night the college bussed a group of us to a free concert in town.  I can’t remember how it came about or who paid, and I didn’t even know who was performing, but it was free and something to do with my friends.  Arriving, I saw the name Bill Evans Trio on the billboard, but it meant nothing to me then, except jazz was likely in order.  It was one of the best concerts I have ever attended; I could not believe the way Mr. Evans made that piano or me come alive; it was only later that I learned of his fame.  That was the beginning of my belief in magic.  My answer to the question “Do you believe in magic?” is yes; every time I see the hands of an accomplished pianist running across the piano keyboard, I believe in magic.  Renown concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein both alone and in ensemble with the Telegraph Quartet reaffirmed that belief on Sunday afternoon.  Last year, I wrote a blog post about two transcendent experiences I had vacationing in Spain; it only rarely happens that I find experiences I use ‘transcendent’ to describe.  I added two more to my list Sunday afternoon attending this Candlelight Concert Society program in Linehan Hall on the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. 

left: Performing Arts and Humanities Building of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. right: Earl and Darielle Linehan Concert Hall. Photos by Ronald Fedorczak; courtesy of the Candlelight Concert Society.

The Earl and Darielle Linehan Concert Hall in the Performing Arts and Humanities Building is worth noting itself.  Completed in 2014, the concert hall seats only 375 attendees; all seats are relatively close to the stage.  It is a warm, inviting, wood-paneled structure that leaves no doubt about its intended use. It comes with its own nine foot Steinway grand concert piano.  I was told that Linehan was modeled on Strathmore Hall in Bethesda.  It has received praise for its acoustics in national publications and musicians love it.

The Telegraph Quartet. Photo by Ronald Fedorczak; courtesy of the Candlelight Concert Society.

Formed in 2013, the award-winning Telegraph Quartet is young, but rapidly growing in esteem.  They are based in San Francisco and recently accepted the position of Quartet-in-Residence at the San Francisco Conservatory.  They began the program with the modernist “Rondo” by Anton Webern (1883-1945), a staple of their young repertoire, and was meant to be part of a quartet which the composer was unable to finish prior to his death.  They followed with three selections from Antonin Dvorak’s “Cypresses”, which are songs written by the composer, then transcribed for string quartet by Dvorak.  They were only published after his death and named “Cypresses” by the publisher; the composer originally intended to name them “Echos of Songs”. These are very pretty pieces played beautifully by the Telegraph Quartet.  Overall, I enjoyed the Telegraph Quartet who should only get better as they mature together in the years to come.

Concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein. Photo by Ronald Fedorczak; courtesy of the Candlelight Concert Society.

The Quartet left the stage and Simone Dinnerstein entered in a simple back evening dress and seated herself alone at the piano without sheet music and a page turner.  Her face immediately displayed an expression of intense involvement with the music, not perceptibly changing during the playing of Franz Schubert’s (1797-1828) Impromptus, OP. 90.  Schubert is my favorite classical Romantic composer.  In my simple way of thinking about it – Mozart is too sweet; Beethoven is too intellectual, and Schubert is just right.  However, I had not heard his Impromptus prior to this performance and expected them to be brief exercises where a composer experiments with a musical idea.  These pieces for the piano proved to be much more than that; I was entranced.  Ms. Dinnerstein plays so beautifully with both technical brilliance and emotion that I encountered my first transcendent experience of the day.  I have listened to her recording of the Impromptus several times since, worthy listening but not as good as hearing them live.  They are on a Sony CD titled, “Something Almost Being Said: Music of Bach and Schubert”.  I love that title, but I think there was something being said in her playing, though not in words and only communicated to the heart. 

Photo of performers taken from back of stage; author and son in fourth row center. Photo by Ronald Fedorczak; courtesy of the Candlelight Concert Society.

After intermission, Ms. Dinnerstein and the Telegraph Quartet entered the stage to play together the Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) “Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34”, also a first hearing for me for this piece, which is Brahms’ only piano quintet.  The quartet was seated directly in front of the piano.  This time she used sheet music and a page turner.  Starting with the first movement, music and the passion with which it was played immersed me in the experience, but it was the third movement, very spirited, that moved me into the transcendent area, continuing through the fourth movement.  During playing of the Quintet, Ms. Dinnerstein kept a watchful eye on the Quartet for signals, a sign of the freshness of this collaboration, and the Quartet played with enthusiasm and a beautiful sound.  My son and I were seated center in the fourth row and I wondered, if that close, the sound volume of the quartet was slightly more than the piano and whether the sound would have been different further back in the auditorium; the Quartet also somewhat blocked the view of Ms. Dinnerstein.  I found myself wanting to tinker with the arrangement.  When the Quintet was finished, audience clamoring brought the performers back for two more standing ovations after the initial one.  The collaboration of Ms. Dinnerstein and the Telegraph Quartet on this marvelous piece of music by Brahams would make a fine CD for anyone’s collection.  I wonder if it will be recorded at some point. 

Transcendent musical experiences aren’t always in the Carnegie Halls or Lincoln Centers of the world.  Sometimes they are in a small town in Georgia or on a college campus in Maryland, but they always require being there where the music is being performed, live and in person.  One may be awaiting you at the next Candlelight Concert.

The Story of the Concert: Simone Dinnerstein who is a famous concert pianist and the Telegraph Quartet who are just beginning their careers don’t normally work together; so, I was curious how this concert came to be.  I had the opportunity to chat with the Candlelight Concert Society’s Artistic Director Irina Kaplan Lande about this point and found the answer illuminating.  Ms. Kaplan has been Artistic Director with CCS for only three years, but has taught piano at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore for over twenty years.  She also performs with her own group, the Poulenc Trio.  In other words, she has tremendous experience in the chamber music world and is very well connected into the chamber music community on the business and performing sides.  These connections prove invaluable in lining up the best musical groups for concerts.  CCS management was interested in holding a concert in Linehan Hall to grow its base, but also wanted to make sure it offered a concert that would attract the Howard County base to make the trip over, knowing their fondness for chamber music.  Something special was needed.  She also noted that there are an impressive number of talented students studying piano in Howard County who would be interested in a recital by an established star pianist.  You know, there ought to be a phrase to use instead of the ‘perfect storm’ for situations when everything comes together to make something good happen.  Well, It was a perfect storm-type combination of connections – Ms. Lande with concert organizers and performer representatives and with Ms. Dinnerstein; Ms. Dinnerstein’s connection with the Telegraph Quartet and with the Baltimore area; CCS commitment to producing world-class concerts and expanding its audience base, and sponsors providing financial backing – all coming together to make this concert happen.  I’d like to note that this concert was sponsored by Lori and Tim Roth.  It so happened that Ms. Lande learned through her connections that Ms. Dinnerstein, whom she knows and greatly admires was planning a concert in Dallas (performed the week after the CCS concert), that would include playing the Brahms Quintet with the Telegraph Quartet; Ms. Dinnerstein is known for doing collaborative work.  This seemed a good match for CCS goals for this concert in the series; so backed by CCS management, including Executive Director Jessica Julin White, she set about making it happen - to our great benefit.  Ms. White is also highly experienced, a soprano who has sung in many of the world’s major opera houses and who runs her own vocal studio in Howard County.  When the management team is this accomplished, you attend the concerts they plan with confidence that you will always be attending a very high quality event. 

Simone Dinnerstein signing autographs after the concert. Photo by author.

The Fan Experience: The drive from Tysons Corner to Linehan Hall on a Sunday afternoon took about an hour and finding the Hall was made easy by consulting a UMBC campus map ahead of time; loads of free parking close by.  The performers were available after the performance with CDs for sale and were signing programs, a nice touch.  Simone Dinnerstein will be back in this area on April 21 performing in Fairfax, VA, and on May 12 performing at Baltimore, MD.

The next Candlelight Concert feature’s So Percussion, an American percussion quartet based in New York City.  They will give two concerts, one on Saturday, January 21, as part of the regular CCS concert series, and one on Sunday, January 22, a CandleKids 45-minute concert, targeted to kids four years and up. These concerts will be back in the Smith Theater on the Howard County Community College campus.  Tickets can be purchased using this link. 

The Exterminating Angel in Cinemas Saturday, November 18: Why You Should Go

What: Met Opera HD Live in Cinemas will present The Exterminating Angel on this coming Saturday, November 18; at 12:55 pm (2 hrs 40 min with 25 min intermission).  Most of the participating theaters will rebroadcast the Saturday performance once or twice on the following Wednesday, November 29.  Use this link to find participating theaters near you; put in your city and state into the address box (not your zip code).  The next In Cinemas live transmission will be December 9, when Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel will be broadcast as a holiday treat for both children and adults; note that this is a rebroadcast and not live.

The dinner party begins in The Exterminating Angel. Photo by Ken Howard; courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

Why You Should Go:

1.     It is a new opera that you are not going to see produced near you anytime soon.  There have been two previous productions in Europe (Salzburger Festspiele, August 2017; Royal Opera, May 2017); both were well-received.

2.     It is based on the highly acclaimed movie of the same name, directed by Luis Bunuel .  It will be interesting to compare the opera with the movie.

3.     The opera’s plot revolves around a dinner party for wealthy opera goers. The servants are compelled by some inexplicable force to leave, but the guests find that they cannot.  Polite society begins to break down.  Despite the disturbing theme, there are comic elements.

4.     The composer/co-librettist is Thomas Ades, who has received praise for his choral works, chamber music, and operas; his last opera, The Tempest, is a previous success; Ades will also conduct this performance.  A discussion of the opera by Ades and his co-librettist/director Tom Cairns in given in the video at the bottom of this post

5.     The cast is headed by coloratura soprano, Audrey Luna, playing Leticia; she is known for her high range.  She is the only singer to play this role thus far, having done so in the two previous productions.  Overall, there are 15 solo roles in this opera for a highly regarded ensemble cast.

6.     The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

7.     You can take your popcorn, candy, and soda into the theater, unlike opera houses.

Reviews (additional reviews listed in sidebar):

1.  Anthony Tommasini, NY Times, “Review: If You See One Opera This Year, Make it ‘The Exterminating Angel’

2.  Wilborn Hampton, Huffington Post, "Met Opera: Thomas Ades', "The Exterminating Angel" Wows at Its U.S. Premiere"

Composer/co-librettist/conductor Thomas Ades and co-librettist/director Tom Cairns discuss The Exterminating Angel (YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ7-PanwJCI; the Metropolitan Opera).

WNO’s Alcina: Six Singers in Search of a Modern Drama

I resonate between being enthusiastic about Washington National Opera’s production of Alcina and then again, being somewhat reserved, depending on how I think about it.  Let’s work through it.  (If I seem a bit fatalistic in this blog report, keep in mind that as I write I am listening to a CD titled “Classical Music for the Zombie Apocalypse” which I somehow stumbled across looking in Apple Music for albums by Barbara Hannigan).

Painting by Francis Kyte of George Frideric Handel. Photo is in public domain in Wikipedia Commons.

Alcina is the opera in this season’s WNO lineup that excited me the most.  It is was to be my first baroque opera and my first Handel opera, and the announced cast for this production was outstanding.  George Frideric Handel’s life (1685-1759) and his music productivity is an astonishing story in itself.  He was primarily an opera composer, though best known in the US and perhaps the world, for his oratorios (e.g., “Messiah”) and his orchestral works (e.g., “Water Music”).  Handel was born and educated in Germany, and his first few operas were written and performed with modest success in Germany.  He initally supported himself as a violinist.  His father had wanted him to study law.  A trip to Italy around the turn of the 18th century to explore the flourishing opera scene there lasted over four years during which he further enhanced his education and reputation, composing his first Italian operas.  He returned to accept, but did not settle into, a music position in Germany.  Instead, he soon traveled with his employer's permission to London in 1710, where he stayed and began to write more Italian operas.  Part of his success was his ability to find and entice to London outstanding singers.  His was a chaotic career in composition, production, and the opera business; brought to ruination on several occasions by enemies and/or changing times, he was each time reborn a success, a tale worthy of a British mini-series.  His life was not without personal conflicts.  In his early years he fought a duel that came close to ending his life.  It is said that he once held a soprano out a window until she agreed to sing an aria in one of his operas.  He produced over forty operas, all with Italian librettos.  As the tastes of London moved away from Italian opera, around 1740, he switched from compositions in Italian to mainly composing oratorios with English texts, and over his lifetime completed over thirty oratorios.  He lost his eyesight in his last years, but then pursued a successful career as an acclaimed organist and conductor until his final days.  His productivity boggles the mind.

Angela Meade as Alcina. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Baroque opera has a style where the aria’s the thing.  This was pointed out by Ken Weiss, Principal Coach of the Domingo-Caftitz Young Artists Program in his entertaining and informative pre-opera talk.  The baroque format has the opera move from aria to aria with each singer having the opportunity to display their talent.  Recitative and ensemble pieces are given short shrift.  This style by its nature imposes limits on storytelling and for engaging modern audiences in the drama.  The arias in baroque operas typically follow the da capo form, an ABA form whereby section A of the aria is followed by section B with a return to section A.  The cool thing about baroque opera arias is that when returning to section A, the singer is allowed to add flourishes and trills, to dress it up and display the singer’s skills and prowess, sort of jazzing it up if you will.  Mr. Weiss said this is also somewhat true for the continuo section of the orchestra so that each production of a baroque opera will be different as different singers and musicians favor their own improvisations.  I wouldn’t mind seeing Alcina again to listen more closely for this.

Angela Meade as Alcina, Elizabeth DeShong as Ruggiero, and Daniela Mack as Bradamante. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

WNO’s Alcina excels at the voices and the arias, the focal point of baroque opera; job one is well done.  Kudos to Francesca Zambello, WNO’s artistic director for assembling a truly impressive cast of singers, especially the women.  Angela Meade, our Alcina, is an established star who easily anchors this production with her powerful soprano, even in the midst of so many highly talented cast members.  Ms. Zambello reported that it was Meade's desire to play the role of Alcina that was the genesis of it being produced.  I found her performance to ebb and flow in how completely it engaged me.  I thought her singing was especially beautiful and forceful towards the end of act one.  The other singer I was especially looking forward to is mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack, who I saw recently in The Trial of Elizabeth Cree.  She is a convincing Bradamante singing with passion and providing the most convincing acting performance of the evening.  As good as Meade and Mack were – very, very good – the stars who shone most brightly for me were mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong as Ruggiero and soprano Ying Fang as Morgana; to my surprise, both had me leaning forward in my seat.  I was aware of Ms. DeShong’s reputation, but the clarity and color of her voice was even better than I had anticipated.  Ruggerio is a pants role today for mezzo-sopranos, but in Handel's time, the role was given to a castrato; I would not wish that fate on anyone, but I kind of wish I could hear one sing.  The other standout for me was Ying Fang who owned the evening from the very beginning.  She possesses a gorgeous soprano voice and exudes a winsome graceful charm in playing Morgana.  The guys, baritone Michael Adams as Melisso, and tenor Texford Tester as Oronte, acquitted themselves well in their roles.  They are both young artists from the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists program.

left: Ying Fang as Morgana. right: Angela Meade as Alcina, Elizabeth DeShong as Ruggiero; Michael Adams as Melisso, and Daniela Mack as Bradamante. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

I thought the orchestra’s performance was another highlight of the evening.  The WNO orchestra is conducted by Jane Glover for Alcina; she is an experienced hand with baroque music.  Handel’s music always sounds perfect to me, and it did in her hands.  He is the master chef of baroque music.  It always has the right amount of salt and pepper, and the finish of each musical phrase satisfies.  This production is in the smaller Eisenhower Theater instead of the Opera House, deliberately so to better showcase a baroque opera where the spotlight falls mainly on the singer.  Even in the smaller venue, the orchestra sounded a bit light to me in terms of volume; it might have benefited from additional players. 

Rexford Tester as Oronte and Elizabeth DeShong as Ruggiero, and chorus. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Alcina is a quality product, but now it’s time to complain: I think this story actually has possibilities for a modern updating, and therein may be my problem with Alcina.  The librettist for Alcina is Ricardo Broschi and it is extracted from Ludovico’s long poem, “Orlando Furioso”, a source for many other operas as well.  Alcina is a sorceress who rules an island where she creates illusions and fantasy to control her love life.  Ruggiero, a warrior, has been placed on the island to escape his fate but has fallen under the spell of Alcina.  Ruggiero’s betrothed, Bradamente, shows up disguised as her brother looking for her lover; she is accompanied by her tutor Melisso.  Alcina has a sister Morgana who falls for Bradamente, to the displeasure of her suitor, Oronte.  The WNO version was somewhat shortened and a character, Oberto, was deleted, thereby I think, maybe further limiting the storytelling.  The plot actually deals with some important themes, but they are not developed in either a gripping or thought-provoking way.  Maybe that is just baroque opera for you.

Angela Meade as Alcina, Elizabeth Deshong as Ruggiero, and chorus. Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

As a baroque opera, not much staging is required, and director Anne Bogart delivered that, minimal sets and staging, done well for the most part, modern and chic, accented with a quartet of dancers from time to time; kudos also to choreographer Barney O’Hanion.  The action takes place on a raised circle of stage with a large circle on the back wall used for shaded images of lighting.  On each side were square white ottomans, often occupied by the chorus, which had little to do in this production, though often onstage as props.  The chorus members, male and female, each associated with an ottoman, apparently represented the lovers that Alcina had turned to stones, trees, and animals.  A mysterious orb appears from time to time that seems to be Alcina’s source of power. A small peeve of mine is the costumes: was there a fire sale not too long ago on military costumes and opera companies stocked up?  If all you are going to do to update an opera is put some of the characters in military garb, which I have seen too many times lately, why do it?  Traditional staging is fine and updating is often distracting, such as having Bradamente and Ruggiero brandish a handgun from time to time.  Ok, I feel better. 

Given that important themes of attraction versus true love, the power of illusion, and the pain of disillusionment are present in this story, I’d love to see a version that really updates the story.  Why not add some recitative and give the singers a chance to develop their characters?  Maybe add a little deux ex machina delight/shock by showing people converted to stones and back.  Perhaps just the concept of transmogrification delighted fans of the 18th century, but we live in the super hero/CGI world.  If you are just going to update a baroque opera with cosmetics, even artful ones, don’t.  Just give the audience the entire opera as it was presented in the 18th century.  That at least helps set our expectations for the 18th century.

There you have it.  I love the singing and would go back again to hear it if I could make it.  Is my longing for something more fulfilling due to WNO’s production of Alcina or just my reaction to baroque opera?  I wonder myself.

(By the way, the music on the Zombie CD is quite good, featuring selections from an impressive list of contemporary composers; there is also a volume 2.  Oh, also by the way, Barbara Hannigan is giving a Renee Fleming “Voices” recital at the Kennedy Center next Tuesday evening; I have my ticket.)

Fan Experience: Getting to the Kennedy Center from Tyson’s corner on a Saturday afternoon is definitely easier than a weekday, but is not traffic tie-up free.  I say this often, but allow extra time, always.  I cough up the $20 to use Kennedy Center Parking; entering the lot can be a bit stressful as the QR code reader can be difficult to satisfy.  My email confirmation with the code was not downloading on my iPhone when I entered.  Finally, staff took my name and phone number and let me enter.  From now on, I will take a paper copy.  The pre-opera talk began one hour before the performance; it was well worth the effort to get there early; kudos to Mr. Weiss.  To my dismay, there was no Alcina coffe mug being sold in the gift shop.

The Parker Quartet and Candlelight Concerts: Music Extraordinaire

I veer again from opera due to the Parker Quartet.  It’s my third attendance at one of their concerts, and if they were playing again in areas near me, I’d likely veer once more; they are that good.  Plus, I feel like we have developed a relationship where they are teaching me about modern classical music.  Also, this was my first attendance at a Candlelight Concert, forging a new relationship there.  The point I’m struggling to make is this: we are actually all in this together.  I think that the audience, we music fans, play a role at concerts, and thereby have a relationship with the performers and promoters.  Successful cultural events are a matter of teamwork; we music fans need to own it as well!  I probably should have added “and Music Fans” to the title of this blog post.  In addition to attending to my duties as a music fan, I like to write about performances from the standpoint of the music fan.  And when I run across a quality and fun concert series, I like to write about that too.  By the way and for the record, the composers featured at this concert all also wrote successful operas.

The concert program –

Jonathon Palevsky, WBJC. Photo by author.

The concert included two parts; each part featured two music selections, and each part was preceded with narration by Jonathan Palevsky of WBJC.  Mr. Palevsky opened the program, titled “Composing the Revolution”, with an informative and entertaining discussion of early 20th century Russian history from the era of World War I and the Russian Revolution to World War II; he also led off part two with comments on the lives of composers Stravinsky, Shostakovich, and Prokofiev during this period and illustrated his comments with photos from that era.  Each of these composers were gifted men who had complicated relationships with their mother country in harsh, dangerous times.  Troubled times caused Stravinsky to move from Russia to France and then to the US.  Stalin took a dislike to Shostakovich and only maestro's fame as a beloved Russian composer and his supporters keep him out of prison or perhaps from an untimely death.  Prokofiev also moved about, and we were introduced to a Russian official, Anatoly Lunacharsky, who provided support and cover for these men, as a protector of the arts.  These composers were vanguards of modern music and perhaps the changing world of their time was reflected in their music.  Mr. Palevsky’s provision of an historical backdrop to the music made for a more comprehensive experience and significantly increased my enjoyment of the concert.

The Parker Quartet preparing to begin. Photo by author.

As to the music, let me say that the Parker Quartet is really, really good.  I have raved about the excellence of this Grammy Award winning group in two previous posts, 2016 and 2017, and how, as a result of our association, they are causing me to face the fact that I might like modern classical music. They played Igor Stravinsky’s “Concertino for String Quartet” (1920) and Dmitri Shostakovich’s “String Quartet No. 3” (1946) in part one of the program.  In part two, they played Stravinsky’s “Three Pieces for String Quartet” (1914) and Sergei Prokofiev’s “String Quartet No. 2” (1941).  Perhaps to illustrate how well they performed for this concert, it is enough to simply point out that the Parker Quartet not only received a heartfelt standing ovation at the end of the program which brought them back to the stage twice more for additional applause, they also received a spontaneous standing ovation at the end of part one, prior to intermission, though I think that was mainly for the inspired performance of the Shostakovich Quartet.  That quartet required an individual and synchronized technical deftness of playing that was thrillingly executed.  I liked the Stravinsky pieces and the Prokofiev quartet was also enjoyable, but it is Shostakovich that I now most want to learn more about and hear more of. The Parker Quartet  has nudged me further into modern classical music, but I may need more coaxing for Stravinsky.

I also want to make one more point, this about music in general and the Parker Quartet in particular: you have to be there to get the full effect!  The Quartet demonstrates showmanship with their demeanor and sometimes exaggerated movements while playing; their expressions, especially their quick looks for signals from each other, are fun to watch.  And the sound is so much richer live than recorded.  When the four instruments are playing staccato, for example, you can see the bows move and pick out the sounds coming from each string instrument.  This isn’t high fidelity.  It is highest fidelity.  And it is exciting and the way music was meant to be heard.

Who was that history guy -

When I saw that the narrator for the concert was Jonathon Palevsky, WBJC, my first thought was to wonder what degree was a WBJC, just too many letters.  A little embarrassed, I had to look it up. Hey, I’m from Northern Virginia.  Now, I know that WBJC is 91.5 FM, Maryland’s Classical Music Station and Mr. Palevsky is Program Director for the station.  I now also know that he moved to Baltimore from Canada and studied classical guitar at the Peabody.  He is very well known among Baltimore area classical music fans.  Of more importance to me, he has a regular program titled Opera Preview on Saturday’s at 12:30 pm before WBJC plays a full-length opera.  And WBJC can be heard streaming online all the way down into Northern Virginia.  Regardless, Mr. Palevsky is a delightful speaker and provided additional context to the evening.

The concept for the concert -

I don’t know whose idea it was to couple a string quartet with a lecture on history, but it worked.  It didn’t come off completely smoothly, sort of like a college lecture – slide issues, a hanging mike casting a small shadow on the slide screen, and a little awkwardness in moving between music and lecture, but these were tiny issues.  The important point is that coupling music by Russian composers played by a fabulous string quartet and an entertaining speaker with great photos on early 20th century Russian history enhanced both the music and the lesson.  Kudos to Candlelight Concerts.  I’ve read that today successful companies sell an experience, not a product.  Candlelight Concerts also offered an after-performance reception with refreshments for the attendees – very cool.  These ideas and more like them are well worth exploring by companies organizing/presenting cultural events today.

The Candlelight Concert Society -

Logo courtesy of the Candlelight Concert Society

I discovered the Candlelight Concert Society, the organizer for this event, by following my interest in the Parker Quartet.  Looking at the schedule on their website, I found out they were performing at a Candlelight Concert, which happens to be in Maryland, at the Smith Theater, part of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center, a new modern facility promoting the arts and culture – all news to this Virginian.  I also discovered that the concerts are one of the products of the Candlelight Concert Society.  The CCS utilized the opportunity to have the Parker Quartet meet with students in two middle school programs, pretty impressive educational outreach.  It should be mentioned that the concert was sponsored by Rosalie Lijinsky Chadwick in memory of William Lijinsky.  The Society and its sponsors are providing its community with an extraordinary opportunity to hear outstanding classical music live.  Maryland, the ball is in your court, and Northern Virginians/DCers, I can attest that it is accessible.

The Fan Experience: Driving over from Tyson’s Corner for a 7 pm conference on a Saturday was easy, made it in about 50 min.  The GPS came in handy once off I-95, but on the campus of Howard Community College, having looked at Google Maps ahead of time helped make it easy to drive right to the West Parking Deck across the street from the Horwitz Center, with plenty of free parking: easy in, easy out.  I might go back some time just to experience easy in and easy out for a concert one more time: joking.  The Smith Theater is a relatively small modern facility, with fine acoustics, especially since you are very close to the performers.  All of this season’s concerts are planned for the Smith Theater EXCEPT for the next one up.

The entrance and stage for the Smith Theater. Photo by author.

Next up:  On Sunday, November 12, the Candlelight Concert will feature concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein and the Telegraph Quartet playing a program of Webern, Dvorak, Schubert, and Brahms;  viewing the concert program online appears to require that your device have Dropbox installed).  The concert will be held in Linehan Hall on the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore County; tickets for the concert are $35 and can be ordered online.  The more I read about these critically acclaimed artists the more I am impressed.  The Telegraph Quartet resides in San Francisco where they are artist in residence at the San Francisco Conservatory.  They have been lauded for tonal beauty as well as technical excellence.  Recording artist Ms. Dinnerstein has played in major concert halls across America and Europe.  I find it remarkable and a feather-in-their-cap for the Candlelight Concert Society that they have them playing together; this is quite an event.  Ms. Dinnerstein’s story – see video below from YouTube - of how she achieved her current status in the musical world is a truly remarkable story of following your own path to find your own voice.

BCO’s “Ambers, Arias, and IPAs” and the True Sound of Opera Voices: Sweet!

Maybe they came to Baltimore Concert Opera’s first Thirsty Thursdays this season to hear their favorite arias.  Maybe they came to taste some craft brews.  What the audience members got was shock and awe.  The beer was excellent, but I’m talking about operatic voices.  Many attendees were there for the first time and it was a much younger crowd than opera typically draws.  The audience was exposed to opera singers performing and moving about them in the relatively small Engineer’s Club ballroom, the venue for BCO; at various times throughout the evening, I was within a few feet of an opera singer performing an aria.  The power of operatic voices is a thing to behold, especially engaged with them for an entire evening.  It will surprise you when you encounter these voices up close for the first time.  You’ve probably experienced the difference between hearing opera singers live in the major opera houses and hearing them on a recording, and gotten a taste of the power and clarity of the live performance.  Well, hearing them a few feet away takes that experience to yet another level. 

Views of entrance line and the atrium social area. Photos from social media; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

This was the first opera event that I have attended where each attendee was issued a glass after their ticket was scanned; it was a good feeling, more of a night club feeling.  The beer tasting, included in the price of admission, included two brews by craft brewery and restaurant, Brewhouse No. 16, which is located within walking distance of the Engineer’s Club.  The first of four quality beers to be sampled was available immediately upon arrival.  Each of the craft beer sample tastings (a Hefe Weiss (wheat) beer, an IPA, an amber ale, and a porter) were followed by a program of three or four arias selected to fit with a theme and the beer selected for that session: 1) Celebrate youthful love; 2) Life’s complicated; 3) Crying in your beer yet?; and 4) Love wins in the end.  The English lyrics for the arias were projected onto a screen over the stage, but for me, I was too engrossed in the singing and emotion to pay much attention to the lyrics.  The singers most often prefaced the arias with the background story of the aria, which was enough for me in this setting.  Clearly the evening was intended to be relaxed, fun, and enjoyable; and obviously intended to recruit new fans for both opera and the Baltimore Concert Opera.  In fact, staff had worked hard to reach out to young people in the Baltimore area who had not attended one of BCO’s productions previously.

left: The Engineer's Club ballroom. Photo from social media; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera. right: Aurelian Eulert preparing to start an aria session. Photo by author.

The Engineer Club’s ballroom was set up with both regular rows of seats and several tables with seats in the back.  I sat in the front row to be as close as possible to the stage; I could almost touch the piano with my hand.  After a brief introduction by BCO Executive Director, Julia Cooke, the next voice I heard came from a tenor in the rear of the room and grew in intensity as it moved forward, pausing at the front row close to my chair.  Wow!  That’s right, wow!  The rest of the arias were performed that way with the singers not only occupying the stage but moving around in the ballroom.  You got a little of the feeling of what it must be like to be on the stage with these men and women singing and acting in character.  It makes an impression. 

Mezzo-soprano Chelsea Duval-Major, tenor Norman Shankle, soprano Kelly Glyptis, pianist Aurelian Eulert, and baritone Hal Wilson. Photo from social media; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

The five young performers featured were soprano Kelly Glyptis, mezzo-soprano Chelsea Duval-Major; tenor Norman Shankle, baritone Hal Wilson, and pianist Aurelien Eulert.  This group of young artists seemed to enjoy this setting, but of course, they are also good actors.  Hearing the opera singers so close reveals textures to their voices you are unlikely to note in large opera houses and certainly not on a recording; it was exciting, actually.  The arias and a couple of show-tunes selected were established opera audiences favorites.  Ms. Glyptis sang with impressive precision and emotion, such that I was astonished to learn later that she was fighting a cold.  Her “Mi chiamano Mimi” from La Boheme was quite impressive, and I think this emerging young artist could make it as an actress alone.  I tend to favor the baritones and hearing Mr. Wilson was a pleasure, from his opening Prince Gremin’s Aria from Eugene Onegin to his final aria/song from Camelot, “If ever I would leave you”.  Mr. Shankle’s tenor voice was clear and bright, pleasing from the opening notes of “Libiamo” from La Traviata to ending with “If I loved you” from Carousel; both of these pieces ended as duets with Ms. Glyptis.  I also enjoyed Mr. Eulert’s work at the piano and sitting close enough to watch his fingers move across the keyboard was fascinating.  I save Ms. Duval-Major for last because she provided a revelation.  She taught me something about the value of the mezzo-soprano voice, perhaps that it can impart a somewhat earthy gravitas I don’t associate with sopranos.  All of her renditions, from “Non vous n’avez jamais je gage” from Les Hugenots to “Non piu mesta” from La Cenerentola moved me in a way that sopranos have not typically done; her singing opened my eyes as well as pleased my ears.  I’m sure that the fact she was singing in such close proximity played a role in my personal breakthrough; regardless, I will now be paying more attention to mezzos. 

Here is my take away from the evening: Want to hear the true sound of opera voices and have a thoroughly enjoyable evening?  Put Baltimore Concert Opera’s Thirsty Thursdays on your calendar. 

The Fan Experience: The venue for Baltimore Concert Opera productions, the Engineer’s Club, is stunning – see a previous OperaGene post for photos of the Club and surrounding area.  The trek from my home in northern Virginia is not bad if you can avoid rush hour, but rush hour can double the commute time.  I also hit backups going into Baltimore due to traffic for the Ravens football game that night.  Parking in the area has not proven to be a problem; so far, I’ve found free on-street parking and not had to resort to a parking lot.  Once inside the Club, all travails are quickly forgotten as you begin to assimilate the posh 19th century architecture and decor.  In addition to the glass when you enter, you also receive four tickets for the four samples.  The beer samples were a reasonable quantity for evaluating the beers, but not large.  There also was a cash bar for non-beer drinkers, though few attendees chose the option, preferring to try the excellent selection of craft brews.  BCO has scheduled two more Thirsty Thursdays this season, February 15 and March 22.  Their next concert opera production will be Jules Massanet’s Werther on Nov 10, 12.  Ticket prices for Thirsty Thursdays are $29 (a BARGAIN!) and for the operas they are quite modest, ranging from $27.50 to $71.50.

An Elegant Evening of Early Music, Compliments of Opera Lafayette

Logo for Opera Lafayette; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

For the last few months, I have been angry with Opera Lafayette, mildly so, borne of disappointment.  It’s their fault; more later.  I only decided to attend “An Evening of Monteverdi” at the last minute, drawn mainly because I was not familiar with the music of Claudio Monteverdi and because Lea Desandre was to be a featured performer.  I quickly was glad I had attended as I encountered the emotion and haunting beauty of this early music.  One might compare the experience to attending an elegant dinner party, where charming guests are dressed formally and the authentic silver and best china are on display.  The planning and execution was almost flawless and the music was intoxicating.  Within minutes, I felt like I had already had an aperitif prior to sitting down.  Truly, the final applause should have been served with champagne (French) for everyone to toast a satisfying musical and cultural event. 

Monteverdi is famous for being there at the beginning of opera, the turn of the 17th century.  His opera Orfeo, though not the first opera is the first to become entrenched in the traditional canon of operas performed.  The exact timing or event when music, singing, and drama combined to become a thing known as opera is a bit messy.  The music for this concert was taken mainly from Monteverdi’s madrigals, an important secular musical form where poems are sung.  The music was provided by a small group of expert period players called a continuo, including at times all, or different combinations, of an archlute, harpsichord/organ, cello, bass, viola, and two violins.  At the pre-performance talk, Ryan Brown, violinist and head of Opera Lafayette, and Thomas Dunford, archlutist and guest musical director, discussed why Monteverdi’s music was selected, perhaps best summed up in the program notes: “Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) bridges renaissance, baroque, and modern musical worlds…prioritized an aesthetic of emotional persuasion over contrapuntal purity…the balanced treatment of dissonances and harmony towards emotional expression…”, this at a time when the church still dominated music.  His fellow composers were not always pleased with his changes to the established rules, which we now consider innovations.  Brown and Dunford even managed to connect Monteverdi's invention of riffing on a base line to Gladys Knight and the Pips, a journey of some distance since this would be Monteverdi’s 450th birth year.  In short, Monteverdi was the musical bad-ass of his day.

Lea Desandre, Doug Balliet, Liv Redpath, and Jean Rondeau. Photo by Louis Forget; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.

The evening’s program consisted mainly of short pieces from madrigals, some based on poems by Petrarch, sung as solos or duets or ensembles, anchored by Monteverdi’s longer theatrical madrigal, Il combattimento di Tancredi di Clorinda, a narrated single scene where the knight Tancredi does battle with and defeats an armored warrior who turns out to be the woman he loves; a good example of the human emotion Monteverdi addressed with his music.  This group of performers seemed like the perfectly balanced crew for this production, each performer talented and well suited to their roles.  The voices for the singers were uniformly excellent.  Lea Desandre’s emotional renditions as a solo artist and with other singers were gorgeous, satisfying my expectations.  Young soprano Liv Redpath was also featured in the duets and ensemble pieces and was a voice I am anxious to hear again.  The guys in featured roles, tenor Patrick Kilbride as Tancredi and baritone David Newman as the narrator were excellent in their roles.  Alto Kristen Dubenion-Smith and bass Alex Rosen were quite good in the ensemble work but had less prominent roles; I hope our paths cross again. 

The music was enlivened by some improvisations in part two creating sort of a renaissance hoe-down beginning with archlutist Dunford, bass player Doug Balliet, and organ/harpsichordist Jean Rondeau and ending with the entire ensemble, adding an element of fun to the beauty of the music.  Violinists Brown and Elizabeth Field, Paul Miller on viola, and cellist Beiliang Zhu enhanced and rounded out the troupe.  I will make one minor criticism: the Tancredi and Clorinda piece might have benefited by having dancers provide the enactment; the posturing of Mr. Kilbride as Tancredi and Ms. Redpath as Clorinda did little to enhance the story-telling.  For an entertaining and scholarly review of the program, I refer you to Charles Downey’s review in Washington Classical Review.

So, from whence does my underlying disappointment with Opera Lafayette arise.  Last season, I attended my first Opera Lafayette production, Pierre Gavaeaux’s Leonore, ou L’Amore du conjugal.   It was an excellent, fully-staged version, and I thought I had found an excellent source of lesser-known operas.  It also gave me the opportunity to see within a matter of weeks, three versions of the Leonore story, including Beethoven’s Leonore by the Washington Concert Opera and Beethoven’s Fidelio by the Metropolitan Opera.  That opera hat trick was the highlight of the season for me.  Fidelio rolls around every now and then, but the other two are rarely performed.  That’s what I thought Opera Lafayette’s mission was – to produce mainly 18th or 19th century operas rarely performed these days.  I was anxious to see their plans for the 2017-2018 season; I was somewhat disappointed – no fully-staged operas.  In fairness, Opera Lafayette’s offerings have varied over time and their commitment is to period music, instruments, and dance, not just opera.  And the house was packed.  Maybe Opera Lafayette and I can get past this.  The forging of our new relationship, expanded to 17th century music and short works, began Tuesday night in the Kennedy Center’s newly renovated Terrace Theater.  I intend its further pursuit.

The Fan Experience: After Monday night’s performance at the Kennedy Center, Opera Lafayette, as per their usual practice, took the production to an additional single night’s performance in New York.  The hour and forty minutes of music plus a fifteen-minute intermission seemed about right for this production.  They have two more productions coming up this season which are described at this link.  This was my first concert in the Terrace Theater, a smaller venue (475 seats) that was recently renovated.  The acoustics seemed fine to me, but I found the seats a bit cozy, especially mine jammed against the wall in the rear; not much fidgeting room, but not enough of a problem keep me from going back.  The Terrace Level is a maze, but there are lots of helpful volunteers standing around to help you find where you want to go once off the elevator.  Fighting rush hour traffic in DC to get to the Kennedy Center is always fun.  Please ignore my complaining, but do allow yourself more extra time than you think you will need, especially for weekday performances.

I discovered one unexpected treat that is available until November 5 on the Terrace Level – an excellent, free exhibition on American composer Leonard Bernstein, who would have turned 100 this year and whose music is being highlighted by the Kennedy Center this season.  Allow at least a half hour for the walk through, but it is well worth the effort.

The Parker Quartet and Ligeti: What’s Happening to Me?

I sat there on the edge of my seat, mesmerized, transfixed, spellbound.  Pick your adjective.  This is supposed to be Ligeti, I wondered?  Might it be Bartok?  Did Ligeti slip by me and I’m listening to Bartok.  I don’t know Ligeti at all; I don’t know Bartok well.  It’s somewhat dissonant, or at least warped.  It must be Bartok.  If so, my appreciation for Bartok just went up, way up.  This is modern classical music.  But I like it.  I like it a lot.  What’s happening to me?

The Parker Quartet (Daniel Chong, Ying Xue, Kee-Hyun Kim, and Jessica Bodner) take their seats at the October 13, 2017 concert at St. John's College at Annapolis. Photo by Debra McCoy Rogers.

This is what I was experiencing as I listened to the second selection of the evening’s program, performed by the Parker Quartet in what has become its annual visit to St. John’s College in Annapolis.  St. John’s holds a weekly Formal Lecture Series during the academic year, open to the public and free.  Typically, these Friday night affairs are enlightening lectures on history, philosophy, or metaphysics with optional group discussions afterwards; on a few occasions each year, they offer a concert as part of the series.  I first heard the Parker Quartet there two years ago and wrote a blog report about it.  I was quite taken with this quartet then and was glad to have the opportunity to hear them again this past Friday night.  They played three quartets with their customary technical mastery and engaging showmanship, providing both visual and aural pleasure, in a program that included Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Quartet in B-flat major (1790), Gyorgy Sandor Ligeti’s Quartet No. 1 “Metamorphoses nocturnes” (1953-1954), and Bela Bartok’s Quartet No. 6 (1939).  My only complaint was that, for me, the Ligeti quartet was the highlight of the evening, and I wish it had been played last.  The Bartok piece was good, but it had to filter through my Ligeti high. 

Ligeti, Quartet No. 1, first movement by the Parker Quartet, downloaded from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f9ugcGqJoQ; here they are in a recording session for the CD (Naxos: Ligeti Quartets, Nos. 1-2) that won the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance. 

Ligeti’s music is different, so not Mozart or Beethoven, and yet somehow familiarly strange. I’ve since found out that I’ve heard his music in movie soundtracks such as “2001: a Space Odyssey”. In a Guardian article by Tom Service on the music of Ligeti (in list below), I learned that his music was influenced by his life; he had family members who died in Hiter’s concentration camps and he escaped Hungary in 1956 as Russian tanks were rolling in.  Service says“Ligeti's idea was to make texture as much of a driving force in musical architecture as pitch or rhythm, developing what he called a "micro-polyphony" of incredibly dense pile-ups of musical lines so that you're more aware of an ever-changing amorphous cloud of sound than the movement of individual instruments or voices.”  It’s understandable I guess that he sought to give his music freedom, given his life.  Ligeti is also known for an opera titled, Le Grand Macabre.  Halloween might be a good time to investigate Ligeti, since his music often has an other-worldliness quality.

Ligeti's Kyrie, an example of his choral work, which is part of the soundtrack for "2001: A Space Odyssey"; downloaded from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWqxPp6SvMw.  Suggest playing when trick or treaters come to the door. 

Enjoying modern classical music isn’t supposed to happen to me.  I have to take into account that this was live music which always sounds better, but still, I am a just a music lover, not a musician and certainly not a composer or musicologist.  I don’t have the background to understand modern music or the vocabulary to talk about such concerts with precision and accuracy.  I can only talk about my reactions as a fan.  I have not been a fan of modern classical music, especially atonal, dissonant classical music or avant-garde forms that might be considered “Advanced Music”.  I’m supposed to be disinterested, bored, or dislike modern classical music just like I am by “Advanced Calculus”, or just about any other advanced topic that I haven’t studied.  Right?

Sometimes it sure seems that way.  Yes, I know that I’m painting all modern classical music with the same brush, and much is accessible and enjoyable – or so I’m told.  At least it has lots of terms: modern classical, contemporary classical, minimalism, post-minimalism, serialism, neo-romanticism, and alt-classical.  If you want to check out the assertion for yourself that much modern classical music is approachable and likeable, I recommend the informed authors and informative articles listed below:

1.     Service on the music of Ligeti

2.     Midgette overview of contemporary classical music

3.     Muehlhauser overview of modern classical music

If you read them and listen to some of the selections discussed, you will realize a seriously limiting problem with modern music – time, or at least our feeling there is not enough of it.  So maybe, just turn on the familiar that you’ve heard your whole life.  Don’t risk what I am experiencing, a fear that Ligeti could be a gateway drug to Bartok, Ives, and even Schoenberg, for God’s sake!

Maybe I’m changing.  Maybe I’ve just taken the time to listen.  But whatever it is that’s happening to me, I feel sure it’s fueling my excitement about my oft expressed preference for new opera.  You will hear more about this.

The Fan Experience: Folks in the Baltimore/DC area can catch the Parker Quartet appearing on October 28 at the Smith Theater, Horowitz Performing Arts Center (Howard County Community College) in Columbia, MD; other performances can be found in the link provided.  Sponsored by the Candlelight Concert Society, the program will feature works by Stravinsky, Shostakovich, and Prokofiev.  Go hear them.  I predict you will not regret it, but it is risky.

Virginia Opera’s Samson and Delilah: Opera Above the Hemline

Poster for Samson and Delilah; courtesy of Virginia Opera.

What a marvelous melange is Virginia Opera’s Samson and Delilah!  I sometimes wonder how audiences viewed an opera, or painting, or about any other work of art, at the time of its premiere.  Remember that in 1877 when Samson and Delilah premiered, movies, television, color photography, radio, stereos, hi-fi speakers, Playboy magazine, personal computers, the internet, streaming video, Kindles, and iPhones had not yet been invented, and Alexa and Siri were yet to speak.  Think what we are exposed to today that those audiences had not.  Think what exposure to stimuli does to our nervous system and thought processes and sensitivities.  If you are a wine connoisseur it will take a much better wine to excite you than if you are a wine novice.  If you had only heard church hymns and Christmas carols, how would you react to rock music and gangsta rap?  If you had only been exposed to the faces, hands, and feet of other humans in public, how would you react to performers on stage who leave little to the imagination.  I won’t say that our senses have been dulled, because that is pejorative; a wine connoisseur’s senses have been sharpened, not dulled, but I will contend that our senses have been modified, and so have our expectations. Virginia Opera’s production of Samson and Delilah moved through time as it progressed.  An 1877 audience likely would have been enthralled by act one, thrilled by act two, and outraged by act three; harm would have been done to the theater and the composer chased out of town.  We, however, unavoidably live in 2017; it takes more complexity, skin exposure, and volume to satisfy us.

Delilah (Katharine Goeldner) and Samson (Derek Taylor). Photo by Ben Schill Photography; courtesy of Virginia Opera.

I was attentive in act one, engaged by act two, and entertained by act three.  I suspect if I had seen the opera in the 1930s, I would have been engaged, entertained, and a little shocked.  In fact, Virginia Opera chose to place composer Camille Saint-Saens' and librettist Ferdinand Lemaire’s Samson and Delilah in a 1930s setting. I suppose that Director Paul Curran felt that today’s audiences might find Nazi-style occupation more relevant than that by the Philistines in biblical times, but that created certain inconsistencies, such as using swords, not guns, and worshiping the god, Dacon in the 1930s.  It didn’t really work for me and seemed to rule out the use of color in act one.  The stage was rather dark most of the opera with two simple sets and I never figured out Samson’s costume; perhaps his tunic had religious significance, but from the rear balcony it just looked an off white tunic.  Lighting effects came and went as obvious add-ons, and the strobe effect for the denouement between Samson and Delilah made it almost impossible to see the two performers; for me it detracted from, rather than enhanced, the tension.  Better staged it could have been.  To continue in a critical vein, I even have a bone to pick with Saint-Saens and Lemaire: Samson is a tenor? Really?!  Also, the opera was unbalanced; it needs a steamy scene at the beginning to make us feel Samson’s attraction to Delilah.  And some of the music did not fit what the libretto was expressing; the music for an aria in act two when Delilah was expressing how she was going to bring Samson down sounded like she was singing a sweet love song about him.  Here’s my quick overview:  Act one felt more like a narration than a drama acted out.  Act two was strong, a fine, engaging opera, even a little titillating.  Act three was quite racy and a little over the top, but entertaining it was, and it sent everyone home happy.  And in the end, Samson brought down the house, and those sinful, oppressive Philistines, got their just desserts.  All’s well that ends well.

The High Priest (Michael Chioldi) and Delilah (Katharine Goeldner). Photo by Ben Schill Photography; courtesy of Virginia Opera.

This production has an excellent cast of singers and their accompaniment by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra directed by Adam Turner is a special treat.  I liked the Saint-Saens’ music and several of the arias are especially beautiful.  I found myself wanting to observe the action on the stage, listen to the singing, and listen to Saint-Saens music as separate activities, and found myself switching back and forth.  Katharine Goeldner, as Delilah, has a lovely mezzo soprano voice; her act two aria, “Mon coeur s’ouvre a ta voix” was beautiful and touching.  Tenor Derek Taylor’s acting was not always convincing and his Samson did not seem like a feared strong-man.  However, the power and handsomeness of his voice really shone in his mill scene aria expressing his sorrow at having disobeyed God.  The other singers performed well. I will only single out Michael Chioldi who was the High Priest; he was convincing and his voice commanded the stage.  His sensuous scenes in Act 2 with Delilah were a highlight of the opera.

The Philistine Bacchanalia in act three. Photo by Ben Schill Photography; courtesy of Virginia Opera.

Prior to attending this opera, I had read a series of blog posts on Samson and Delilah by Dr. Glenn Winters, Community Outreach Musical Director for Virginia Opera, which delve into the events of Saint-Saens' life and probable psychological reasons that influenced the composer to select this biblical story for his opera.  Now that’s a story someone should write an opera about! 

So, while there are some things I don’t care for in this opera and in the Virginia Opera production, there is also much that I liked, and some that I loved.  As for whether you should attend, I give it a strong thumbs-up.  You will have the rare opportunity to sample Saint-Saens’ opera, experience some beautiful music and singing by excellent performers, and be entertained.  That’s a good deal.

The Fan Experience:  There are two remaining performances on October 13 and 15 in Richmond. in  Richmond’s Dominion Arts Center which is in a downtown business area; it has both street parking and lots close by, priced moderately.  Tickets range from $20 to $120 and are available in all price tiers.  Looking around the Performing Arts Center at George Mason University, it appeared only about 70% full; I thought the production deserved a much stronger turnout.  My appreciation for Virginia Opera continues to grow. It takes courage in these times to present operas that are not in the top ten.  It also takes a commitment to provide their audience with variety as well as excellence in opera.  I, for one, applaud them and encourage them to continue.

Pittsburgh Opera 2017-2016 Season: Embracing the Past and the Future of Opera

Pittsburgh Opera Logo; courtesy of Pittsburgh Opera.

There is something in the air in Pennsylvania; I keep getting whiffs of visionary leadership floating out.  Both major opera companies there have made commitments to support and produce new and contemporary operas.  Again this season, Pittsburgh Opera has a substantial offering of new and contemporary operas on their 2017-2018 schedule.  Opera Philadelphia began its season this year with Festival O17, full of exciting, innovative works. Clearly the accepted safe path for opera companies today is to offer traditional operas, most often from the top twenty list of most often performed operas; to make them more relevant to our time in order to attract new audiences, companies will frequently offer new or updated productions of these operas that are now hundreds of years old.  However, without support for creative composers and gifted librettists of today to work on developing their talents and skills, opera will largely be confined to living off the genius of past masters. One of the contemporary operas on Pittsburgh’s schedule is Moby-Dick, which premiered in 2010, based of course, on Herman Melville’s allegory about Captain Ahab’s pursuit of his nemesis, the whale Moby-Dick.  Perhaps there is some meaning here for opera: obsessive pursuit of changes to attract new audiences is to be bedeviled by the whale; better to spend a substantial part of your resources charting a course towards new directions with eyes steadfastly on tracking the evolution of the art by contemporary artists.  Personally, I am most excited by the newer offerings, but there are also three, justly renown picks planned for traditional fans to relish.

Here is Pittsburgh Opera’s lineup for 2017-2018:

Poster for Pittsburgh Opera's 2017-2018 season; courtesy of Pittsburgh Opera.

Tosca by Giacomo Puccini: Oct 7-15

The Marraige of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Nov 4-12

The Long Walk by Jeremy Howard Beck: Jan 20-28

Ashes & Snow by Douglas J. Cuomo: Feb 17-25

Moby-Dick by Jake Heggie: Mar 17-25

The Elixir of Love by Gaetano Donizetti: Apr 21-29

Photocall photo with Leah Crocetto as Tosca and Thiago Arancam as Cavaradossi. Photo by David Bachman Photography, taken at Stanislaus Kostka Church in the Strip District; courtesy of Pittsburgh Opera.

Tosca is up first, an extremely popular opera – this season will see 77 productions of Tosca in 71 cities across the world.  Composer Puccini and librettists Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica present a story made for opera; it has rape, murder, suicide, plot twists, and one of the most villainous villains in opera, and did I mention it is a love story?  It also has three outstanding roles for opera singers: a soprano for Tosca, a tenor for Cavaradossi, and a baritone for Scarpia (boo, hiss).  Pittsburgh Opera has assembled a fine cast, beginning with their Tosca; our heroine is played emerging opera star, Leah Crocetto, who just finished a stint as Aida for Washington National Opera’s production.  Tenor Thiago Arancam sings the role of painter and Tosca’s beau, Cavaradossi; Mr. Arancam starred as Prince Calaf in Pittsburgh Opera’s Turandot earlier this year.  Bass-baritone Mark Delavan plays corrupt Police Chief Scarpia; Mr. Delavan is a veteran of both the Pittsburgh Opera (Nabucco in 2015 and Tosca in 2012) and the Metropolitan Opera. Top that off with glorious music by Puccini and you have the perfect night at the opera (and your sweetie will love you for it). 

Joining this season’s triad of power operas, along with Tosca, is The Marriage of Figaro and The Elixir of Love.  If you haven’t seen Figaro, you must; it’s a requirement in opera and probably a law in Italy.  Composer Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte have concocted a comic romp involving a battle of wits between Figaro and his lecherous boss, the Count, with their marraiges at stake; who is manipulating whom and who are the real pawns gets to be an interesting question.  Mozart’s music is as melodic and delightful as ever.  You will probably recognize the overture even if you haven’t seen the opera before.  The cast is excellent and has been previewed by Operawire.  This is one you take your friends to who would like to see an opera for the first time.

The Elixir of Love is composer Gaetano Donizetti’s and librettist Felice Romani’s gift to Valentine’s Day, although PO’s version will be in April.  Ah yes, springtime and a young man’s fancy turns to love potions;  why do these things always cause such mix ups?  Oh well, where would comedy be without them.  There are quite a few popular arias in this one and a chance for the leads who play the love interests to shine.  Pittsburgh Opera has put together a star cast for this one.  Both soprano Ekaterina Siurina who plays Adina and tenor Dimitri Pittas who plays Nemorino have appeared in the major opera houses in the US and Europe.  Ms. Siurina will next appear at the Royal Opera House in London as Mimi in La Boheme, and Mr. Pittas has appeared as Nemorino on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.  It will be hard to leave The Elixir of Love without a smile on your face and a glow in your heart.

The new operas begin with The Long Walk by composer Jeremy Howard Beck and librettist Stephanie Fleischman, based on the book of the same name by Brian Castner.  This opera is at the opposite end of the opera spectrum, dark, emotionally difficult, and deeply moving.  Walk had its world premiere with Opera Saratoga in July 2015.  The opera is based on Mr. Castner’s service in a bomb disposal unit in Iraq and his difficult reintegration into normal life in the US.  I’m not aware of any operas in the traditional repertoire that cover PTSD; maybe Lucia di Lammermoor comes closest.  I like critic Amy Biancolli’s insightful review of the premiere, which is a strong yes vote for attendance.  I found this quote from the libretto in a NY Times article about the opera; it is quite moving.  The wife is pondering life with her changed husband and recalls:

“When my husband deployed to Iraq,
I went and asked. “Grandma, I need to know:
How do I live with my husband gone?
Just me and the boys.
How do I help him
When he comes home?”
“He won’t come home,” my grandmother said.
“The war will kill him either way.
He’s as good as dead.
I hope for your sake he dies over there.
Because if the war doesn’t kill him,
It’ll take him here.
The war will kill him at home. With you.”
“But Grandma,” I said. “I won’t live in dread.
He’s coming home. And when he does,
Your story — it’s not coming true.
Not on my watch. Not to this family.
It can’t happen here. I’m going to keep us whole.”

The next offering is the world premiere of Ashes & Snow by composer Douglas J. Cuomo, developed with support from Pittsburgh Opera and American Opera Projects that explores another facet of opera. The setting is a trashed motel room in the desert in the American southwest; therein a distraught young man at the end of his rope must confront his life.  The libretto is based on Franz Schubert’s famous “Winterreise (Winter Journey)”, which is based on Wilhem Muller‘s 24 poem cycle.  One singer, Eric Flerring as the young man, is joined on stage by musicians playing the electric guitar, trumpet, and piano.  This dramatically searing piece is called “a seventy-five minute monodrama” and “21st century art song, infused with acid jazz and punk energy, to create a very raw and emotional experience”.  This work appears to be for those willing to be moved by art, even if painful.  I’m in; how about you?

Last up in my discussion is the opera I’m most excited about, Moby-Dick, a contemporary opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer.  Just to see the staging for this one could be worth the price of admission; how they get Captain Ahab’s ship (the Pequod), the whale, and the ocean on the stage is going to be interesting.  Reviews of previous productions of Moby-Dick since its premiere in 2010 have been laudatory, and Mr. Heggie has become one of the more celebrated American opera composers; his opera, Dead Man Walking has become part of the traditional repertoire.  The cast assembled by PO has very strong credentials.  .  Rogers Honeywell who plays Ahab will star in three additional operas this season, including Moby-Dick again for Utah Opera.  Also, I was very impressed by Sean Panikkar, who plays Greenhorn, in PO’s The Summer King last season, and want to see him perform again.  No need to worry that the music in this modern work will be too avant-garde for you; critic Anne Midgette in her review of the 2014 Washington National Opera production states, “If you like traditional opera, you will probably like Moby Dick” and further says, “…features big tunes for full orchestra, impassioned arias and tender ensembles, and choral scenes for sailors yo-ho-hoing as they tug at ropes on the foredeck.”  I plan to make a special effort to get up to see Moby-Dick.

The Fan Experience: The season starts this Saturday, but Season tickets are still available, as well as individual tickets, online or at the box office. Ticket prices for most performances range from about the cost of a movie to the price of a dinner for two at a fine restaurant; I’m impressed that Pittsburgh Opera can offer such a range.  The venues are different for the different operas; be sure to check the venue when purchasing tickets.  Pittsburgh Opera’s website is excellent; after you click on the link for a specific opera, you will be taken to a page that gives you loads of information, i.e., cast, synopsis, previews and reviews, etc, and a link to buy tickets.

Met Opera “In Cinemas” Opera Transmissions Now In OperaGene’s Sidebar Listing

Met Opera’s “Live in HD in Cinemas” program has become popular locally.  OperaGene will now include those listings in the blog sidebar’s 3-month listing of upcoming operas in the mid-Atlantic (sidebar is at the bottom on mobile phones), as well as maintain a listing for these performances on the Seasonal Lists page; OG also includes links to reviews on the Sidebar and Seasonal Lists page.  The “In Cinemas” broadcasts don’t usually occur on opening night, so if you wish to read the reviews before attending, check the sidebar for links. Back in July, I wrote a blog report on the “In Cinemas” program for the 2017-2018 season.  The “Live in HD in Cinemas” are live transmissions of selected Saturday matinees; the very same transmission is then repeated in many theaters the following Wednesday (check theaters for times).

Two performances are coming up quickly, Norma on October 7 and Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) on October 14.  Both cinema broadcasts are worth attending if you can't make it to New York; enter your city and state (zip code does not work) at this link to find participating cinemas near you.  The best seats in theaters that offer reserved seating fill up quickly; so, don’t procrastinate in getting your tickets; the live in HD performances on Saturday tend to sell out more quickly than the Wednesday rebroadcasts.

Sondra Radvanovsky as Norma and Joyce DiDonato as Adalgisa. Photo by Ken Howard and courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

Why should you see Norma?  Reasons to see Norma by composer Vincenzo Bellini and librettist Felice Romani are addressed in this article from The Telegraph, “Why Norma is an Operatic Masterpiece”.  Norma has an engaging story, but the pivotal point is this: the opera pushes the Italian bel canto (beautiful singing) style to its limits. You have to have a diva equal to the task.  Maria Callas is considered the greatest Norma.  For the October 7 performance, reigning American diva, soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, plays the role of Norma, and in another major role, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, one of the world's most celebrated opera singers, plays priestess Adalgisa.  Celebrated tenor, Joseph Calleja sings Pollione, Norma’s secret lover.  It is a traditional production and the reviews are good; for the singing, they are excellent.  The Met Opera trailer taken from Vimeo is shown below.

Golda Schult z as Pamina and Markus Werba as Papageno. Photo by Richard Termine; courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

Why should you see Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute)?  The answer on this one is simple – the music; it’s Mozart, and the music is as melodic and pleasing as classical music gets.  The story is a fantasy about the struggle between good and evil.  The Met Opera production is the full, German production and includes the inventive and charming Julie Taymor puppets, which appear to me to be updated versions.  That’s entertainment, and the music will resonate in your head for weeks.  The reviews are also good for this one.  From Thanksgiving through early December, the Met will offer an English language, family version of The Magic Flute – a holiday, 100-monute, kid-friendly production, but you have to attend at Lincoln Center to see that one.  Below is a short clip from YouTube.

Baltimore Concert Opera’s Guillaume Tell: Giving Voice To Rossini

Guillaume Tell (William Tell, 1829) is Rossini’s best opera.  That was the audacious claim made by conductor Anthony Barrese in his pre-opera talk on Friday evening as Baltimore Concert Opera kicked off its ninth season with an enjoyable and enlightening concert version of composer Gioachino Rossini’s classic tale, most often known as the story of an archer forced to shoot an apple off the head of his son; the story is based on a play by Friedrich Schiller and librettists for this opera are Etienne de Jouy and Hippolyte-Louis-Florent Bis.  Considering that Rossini also wrote 38 other operas, including one of the most popular operas of all time, Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), one might question Mr. Barrese’s choice.  He supports his assertion by saying this French opera was different in musical style and complexity than Rossini’s previous works and had a strong influence on composers who were his contemporaries and those who came after.  While Guillaume Tell is part of the standard opera repertoire, it is known even to non-opera fans for its striking overture popularized as the theme song for an early television hit series; you know the one.  That Guillaume Tell is an important legendary figure in Swiss history and that the opera involves the important theme of a struggle for freedom, as well as a love story in a time of conflict, are much less well known in the US.  I had not seen Guillaume Tell previously, and as an opera fan (and not a musicologist), I remain unsure which Rossini opera I would pick for his best, but the Baltimore Concert Opera has certainly drawn me into giving this opera more attention.

Baltimore Concert Opera poster for Guillaume Tell; l-r and t-b: Sean Anderson, Matthew Vickers, Caroline Worra, Claudia Chapa, Sharin Apostolou, Justin Hopkins, Jeffrey Beruan, Hans Tashjian, and Anthony Barrese. Image courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

An interesting sidelight to this opera is that Rossini wrote the score for Tell when he was 37 years old and retired from composing operas at that point. He lived forty more years.  He composed 39 operas from the age of 20 to 37 and then stopped, having displayed amazing productivity and produced important, influential works.  He was the star composer of the times and a wealthy man, of such fame and influence, he was able to negotiate a generous pension from the French government as his last opera was being written.  Following Tell, he composed additional short musical pieces and some songs, but mainly devoted himself to eating and holding parties with the elite and promising young musicians of his day.  There is much speculation as to why he retired at this point.  I perhaps can appreciate his decision more than most since I left a career in science to retire when I could have stayed longer; and now, I write an opera blog – I also do my share of eating, though my form of partying is to attend opera.

The story takes place in Switzerland in the 14th century when the country was occupied by Austria.  The people resented Austrian rule and resisted.  The hated Austrian governor, Gesler, ruled with an iron hand.  Guillaume conspired with his fellow villagers to rebel, especially seeking the help of young Arnold, son of a respected town elder, Melchtal.  Arnold struggled with this decision because he had fallen in love with Mathilde, the daughter of Gesler.  And yes, as part of the action, Gesler forces Guillaume, who he accused of treason, to shoot the apple off his son Jemmy’s head.  Having to do this caused the archer much fear and anguish, but Jemmy’s belief in the cause and in his father’s skill helped Guillaume make the shot successfully, which inspired the town’s people and set into motion the final conflict with Gesler.  This legend has been adopted with great pride by the Swiss and its theme of the common people resisting authoritarianism resonated with that sweeping the European continent in the 1800s.

Claudia Chapa as Hedwige; Sean Anderson as Guillaume; Caroline Worra as Mathilde; and Matthew Vickers as Arnold. Dress rehearsal photo by Courtney Kalbacker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

Guillaume Tell was originally four acts, almost five hours long.  It was cut even as it was being rehearsed, and whenever presented, the director and conductor, must make decisions about what to leave in and what to take out.  Rossini was unconcerned with this; he never intended that the full five hour version should be presented.  The opera includes a large number of singers and a chorus.  It also involves boating and a storm which must pose challenges to directors of fully-staged productions.  BCO uses ten singers performing eleven roles and a nineteen-member chorus to present a two hour and forty-five minute version.  BCO employs a pianist to provide musical accompaniment.  Elizabeth Parker was the pianist for this performance; she impressively stepped in to take the assignment with only a week to prepare when the scheduled pianist had to withdraw.  Hearing the opera’s themes and melodies played on the piano is educational; and gives me a greater appreciation for the texture of Rossini’s orchestral score. 

Pianist Elizabeth Parker; Baltimore Concert Orchestra chorus. Dress rehearsal photos by Courtney Kalbacker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

The performers sing in character as the English translation of the French libretto is shown overhead.  Although the audience becomes immersed in the plot, the focus for BCO performances is clearly on the voices and singing. The singers are all professionals who have established careers singing in fully staged productions and concerts at opera houses and music halls around the US; many have performed previously with BCO.  The chorus is BCO’s very own of whom they are justifiably proud; they are led by chorus master James Harp.  They gave the audience a special treat by opening the performance with a choral version of the overture.  The theater in the Engineers Club is relatively small (see photos at bottom), holding 220 patrons and the acoustics are good, which means you very quickly have the experience of learning just how powerful operatic voices are.  It is a divine treat to be so close to the singers as they perform.  Without an orchestra, costumes, and stage movement, there are no distractions.  For the performers, this is laying their voices and singing bare.  Any mistakes will be noticed, possibly even to the untrained ear; there were only a few I wondered about.  I will mention a few of my favorites among the singers.  The stand out performer for me was tenor Matthew Vickers who sang the role of Arnold. I thought he sang beautifully and his voice had that metallic resonance I like.  Baritone Sean Anderson’s strong stage presence made for a compelling Guillaume.  Soprano Caroline Worra sang Mathilde with style and feeling.  We had the experience of hearing a coloratura soprano, Sharin Apostolou, singing a pants role, and she had the rare experience of wearing a dress while doing it.  I also want to mention bass Jeffrey Beruan, who played Walter; I’d like to hear more of that voice and I hope he will return to BCO in a larger role.  Other capable cast members were Timothy Augustin (two roles, Ruodi, a fisherman, and Rodolphe, a Gesler guard; Claudia Chappa, Tell’s wife; Hans Tashjian, Melchtal; Jeffrey Grayson Gates, a shepard; and Justin Hopkins, Gesler; all added to the performance.  The action was driven by the recitative.  However, my impression of this opera is that the individual arias, with exceptions, are not the stand outs.  It was the duets and ensemble arias, including the very strong chorus, that drew the most ooh’s and aah’s from my heart. 

Justin Hopkins as Gesler, Sean Anderson as Guillaume, Sharin Apostolou as Jemmy, and Timothy Augustin as Rodolphe. Dress rehearsal photo by Courtney Kalbacker; courtesy of Baltimore Concert Opera.

The education aspect of concert opera for opera fans should not be overlooked.  Perhaps it was the concert format that caused the ensemble work to stand out for me.  No doubt my opera knowledge took a step up by attending this performance.  I also think that attending the concert version is a useful rehearsal for attending a fully staged version.  I have started to listen to a recording of Guillaume Tell and find my appreciation for it has escalated.  I sort of passed on making the trip up to the Met Opera last season to attend their William Tell, but now, attending a fully staged version is in my personal queue. 

This was my first attendance at a BCO performance and there are many ways to view the BCO experience: a pleasant evening of opera with an add-on of exploring an interesting Baltimore neighborhood; experiencing the charm and grandeur of a 19th century mansion as an opera venue, the excitement of attending live opera up close and personal, and a chance to rub elbows with other opera fans.  I hope to return with my wife in the future.  Baltimore Concert Opera is an important contributor to the city’s cultural landscape

The Fan Experience: Baltimore Concert Opera presents each of their productions on Friday evening with a second performance on Sunday afternoon.  For fans coming from the DC area, the matinee might be preferable.  I left Tysons Corner, VA on Friday afternoon, catching the beginning of the DC rush hour which added about 35 minutes to a trip that can take as little as an hour.  The Engineers Club is easy to find in the Mount Vernon area of Baltimore.  There is adequate street parking and public parking lots; I readily found a street slot two blocks from the club; the public parking is relatively inexpensive; limited valet parking is available on weekends.  For additional parking info click here.  Prices for BCO performances are modest for what you get, ranging from $27.50 to $72.50 depending on how close to the front and middle you are.  The stage is elevated so seeing at least the top half of the performers is possible even seated in the rear, which is all you need to see.  Their next performance is the popular Jules Massenet’s Werther to be held on November 10, 12; you can order tickets at this link.

The area is a delight to walk around and take in the sights: The Baltimore Washington Monument stands between the Peabody Institute and the Engineers Club, a block apart, and the Walter’s Art Museum is only a block away in another direction; and there is a beautiful, small park across the street from the Club.  The neighborhood is a blend of apartments, dorms, business offices, and restaurants.  I grabbed dinner at the Mount Vernon Marketplace two blocks from the Engineers Club, an indoor food court with ethnic and standard fare, but not chains.  The Pinch stand sells very tasty Chinese dumplings.  It is also possible to dine in the Engineers Club; arrangements must be made 48 hours ahead.  The Engineers Club is stationed in the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion and worth a trip by itself, where you can step back into the elegance of wealth in the 19th century, including Tiffany glass windows; I am told that several scenes from The House of Cards were filmed here.  I have posted a slideshow of photos of the Engineers Club and its environs below (click on the image to advance to the next image).

Click image to see next image. Photos by author: Entrance to Engineers Club; entrance hall; dining area; social area; ballroom and concert hall; view of park across street; another park view; view of Walters Art Museum across public parking lot; street scene.

O17’s The Trial of Elizabeth Cree: The First Slasher Opera, Tastefully Done

I am really annoyed, mad even. Opera Philadelphia’s Elizabeth Cree, by composer Kevin Puts and librettist Mark Campbell, one of the Festival O17 offerings, is in…well, Philadelphia, and I am here in Virginia!  I saw it on Saturday, and I can’t go see it again up in Philadelphia, which means that I might never have it figured out for sure.  Here’s the good news:

"Lambeth Marsh Lizzie", aka Elizabeth Cree (Daniela Mack) tells how she came to be an orphan. Photo by Steve Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

Alert the movie crowd: the premiere of The Trial of Elizabeth Cree has provided the opera world with its first slasher opera.  Oh, I know that murders are the stock and trade of the opera canon, and even Jack the Ripper makes an appearance in Berg’s Lulu, but for sustained servings of Hannibal Lecter excitement, Cree climbs to the top of the dead body pile, but artfully done; after all, this is opera.  The thing is…it works.  Scenes of horror lurking among good people, and the not so good, have a fascination that grips us, especially when the locale is the dark, smoggy streets of a seedy section of 1880’s London.  Overall, the staging of this smallish opera is excellent, especially the scenes of murder shown behind a scrim such that each demise is largely in caricature, but even in outline, entrails elicit a shudder.  The gloom enters early.  Cree draws us in immediately with the body of a dead woman hanging from the ceiling behind a scrim on the darkened stage, even as the opera begins; we can only see her in shadowy outline, but the image will stay with me a very long time.  I assumed at that point that things had not gone well for Ms. Cree in her trial, but all is not as it first seems to be in this opera. Opera Philadelphia wanted Festival O17 to make more contemporary connections – well done; “The Silence of the Lambs”, "Halloween", and The Trial of Elizabeth Cree; It doesn’t get much more modern than that.

John Cree (Troy Cook) describes the murder of the Gerrard family. Photo by Steve Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

It’s not all gloom. True, Ms. Cree (Daniela Mack), once known as Lambeth Marsh Lizzzie, is on trial for poisoning her husband.  However, interspersed with the prosecutor’s questioning we view scenes from her life; develop some sympathy for her based on her childhood; and see her achieve some success on the vaudeville stage; she likes the fame.  We see her future husband John (Troy Cook) sitting at a desk in the Reading Room of the British Museum, writing about murders; he is a novelist, but is it a notebook or a diary entry I wonder as the scenes of murder play out in the background; are they imagined, or being relived, by Mr. Cree.  We meet some famous users of the Reading Room, music hall comedian Dan Reno, novelist George Gissing, and philosopher Karl Marx, all of whom are interviewed by the police inspector, in regard to the murder spree.  Finally, Elizabeth and John meet; are married; and secrets are revealed.  We will leave the story there, except to say that at the end, I thought I knew what had transpired, but was uncertain enough to be confused.  I tried to find the answers in reviews and the internet to no avail.  The opera is based on a book of the same name by novelist Peter Ackroyd; I may have to read it.

Left: Dan Leno (Joseph Gaines) introduces Elizabeth as "Little Victor's Daughter". Right: Inspector Kildare (Daniel Belcher) interrogates Karl Marx (Thomas Shivone) about one of the serial murders. Photo by Steve Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

I think that mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack is a force to be reckoned with. Her strong, beautiful voice filled the theater with a convincing portrayal of Elizabeth.  She could succeed on the stage as an actress alone; her performance anchored this production.  Those of us in the Washington DC area will be treated to another of her performances in November when the Washington National Opera stages Handel’s Alcina; she will return to Philly in April to play Carmen.  I have my ticket for Alcina, and after seeing Ms. Mack in person, it is even more precious.  Baritone Troy Cook gives a fine performance as John Cree.  I thought that tenor Joseph Gaines was a delightful Dan Reno with his singing and dancing, and stage mentoring to Elizabeth.  The real-life Dan Reno is so well known in Great Britain that the British edition of Mr. Ackroyd’s book is titled “Dan Reno and the Lighthouse Golem”.  The secondary characters were all good and added to the performance.  I would like to give kudos to director David Schweizer, but will stay that until I am sure I have it all figured out.

Left: Elizabeth (Daniela Mack) accepts John Cree's (Troy Cook) proposal of marraige. Right: The marraige has developed problems. Photo by Steve Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

Oh yes, and there is also music, quite good music, performed by a small group of 16 musicians, and conducted by Corrado Rovaris.  My focus was mainly on the drama and the singing, but when the music gained my attention, I liked what I heard; the score was musically varied in style and instruments, pleasing and supporting the action on stage.  There are some catchy dance hall songs performed, more reminiscent of musicals than opera – I do not object.  I thought the music served the opera well, but can’t offer more without hearing it again, and as previously stated, I can’t do that!

How does this new opera stack up in the opera world?  Too early to tell.  It is a ninety-minute chamber opera that packs a musical and dramatic punch.  I suspect it will get some play.  Knowing what I know now, if I had not seen it yet, I’d tell myself to go.  Having seen it, I’d like to see it again – but I can’t!  It’s not going to substitute for La Traviata, but for a Saturday afternoon or evening’s engaging, artful entertainment, it is clearly worth the investment.  And as a new opera, it has its own, special excitement.

The Fan Experience:  See my blog report on The Magic Flute for this section with comments about my trip to Philly to take in some of O17.  I will add that I really liked the 90 minute, non stop format for a matinee.  Also, the Perelman theater seems to have no bad seats and was perfectly designed for a smaller production.  For remaining performances see the OperaGene blog sidebar at the right (or bottom for viewing on mobile phones).   I implore you: please go see it, and then explain it to me.  In the last three seasons, I have seen Cold Mountain, Breaking the Waves, and The Trial of Elizabeth Cree, all new operas and all in Philadelphia.  Many thanks and kudos to Opera Philadelphia for breathing fresh life into this wonderful art form!

Festival O17’s The Magic Flute: A Basket of Delights in Philadelphia

Take one Buster Keaton 1920s comedy and mix it with Disney’s animated “Fantasia” and early black and white MIckey Mouse cartoons; then manage to substitute real people for the central animated characters and have them sing opera, and manage to have it all appear to be a seamless, integrated whole, and have it work to convey a great work of art.  All that’s left is listening to audiences laugh, cheer, and applaud.  That is what the creative team of Barrie Kosky, Susan Andrade, and Paul Barritt have done in their highly imaginative version of Mozart’s opera, The Magic Flute, and they started from scratch, generating the animation themselves; this production premiered in Berlin in 2012 and has been produced previously in the US; however, Opera Philadelphia is providing its only appearance on the east coast as a part of Festival O17.  This version might or might not become your favorite Magic Flute, but there is no denying that it is fun-filled and an impressive artistic achievement.

The Queen of the Night (soprano Olga Pudova) tells Tamino (tenor Ben Bliss) that her daughter has been kidnapped by Sarastro, the High Priest. Photo by Steven Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

The plot of The Magic Flute (known as Die Zauberflote in German) by composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and librettist Emanuel Schikaneder is a loosely connected fantasy that readily lends itself to different interpretations and staging.  Briefly, Prince Tamino goes to rescue a love, Pamina, he has only seen in a portrait as a queen tries to use him and his love, her daughter, in her battle with a ‘supposedly evil’ sorcerer, Sarastro.  Papageno, a less virtuous bird catcher is added for comic effect and a contrast in morality, as is Monostatos, keeper of the detained Pamina, who has his own designs on her. The Opera Philadelphia version is superb.  Sitting down and awaiting the performance, you see a movie screen on stage. Some sections of the screen appear to be cut into door-like panels.  The screen is to be used for animated projections throughout and the panels rotate at various times to add the singers to the action with the animation adorning them in addition to any costume; the animation allows greater access to imagination and fantasy – think “Fantasia”.  The opera opens with Tamino, appearing in a cut out, center stage, his top a costumed human, his animated legs underneath moving with comic rapidity, as he flees a dragon (not seen) through a forest; the stage could have only allowed a human Tamino with normal legs to take a few steps in real action.  The only human part seen of the Queen of the Night is her face; otherwise she appears as a very large spider whose legs move about and can throw knives.  The three spirits, young boys in costume, are made to look like butterflies with animated wings.  Characters also move across the stage and must move with precision to be in sync with the projected animation; they are impressively adept at doing this. The acting is vaudevillian, reminding me of a Buster Keaton silent film and Papageno’s hat does look Keatonesque.  The recitatives are not sung or spoken, but appear as written text on the screen in comic book style renderings, accompanied by Mozart pianoforte selections.  This keeps with the silent film spirit of the production and adds to the fun, but suffers in a loss of emotion that the singers might otherwise convey, another key I think to differentiating this production from previous versions.  The deft and stylized movements of the humans convincingly merge their characters into the animation.

Pamina (soprano Rachel Sterrenberg) is soothed by the three spirits (A.J. Owens, Patrick Owens, and Damian Ferraro), as butterflies flutter; Photo by Steven Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

I have nothing but praise for the singers, the chorus, the conductor, and the orchestra.  It is to the director’s credit that no one singer or aspect overshadows the others; all players are well-suited for their roles and gave satisfying, sometimes thrilling, performances.  For me a critical element of The Magic Flute is that the soprano playing the Queen of the Night must nail the aria, Der Holle Rache, and soprano Olga Pudova did; her knife-throwing spider body provided the visual tension.  The parts for the groupings of three ladies serving the Queen and the three young spirits were beautifully sung; and the chorus was attention-grabbing. Special kudos also to Ben Bliss, Rachel Sterrenberg, and Jarrett Ott for their performances as Tamino, Pamina, and Papageno, all excellent. Mozart’s music was faithfully executed by the orchestra under David Charles Abell’s baton.  This production is a well-balanced whole. 

In silent film style, Monostatos (tenor Brenton Ryan) moves across the stage, determined to capture Pamina. Photo by Steven Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

One might muse whether mixed real/animation represents one possible future direction of opera.  Opera companies are certainly looking for ways to update and present the most popular operas, written hundreds of years ago, with more contemporary connections and appeal.  Furthermore, opera companies are including lighting and video special effects as routine elements now.  I think this approach does, however, have some challenges.  While this mixed real/animated version of The Magic Flute succeeds in serving up amazement and delight, I think it less effective in portraying the human side of opera.  Emotion in the recitatives is largely lost when it is read rather than spoken; the Queen of the Night and Pamina are constrained to cartoon movements in their scene together, lessening the heart-breaking impact of their confrontation; and while Peixin Chin, as the High Priest Sarastro, has the right voice and sang well, I found his portrayal adorned as a rich gentleman from 19th century England lacking in awe and mystery. So, would this approach work for Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte or Don Giovanni?  While this approach works here and might for others, it won't for all.  Perhaps this team will show us more that can be done with this approach, and inspire other creative teams as well. And there is no reason not to have both.  Seeing Opera Philadelphia’s production of The Magic Flute should not keep you from seeing the Julie Taymor production at the Metropolitan Opera, but neither should having seen the Taymor production keep you from seeing the Opera Philadelphia production.  I view Taymor’s production as having slightly more charm and a deeper emotional connection, and Opera Philadelphia’s production as excelling in fantasy and childhood delight.  They are very different, but both are wonder-filled versions of Mozart’s great work, each with their own flavor of joy. 

The three ladies (soprano Ashley Milanese, soprano Siena Miller, and mezzo-soprano Anastasila Sidorova) give Papageno (baritone Jarrett Ott) back his voice so he can help Tamino (tenor Ben Bliss) in his trials. Photo by Kelly & Massa Photography; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

Tamino (tenor Ben Bliss) and Pamina (soprano Rachel Sterrenberg) are kept apart by Sarastro (bass Peixin Chen); the swinging pendulum of time keeps pushing them apart. Photo by Steven Pisano; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

The Fan Experience: My wife and I headed out of Tysons Corner, Virginia half past noon on Friday, planning to reach our hotel, the Hyatt Bellevue in Philadelphia, in time to have a nap and get to dinner at Barbuzzo.  The hotel is a block away from the Academy of Music and my wife had a free night to spend.  The trip to Philly should be about a three hour drive, but traffic on I-95, as is oft the case for I-95, had an accident just south of Philly.  No nap and late for dinner, but the restaurant honored our reservation anyway.  And thank goodness, the food at Barbuzzo is practically worth the trip itself, farm to table and modestly priced.  Did cause us to miss the pre-opera talk, however.  When you buy tickets from Opera Philadelphia, you are entered into their system and you will get reminders by email that include other offers and helpful information.  I am impressed by the opera leadership being shown by Opera Philadelphia; see my overview of Opera Philadelphia’s 2017-2018 season.  I regret that circumstances prevent my wife and I from attending all the exciting offerings of O17.  For a listing of dates of remaining performances, see the OperaGene’s blog sidebar (at the bottom on mobile phones).

Washington National Opera’s Aida: Visually Stunning and Music by Verdi

Washington National Opera opened its 2017-2018 season on Saturday evening with a visually stunning production of Aida.  The director for Aida is WNO’s Artistic Director, Francesca Zambello, who first staged this production for the San Francesco Opera in 2016.  The staging more than the singing sets this Aida apart from previous versions.  The sets are highlighted by artistic works by contemporary street artist, RETNA, and these do give the scenes a foreign, Egyptian-past feel to them, both the painted sets and draperies.  Aida is an opera that courts pageantry in addition to a focus on its theme of duty to one’s country complicating even further the central love triangle;  a young warrior, Radames, is loved by both the daughter of the King of Egypt, Amneris, and a slave girl, Aida, who is also a princess captured from Ethiopia, an enemy country.  The colorful costumes added to the regal atmosphere.  The triumphant scene of victorious Egyptians walking back into the palace yard was staged effectively especially with the strong support of the music supplied by Verdi and the orchestra.  The ballet scenes were beautiful and charming, including the ones with the very young dancers; kudos to choreographer Jessica Lang.  I am not a fan of modernizing opera, but moving Aida into a later time period of an imaginary Egyptian kingdom seemed to work with the rest of the imagery.  One could argue about whether the changes and updates enhance the telling of the story, but overall, I think the entertainment value of this staging is very high.

Left: Youth Dancers in Aida. Right: Kana Kimura, a dancer, Morris Robinson as Ramfis - the High Priest, and Yonghoon Lee as Radames. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Aida by composer Giuseppe Verdi and librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni provides us music and arias that are among the best ever written.  The WNO orchestra under conductor Evan Rogister sounded marvelous whether in tender moments, passionate moments, or moments of pageantry.  The large chorus was also strong and sounded great, though on occasion perhaps overshadowing the lead singers just a bit.  For musical pleasure of operas I have seen at the Kennedy Center in the last two years, I place Aida only behind last year’s WNO Ring Cycle.

Tamara Wilson as Aida, Yonghoon Lee as Radames, and Ekaterina Semenchuk as Amneris. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

The singers were all excellent and for the most part gave us convincing characters.  The diversity in casting was delightful.  Yonghoon Lee’s tenor was impressive in power and timbre; his Celeste Aida aria displays both power and tenderness.  His portrayal of a young leader eager to prove himself in battle for his homeland was convincing, though demonstrating his love for Aida was less so.  Mezzo soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk’s portrayal of Amneris was spot on; and the beauty of her voice became clear in the latter portions of the opera.  Soprano Tamara Wilson who played Aida has a lovely voice and sang beautifully.  However, I had a problem with Ms. Wilson’s characterization of Aida, which lacked the fire I would expect of a princess forced into servitude of an enemy princess; I expected a portrayal of submission by restraint, not by nature.  The supporting cast were all effective; Solomon Howard as the King of Egypt, Gordon Hawkins as Aida’s father, and Morris Robinson as the High Priest were fine singers and players.  I personally wish Verdi had added an earlier scene between Radames and Aida to make their love more visceral for the audience, but he's the master, right?

Left: Ekaterina Semenchuk as Amneris and Yonghoon Lee as Radames (in background). Right: Tamara Wilson as Aida and Yonghoon Lee as Radames. Photos by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

The artistry in the sets, dancing, music, and singing all make for an entertaining evening at the Kennedy Center. I found the drama to be slightly less effective for reasons noted above.  The power of larger events to impact individual lives was convincingly demonstrated. At the end however, while I felt truly sad for Amneris though she had earned her tragedy, I was watching Aida and Radames, rather than feeling them; seeing them with sympathy, but not with tears in my eyes.  Regardless - Go, enjoy.

The Fan Experience: Remaining performances with this cast are September 13, 16, 18, 21, and 23; remaining performances with Carl Tanner as Radames, Marina Prudenskaya as Amneris, and Leah Crocetto as Aida are September 15 and 17.  The review by Anne Midgette in the Washington Post covers both sets of performers.  The Kennedy Center uses the name of the artist, RETNA, in the all-caps version, but some critics use Retna (his real name is Marquis Duriel Lewis); I can only guess that among professional journalists typing a proper name in all caps is grammatical heresy. See the sidebar for links to professional reviews.  Not sure how long it will last, but parking inside the Kennedy Center is now $2 cheaper. (at $20)  The RETNA-designed mug in the gift shop is expensive at $20, but nothing compared to the RETNA-inspired scarf at $300.  I bought the mug; nice scarf though.  I left Tyson’s Corner at 6 pm headed to the Kennedy Center for the 7 pm opera, a thirty minute trip, door to seat.  A traffic tie up somewhere not on I-66 nevertheless had traffic at a standstill on I-66 about three miles before reaching the Roosevelt bridge.  I made it to my seat at 7:02, a few minutes later and I would have had to wait to be seated.  In the Washington area, planning for traffic delays is de rigueur, even on the weekend.  Fortunately, snack and dining facilities in the Kennedy Center are excellent if you make it ahead of time, and then there is the gift shop. If you can get there really early, at least an hour ahead (check the website), you can take in the pre-opera insights talk.  Take note: The September 23 performance will be simulcast to the the big screen at Washington Nationals Park for the free event, Opera in the Outfield. 

Virginia Opera 2017-2018 Season: Covering the State, Covering the Repertoire

There is much to like about the Virginia Opera – their productions move about the state giving a wider audience access to opera; their outreach programs engage younger audiences, including in schools; and the creativity and excellence of their opera offerings is impressive.  This year again, each opera production will be performed in Norfolk, Fairfax, and Richmond. For their 2017-2018 season, as last year, they are offering broad coverage of the opera repertoire, providing audiences a wide sampling of fine opera.  This year there is French opera in a biblical setting, Italian opera that takes place in the American West, English opera based on Shakespeare, classical Italian opera, opera with happy endings, opera with tragic endings, traditional works, modern opera, less often performed operas, and widely popular ones.  I thought last year’s productions of Der Freischutz and Turandot were stand out achievements for the Virginia Opera; they have raised my expectations even higher for the season now upon us.  Season tickets or buying them one by one will expose you to a wide, delightful range of operatic experiences.

Here is the line-up for the Virginia Opera's 2017-2018 season:

Samson and Delilah by Camille Saint-Saens

            Sep 29, Oct 1, 3 – Norfolk, Harrison Opera House

            Oct 7, 8 – Fairfax, GMU’s Center for the Arts

            Oct 13, 15 – Richmond, Dominion Arts Center

The Girl of the Golden West by Giacomo Puccini

            Nov 10, 12, 14 – Norfolk, Harrison Opera House

            Nov 17, 19 – Richmond, Dominion Arts Center

            Dec 2, 3 – Fairfax, GMU’s Center for the Arts

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Benjamin Britten

            Feb 9, 11, 13 – Norfolk, Harrison Opera House

            Feb 17, 18 – Fairfax, GMU’s Center for the Arts

            Feb 23, 25 – Richmond, Dominion Arts Center

Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti

            Mar 23, 25, 27 – Norfolk, Harrison Opera House

            Apr 7, 8 – Fairfax, GMU’s Center for the Arts

            Apr 13, 15 – Richmond, Dominion Arts Center

Samson et Dalila (Samson and Delilah) poster; courtesy of the Virginia Opera.

Samson and Delilah (1877, fr. Samson et Dalila) by composer Camille Saint-Saens and librettist Ferdinand Lemaire is an opera in French (shown with English supertitles) based on the well-known Bible story found in the Book of Judges.  Saint-Saens was a child prodigy known both as a concert pianist and organist and as a composer.  He is best known today for his orchestral music, perhaps most widely for his suite, “The Carnival of Animals”.  Sampson and Delilah is the only one of his 13 operas that is performed today.  In the story, Samson is a hero of extraordinary strength rallying the Hebrews in their struggles with the Philistines; Delilah is used by the Philistines to seduce and bring about the his downfall.  It is a story rich with political and psychological dimensions.  Dr. Glenn Winters, Community Outreach Musical Director for the Virginia Opera, writes a series of blog posts on each opera produced by the Virginia Opera.  The posts are well-researched and typically offer unique insights into each opera, their historical contexts, and analyses of their music.  The ones for Samson and Delilah are now posted, and I recommend them to you.  Delilah will be played by mezzo soprano Katherine Goeldner, who owns Lyric Opera of Chicago and Metropolitan Opera credits.  Samson well be portrayed by Derek Taylor, who made a fine Prince Calaf in last season’s Turandot. 

Photo by Timeline Photos; courtesy of the Virginia Opera.

Next up, by composer Giacomo Puccini and librettists Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarani, is opera’s only spaghetti western (long before Clint Eastwood showed up), The Girl of the Golden West (1910, it. La Fanciulla del West), complete with outlaws, a menacing sheriff, and a 'purty' girl.  Levity aside, I like this opera.  Mention the music is by Puccini and count me in.  I also recommend this opera because it has a message of redemption through love that is made for our time.  The production has an additional feature that adds considerable interest for me. The director is Lillian Groag, who staged last year’s immensely impressive Turandot. I am intrigued and look forward to seeing how this opera will be staged in her hands.

Photo by Timeline Photos; courtesy of the Virginia Opera.

I love opera, especially modern and contemporary opera, and I love Shakespeare.  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1960) by English composer Benjamin Britten and librettists Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears is made for me.  This comedic opera buffa follows Shakespeare’s famous play with some alterations; this plot involves a play within a play and use of a love potion gone awry to set the comedy in motion.  It is a challenge for the opera stage given the large number of characters involved, but this also means that the audience gets to experience an unusually large sampling of opera voices.  One unusual opera feature is that one of the more prominent characters, Oberon, is sung by a counter tenor.  I ran across a short, but engaging exploration of this opera at a web site, The Opera 101, complete with some samples of the music and a graphic of the relationships being jostled about in the opera – check it out.  Be not afraid of this modern opera; the music is said to be among the most melodious music ever written by Britten and contains enchanting choral pieces.

Photo by Timeline Photos; courtesy of the Virginia Opera.

The Virginia Opera’s last production for the 2017-2018 season, Lucia di Lammermoor (1835), is a staple of opera companies worldwide. This opera by composer Gaetano Donizetti and librettist Salvadore Cammerano tells the story of Ill-fated love and a woman driven mad.  The mad scene in the opera is quite famous and allows a soprano with the requisite singing and acting skills to own the stage for an extended period of time.  Virginia Opera’s choice for this role is coloratura soprano Rachele Gilmore.  Her performance will be the defining element for this production.  There is no question she has the skills and ability, having performed at leading opera houses around the globe. Wikipedia credits her with possibly having hit the highest note ever on the Metropolitan Opera stage.  This most traditional and beautiful Italian opera will likely leave you with tears in your eyes, but a sense of greater artistic enrichment in your heart.

These offerings by the Virginia Opera are going to be fun rides!

The Fan Experience:  Subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale.  Single tickets range in price from about $30 to $120, varying by seat selection, venue, and day of the performance.  There is a discount when you buy season tickets and easy ticket exchange.  If you live close to one of the box offices you can save a few bucks on the handling fees by obtaining your tickets there.  The performance patterns are for Norfolk to lead off a production with a Friday evening performance followed by a Sunday matinee followed by a Tuesday evening performance; for Fairfax it is a Saturday evening performance followed by a Sunday matinee; and for Richmond it is a Friday evening performance followed by a Sunday matinee.  I have attended performances in Fairfax and Richmond.  There is free parking at George Mason University’s Performing Arts Center that requires a short walk and a parking garage with a modest price (around $8) next door to the Center.  Richmond’s Dominion Arts Center  is in a downtown business area; it has both street parking and lots close by, priced moderately.  I have yet to attend opera at the Harrision Opera House in Norfolk.  Looking over the season schedule, my guess is that the enormously popular Lucia di Lammermoor, is most likely to sell out, so get your tickets for that one as early as you can commit.  In my experience, even the cheap seats are good, so if price is a factor (and it is for me), don’t be afraid of the less expensive seats; you will be viewing from a little farther away, but the music will not suffer and sometimes the acoustics are better for the higher up seats.

Opera Philadelphia’s 2017-2018 Season: Opera Blitzkrieg And A Season Of Two

The brightest star in the U.S. opera universe this season is not in New York, but in Philadelphia.  Opera Philadelphia is bringing excitement and modern relevance to opera this year, in bucket loads.  If you haven’t already, and I hope you have, take a long look at Opera Philadelphia’s new season which begins on September 14.  Do not blink.  It is going to come at you fast.  It begins with a festival they are calling O17; scheduled are five productions and one major recital over 12 days held in five different venues, which includes only one opera that you have likely heard of, The Magic Flute.  In addition, there will be a September 23 Opera on the Mall, a screening of last year’s Opera Philadelphia performance of The Marriage of Figaro.  Opera Philadelphia is hoping that the currently popular binge-watching of television series will transfer to opera; ticket sales so far indicate the strategy is working.  For the remainder of the season, they offer a new production in February of Written on Skin.  They close out the season in April-May with a new production of Carmen.  I am so impressed with Opera Philadelphia for demonstrating what a forward-thinking opera company can do!  Metropolitan Opera, are you paying attention?!

Left photo: Elizabeth Cree; photo by Dominic M. Mercier and courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.  Right photo: War Stories; photo by Stephanie Berger and courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

Opera Philadelphia’s 2017-2018 schedule can be divided into two parts, O17 and the Season of Two:

O17 -

Sep 14-23: Elizabeth Cree by Kevin Puts/Mark Campbell at the Perelman Theater (World

Premiere)

Sep 14-23: War Stories by Claudio Monteverdi (Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda) and

Lembit Beecher/Hannah Moscovitch (I Have No Stories To Tell You) at Philadelphia

Museum of Art (Philadelphia Premiere)

Sep 15-24: The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Emanuel Schikaneder at the

Academy of Music (Exclusive East Coast Appearance)

Sep 16-24: We Shall Not Be Moved by Daniel Bernard Roumain/Marc Bamuthi Joseph at the Wilma Theater (World Premiere)

Sep 17: A recital featuring Sondra Radvanovsky at the Perelman Theater

Sep 18-25: The Wake World by David Hertzberg at the Barnes Foundation (World Premiere)

Sep 23: The Marriage of Figaro, re-broadcast for the Opera on the Mall event.  

Season of Two:

Feb 9-18: Written on Skin by George Benjamin/Martin Crimp at the Academy of Music (New

Production and Philadelphia Premiere)

Apr 27-May 6: Carmen by Georges Bizet/Ludovic Halevy and Henri Meilhac at the Academy of Music (New Production)

Left photo: The Magic Flute; photo by Robert Millard/LA Opera and Courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.  Right photo: We Shall Not Be Moved; photo by Dominic M. Mercier and courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

Looking at the listing above should give you an immediate impression of O17.  I also recommend an excellent overview of O17 written by David Patrick Stearn, music critic for the Philadelphia Enquirer. I found his discussion of the staging challenges and innovations being attempted by Opera Philadelphia in five different venues to be especially enlightening.  I will only briefly mention the story line for each production.  Elizabeth Cree, by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Kevin Puts and currently hot librettist Mark Campbell, is based on Peter Ackroyd’s novel, The Trial of Elizabeth Cree.  Taking place in 1880 London, Cree is on trial, accused of poisoning her husband; suspense and surprises ensue; in English with English supertitles.  War Stories combines in a double-bill a classic composition of Monteverdi’s involving false identity in an episode of Christian-Muslim warfare with a more modern take on war as a cause of PTSD by composer Beecher and librettist Moscovitch.  The Magic Flute by our great benefactor Mr. Mozart and librettist Schikaneder enmeshes singers with animated projections for a modern take (a Los Angeles Opera original) on this classic.  For me, the new staging is welcomed since the story here is not much more than a framework for Mozart’s music (with apologies to Ingmar Bergman), but such magnificent music it is! The Queen of the Night’s aria is one of the great operatic arias.  We Shall Not Be Moved by composer Roumain and librettist Joseph is based on a real event, the 1985 standoff between the black liberation group, MOVE, and the Philadelphia police; a police helicopter dropped a bomb on members of the group, besieged in a row house, that resulted in eleven deaths, including five children, and started a fire that destroyed dozens of nearby homes.  In the opera, a current group of teens move into the warehouse which was MOVE’s headquarters and encounter ghosts.  The Wake World, a one-act opera by composer/librettist David Hertzberg, held in the Barnes Foundation, utilizes an imagined magical journey by a young girl through the Barnes collection.  A highlight of the festival will be a recital by famed soprano Sondra Radvanovsky whose recent appearances in Met Opera and Lyric Opera performances have drawn wide acclaim.

Left photo: Sondra Radvanovsky; photo by Andrew Eccles and courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.  Right photo: Ensemble view, Room 1, north, The Barnes Foundation; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.

The Season of Two does not let up on pushing the frontiers of opera.  The February selection, Written on Skin is a new production of a full-length, modern opera by composer George Benjamin and librettist Martin Crimp that premiered in 2012 and has been produced a dozen or so times since then worldwide.  I am amused by Opera Philadelphia’s tagline, calling it “A thrilling portrait of godliness and lust”.  From watching TV series like Game of Thrones and The Handmaid’s Tale, I guess it doesn’t get any more modern than that.  A powerful landowner, the Protector, commissions a young male artist to prepare an illustrated manuscript of his life and good deeds.  The Protector is described as “addicted to purity and violence” and considers his wife his “property”.  What could go wrong in this triangle?  The proof is in the pudding; read the synopsis and you will get my meaning.  Angels narrate the action; good choice.  I’m intrigued; there has to be a profound meaning in there somewhere.  I’m also curious how it will be presented by Opera Philadelphia.  Of course, the music’s the thing, and this is a good chance to get to know Mr. Benjamin’s music.

As if to make a statement that the traditional repertoire has not been abandoned, Opera Philadelphia finishes up in April/May with Carmen, composer Bizet’s and librettists Halevy’s and Meilhac’s masterpiece.  Carmen is, of course, one of the most performed operas in the world.  As such, Opera Philadelphia has promised a new production of the fiery Spanish gypsy’s seductive and deadly entanglements.  There is probably no other opera with more recognizable music and memorable arias than Carmen.  It is a chance for the singers to shine, and of particular note, is mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack who will portray Carmen.  She appeared in Santa Fe Opera’s recent production of Handel’s Alcina and will reprise that role for Washington National Opera’s Alcina in November.  In addition, she will portray the lead in Elizabeth Cree for Opera Philadelphia.  She is accompanied by emerging stars, Evan LeRoy Johnson as Don Jose, Adrian Timpau as Escamillo, and Kirsten MacKinnon. 

Usually, I am wishing I lived a little closer to Manhattan to take in more opera, but this year, the apple of my eye is Opera Philadelphia.

The Fan Experience: Tickets for Opera Philadelphia performances can be ordered online or by calling the box office at 215-732-8400.  To help navigate the O17 Festival, they have produced a nifty app that can be accessed in the App Store; search for Opera Philadelphia 2017-2018.  Tickets are limited for many O17 performances and there are many sell outs.  Opera Philadelphia also offers suggestions for hotels in the area; I recommend checking with the box office.  My wife and I have stayed at the Doubletree Hotel across the street from the Academy of Music, which can’t be beat for convenience, and at the Courtyard Philadelphia South at the Navy Yard, convenient to I-95 and is only about a $25 taxi ride to the Perelman Theater; both hotels were fine with the Courtyard being less expensive.

Wolf Trap Opera’s Bastianello and The Juniper Tree: Fun and A Moment of Transcendence

On Friday night, the master chefs of Wolf Trap Opera served up a fable, Bastianello, and a fairy tale, The Juniper Tree; the first about realizing what is important in life and the second from a Grimm fairy tale exploring the darker forces with which humans must contend.  They are complementary only by being magical stories about marriage and by sharing many of the performers.  The operas are modern and not members of the traditional repertoire.  Bastienello (music by John Musto and libretto by Mark Campbell) premiered in 2008 and The Juniper Tree (music by Philip Glass and Robert Moran and libretto by Arthur Yorinks) in 1985.  I reviewed the basic outline of the stories prior to attending, but had no idea what to expect in terms of music or staging.  I can report that I heartily enjoyed both WTO’s productions; I recommend you attend this double bill both for the pleasure and the opportunity to expand the range of your opera experiences.  And Wolf Trap Opera’s vivacious young singers will make you glad you came by adding a satisfying dollop of fun to the opera world’s nouveau cuisine.

From Bastianello, first scene, Richard Ollarsaba, the groom, Zoie Reams, the bride, Shea Owens, the father, and Summer Hassan, the mother; photo by Scott Suchman and courtesy of Wolf Trap Opera.

To delve a little deeper into these two productions, we must start with the staging.  Bastianello presents the story of a young groom who becomes disenchanted with his new bride and family and leaves vowing to only return if he can find six people as foolish as they are.  Bringing fables and fairy tales to a stage is challenging and requires creativity and imagination on the part of the director and a willingness on the part of the audience to suspend disbelief.  We can mentally personalize the stories of fairy tales we read to seduce ourselves, but in staged productions, the director’s vision is what must enable our immersion into the story.  Both operas were composed to be presented in concert halls with minimal sets, but for me, Bastianello still somewhat misfired on this point.  There was a minimal set with different scenes simply being held in different locations on the stage; initially it had the feel of skit night on a college campus, but perhaps this was intended.  The potential for humor of a typically dysfunctional family in the aftermath of a wedding and out of wine was mildly realized, but stronger character motivations would have helped, especially for the husband whose outburst over his family attitudes, or maybe the fact that all the wine was gone, seemed to come out of nowhere.  Nonetheless, the lesson of the fable was nicely realized in the scene by the lake where a farmer mistakes the reflection of the moon in the water for his wife who had drowned there earlier.

From Bastianello, third scene, Richard Ollarsaba, the groom, Summer Hassan, a bride, Shea Owens, a horse owner, Jonas Hacker, the horse, and Zoie Reams, a mother; Photo by Scott Suchman and courtesy of Wolf Trap Opera.

I thought director Schlather‘s staging and scenic/costume designer Blake Palmer’s sets and costumes were much more effective in The Juniper Tree.  This is Wolf Trap Opera’s synopsis of the opera: “This famous Grimm fairy tale tells of a wicked stepmother who murders her stepson. The boy’s sister buries her brother’s bones under a juniper tree, and the child’s spirit returns as a singing bird who wreaks vengeance on the stepmother before being restored to life with his father and sister.” Now take that and turn it into a convincing opera!  And yet, for me, it was in this production that Wolf Trap Opera put it all together, the sets, the staging, the lighting, the performers, and the music in synchrony achieved for its audience, at least briefly, transcendence, where you lose yourself, totally absorbed in the experience, and lifted to a higher place of awareness.  From the beginning I was immediately drawn in by the costumes and the dark, slow march of the birds onto the stage in step with Glass’ music and who would have thought that a stage dominated by a long, rectangular table could draw the audience into foreboding and then deliverance by a slow undrapping and then drapping of this central object? Minimal staging can be effective.  Special kudos to all involved in The Juniper Tree.

From The Juniper Tree: Madison Leonard, the daughter, Ben Edquist, the husband, and Annie Rosen, the stepmother.

So, let’s talk more about those involved.  With modern opera, I am always apprehensive whether I will like the music; some stretch my limits in terms of what I can appreciate.  This proved not the case for these two, even though I was particularly anxious about Bastianello because I knew nothing of composer John Musto.  However, I found myself really liking his music and it served the opera well.  Interestingly, the score for The Juniper Tree was assembled by sections assigned by the composers' agreement to either Mr. Glass or Mr. Moran.  I thought their work fit together and complimented each other well.  The score sounded a bit more like it came from a movie or broadway musical rather than what one might expect of an opera, but again was quite pleasing and effective in supporting the action on stage.  Conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya and her ensemble of musicians were excellent.

From The Juniper Tree: Ben Edquist, the father, is fed a stew containing his son; Madison Leonard, the daugher, assists; and Annie Rosen, the stepmother serves the stew atop a the large table; photo by Scott Suchman and courtesy of Wolf Trap Opera.

In Bastianello, Filene Young Artists Jonas Hacker, Shea Owens, Summer Hassan, Richard Ollarsaba, and Zoie Reams combined to present twelve characters in three scenes.  Each sang their parts convincingly.  Mr. Hacker and Mr. Owens perhaps shone brightest in this opera.  Summer Hassan appeared in both operas, in The Juniper Tree as the wife; she was joined by fellow young artists Ben Edquist as husband, Megan Mikailovna Samarin as son, Annie Rosen as stepmother, and Madison Leonard as daughter.  Talented and professional, they were all good.  Ms. Rosen especially impressed me with her singing and by giving a menacing edge to the stepmom and Ms. Samarin for singing effectively in a pants role, but for me the stand out in this opera was Ms. Hassan.  if I'm being honest, I was a little disappointed with her Musetta in last year’s La Boheme.  I had started to take note of her this year in earlier Wolf Trap performances, but in The Juniper Tree, her voice and singing and the music so complemented each other they became magic together.  The principal cast members were ably supported by a large contingent of young Wolf Trap Studio Artists in other roles, including choral accompaniment. 

From The Juniper Tree: Megan Mikailovna Samarin, the son, drapped by the golden tablecloth, stands triumphantly over Annie Rosen, the stepmother;  photo by Scott Suchman and courtesy of Wolf Trap Opera.

I truly admire the Wolf Trap Opera Company for their excellence and their role in developing young operatic talent, but also for the enrichment they provide to Washington area communities.  Under the leadership of Kim Pensinger Witman, they annually look beyond the traditional repertoire (except for the singular, annual Filene Center presentation) and bring to life either more modern works or unearth past operatic jewels that have been forgotten.  Couple that with the enthusiasm and talent of their outstanding young Filene Artists and their productions are always sure bets for enjoyable entertainment and distinctive arts experiences.  Bastianello and The Juniper Tree add to that assessment.  

The Fan Experience: My son and I made the dubious choice of having dinner at The Barns instead of attending the pre-opera talk; these talks by Ms. Witman are always informative and helpful in appreciating the opera being presented, though for The Juniper Tree, do have your dinner prior to the opera.  The meal service begins an hour and a half before the opera and the pre-opera talk begins an hour prior to the opera performance; by rushing a little you could work in both.  Our meals were fine and we especially liked the crafts beers offered to accompany our entree choices.  Perhaps because the weather outside was not as warm as usual this time of year, I found the air-conditioning in The Barns to be a bit chilly.  The opera crowd at The Barns is typically mainly casually attired, but if you are sensitive to the cold, bring an over-shirt or light sweater with you.  As a reminder, parking at The Barns is free and egress after a performance is mercifully much less stressful than dealing with the large crowds leaving performances at the Filene Center.  Wolf Trap Opera makes opera as accessible and stress free as it can be done, and oh yes, it makes it fun.

The final two performances of this double bill are Wednesday night, August 16, and Saturday night, August 19.  For tickets, click here.  You can save on service fees by purchasing your tickets from the Wolf Trap Box Office in person.

Washington National Opera’s 2017-2018 Season: Exciting for the New Opera Fan, Though Not for the Fan of New Opera

It’s time, if you haven't already, to start making your opera selections for the 2017-2018 season, which is now only a month away.  Washington National Opera leads off opera in the mid-Atlantic region with its first production starting on Sept 9; so let’s examine what WNO is putting forth.  Upfront, here’s my personal dilemma.  I have become a fan of new opera, and last season, WNO was strong in this regard. This year they seem to have taken a step back, most likely I'm guessing, due to undeserved weak ticket sales for Dead Man Walking and Champion; Kennedy Center audiences, like most audiences around the country, seem to favor the classic operas.  That said, I must admit that the offerings for the next season are appealing to me.  In fact, as a relatively new fan of opera, I am rather excited about the upcoming season, primarily because of two classic operas I haven’t seen, Alcina and Don Carlo, and because of the powerhouse singers coming to town for each of the productions.  I'm not so excited as a fan of new opera.  The one beacon for new opera from WNO is the American Opera Initiative’s January offering of new short operas, which could be especially interesting this season.  Still, it is my hope that by going back to the past for this year’s selections that we are not seeing the future of opera from WNO.  I plan to be in my seat for each of this year’s WNO productions, but it beckons that Opera Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Opera will continue to feature new works for the 2017-2018 season. 

Here are WNO’s productions announced for the coming season, beginning in September (*indicates cast changes for different performance dates):

Sep 9-23:  Aida (1871) by Giuseppe Verdi*; Sep 23 performance broadcast to Nationals Park as “Opera in the Outfield”

Nov 4-19:  Alcina (1735) by George Frederic Handel*; Nov 18: performed by Domingo Cafritz Young Artists

Dec 14-17:  The Little Prince (2003) by Rachel Portman, a Holiday Family Opera

Jan 19-21:  Proving Up (2018) by Missy Mazzoli - American Opera Initiative

Jan 20:  Three New Twenty Minute Operas - American Opera Initiative

Mar 3-17:  Don Carlo (1867) by Giuseppe Verdi*

Apr 28-May 19: The Barber of Seville (1813) by Gioachino Rossini*, May 17: performed by Domingo Cafritz Young Artists

May 5-26: Candide (1956) by Leonard Bernstein

Aida: photo by Cory Weaver; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Aida, by composer Giuseppe Verdi and librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni, can certainly be called an old warhorse, but there are good reasons for its popularity, mainly the music and the spectacle, and it’s consistently in the top ten to fifteen operas in terms of annual performances worldwide; it is a good choice for the September 23 broadcast to the Nats stadium for “Opera in the Outfield”.  To WNO’s credit this will be a new production with costumes and sets designed by the artist RETNA (that’s correct, all caps); As a prelude, WNO is offering an exhibition of RETNA’s work at the Kennedy Center from Aug 14 to Sep 24.  This is reminiscent of their production this spring of Madame Butterfly with stunning sets by the artist Jun Kenako; that staging substantially enhanced the performance, especially for those of us who had seen it before.  I’ve only seen a couple of performances of Aida, and they were video recordings; it’s a good story involving a love triangle, though the performers in neither that I saw gave convincing performances.  There is, however, no question the great music in Aida is some of Verdi’s best.  WNO will also be including dance and acrobatics in this production, and the role of Aida will be shared by two excellent young sopranos, Tamara Wilson and Amber Wagner; Ms. Wilson has played Aida for the Met and Ms. Wagner, drew positive reviews for her performance in the Met’s recent Der Fliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman).  I have high expectations for this production, but it's a toss up as to which Aida I'd rather see; maybe both.

Angela Meade as Alcina: photo by Julio Rodriguez; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

It’s Alcina that really gets my juices flowing.  George Frederic Handel is best known in the U.S. for the Messiah, his oratorio that has become a part of Christmas for many of us. During the first half of the eighteenth century, however, he was the opera guy.  I have a recording of his opera, Semele, staring Kathleen Battle that I love (but it might be mainly because of my love of her voice).   Handel composed over forty operas, often more than one per year; yet, only a few have received production in the U.S.  Alcina is currently (thru 8/17) being performed by the Sante Fe Opera, but that is the only other production in the U.S. in the last three years. In fact, Handel’s operas in total while reasonably popular in Europe have had no more than five U.S. productions in the last three years, most notably Guilio Cesare and Rodelinda.  Alcina’s plot has interesting features, a sorceress on a magical island, an enchanted knight, a woman disguised as a man, and a magic ring, and it explores the nature of love and desire.  It has gender-bending roles for WNO’s excellent young mezzos.  Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong will play Ruggiero, a knight; this could be played by a castrato, but they are in short supply these days.  Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack will portray Bradmante, Ruggiero’s betrothed; she is pretending to be her brother, Ricciardo, to elude Alcina’s wrath; Ms. Mack is playing this role in the Sante Fe production.  Headlining will be opera star, Angela Meade, as Alcina.  The staging will be critical for Alcina.  Handel’s operas focus on the arias; what will happen with the rest of the cast when one is being sung?

Don Carlo: photo by Kelly and Massa; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Don Carlo is a power opera, both in terms of its subject matter and its effect on audiences, and is often accorded the term, masterpiece. The team of composer Giuseppe Verdi and librettists Joseph Mery and Camille du Locle composed a Parisienne grand opera in French including five acts and a ballet, titled Don Carlos.  The history of this opera is extraordinary; there are many versions of the opera and many hands as well as Verdi’s in creating them.  It was even cut just before the first performance so that it would end in time for the opera goers in Paris to get the last trains out of the city to the suburbs.  There also was subsequently an Italian version, titled Don Carlo, which is the one most often performed now.  And there were subsequently two Italian versions, the Modena version with the original five acts and the Milan version with only four acts.  WNO is presenting the latter.  The drama revolves around King Philip of Spain’s decision to take as wife, Elizabeth, daughter of the King of France, in order to end the war between the two nations; a complicating factor was that Elizabeth was betrothed at the time to Carlo, son of Phillip, and Carlo and Elizabeth were smitten with each other.  Throw in some rival suitors and political intrigue and it gets messy, and Verdi brings it home with a stunner of an ending; can you say deux ex machina?  There are lots of opportunities for emotional arias to be sung by a primetime cast, including Leah Crocetto, Jamie Barton, and Eric Owens.

The Little Prince: photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

It is traditional for opera companies to feature an opera especially appropriate for children during the holiday season.  WNO is offering The Little Prince by composer Rachel Portman and librettist Nicholas Wright.  This opera was previously offered by WNO in 2014 and is based on the Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s novella of the same title.  The cast will come from the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists and include the WNO Children’s Chorus.

If Don Carlo is a warhorse, The Barber of Seville (or Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Italian) is a money horse.  Composer Gioachino Rossini’s and librettist Cesare Sterbini’s spirited romantic comedy is consistently among the top grossing operas in the world.   It is one of a handful of operas that you recommend to your friends who want to try opera.  Actually, watching two different versions of this opera taught me just how different it can be depending on the players, especially depending on who plays the pivotal role of Figaro.  Moldovan baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky will make his U.S. debut performance in the role of Figaro.  For that reason and because soprano Isabel Leonard, who plays Rosina, is a favorite of mine, I will even look forward to another refrain of Figaro, Figaro, Figaro, Fi-gar-ro.

Left photo of The Barber of Seville by Cory Weaver and right photo of Candide by Karlie Cadel for the Glimmerglass Festival; courtesy of Washington National Opera.

Candide could be interesting.  It now seems to be labeled an operetta, but features the music of classical composer Leonard Bernstein.  Having said that, I know him best for his fantastic score for "West Side Story".  This Candide is based on Voltaire’s Candide; the music and libretto have undergone many revisions/additions with quite a few contributors.  WNO describes it as a “funny, philosophical, and fast-paced take on Voltaire’s biting satire, which annihilates any notions of hope with its dizzying display of human depravity and catastrophic disasters.”  It’s sort of like most cable mini-series, but will they be able to make it funny?  Well, “House of Cards” was sort of funny; at least it was for a while.  The draw for me here is the opportunity to hear Bernstein’s music. 

I have discussed the American Opera Initiative before and this year’s is highlighted by the one-hour opera, “Proving Up”, by composer, Missy Mazzoli, and librettist, Roy Vavrek.  This duo’s outstanding Breaking the Waves (premiered by Opera Philadelphia) won the Music Critics Association of North America’s first Award for Best New Opera in North America.   Proving Up is about homesteaders using a clever, but difficult, deception to acquire rights to their lands, which they were too poor to do otherwise.  Jeff Sessions would not approve; I suspect we will.  This offers water for my parched new opera lips and having seen Breaking the Waves, I anxiously await this one.

In conclusion, Washington National Opera’s 2017-2018 Season, though disappointing for what it does not offer, is nevertheless, exciting for what it does.

The Fan Experience: Individual tickets are available for all performances at this time, though tickets for the American Opera Initiative already have limited availability.  If you are interested in buying tickets to more than one opera, check with the box office at 202-467-4600 to see if you are eligible for subscription pricing; you may be eligible for ticket and parking discounts and/or other benefits, such as the ability to change your ticket to an alternate performance date.  Also remember that the Kennedy Center uses dynamic pricing which means that if certain performances are in high demand they may raise the prices for the remaining tickets.