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Above: Nicole Lorange
A performance of Mascagni's CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA from Montreal 1985. Michelangelo Veltri is the conductor, with Nicole Lorange, Frederick Donaldson, Janice Taylor, Richard Fredricks, and Odette Beaupré the principal singers.
Watch and listen here.
Sunday December 19th, 2021 - Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's annual Yuletide performances of Bach's immortal Brandenburg Concertos are always a highlight of the New York musical season. Music lovers turn out on droves for each of the program's three presentations, giving themselves an early Christmas gift.
One tradition at the CMS Brandenburgs is the annual reshuffling of the order in which the six concetros are played. This year, the odd-numbered concertos were played first, with the even-numbered ones coming after the interval.
The 1st Brandenburg (in F-major) briought together the program's largest ensemble of players, which produced a wonderful fullness of sound. The wind instrument lineup tonight was impressive indeed: there are three oboes, led by Stephen Taylor with Randall Ellis and Mr. Smith, two mellow horns (David Byrd-Marrow and Stewart Rose); and Marc Goldberg's rich-toned bassoon. On the string team, led by violinist Daniel Philllips (excellent in the Adagio), Arnaud Sussmann and Sean Lee (violins) were joined by Che-Yen Chen (viola) and Dimitri Atapine (cello). The outstanding continuo duo - Kenneth Weiss (harpsichord) and Joseph Conyers (double bass)- made marvelous music all evening. Mr. Phillips made a lovely thing of the Adagio, where he and Mr. Taylor duetted cordially. The bustling Allegro drew a warm round of applause, but then comes a built-in 'encore', in which the wind players outdid themselves.
The 3rd concerto, in G-major, is unique in that the anticipated central slow movement is replaced by a mere couple of chords and a violin flourish before going immediately on to the exhilarating Allegro. Bach calls for three trios of strings: violinists Sean Lee, Arnaud Sussmann, and Alexander Sitkovetsky gave us lively playing in the opening movement, whilst Mr. Phillips traded his violin for his viola to join Mr. Chen and Yura Lee. Add the cello trio of Timothy Eddy, Mr. Atapine, and Inbal Segev, and you have a veritable string-fest. My companion, Cherylyn Lavagnino and I were much taken with Mr. Conyers' rich and nimble bass playing. The final Allegro sailed blithely onward: so many notes!
In the 5th concerto (in D-major), harpsichordist Kenneth Weiss mesmerized the crowd with his fantastic playing of the long cadenza; people stood up and cheered when he stepped forward for a bow at the end of the evening's first half. From its familiar opening theme, the 5th concerto puts the violin (Sean Lee) and the flute (Ransom Wilson) in the spotlight; these two gentlemen played the central Affetuoso divinely, whilst Mr. Weiss's harpsichord cunningly etched a filigree around their melodies. In the concerto's light and lively final Allegro, Mssrs. Sitkovetsky, Phillips, Eddy, and Conyers were a top-class ensemble.
Following the interval, flautist Tara Helen O'Connor drew a warm welcome as she walked out onto the Tully Hall stage, goddess-like in a glimmering red gown. Yura Lee and Inbal Segev had also chosen red frocks for the evening, giving the scene a festive Yuletide glow. In the 2nd concerto (in F-major), dazzling trumpet virtuosity from David Washburn set the hall alight, whilst Ms. O'Connor's timbre had its familiar crystalline clarity.
In the Andante, the quartet of Ms. O'Connor, James Austin Smith (oboe), Arnaud Sussmann (violin), and Timothy Eddy (cello) wove a tapestry of sound that warmed the soul: simply perfect. Then Mr. Washburn's trumpet calls rang out, summoning us to revel in the concerto's festive finale. A rock-star ovation saluted these extraordinary musicians as they returned for a bow.
Yura Lee and Che-Yen Chen put us under a viola spell with their playing of the 6th concerto (B-flat major) - the one in which no violins are heard: a trio of cellists (Mr. Atapine, Ms. Segev, and Mr Eddy) and the continuo players are all Bach needed here. The Adagio - one of Bach's most moving and melodious inventions - was entrancing as Ms. Lee and Mr. Chen exchanged phrases. This could have gone on and on - such a balm to the ear - but the closing Allegro sweeps us inexorably forward with its thrice familiar theme..
The evening ended with the fourth concerto (in G-major), in which Alexander Sitkovetsky dazzled us with his silky tone and incredible dexterity. Duetting flautists Ransom Wilson and Tara Helen O'Connor displayed jewel-like qualities in their playing of the animated phrases of the outer movements, whilst bringing a sweet sadness to the harmonies of the central Andante. Mr. Conyers' double bass and Ms. Segev's cello provided a resonant counterpoise to the high voices of the flutes and violin. Then we are down to the final Presto: a fugue-like race in which Mr. Sitkovetsky's fabulous virtuosity led his colleagues in a final sprint to a victorious finish. The audience saluted the musicians with a vociferous standing ovation, recalling them for a second bow.
Leaving Alice Tully Hall, which has become dear to me over these past few years as a refuge of peace and beauty in an increasingly perilous world, we stepped out into the brisk evening air, feeling on top of the world. How wonderful to experience this concert with my friend Ms. Lavagnino, who is truly a kindred spirit.
~ Oberon
Above: Rolando Villazón rehearsing the role of Papageno; a Met Opera photo
Saturday December 18th, 2021 - Though I would like to have seen The Met's Julie Taymor MAGIC FLUTE again, financial constraints decided me to get score desks for all but a couple of Met performances this season. One of the main draws for FLUTE this time around was to hear Rolando Villazón essaying the role of Papageno. When Villazón's career as a primo tenore faltered a few years back, he shifted into different repertory. But I believe his taking on Papageno might be a first step towards joining the ranks of baritones.
In the event, though he was HUGELY cheered at his solo bow, Villazón's Papageno didn't really work in vocal terms. His voice is no longer very attractive, being a bit dry and lacking in resonance. Much of the time he semi-spoke his musical lines, whilst the actual spoken passages, charmingly accented, were not always understandable. He made bird noises from time to time; his rooster crow was hilarious. It struck me that Placido Domingo in his 80s has more voice at his disposal than Villazón, who is not yet 50.
The remainder of the cast has its pluses and minuses. Outstanding were Matthew Polenzani's beautifully turned phrases, exquisite piano notes, and clear diction as Tamino, and the rich and rolling sound of basso of Morris Robinson, whose diction was also superb, as Sarastro. Patrick Carfizzi's Speaker, Rodell Rosel as Monostatos, and Ashley Emerson's Papagena were excellent, making much of their roles. Daryl Freedman's Third Lady and Adam Lau's Second Guard stood out.
Kathryn Lewek dazzled with the Queen of Night's first aria, climaxing with a sustained high-F; later, in her Vengeance aria, Ms. Lewek's singing was not quite as impressive as she has been in previous seasons. Hera Hyesang Park's attractive lyric timbre acquired an edgy quality when she put too much pressure on the tone higher up. Felicia Moore has impressed me on YouTube, but today as the First Lady she sang well but not memorably, though the voice blossomed more as the afternoon went on. Sarah Larsen was fine as the 2nd Lady, Matthew Burns and Mark Schowalter spoke clearly as the Priests, and Richard Trey Smagur was a forthright 1st Guard. The Three Spirits were under-powered and pitchy; I hope when The Met gets a new ZAUBERFLOETE, the music of these Three Spirits will once again be sung by petite women, of the same ilk as Suzanne Adams, Christine Weidinger, Frederica von Stade, Helen Vanni, and Joann Grillo, all of whom were Spirits at The Met over the years.
Jane Glover's conducting was well-nigh perfect, and the orchestra played well; Chelsea Knox's flute solos fell gracefully on the ear.
An annoying child in the Family Circle whined and muttered often throughout the opera, and the sound of moving sets around behind the drop curtain during "O Isis and Osiris" spoiled that beautiful passage. But...all's well as ends well. As the Three Spirits remind Papageno - and us: "You have a life, so live it while you can!"
Saturday December 18th, 2021 matinee
THE MAGIC FLUTE}
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Pamina.......................................Hera Hyesang Park
Tamino.......................................Matthew Polenzani
Queen of the Night...........................Kathryn Lewek
Sarastro.....................................Morris Robinson
Papageno.....................................Rolando Villazón
Papagena.....................................Ashley Emerson
Monostatos...................................Rodell Rosel
Speaker......................................Patrick Carfizzi
First Lady...................................Felicia Moore
Second Lady..................................Sarah Larsen
Third Lady...................................Daryl Freedman
Genie........................................Julian Knopf
Genie........................................Julian Fertel
Genie........................................N. Casey Schopflocher
Priest.......................................Ashraf Sewailam Priest.......................................Mark Schowalter
Guard........................................Richard Trey Smagur
Guard........................................Adam Lau
Slave........................................Stephen Paynter
Slave........................................Kurt Phinney
Slave........................................Craig Montgomery
Solo Dancer.......................................Maria Phegan
Flute Solo...................................Chelsea Knox
Conductor....................................Jane Glover
~ Oberon
Above: Kathryn Bouleyn
An English-language production of Tchaikovsky's EUGENE ONEGIN given in 1983 at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Canada. Watch and listen here.
Neeme Järvi conducts this performance, staged by John Copley.
The singers are Thomas Allen, Kathryn Bouleyn, David Rendall, Don Garrard, Diane Loeb, Gabrielle Lavigne, Lois Marshall, and Bernard Fitch
I am especially glad to have this souvenir of the wonderful soprano Kathryn Bouleyn, who I saw at the New York City Opera as Countess Almaviva. It is also lovely to see Lois Marshall as Filipyevna; this great singer had a highly successful concert career but rarely appeared in staged opera. Mssrs. Allen, Rendall, and Garrard are excellent.
Thursday December 16th, 2021 - Pianist/composer Timo Andres (above) in recital at Merkin Hall. This evening's program, part of The Kaufman Music Center's Piano Dialogues series, grew out of the musical friendship of Mr. Andres with his fellow composers, Sarah Goldfeather and Eric Shanfield. Honoring the continuing influence of Robert Schumann’s piano music, Mr. Andres performed the composer's Waldszenen. Ms. Goldfeather's new work for Mr. Andres, and Mr. Shanfield's aptly titled new work, Timo Variations, based on a theme which Mr. Andres composed for Eric in 2019, completed the program.
I simply loved the new work by Sarah Goldfeather, entitled Fern Canyon, which opened the evening in its world premiere performance. Ms. Goldfeather could not have asked for a finer interpreter of her new work than Mr. Andres, a tall, bookish-looking fellow with beautiful hands.
Fern Canyon is at first whimsical and repetitive at the start, keeping in the piano's mid-range. Little flourishes turn up, and then the music gets more lyrical. Mr. Andres then lingers in the high range, with delicate figurations tickling the ear. Suddenly, the music turns grand, and Rachmaninoff springs immediately to mind. But the piece ends magically, with Mr. Andres keeping his foot on the pedal to sustain the sound of the final note, which hung beautifully on the air. Fern Canyon would make a wonderful dancework, in my view.
Without taking a break, Mr. Andres then commenced Schumann's Waldszenen, Opus 82. These nine short solo piano pieces were inspired by the German woodlands. In the Teutonic imagination, forests are ancient, restful, and - sometimes - eerily haunted places. Schumann's nine miniatures conjure up such visions of the woods.
Composed in 1849, this series of intimate scenes from Nature begins with Eintritt, the entry into a cool and shaded grove filled with forest murmurs. A simple, folkish tune emerges as the forest-stroller's eye wanders about.
Horn calls and the sounds of rifle-fire herald the human invasion of Nature's sanctuary; in Jäger auf der Lauer, huntsmen who have been stalking their prey break into wild pursuit. The music conveys the thrills of the chase.
The two ‘flower’ pieces that follow are very different in feeling: the simplicity of Einsame Blumen (Lonely Flowers) leads to the shadowy, flowing Verrufene Stelle (Haunted Places) which describes a dark red flower that draws its colour from Earth saturated with human blood.
Things brighten with Freundliche Landschaft (Friendly Landscape) while the coziness of sitting before the fire with a pint are evoked in the almost hymn-like Herberge (The Inn).
The best-known of the Waldszenen is Vogel als Prophet (Bird as Prophet), which captures a sonic image of forest birds, flitting from tree to tree. A central, more poetic passage praises the mystical powers of the forest's avian dwellers.
Then the music sings of hunters again: in Jagdlied (Hunting Song) the woodland sportsmen look forward to feasting on their catch of the day. The final Abschied (Farewell) was so affectingly played, but the jarring sound of a cellphone came at the worst possible moment.
Throughout this Schumann cycle, Mr. Andres's playing moved from the poetic to the passionate with a lovely mastery of dynamics, and an unfailingly distinctive style.
Eric Shanfield's Timo Variations brought the program to an end. The theme was Mr. Andres' own creation, brief and uncomplicated; thereafter the pianist embarked on a 9-variation journey, with a closing Aria. Theme I, Scheletrica ("emaciated, meager") features sharp accents. A reference to the Waldszenen comes next, in a brisk and brusk reply to Schumann's Vogel als Prophet. Then, bell-like sounds give way to rippling effects in the 3rd variation.
Variation 4 is marked Espressivo ('ritmico ma no meccanico') - "rhythmic but not mechanical" - wherein Mr. Andres followed those instructions to the letter. Variation 5 begins with a pulsing feeling, later flowing freely. Continuum (Variation 6) maintains a steadiness, then gives over to a fluttering feeling in Variation 7, which ends up expansively. In the 8th Variation, entitled Kreisleriana, flourishes are played over sustained notes before the music turns quite majestic. The 'delicate and precise' music of the 9th Variation is really fun to hear.
Each of these variations is rather longer than one might expect, but they are very inventive and pleasing to hear. Mr. Andres reveled in each of the variations Mr. Shanfield crafted for him. The Timo Variations end with a final Aria which is marked "Elegante", a word that truly describes Mr. Andres's playing.
I usually don't stay for post-performance talks, but this evening I was in no rush to get home, so we stayed to hear what Mssrs. Andres and Shanfield and Ms. Goldfeather had to say. Being well-acquainted with one another, the three hardly needed a moderator. They chatted blithely, and some interesting things popped up along the way: Ms. Goldfeather noted the influence of Rachmaninoff on Fern Canyon, and also revealed that she does not own a piano. Mr. Shanfield said that he owns a piano, but admits to being "a terrible pianist".
~ Oberon
The Bach-Collegium Prague in a performance of Jan Dismas Zelenka's Magnificat in D, given in 2018.
Watch and listen here.
Tuesday December 14th, 2021 - When I received news that City Lyric Opera would be presenting the New York premiere performances of Pauline Viardot's CENDRILLON, I knew it was something I'd want to see. But I was already committed on the dates of the performances; luckily, publicist April Thibeault arranged for me to attend the dress rehearsal, which took place this evening.
Above: Pauline Viardot, painted by Carl Timoleon von Neff
Pauline Viardot's is the one voice from the pre-recording era that I most wish I could have heard. After she retired from the stage, Mme. Viardot organized salons at which her students performed. It was for one such salon, in 1904, that Viardot (then 83 years old) presented her final opera, CENDRILLON.
The City Lyric Opera performances take place Thursday thru Sunday evenings, December 16th thru 18th at 7:00 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday, December 18th at 2:00 p.m. at A.R.T. New York, located at 502 West 53rd Street in Manhattan. Ticket information here.
The opera is sung French, with the spoken dialogue given in an English translation by Rachel M. Harris. The production is directed by Rose Freeman, produced by CLO Co-Founder Megan Gillis, and is under the musical direction of Michelle Rofrano (...what a delightfully operatic name!).
The cast: Marie, aka Cinderella: Shaina Martinez-Azzopardi (soprano); Fairy Godmother: Yejin Lee (soprano); Armelinde: Linda Collazo (mezzo-soprano); Maguelonne: Allie Altieri (soprano); Barigoule: Corey Don (tenor); Le Baron de Pictordu: Joseph Parrish (bass-baritone); The Prince: Nicholas Huff (tenor)
The chorus members are Luxana Zepeda (soprano), Mithuna Savaraman (soprano), Erin Rosales (mezzo-soprano), Brian Jeffers (tenor), Ramon Gabriel Tenefrancia (tenor), and Nathaniel Mattingly (baritone)
Members of the orchestra: Flute: Mitzy Nonaka; Oboe: Alexis Porcaro; Clarinet: Elia Foster; Bassoon: Steven Palacio; Horn: Jessica Santiago; Harp: Tiffany Wu; Violin 1: Aurora Mendez; Violin 2: Lucia Lostumbo; Viola: Kayla Williams; ; Cello: Iva Casian-Lakos; Bass: Camellia Aftahi;.
Here is the Company's program note for CENDRILLON:
"The plot follows roughly that of Rossini’s CENERENTOLA, with some extra twists. Instead of a step-mother, this story has the foolish Baron de Pictordu, with his two vain daughters, Maguelone and Armelinde, who are both after the Prince. Cinderella reads about a fairy-tale prince at the beginning, and her father is revealed to be a former grocer with a dubious past."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I arrived punctually for the dress rehearsal, and met the LCO's wonderful co-founder, Megan Gillis. She advised me that the start time for the rehearsal had been pushed forward one hour. No problem! I got to chat with the beauteous Maestro Rofrano, and hear her take the orchestra thru some passages from the opera; she's a meticulous musician who knows the score inside out . And what an orchestra! These players are superb, every one of them. In addition to strings and piano, Mme. Viardot's score calls for a harp (delicious!) and a quintet of winds (horn, flute, oboe, clarinet - doubling on bass clarinet - and bassoon. The bassoonist, Steven Palacio, in particular impressed me with his plush tone and easy agility,
The setting is simple, with glowing electroluminescent rope lights draped in the branches of a central tree. The characters all seem like woodland creatures in human guise. Clever projections depict such events as the transformation of pumpkin, mice, and lizards into coach, horses, and footmen. At the ball, disco globes provided a jolt to memories of my dancing days. The glass slippers here become chunky disco boots in hot pink. Inflatable gremlins join in the fun. At the ball, clear notes from the harp strike midnight. There is a hilarious scene where the women queue up to try on the shoe, and even Baron de Pictordu has a go at it. All's well that ends well, and of course Cinderella and her Prince live happily ever after.
The cast was impressive; both vocally and physically, with each singer seeming well-suited to his/her role. As the mean step-sisters, Allie Altieri and Linda Collazo were wonderfully lazy, whining, and snobbish. Viardot gives them nice things to sing, and they sang very well. Corey Don as Barigoule, the valet who temporarily becomes Prince, sang strongly, and was especially fine in the scene where he "unmasks" Baron de Pictordu.
In Viardot's version, the Fairy Godmother assumes the spirit of Marie's dead mother and turns the girl's hapless existence to joy in the course of a singe day. In this magical role, soprano Yejin Lee sang with full lyric tone in her mid-range, ascending to shimmering soft-halo high notes..
Above: Shaina Martinez-Azzopardi as Cinderella, photo by Mary Rice
Nicholas Huff as the tall Prince showed a clear, expressive lyrical tenor voice. He and Shaina Martinez-Azzopardi as Cinderella joined in the opera's love duet, wherein they simply pour out rapturous melody, much as Puccini's new-found lovers do in BOHEME. Ms. Martinez-Azzopardi was just perfect in the opera's title-role; her singing was rich and expressive, and her portrayal embodied Cinderella's hope and steadfast kindness, for which the girl is rewarded in the end.
Stealing the show, bass-baritone Joseph Parrish (above, photo by Mary Rice ) as the Baron de Pictordu is a singer who has it all: a handsome face, a lithe and nimble stage presence, clarity of diction and of expression, and a wide-ranging voice of power and warmth. Bravo...bravissimo! .
~ Oberon
Sunday December 12th, 2021 - Five marvelous musicians were featured this evening as Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center offered a program of solo works by Johann Sebastian Bach at Alice Tully Hall. Arriving at the Hall this evening, we had our first look ever at the great organ on the Tully stage that is normally hidden by sliding panels.
Paul O'Dette opened the evening with the Suite in G-minor for Lute, BWV 995 (c. 1730). Bach transcribed this six-movement piece from his own Cello Suite #5 between 1727 and 1731. Mr. O'Dette has rightly been credited with bringing the lute back to popularity in this country. Over his long career, he has provided a veritable feast of recorded lute music, and he has toured extensively, bringing the sound of the instrument to live audiences far and wide. Interestingly, Paul O'Dette began his journey as a musician playing electric guitar in high school. Read about his transition here.
This evening's CMS concert was my first experience of hearing Mr. O'Dette live, and I - like so many others thru the years - fell under the spell of the lute thru his playing. The delicate sound of the instrument drew the audience in; but the wonderful sense of stillness in the Hall was twice disrupted by the sound of cellphones ringing loudly. Mr O'Dette's concentration never wavered, and he played on, delighting us with his masterful musicianship.
It's always a joy to hear Bella Hristova; this evening she brought us the Partita No. 3 in E-major for Violin, BWV 1006 (c. 1720). The photo above is by Lisa Marie Mazzucco. The violinist was warmly greeted by the crowd; she looked striking in her belted gown of burnished gold...and she played superbly.
The Partita No 3 opens with a regal Preludio that shows off Ms. Hristova's broad dynamic range and her finely-articulated fiorature. The slow and sweetly sad Loure is followed by the accented charm of the Gavotte, two Minuets, a lively Bourrée, and the final brilliant Gigue. To all of this, the violinist brought her customary warmth of tone and finely-polished technique, winning her a hearty ovation. Audiences love Bella Hristova, and with good reason.
Gilles Vonsattel treated us to the French Suite in B-minor for Keyboard, BWV 814 (c. 1722-25). "Dance...dance...dance!" I wrote on my notepad. For that's what this suite is: a living, breathing dance card. The opening Allemande is just lovely to hear...and it contains some harmonic surprises. The swift and dramatic Courante and a mysterious, magical Sarabande displayed Mr. Vonsattel's mastery of mood. The joyful Anglaise, which pauses for a somewhat darker interlude, dances on to a speedy, glistening Gigue. Everything about Mr. Vonsattel's performance was perfect.
Following the interval, Stephen Tharp seated himself at the magnificent organ and launched forth a glorious torrent of sound for the theme O Gott, du frommer Gott which sets off the procession of Partitas of the BWV 767, crafted by Bach in 1707-1708.
Deftly changing the settings as he progressed from variation to variation, Mr. Tharp seemed like a fantastical conjuror, able to summon variants of tone from his vast machine in the twinkling of an ear. Rhythmic shifts propel us from one frame of mind to the next, whilst elegant ornamentations are given a fine flourish by Mr. Tharps's nimble hands. The finale moves from a fanfare thru a calm andante, and on to an resplendent finish.
Note to the Society's planners: may we please have Mr. Tharp back for a full evening of organ music? The Hall's 19-ton instrument deserves to be heard at least once a season, and he is the man to play it.
The evening closed with Colin Carr's sterling rendering of the Suite No. 6 in D-major for Cello, BWV 1012 (c. 1720). Playing with tremendous authority, Mr. Carr brought forth the radiant qualities of this beloved music to marvelous effect. In the Baroque period, the key of D-major was often used to summon a festive, triumphant mood, and that's how it felt tonight. .
After the excitement and technical revelry of the opening Prelude, Mr. Carr gave us some of most beautiful and engrossing playing of the entire evening in the Allemande. And after the upbeat fun of the Courante, he again found, in the slow Sarabande, a wonderfully rich melodic glow, set over heavenly chords. The rhythmical joys of the Gavottes is followed by some surprising musical effects in the final Gigue.
What a perfect end to the evening Mr. Carr gave us. He took a bow, to richly-deserved applause, then summoned his four colleagues from the wing to join him. Everyone stood up and cheered.
~ Oberon
Above: composer Ildebrando Pizzetti
Pizzetti's Messa da Requiem for a cappella chorus, performed by the Swedish Radio Choir under the direction of Peter Dijkstra.
Listen here.
Above: William Socolof, photo by Alexander Sargent
Thursday December 9th, 2021 - Young Concert Artists presenting bass-baritone William Socolof, with pianist Gracie Francis, in recital at Merkin Hall.
Mr. Socolof, a native of White Plains, New York, won First Prize in the Young Concert Artists 2020 International Auditions. He had originally studied the cello, but switched to voice and began his career as a classical singer at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan at the age of 16. Since then, he has developed a wide-ranging repertory that includes chamber music, lieder, music-theater, and opera.
In 2020 season, William debuted with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Andris Nelsons as a soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and with The Juilliard Chamber Orchestra in Alice Tully Hall, singing Mozart’s concert aria 'Per questa bella mano', K 162. His operatic credits include the role of Daniel Webster in The Mother of Us All in collaboration with MetLiveArts and the New York Philharmonic, and as Don Alfonso in Mozart's Così fan tutte at The Juilliard School. He holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree in music from Juilliard, and is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies, working with that wonderful tenor, William Burden.
Above: Gracie Francis, photo by Wen Ting Gu
Pianist Gracie Francis is a student of Dr. Lydia Brown (...hurrah for Lydia!) at The Juilliard School, where she commenced a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano (Vocal) in September 2019. A native of New Zealand, Gracie received her Bachelor of Music (First Class Honors) in 2014 under Rae de Lisle at the University of Auckland, and made her professional concerto debuts as both pianist and harpsichordist during her studies. She has also performed in Canada and across Europe.
In their program tonight, Mr. Socolof and Ms. Francis a covered a wide range of music, both the familiar and the rare. With no idea of what to expect, my friend Rob Scott and I were simply blown away by their performance. After the first song, we turned to one another silently in a state of awe.
The evening opened with Quatre Chansons de Don Quichotte by Jacques Ibert, and from note one it was clear that Mr. Socolof's is a major voice...the most fascinating "new" voice I have come upon since Lisette Oropesa burst on the musical scene as a Young Artist at The Met during the 2006-2007 season.
In the Ibert, we found so much to love in Mr. Socolof's voice and persona: a vast range (from rich deep tones to a top which can be potent or deliciously heady), an entrancing gift for words and for nuances of colour, a fascinating manipulation of vibrato, poetically expressive hands, and abundant personal charisma. His singing made me recall that of Jose van Dam, but Mr. Socolof's timbre is even more distinctive.
Following these Ibert jewels, we had, from the American composer Robert Owens, two songs: “Die Nacht” and “Morgendämmerung”. After fighting in World War II, Mr. Owens had remained in Europe, studying first in Paris, and in 1964 settling in Munich, where he worked as a film and stage actor and as a pianist, whilst continuing to compose. He passed away in 2017.
Ms. Francis commenced "Die Nacht" with fluttery keyboard figurations while Mr. Socolof was as compelling in the German language as in the French. His use of dynamics and of straight tone kept us riveted. Both singer and pianist brought warmth and passion to “Morgendämmerung”. Mr. Socolof has an incredible communicative gift - one that he shares with singers like Victoria de los Angeles and Matthias Goerne: he makes you feel that he is singing just for you.