“Faust” Falls Flat

New productions at the Metropolitan Opera always garner much attention, and many provoke controversy amongst opera lovers everywhere. The Met’s new production of Gounod’s Faust was no exception, and because of the choice to update this medieval tale to the 20th century, much speculation surrounded its premiere. The stellar line-up of principal singers under the guidance of a youthful and energetic conductor and a production by an award-winning theater director seemed to position this Faust as a promising addition to the Met’s repertoire. However, after attending the December 20th performance, I came away disappointed by inconsistencies found throughout the evening.

An image of Marina Poplavskaya pojected onto the show curtain of "Faust"

Coming off a heroic run as Siegmund in the Met’s presentations of Wagner’s Die Walküre last season, German tenor Jonas Kaufmann took on the title character of the aging-scholar-turned-youthful-cad. The role requires an abundance of smooth, lyrical singing and light French tone – qualities absent from Mr. Kaufmann’s performance. His voice is a beautiful instrument, but his hefty, dark sound seemed inappropriate for the music of the title role. Furthermore, Mr. Kaufmann’s performance on this particular evening was marred by inconsistencies. He delivered many moments of velvety phrasing that caused the whole audience to melt, but on other occasions he gracelessly attacked lines and high notes. Because of the almost baritonal quality of his singing, any contrast between Mr. Kaufmann’s sound and the other male vocal lines was lost. I have much respect for Mr. Kaufmann and believe him a great interpreter of the heavier roles in the tenor repertoire, but I feel that the role of Faust is not a natural fit for this talented performer.

Below is an excerpt of Jonas Kaufmann’s performance of “Salut! Demeure chaste et pure”:

As the object of Mr. Kaufmann’s seduction, soprano Marina Poplavskaya – who divided Met audiences last season with performances in Verdi’s towering Don Carlo and classic La Traviata – delivered a committed portrayal of the innocent Marguerite. “Impulsive” is a word that best captures the essence of Ms. Poplavskaya’s craft, for she completely adopts a new persona onstage. All of Ms. Poplavskaya’s actions seemed natural as she totally embodied her character, and her voice was well suited for the role’s varied music. Unfortunately, her no-holds-bar style took a heavy toll on her singing in the latter parts of the opera. Here Ms. Poplavskaya forced her singing – a few times going slightly flat on top notes. I will continue to enjoy Ms. Poplavskaya’s appearances, for she consistently delivers compelling portrayals, even if she sometimes sacrifices vocal beauty in the process.

Mariana Poplavskaya as Marguerite sings the “Jewel Song” from Gounod’s Faust:

The most polished and balanced performance of the evening came from veteran bass René Pape as Méphistophélès. His pure, rich sound allowed him to comfortably deliver the role’s diverse and challenging music. Mr. Pape’s suave and charming Méphistophélès swaggered around the stage with ease and confidence, though at times, especially during larger crowd scenes, Mr. Pape’s acting bordered on camp. However, the blame for this likely falls upon the director rather than this accomplished artist.

A portion of the first act duet between Faust (Jonas Kaufmann) and Méphistophélès (René Pape):

As Marguerite’s noble brother Valentin, baritone Russell Braun sang with gorgeous tone throughout the evening and contributed a beautiful “Avant de quitter ces lieux” in the second act. As Siebel, mezzo-soprano Michèle Losier sang with nice, lyric tone and easily portrayed the character’s youthful demeanor. Both Theodora Hanslowe as Marguerite’s nosey neighbor Marthe (replacing Wendy White, who was injured in a prior performance) and Jonathan Boyer as Wagner both contributed to the performance with strong appearances.

The orchestra and chorus under the direction of Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin –a French-Canadian conductor in his mid-thirties – exhibited their trademark proficiencies. Maestro Nézet-Séguin imbues a natural energy into every performance, and this quality is manifest in the explosive playing he evokes from his musicians. This quality breathes life into each performance, but on this occasion Maestro Nézet-Séguin tended to cover the singers in the early moments of the opera and took some time to relax into a comfortable relationship between the pit and the stage.

An excerpt from the third act love duet:

The truly noteworthy aspect of this evening’s performance was the production by Tony award-winning director Des McAnuff. The production was framed as a flashback in the mind of the title character as he commits suicide by poison. Mr. McAnuff places the story between the beginning of the First World War and the detonation of the atomic bomb nearly thirty years later, and the aging Faust is characterized as a scientist working on the nuclear Manhattan Project – in fact the whole production takes place in a laboratory. On the surface, the concept seemed a fresh re-imagining of the classic tale, but the execution proved insufficient at realizing this well-intentioned goal. Overall, it seemed that the production team tried too hard to be clever, resulting in a stage often cluttered to the point of distraction. Burn victims carrying bomb components,villagers convulsing rhythmically, jarring camera flashes, and random bursts of white and green light – These are but a few of the many production techniques which undermined the unique concept. With alterations and editing, this production has the potential to be an ingenious take on the classic opera, but in its current state, this approach does not ably showcase the merits of Gounod’s opera.

Faust continues its run at the Met through January 19, though some of the singers mentioned in this post are no longer with the production (most notably Mr. Kaufmann and Mr. Pape), and encore presentation of the December 10th “Live in HD” broadcast can be seen on January 11th in the United States and on February 4th and 27th in Canada.

For a full photo gallery of this production of Faust click here, and please check out director Des McAnuff discussing his production.

If you have questions or comments about this performance of Gounod’s Faust please feel free email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org

Ring Cycle for the 21st Century – “Siegfried”

A waterfall flowing into a placid pool, leaves cascading onto a mountain clearing, birds swooping in and gliding over water – these are but a few of the images employed in the Met’s new, technologically innovative production of Siegfried. Here is a video which represents this use of technology:

I wanted to attend all four of Robert LePage’s ambitious productions of Wagner’s monumental work Der Ring des Nibelungen live in the opera house, but my schedule prevented me from seeing any performances of the third opera, Siegfried, at the Met (visit these links for my take on the first two operas: Das Rheingold and Die Walküre).  Instead, I attended the “Live in HD” presentation on November 5* at the Warner Theatre in Torrington, Connecticut.  As with the second opera in the cycle, Die Walküre, this installment improved upon its predecessors and was in many ways the best so far.

Jay Hunter Morris as Siegfried

In an operatic turn of events, the veteran heldentenor Gary Lehman was forced to withdraw because of illness and was hastily replaced by Jay Hunter Morris, a youthful tenor from Paris, Texas.  The role of Siegfried is acknowledged as one of the most difficult in the standard repertoire, and while Mr. Morris still has some growing to do in this part, his performance was balanced vocally and dramatically. His lyric tone was effective in this demanding role, and throughout the afternoon, Mr. Morris was very convincing as the rambunctious teenager. His performance could well be a milestone in the career of a promising young tenor.

Veteran tenor Gerhard Siegel displayed proficiency in the role of Mime, a part which he has sung dozens of times. His experience with the character was evident, as he delivered a unique and nuanced performance without compromising the integrity of Wagner’s music.

As the Wanderer (the god Wotan in disguise), Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel continued his tradition of delivering dramatic and compelling performances on the Met stage. While bearing a striking resemblance to Lucius Malfoy, Mr. Terfel delivered a commanding performance with his pure, lyrical sound.  Unfortunately, in some of the most dramatic moments of the opera, he sacrificed beauty for intensity, and tended toward shouting. Nonetheless, I have enjoyed watching Mr. Terfel develop a multi-faceted characterization of this role throughout the cycle.

Bryn Terfel as a mysterious Wanderer

In her first experience as Brünnhilde, soprano Deborah Voigt continued to come up just short of greatness.  To my ears, Ms. Voigt does not possess the clearest tone, and in this performance she seemed to stretch her voice to reach the top notes. She just barely touched her final high-C before cutting it off abruptly. However, what Ms. Voigt lacks in vocal beauty, she compensates for with committed and realistic characterizations. In her relatively short stage appearance, Ms. Voigt skillfully portrayed Brünnhilde’s wide range of emotions– from utter shock to deep despair and, finally, sensual bliss – and created wonderful chemistry with Mr.Morris. I await Ms. Voigt’s appearance in Götterdämmerung with some trepidation – then again, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by her performances in the past.

Deborah Voigt in a backstage interview

In his brief appearance as the scheming dwarf Alberich, bass-baritone Eric Owens sang with his characteristic sonority, which at times seemed too pleasant for such a diabolical character. Hans-Peter König, as the giant-turned-dragon Fafner, sang with a powerful, full-bodied bass, and mezzo-soprano Patricia Bardon exuded mystery as the Earth goddess Erda with dark tone and mystical stage presence complemented by her otherworldly costume. Soprano Mojca Erdmann contributed nicely to the second act with a lovely offstage performance of the forest bird – represented onstage by an ingenious video projection.

The Metropolitan Opera orchestra is generally regarded as one of the world’s best, but under the baton of newly-appointed Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi, their playing was even more exquisite. They evoked a remarkable range of orchestral color – from aching beauty to grand lyricism to harsh anxiety.

A behind-the-scenes look at the Ring's "Machine"

As noted earlier, this installment of the Robert LePage Ring cycle presented a winning combination of innovative technology and traditional dramatization. The projections and images were constantly moving, breathing life into every scene.  Using captivating, three-dimensional imagery, the production capably depicted the opera’s connection with the natural world.  I am excited to see the final installment of the cycle later this season, for I am confident LePage’s team will continue to realize Wagner’s grand mythological vision with their unique interpretive skills.

I highly recommend that you explore this webpage for video excerpts and background information on the Robert LePage Ring Cycle. And the Met’s Ring Cycle minisite is also a must-see!

Wagner’s Siegfried will be presented later this season as part of the complete Ring Cycle. For more information, visit the Met’s website. And to see an extensive photo gallery of the production see this link.

A video of Jay Hunter Morris singing the Act 1 “Forging Song”:

*For those readers who haven’t heard of Met’s Live in High Definition program, the Met presents close to a dozen live broadcasts of Saturday matinée performances live into movie theaters in fifty-four nations worldwide. For more information on this series, click here.

With questions or comments, please email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org

Summer Opera Traditions

One of the most melancholy days for any opera fan falls in the middle of May when the curtain closes on the final performance at the end of a Metropolitan Opera season. This moment begins a period of four months of no live opera on the Met’s grand stage. For diehard New York opera fans, the summer months can feel endless as we await opening night of the new season in late September. However, every year one can find a variety of local opera events to keep the summer musical. For years I have attended the same events, and this year, these two happened to fall within two days of each other – a presentation of Rossini’s last and grandest opera Guillaume Tell on July 9th followed soon after by an opera recital in Manhattan’s Central Park on July 11th. This operatic long weekend was able to provide enough delightful music to keep me satisfied until the Met’s Summer “Live in HD” Festival in late August.

Caramoor's Venetian Theater during the day...

Since 1997, the Caramoor Center for Arts and Music (a peaceful and rural music complex surrounded by meadows and gardens in Upstate New York) – in addition to offering a summer full of symphonic and chamber music – presents two or three operas in concert as part of its “Bel Canto at Caramoor” series. This year, the company presented performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic operetta H.M.S. Pinafore and Rossini’s rarely performed Guillaume Tell. To many this opera is Rossini’s masterpiece, and he composed it immediately before retiring from opera composition at the age of thirty-seven. In addition to being quite long – it runs over four hours without cuts – the piece has an intricate plot which proves difficult to stage. Yet even more challenging, Rossini demands much of every singer; giving them all technically complex and emotionally varied music. For these reasons, the work is rarely performed. It’s a shame that this piece is not presented more often, for it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, dynamic, and unified scores Rossini ever composed.

...and at night!

After hearing such a powerful performance this summer, I could understand why music experts praise this work so highly. Every aria, ensemble, choral piece, and orchestral interlude which make up the score are unique and novel while still being musically advanced. However, all these components work extremely well together and create one cohesive work.

Daniel Mobbs as the Swiss patriot William Tell carried the evening with his lyric bass-baritone, but his voice never seemed weakened by the lengthy role. The Austrian princess Mathilde was portrayed by soprano Juliana Di Giacomo dominated the stage with her gigantic voice. Although she overpowered her colleagues at times, Ms. Di Giacomo delivered a superb performance with soaring tones and dramatic intensity. And as the conflicted Arnold, Michael Spyres performed with a nice timbre and light top notes proving that he has the talent to be a great Rossini tenor. However, when contributing to larger ensembles, he struggled to hold his own.

In the “trouser role” of Tell’s son Jemmy, Talise Trevigne easily managed the high parts of the role with her sparkling soprano. As Jemmy’s mother Hedwige, Vanessa Cariddi performed with a hefty yet smooth mezzo-soprano. Ms. Cariddi was able to transition from the low-lying legato phrases to the occasional high notes with ease. As the sadistic Austrian governor Gessler, Scott Bearden delivered a powerful performance with his large baritone. Other notable performances came from tenor Brian Dowen delivering a finely sung fisherman and bass Nicholas Masters as Walter –William Tell’s fellow patriot. The Caramoor Festival Chorus contributed much to the performance with beautiful singing and its proficiency at handling the opera’s vast amount of choral music. The Orchestra of St. Luke’s under the direction of Maestro Will Crutchfiled played the opera’s textured score both expressively and dynamically.

During the performance of "Guillaume Tell": from left Talise Trevigne (in green), Vanessa Cariddi, Julianna Di Giacomo, and Daniel Mobbs

The whole event surrounding the performance of this opera was thrilling. From an all-day series of stimulating lectures with Maestro Crutchfield and renowned musicologist Phillip Gosset to the final bows, the day was filled with excitement. There was a palpable feeling that all present where participating in a rare experience. As the famous finale from the Overture (better known to many as the “Long Ranger Theme Song”) flew out from the orchestra, a rush came over the audience, and this excitement carried through the rest of the evening. And once the final bars of music soared out over the audience, a roar of applause erupted like I’ve never heard at any other classical performance.

However, as electric as this performance was, the presentation of the opera in a concert setting does not do this work justice. Guillaume Tell is one of Rossini’s best operas and deserves to be staged more regularly in the world’s great houses. Much of the drama was lost in the concert staging, and some moments even seemed farcical (for instance the famous moment where Tell shoots an apple off his son’s head was presented without any attempt to convey the actions of the libretto – a choice which received chuckles from some audience members). Overall, this performance made a strong case for bringing Tell into the mainstream.

A video about Caramoor’s Young Artist Mentoring Program:

And for more information on the Caramoor Center for Arts and Music, click here.

To continue my operatic long weekend, I attended the first in a series of six Metropolitan Opera Recitals in parks throughout New York City. This recital took place in the center of Manhattan at Central Park Summer Stage. After a disappointing experience at Summer Stage last year, I was worried that many of the problems I encountered at that performance – a disrespectful staff, some poor choices in musical selections – would be repeated this time around. However, I was pleasantly surprised that every employee of Summer Stage was courteous, and the recital’s program included many popular pieces, as well as some lesser-known works that allowed the soloists to show off their talents.

Central Park Summer Stage (photo courtesy of Rachel Rowland)

Soprano Angela Meade – a winner of the 2007 National Grand Council Finals – began the recital on a “high note” with a nicely sung “Casta Diva” from Bellini’s Norma and displayed a natural talent for Bel Canto singing throughout the whole evening. With her pure tones, Ms. Meade excelled in many of her offerings and showcased a beautiful voice with delicately-sung, pianissimo high notes.

The second singer on the stage was Jennifer Johnson Cano, a member of the Met’s Lindeman Young Artist Development Program. With her light mezzo-soprano, Ms. Johnson Cano also excelled in the works of the Bel Canto composers Bellini and Donizetti. In duets with Ms. Meade, the two young singers complemented each other nicely, and a real thrill of the evening was “Sul suo capo aggravi un dio” from Donizetti’s Anna Bolena (the opera which is to open the Met’s 2011-2012 season and which will star Ms. Meade in subsequent performances) where they offered dramatic intensity and blended harmonies.

Angela Meade - in violet - and Jennifer Johnson Cano - in red - (photo courtesy of Rachel Rowland)

But of course this is opera – an art form teeming with drama – and it couldn’t be opera without some excitement. On this evening, the drama came in the form of a last-minute replacement of an ailing Dimitri Pittas for former Lindeman Young Artist Atalla Ayan (a Brazilian tenor making his Met debut with this recital). Mr. Ayan posses a mature-sounding voice despite being only twenty-five years old. With his powerful voice, he excelled in selections from a variety of standard repertoire (Gounod, Verdi, and Puccini) and produced vibrant and strong high notes. The audience at this recital may have witnessed the Met debut of a soon-to-be world-class tenor.

After two nights of pure operatic bliss I feel as if I can now endure the two more months until the beginning of the Met Season. I urge opera lovers to explore the musical events in their communities. And don’t feel too disheartened…the new season opens in fewer than two months!

You can learn more about these three young artists at these websites: Angela Meade, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Atalla Ayan.

Please leave a comment and feel free to email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org

Terrence McNally’s “Master Class” Revived on Broadway

A play about an operatic master class may sound like a lackluster experience to any theatergoer not completely infatuated with opera. What dramatic interest is there in a group of young singers being critiqued by an operatic veteran, even if it is famed diva Maria Callas? But Terrence McNally’s play Master Class goes far beyond depicting the goings-on in one of these sessions common in the world of opera. Instead, McNally uses the setting to communicate the story of one of opera’s most celebrated prima donnas. Although the play includes many memories from the diva’s professional and personal life, to consider it as only a biography would be to miss its true essence. Master Class reveals the struggles encountered in seeking success in one’s career and examines the sacrifices one must make in achieving these goals. When I heard that a revival of this play was being directed by Stephen Wadsworth on Broadway after a successful run at Washington’s Kennedy Center, I jumped at the chance to see it.  The new production will play a limited engagement at Manhattan Theater Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre during the summer of 2011. I attended an early preview performance on Saturday June 18.

The poster for "Master Class"

Portraying the larger-than-life personality of the diva, Drama Desk, Tony, and six-time Emmy-award winning actress Tyne Daly embodied every aspect of the character. Ms. Daly did not simply act like Maria Callas – she was Maria Callas. Her every gesture, voice, and mannerism led the audience to believe Callas had been resurrected before them. Ms. Daly excelled in every component of the character. On countless occasions she was hilarious, though she never played her lines for laughs. Yet the highlights of her performance were two fifteen-minute-long monologues at the end of each act accompanied by live recordings of Callas performances. In these places, the audience sees deep into the life of Madame Callas as she gives voice to the memories and influential people from her past, most notably her former lover Aristotle Onassis. It almost seemed that these memories were Ms. Daly’s own. One could easily forget that she was acting.

In this fictional master class, the Callas character gives guidance to a tenor and two sopranos. The acting capabilities of these performers varied, yet all three delivered well-rounded performances. As the young soprano Sophie De Palma, Broadway debutante Alexandra Silber captured the naiveté and inexperience of her character.  Although the play does not give the role many lines to sing, Ms. Silber’s pleasant voice was evident.

As the humorous “Tony the Tenor”, Metropolitan Opera comprimario Garrett Sorenson also is making his Broadway debut. Mr. Sorenson’s acting was a bit overstated for my taste, but many of his lines had the audience full of laughter. However, when singing the aria “Recondita armonia” from Puccini’s Tosca, Mr. Sorenson demonstrated that his true talent lies in his singing ability and potential as an operatic leading man.

The set for "Master Class"

Sierra Boggess, returning to Broadway after starring in The Little Mermaid, delivered the most complete performance of the three as the soprano Sharon Graham. Ms. Boggess’s acting was quite convincing, and the intensity of her showdown with Callas in the final moments of the play left me stunned.  Despite the character’s early self-doubt, she is able to find the courage to resist Callas’s overpowering influence. Ms. Boggess was able to express a wide range of emotions and portray the character’s growth over the course of her time onstage. Ms. Boggess also poses a beautiful operatic voice.  She delivered a powerful rendition of Lady Macbeth’s letter scene from Verdi’s Macbeth.

Jeremy Cohen as the accompanist Manny delivered a well-acted performance as the addressee of Callas’s beliefs about singing and the world of opera. In addition, Mr. Cohen exhibited his proficiency as a pianist when accompanying all three singers. Clinton Brandhagen as the stagehand completed the ensemble with a few notably humorous appearances.

The production by director Stephen Wadsworth was furnished with Thomas Lynch’s understated sets, which provided a perfect complement to the onstage action. Mr. Wadsworth, with numerous theater credits under his belt, also has directed in some premier opera houses, and clearly understands the world of opera. His direction was never heavy handed, and all the acting seemed natural. One especially effective touch came during Callas’s two monologues. The master class set would glide off the stage, and images of an opera house would appear. This focused all the attention on Ms. Daly and provided her with the freedom to work her theatrical magic.

Tenor Garrett Sorenson (Left) and director Stephen Wadsworth (Center) discuss "Master Class"

This play is a must-see for any opera connoisseur, but I especially recommend it for young singers aspiring to a career in opera. Over the course of the two hours, the Callas character reveals her opinions, not only about singing, but also about how to be a singer. She explains that a singer must not only sing the notes, but embody the character, understand every word and action indicated in the libretto, and fully commit him or herself to the role. Also, Callas’s commentary demonstrates how one must be dedicated to one’s art and success. Although the play implies that Maria Callas practiced her art too aggressively – one student shouts “I don’t want to be like you…I don’t want to lose my voice in ten years!” – it asserts that the life of an opera singer, or any dedicated artist, requires considerable determination and sacrifice.

Excerpts from this production of Master Class:

This play is a fascinating take on the life of Maria Callas and an intense view into the world of opera.  It is not only a great play about opera; it is an enthralling piece of theater with a talented ensemble cast and a superb leading lady.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class officially opens on July 07 and runs through August 14. For more information, click here.

The cast and creative team discuss Master Class:

An interview with playwright Terrence McNally:

And for another video of McNally discussing his play click here.

And here is opera writer Fred Plotkin’s take on the lead role in Master Class.

As always, please comment below or e-mail me at cbrowner@taftschool.org

The Bent Nail in the News

As publicity for the Connecticut Lyric Opera’s presentation of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca (discussed below), my local newspaper, The Waterbury Republican American, ran an article about me in the Arts section. For a copy of the story click here.

World-Famous Diva Comes to Waterbury

After receiving many requests from fellow classmates, I organized another operatic adventure – this time to the Connecticut Lyric Opera’s May 20th presentation of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca at Waterbury’s Palace Theater. As this was the first opera for many of my guests – a total of 20 students, teachers, and parents – we were pleased that the CLO’s creative production, the opera’s intense drama, and an abundance of talented singers brought the Puccini’s sensational melodrama to life.

My group after the performance of "Tosca"

As the title character, the opera diva Floria Tosca, Jurate Svedaite excelled with a gorgeous voice and intense acting. Ms. Svedaite brought her clear and powerful tone to this role and sang with lyricism and accurate high notes. Ms. Svedaite also excelled as an actress, though at times playing the role in a very traditional, melodramatic style. She presented every aspect of the complex character, allowing the audience to understand Tosca’s jealous side and feel sympathy for her in the opera’s more tense moments. As in every role she portrays, Ms. Svedaite made this role her own without losing the essential qualities of the character.

Ms. Svedaite sings “Vissi d’arte” from Act Two:

John Tsotsoros portrayed Tosca’s rebellious lover, the painter Mario Cavaradossi. Mr. Tsotsoros, in his second role with the company, sang Cavaradossi with an Italianate sound and produced soaring top notes. In addition, Mr. Tsotsoros was a convincing actor and exhibited wonderful chemistry with Ms. Svedaite. The Act One exchange between the two lovers in the Church of Sant’Andrea della Valle was passionate and entirely believable – this was one of my favorite moments of the evening.

John Tsotsoros performs “E lucevan le stelle”:

Luke Scott, though younger than the typical Baron Scarpia, presented a sinister and lecherous characterization of the opera’s villain. Mr. Scott’s voice is lyrical and has beautiful tone but may have been dwarfed by the blazing orchestra. However, his acting was superb, and his youth allowed the character to take on new dimensions. Mr. Scott was committed to the demanding role, yet he never let his performance get out of control.

As the kooky Sacristan, Michael Gamble delivered a solid performance with a smooth baritone voice and expressive acting. Laurentiu Rotaru as the escaped prisoner Cesare Angelotti brought much to the small role with his full-bodied bass. The other singers – Daniel Juárez as Spoletta, Ryan Foley as Sciaronne, Skip Wilson as the Jailer, and Adrianne Bitting as the Shepherd Boy – delivered well-sung portrayals of their characters. The CLO chorus, although diminished, was still a vibrant presence onstage. An especially stirring moment was the chorus’s beautifully sung cantata in second act.

Luke Scott sings the “Te Deum” with the CLO Chorus:

The Connecticut Virtuosi Orchestra, under the baton of Artistic Director Adrian Sylveen, continued its partnership with CLO for this run of Tosca. Although overpowering the singers on occasion, the orchestra was nothing short of excellence. As always, the orchestra’s small size, combined with the players’ high level of musicianship, allowed the audience to hear each part of the score individually but also nicely blended.

The production, designed and directed by Stephen Fried, was clever and original. The sets were elegant yet subdued, and the acting was intense without being absurd. As always the CLO presented this opera in a unique way and approached the work with a fresh perspective.

After the performance with Jurate Svedaite

Although Tosca was the final opera of the CLO’s 2010-2011 season, the company will present Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann this fall, Mozart’s Cost Fan Tuttle in the winter, and Verdi’s Otello next spring. I strongly urge you to support this thriving local opera company.

For more information on Connecticut Lyric Opera, visit the company’s website.

With questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me at cbrowner@taftschool.org

My Conducting Debut

Through an independent studies program at my school – The Taft School in Watertown, CT – I learned the art of orchestral conducting. After eight months of study under music director TJ Thompson and countless rehearsals with the school’s Chamber Orchestra (ranging in ages from 14 to 18 years-old), I made my conducting “debut” on May 26th leading the Overture to Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte. I will continue my studies this coming year and will work with a greater variety of pieces. Although I still have much to learn, I benefited greatly from this experience and hope to pursue it further. Enjoy!

Ring Cycle for the 21st Century – “Die Walküre”

After the premiere of Robert Lepage’s dull production of the first installment of Wagner’s four-opera “Ring Cycle”, Das Rheingold (also reviewed on this blog), I was skeptical that the production’s main set piece – a 24-plank machine that can be arranged into a limitless number of configurations – could support the theatrical requirements of the longer operas in the cycle. But after I attended Die Walküre, the second opera in the cycle, on April 25, my concerns proved to be unfounded. The use of the set, the direction, and the singing were many times superior to the fall production of Rheingold, and I was reassured that the production has the potential to conjure up the many magical realms of the remaining two operas.

The "Die Walküre" banner on the Met façade

Although the title character is the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, Bryn Terfel as the god Wotan was the star of the performance. As opposed to his rather flat portrayal of the character in Das Rheingold, Mr. Terfel presented an informed characterization both vocally and dramatically. Mr. Terfel sang dynamically and ranged from practically whispering at the beginning of his Act Two narrative (a very effective touch) to singing forcefully with controlled power. Although resembling Mad-Eye Moody from Harry Potter, he displayed the many aspects of Wotan’s personality, and his acting evoked both an arrogant god and deeply emotional father.

As Brünnhilde, soprano Deborah Voigt was not as impressive. Although moving in the role’s lyrical moments, her top notes – especially during her “Hojotoho” – lacked clarity and sounded a bit forced. Fortunately, she improved considerably over the course of the evening, and the final scene between Brünnhilde and Wotan was quite touching. Ms. Voigt’s major strength was her acting. The production represents Brünnhilde as a rambunctious warrior-maiden and Ms. Voigt was very convincing as Wotan’s impetuous daughter.

Jonas Kaufmann as the half-human, half-god Siegmund dominated the first act with his huge sound and strong presence. Mr. Kaufman has a hefty tenor which seemed out-of-place when he sang Cavaradossi in last season’s presentation of Puccini’s Tosca. However, Mr. Kaufmann’s voice is much better suited for the Wagner heldentenor roles, and he was excellent as Siegmund. An especially astounding moment of the performance came during his cries for his father: “Wälse! Wälse!”. Mr. Kaufmann sustained both high notes for a seemingly inhuman duration of time, yet he never seemed to strain.

The set of "Die Walküre" before the opera begins

As his sister and later wife Sieglinde, Eva-Maria Westbroek (still recovering from recent illness) was a committed actress, but had a slight wobble in her singing – most noticeably in the top notes. Also, on one occasion, she lost connection with the orchestra and raced through one of the most important phrases of the opera, “O hehrstes Wunder!” – the introduction of the “Redemption through Love” theme.

Stephanie Blythe as the goddess Fricka – although appearing as if out of a 1950’s sci-fi film – brought much to her relatively short time onstage. Ms. Blythe sang with her characteristically clear, powerful mezzo and performed incredibly as usual. Moreover, she was able to portray Fricka’s anger without sounding like a nag and elicited justifiable sympathy from the audience.

As the boorish Hunding, German bass Hans-Peter König sang with a booming voice and acted with commanding stage presence. The Valkyries, Brünnhilde’s eight warrior sisters, were sung by a mixture of talented sopranos and mezzo-sopranos – some of whom delivered the battle cry “Hojotoho” more proficiently than Deborah Voigt. Although strong in their individual contributions, the ladies produced beautifully-sung, deeply-textured ensembles and displayed a natural camaraderie onstage.

The Met Orchestra performed to its high standard of musicianship under the baton of Music Director James Levine. The musicians played masterfully in the powerful forte moments yet expressively in the subdued piano passages.

The final bows of "Die Walküre"

As stated earlier, the Lepage production has progressed significantly since the first installment of the cycle. Lepage’s direction of the performers was perfectly choreographed with the opera’s descriptive music and the performance rarely lagged. Although the stage machinery is still loud and quite distracting, the production uses the machine much more creatively. Unlike Das Rheingold, where the planks were used mainly as flat screens for interactive projections, in Die Walküre they were arranged into various configurations that emulated natural scenery – a heavily wooded forest, a rocky crag, a snow-topped mountain – and the projections served ably as textures for each environment.

In addition, during both Siegmund and Wotan’s narratives, images or animations were projected onto the set to bring the characters’ stories to life. These projections focused attention away from the Met’s built-in translation system and onto the stage, as well as enabling the audience to grasp the details of the intricate plot. Although some touches were campy –the Valkyries rode the planks as horses during the famous “Ride”, or the final scene having Brünnhilde suspended upside-down – the production team used the complex set effectively.

True "Ring Nuts" during an intermission of "Die Walküre" (photo courtesy of Jan Jobson Rowland)

I highly recommend this production of Die Walküre, which combines a stellar cast with a creative production concept. Performances run through the end of the season on May 14, with a “Live in HD” presentation of Die Walküre that afternoon. In addition, this production returns next season for the first presentation of the highly-anticipated full Robert Lepage Ring Cycle.

To learn about the music of Wagner’s Ring check out this very useful website:

http://www.rwagner.net/e-frame.html

For a mini site devoted to the Met’s presentation of the Ring Cycle, visit:

http://metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_template.aspx?id=12572

For videos of Die Walküre, see:

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=16210&prodpage

And for an extensive photo gallery, check out:

http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Walkure1011.htm

For questions or comments, email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org

The Bent Nail Goes Abroad

Over my spring vacation, I traveled with my school orchestra on a tour of Central Europe.  In addition to performing, we explored the centers of culture and classical music in the 18th and 19th centuries – Prague, Salzburg, Vienna, and Budapest. Because of our proximity to some of the world’s great opera houses, I was able to see two performances – Puccini’s Tosca in Prague and Verdi’s Aida in Vienna. In both houses, I observed noticeable differences in the presentation of and attitude toward opera in Europe as opposed to in the United States.

The chandelier inside the Prague State Opera House

In general, a night at the opera seemed almost commonplace for the European audiences. As one woman explained to me, “opera for Europeans is like going to a Broadway show for Americans.” I believe this stems from the foreignness and relative novelty of opera in the United States. For European audiences, the art form has been in their midst for hundreds of years and has become a natural part of their lives. One small example can be seen at the end of performances. In both cities, there were no standing ovations at curtain calls, not because the performances were bad, but because the standing ovation is an honor only awarded to the best performances. Instead, more bows were taken, and the curtain calls lasted longer than would be normal in the United States.

Size was another noticeable difference between the presentation of opera on the two continents. Both the Vienna State Opera’s auditorium and that of the Czech State Opera in Prague are much smaller than the Met’s. This produced an acoustic environment which both helped and hindered the performers. In many ways, the smaller houses allowed the singers, especially those with smaller voices, to sing more naturally without pushing. However, the more intimate scale of the theaters presented an obstacle to the performers, as the orchestras often overpowered them.

The boxes inside the Prague State Opera

My experience at the Prague State Opera was unique, for I missed an act and a half of the opera – the performance of Tosca occurred on the night of our arrival, and because of a delayed flight, I reached the opera house later than planned. As soon as I arrived, I was seated (though toward the back of the house), which was a surprise, as I have grown accustomed to the Met’s strict policy regarding latecomers. This experience was slightly uncomfortable for, even though I knew the opera well, I was thrust into the middle of Scarpia’s seduction of Tosca without any background on the singers, conductor, production, or opera house, and I was entering at the climax of the music without hearing any buildup. However, after a few minutes of adjustment, I was able to relax into my velvet seat and appreciate my gorgeous surroundings.

The proscenium of the Prague State Opera

Despite seeing only part of the opera, I was able to come away with a fairly accurate evaluation of the performance. Overall, the singing was of a quality slightly lower than heard on even mediocre nights at the Met. The Tosca, Jordanka Derilova, sang with muddled diction and a slight wobble, but was impressive with huge and soaring high notes. As Cavaradossi, Tomáš Černý sang clearly and delivered nice top notes (his Act 3 “E lucevan le stelle” was the highlight of my evening), but he slid between notes in the musical passages connecting the aria and duet. As Scarpia, baritone Jiří Sulženko sang with a powerful voice that seemed a bit forced (although I heard so little of his performance this may not be a fair assessment of his talents).

The production was also far from “Met-quality” with flat sets and overacting, yet after last season’s disastrous new production of Tosca at the Met, it was refreshing to see a performance with all of Puccini’s masterful stage directions honored (the candles and crucifix were placed by Scarpia’s corpse and Tosca actually leaped from the Castel Sant’Angelo). If the acting was often overblown, it felt as if I were watching a performance that may have been the norm in the early to mid 1900’s.

A video inside the Prague State Opera House:

The performance of Aida in Vienna was much closer in quality to that of the Met. I arrived on time but, because of a scheduling confusion, had no ticket. Instead, I waited in line for standing room which goes on sale one hour before curtain. The quality of sight and sound in standing room is much better than that of the Met. For 4€ – approximately $6 – one can stand in the center at the back of the orchestra section, slightly elevated above the seats with an unhindered view of the stage. Also, unlike the Met, the standing room isn’t under a balcony and the sound quality is very good.

The crowded standing room section

However, the standing room in the Vienna State Opera House is not numbered and spaces are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once one buys his ticket, he quickly goes to the standing area and elbows his way to his selected location. Then, in order to reserve this place, one ties a scarf, towel or, in my case, necktie around the railing. This method is old-fashioned and caused multiple arguments between latecomers and a group of young people in front of me. (This group also incurred the anger of an older standee when they rudely whispered and giggled through the first half of the opera.) Standing through Aida was a bit uncomfortable, considering the four-act opera was presented with only one short intermission, but for a small amount of money, the quality of sound and view were phenomenal.

The translation system in Vienna - similar to "Met Titles"

The audience demographic in standing room was also quite surprising. The ages ranged from teenagers to people in their sixties and seventies with all ages in between. Also, many nationalities were represented: mostly German-speaking people, but I also heard English (with American and Australian accents), French, and an Asian language being spoken. Standing Room in Vienna is a great value – one friend called it “the best 4€ [she] ever spent” – and you can have one of the best spots in the opera house if you arrive early and get to the front of the line.

The auditorium of the Vienna State Opera (standing room section at bottom center)

The quality of the singing varied as all four principals, Cécile Perrin as Aida, Dongwon Shin as Radames, Anna Smirnova as Princess Amneris, and Mark S. Doss as Amanasro started off shaky and improved throughout the performance. Ms. Perrin sang especially well in the second half of the opera, and her Act 3 aria “O Patria Mia” was gorgeously sung. She took her time in delivering the aria’s difficult top section, and the results were sustained, ethereal high notes.

The show curtain for "Aida"

To me, the comprimarios sang more proficiently than the principals. The Vienna State Opera orchestra under the direction of Dan Ettinger was fantastic, and played with power and control. However, many times the singers were drowned out by the intensity of the orchestra.

A video of the auditorium of the Vienna State Opera House:

A video of the lobby of the Vienna State Opera House:

Although I was not able to attend an opera in Budapest, I was able to tour the Hungarian State Opera House.

Here is a video:

There are many details I could not include in this post, so if you want to know more about my experience or see more pictures, please leave a comment or email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org.

Mad About “Lucia”

This season, Mary Zimmerman’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor returned for its second revival after opening in 2007. This run is special because it stars Natalie Dessay in the title role and is Ms. Dessay’s return to the Met after cancelling performances in Hamlet last season. I have been a great fan of Ms. Dessay for a while and I jumped at the chance to see her in this signature role. I attended the March 4th performance of the run and was not disappointed.

A Show Curtain for "Lucia"

Ms. Dessay’s portrayal of the title role, a character plagued by misfortune and eventually driven mad, was nothing short of magic. Despite a slight illness – betrayed by a few onstage coughs – her singing was in top form. The lyric portions were sung well, but the bravura coloratura was absolute perfection. In her mad scene, Ms. Dessay sang the middle portion (usually accompanied by solo flute) a cappella, and displayed a mastery of her upper register. Her acting was also quite believable as she convincingly conveyed the character’s gradual descent into madness. I am so glad that Ms. Dessay is back at the Met performing such show-stopping roles.

(However, it is worth mentioning, that upon hearing subsequent performances from this run of “Lucia”, it is safe to assume that this evening was Dessay’s best. Her vocal abilities later on, although still  very strong, could not match the magic of this evening.)

As Edgardo, Lucia’s lover and unofficial husband, tenor Joseph Calleja also excelled. Mr. Calleja expressed the demeanor of the amorous character and sang with beautiful lyricism, delivering soaring high notes. His final scene in the graveyard was especially moving.

Another Eerie Show Curtain

As Lucia’s desperate brother Enrico, baritone Ludovic Tézier sang with a large baritone. Despite slightly muddled diction, Mr. Tézier sang well and presented a stern character. South Korean bass Kwangchul Youn sang the role of Raimondo with his booming voice that resonated through the house.

As Normano, tenor Philip Webb sang with a nice timbre, but seemed to strain on his top notes and struggled to be heard over the orchestra. As Lucia’s arranged husband Arturo, 2007 National Council finalist Matthew Plenk sang with a pleasant tenor sound. Theodora Hanslowe was a composed Alisa and sang well in the minor role. The Met Orchestra under the baton of veteran conductor Patrick Summers was in top form, and the Met Opera Chorus sang dynamically as usual.

A Solo Bow for Joseph Calleja

The Mary Zimmerman production sets the drama as a classic Victorian ghost story, but sometimes the overly-clever additions distract from the music. One example was staging the second act sextet as a wedding photo. The silent photographer milling about drew attention away from the beautiful singing onstage.

The evening went off without a hitch – almost. During the onstage set change in Act 3, yelling could be heard offstage followed by a large crash. According to witnesses, the stair unit was moving too quickly offstage and collided into sets from previous scenes. Afterward, Ms. Dessay, although shaken up, reported that “nobody was hurt”.

This run of Lucia is special because of the talents of Ms. Dessay and Mr. Calleja and was a highlight of my season. The run continues through March 19 with a “Live in HD” transmission of that performance.

Backstage with Natalie Dessay

For a video of Natalie Dessay performing her Mad Scene visit:

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=15528&prodpage

And for a photo gallery see:

http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Lucia1011.htm

With comments or questions send me an email at cbrowner@taftschool.org