Oberon's Grove

Irene Dalis as Lady Macbeth

One of my earliest operatic idols, Irene Dalis, sings Lady Macbeth's brooding aria "La luce langue".

Irene Dalis - La luce langue - MACBETH - Met bcast 1964

OEDIPUS REX ~ Berlin 2021

Above: Ekaterina Semenchuk

A performance of Stravinsky's OEDIPUS REX given by the Berlin Philharmonic in February 2021.

Kirill Petrenko conducts, with the following cast:

Michael Spyres (Oedipus), Ekaterina Semenchuk (Jocasta), Andrea Mastroni (Tiresias), Krystian Adam (Shepherd), Derek Welton (Creon/Messenger) Bibiana Beglau (Speaker).

Watch and listen here.

Virginia Zeani Has Passed Away

The beloved Romanian soprano Virginia Zeani has passed away at the age of 97.

When she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in LA TRAVIATA on November 12, 1966, Mme. Zeani was already a well-established star in Europe. She had made her operatic debut at Bologna in 1948  and her La Scala debut (as Handel's Cleopatra) in 1956. In 1957, at La Scala, she created the role of Blanche de la Force in Poulenc's DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES.

In the course of her career, the soprano moved from bel canto roles like Lucia di Lammermoor and Elvira in PURITANI to such dramatic parts as Tosca and Aida; she sang Wagner's Elsa and Senta, too. She gave her last stage performances as Mere Marie in CARMELITES at San Francisco in 1982. She settled in Palm Beach, Florida, after retiring from the stage.

I was of course at La Zeani's Met debut. It was my first season as an 'adult' opera-goer (I was 18) and I spent endless hours on the bus from Syracuse to New York City (a 6-hour trip), coming in for long weekends during which I would see three or four performances at The Met or New York City Opera.

Mme. Zeani already had a fan-base in New York City thanks to her pirated recordings - in the studio she recorded only Violetta and Tosca, plus an aria recital or two - and 'everyone' showed up for the Met debut, crowded together in Orchestra standing room.

An incredibly beautiful woman, she absolutely gorgeous in the Cecil Beaton production (above) which had been created for Anna Moffo. During Act I, the soprano and the evening's conductor, Georges Prêtre, sometimes parted company - I'm guessing she didn't even get an orchestral rehearsal - but the voice was wonderfully present in the big house. The faithful braced themselves expectantly for a high E-flat at the end of "Sempre libera" but surprisingly Mme. Zeani left it out. Despite this slight disappointment, the fans felt that La Zeani was an authentic Violetta and some of them ran across the Plaza during intermission to buy flowers for the diva.

Things improved vastly from her entry in Act II, and Zeani was really moving in the opera's final act, with an Olde School sense of passion and intensity as both singer and actress; she simply became the dying Violetta. There was an exciting ovation at the end, and Mme. Zeani was called out for three solo bows; she was clearly moved by the reception, weeping and smiling as the bravas rang out.     

Despite the very warm reception accorded to Mme. Zeani at her Met debut, she only sang two more performances of Violetta at The Met, plus a concert performance of I VESPRI SICILIANI with the Company at Newport the following Summer.

But she was heard again at The Met in 1968 when the Rome Opera Company brought their production of Rossini's OTELLO to New York City. I attended one of the performances, and Mme. Zeani looked superb (photo above) and was a vocally effective Desdemona.

Virginia Zeani sang Violetta nearly 650 times worldwide in the course of her distinguished career. I'll always be so glad that I caught one of them.

Virginia Zeani - Sempre libera ~ LA TRAVIATA - London 1960 

FALSTAFF: A Michael Volle Triumph @ The Met

Above: Michael Volle as Sir John Falstaff; a MetOpera photo

Sunday March 19th, 2023 matinee - I'm not crazy about the Met's current production of Verdi's final opera, FALSTAFF, but I did very much want to hear the current revival, mainly because Michael Volle is playing the title-role. His spectacular performance made me very glad to have been there, even though it was otherwise an uneven afternoon, playing to a house with a lot of empty seats.

I had high hopes for Daniele Rustioni's conducting this afternoon, as his recent Carnegie Hall debut really impressed me. There was much magic in his rendering of FALSTAFF today, but - like seemingly every other conductor working at The Met these days - he sometimes lets the voices be covered, leaving the singers with the option of shouting or going unheard.

Overall, the women fared less well than the men today. Granted, for much of this opera the vocal lines are brief and declamatory, or chattery, leading to a tendency to overplay.  Hera Hyesang Park as Nannetta was fine, but her top notes now seem to have a steady beat. Ailyn Perez's beauteous Alice Ford sometimes seemed a bit under-powered vocally, though she delivered some beautiful phrases ("E il viso tuo..."), and the voice bloomed in the final scene. Jennifer Johnson Cano sang very well as Meg Page, but the character needs more lines to make more of a vocal impression. Marie-Nicole Lemieux as Dame Quickly had wonderful moments, including some plushy low tones, though the parlando style sometimes took away from the written notes when making comic effects. Her message-delivering errand to Falstaff was a highlight of the matinee, wherein she and Volle played well off one another.

In the trio of male supporting roles, Carlo Bosi (Dr. Caius), Chauncey Packer (Bardolfo), and Richard Bernstein (Pistola) excelled. Here one expects to hear jesting, chortling, and broad comic effects. The three gentlemen seized upon every line and nuance.

Bogdan Volkov was a capital Fenton, the fresh lyricism of his "Dal labro il canto..." was a balm to the ear, and his youthful voice blended lovingly with Ms. Park's. Christopher Maltman was a vivid, dramatic Ford, the voice powerfully expressive of the jealousy and barely controlled fury of "E sogno? o realta?"; this was grand-scale singing, bristling with so much passion that I wanted to applaud at the climax...but the music goes on.

Michael Volle's masterful Falstaff places him in a perfect triumvirate of great artists I have previously experienced in this role in the theatre: Sir Geraint Evans and Sir Bryn Terfel. A vocal masterpiece, from house-filling power to intriguing subtlety, Mr. Volle had the audience in the palm of his hand from first note to last. Cunningly etching falsetto lines into the vocal mix, his "Io son di Sir John Falstaff..." put a smile on my face; minutes later, was thundering out the end of the "Honor" monologue. 

Between his scenes with Ms. Lemieux's Dame Quickly  and Mr, Maltman's Ford came Volle's marvelous "Va, vecchio John...", and soon enough he was courting Ms. Perez's Alice Ford with the charming "Alfin t’ho colto raggiante fior..." (watch the scene here), and singing of his younger days in the delicious "Quard'ero paggio..."

Mr. Volle engaged our sympathies at the start of the afternoon's second half (there is only intermission, thank god) as he recovered from his dunking in the Thames, and he perfectly expressed Falstaff's terror at Herne's Oak with his whispered "Sono le fate! Chi le guarda è morto!")...one of a thousand magic touches in the Volle Falstaff.

All's well as ends better, as the hobbits say: the opera finishes with Mr. Volle in a red jacket, parading down a long dinner-table (see photo at the top) and then seating himself to preside over a gala feast that the Fords are hosting to celebrate everyone's happy ending...well, everyone except for Dr. Caius, who is now married to Bardolfo.

I went to the stage door to greet Mr. Volle and thank him, not only for today but also for his memorable Wagner performances at The Met (and his magnificent Scarpia, too). He is a very tall and impressive gentlemen, with cordial manners of the 'olde school'. Bravo...bravissimo!!

~ Oberon

Szell Conducts Bruckner's TE DEUM

George Sezll (above) conducts the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus in a performance of Bruckner's TE DEUM, given in 1968. The soloists are Judith Raskin, Florence Kopleff, Ernst Haefliger, and Thomas Paul.

Listen here.

William Socolof @ The Morgan Library

Above: William Socolof in a Shervin Lainez portrait

Author: Oberon

Wednesday March 15th, 2022 - A noontime recital by bass-baritone William Socolof presented by Young Concert Artists at the Morgan Library. Having heard Mr. Socolof in his YCA debut recital in December 2021, my friend Rob and I were keen to hear him again today. As on that December evening, Gracie Francis was again at the piano for Mr. Socolof's recital this afternoon.

Today's was one of the finest song recitals I've ever heard; the program was very much to my liking, with music by three composers I especially love: Ravel, Mahler, and Schubert. Both in voice and communicative gifts, Mr. Socolof could hold his own among such names as Sir Bryn Terfel, Wolfgang Holzmair, and Jose van Dam. It's a gorgeous and distinctive sound, with a stage presence to match. Much of the time, he is shaping the music with his expressive hands as he sings. Equally at home in French and German repertoire, his diction flows freely and is devoid of mannerisms.

In his welcoming address, YCA President Daniel Kellogg told us that Mr. Socolof would soon be heading across the Atlantic for a year with Cologne Opera; I began at once to think of roles he should take on: Wolfram in TANNHAUSER and Mandryka in ARABELLA came immediately mind, as did Golaud in PELLEAS ET MELISANDE and the title-role in Tchaikovsky's EUGEN ONEGIN.

To his good fortune, Mr. Socolof has found a kindred musical spirit in the person of pianist Gracie Francis (above); her attention to nuance and her impeccable technique gave every song the perfect cushioning radiance that best shows off the Socolof timbre.

Maurice Ravel's charming Histoires naturelles opened the program. These are miniature portraits of animals, or rather of humans who take on the aspects of various animal species. The first is Le Paon (the Peacock) which opens with a rather jazzy piano passage. Touches of humor pop up in the vocal line, which leads to a big outburst. Then Mr. Solocof's powerful voice finally gives us the peacock's braying sound.

For Le Grillon (the Cricket), Ms. Francis introduces a shimmering sound. The singer, savoring every word of the Jules Renard poem, tells of the cricket going about its domestic chores as the piano chirps. As the insect settles in for the night, the music turns slow and dreamy.

In Le Cygne (the Swan), the pianist evokes sparkling sunlight on a stream where the swan glides. Mr. Socolof, lyrical at first, grows more passionate; he sculpts the lines superbly over soft keyboard figurations. Then the song turns humorous as the swan dives, seeking worms in the mud below.

Le Martin-Pêcheur (the Kingfisher) brings forth Ms. Francis's gift for delicacy. A haunting atmosphere develops as Mr. Socolof sings tenderly, his tone caressive. Here, as throughout the program, the singer''s expressive hands are hypnotic to watch.

Finally, La Pintade (the Guinea Fowl) has a frantic start and an amusing presentation. Dramatic outbursts alternate with calm moments, the music turning bouncy before a final eruption.

Hearing Gustav Mahler's Rückert Lieder invariably make me thing of my late friend Makiko Narumi, the Japanese contralto who studied at Juilliard with Beverley Peck Johnson and whose career was just blossoming when she succumbed to cancer at the age of 33.

These songs can be sung in any order the singer chooses. Mr. Socolof opened with the evocative Ich atmet' einen lIinden Duft; displaying his handsome timbre to perfect effect, he thoughtfully measured out varying degrees of vibrato to underline his poetic interpretation. Rich deep tones were meshed into the vocal line, and his sense of control over his voice is truly impressive. Ms. Francis brought special beauty to the song's postlude.

In Liebst du um Schönheit, one of the most enchanting love songs ever written, Mr. Socolof's singing was ideally placed throughout the range, again cannily meting out the vibrato to make the most of every phrase. Such heartfelt singing! And again, Ms. Francis crafted the piano part to enhance the romantic atmosphere. 

Restless music for the piano opens Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! in which both singer and pianist seemed to revel in every word and note of the only lively song in the cycle.

We come next to the powerful Um Mitternacht, wherein the darkest colourings of the Socolof tonal palette were gorgeously summoned up, and his vast dynamic range expressively employed. In phrase after phrase, the artists drew us deeper and deeper into the music, culminating with a great outpouring of emotion, thrillingly set forth: a glorious finish.

I was very glad that Mr. Socolof saved Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen for last because it seems impossible that anything could follow it. This song is so meaningful to me - increasingly so as the years rush by to time's inevitable end - and I could not ask for a more poignant rendering of it than I heard this afternoon. 

After taking a brief break, singer and pianist returned for some Schubert songs to complete the program; Mr. Socolof chose as a theme the four seasons.

Spring is welcomed in the familiar Frühlingsglaube, with gently rolling piano motifs underpinning the vocal line, in which Mr. Socolof's mastery of tonal colour was again engagingly in evidence. Summer comes with Die Sommernacht, a pensive song with phrases that have a slightly hesitant feeling. The singer's multi-hued phrases were again illuminated by his extraordinary pianist. Herbst (Autumn) has a turbulent start to its strikingly dramatic setting of the text. Ms. Francis was really marvelous here; the song in fact put me very much in mind of Erlkönig in Schubert's use of the piano. 

Der Winterabend (Winter Evening) begins with a gentle, lulling piano introduction. The song, which is quite long, has a reassuring coziness about it: a feeling of being safe at home. Mr. Scocolof's drew upon that atmosphere with singing that imbued the music with a great sense of comfort and quiet joy. As the poem ends, the piano sustains the mood in a lovely postlude. For several moments as the final note faded into memory, stillness prevailed in the hall. Slowly, Mr. Socolof was drawn back to our reality from his enchanted inner world; how generous of him to share a vision of that world with us. 

~ Oberon

Apollo MoonShot @ Weill Hall

Above: all of this evening's concert participants take a bow on the Weill Hall stage; photo by Gretchen Robinette

Author: Brad S Ross

Thursday March 9, 2023 - The audience of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall was treated to one of the finest chamber music concerts of recent memory as the Houston-based Apollo Chamber Players made their long-awaited return to NYC Thursday evening. The visiting ACP members included violinists Matthew J. Detrick and Anabel Ramirez Detrick and cellist Matthew Dudzik; they were joined this evening by guest violist Tonya Burton, tenor Kenneth Gayle, and narrators Outspoken Bean and John Herrington. The program, titled “Apollo MoonShot,” comprised entirely works written after 2015—all of which were receiving their New York premiere.

ACP founder Matthew Detrick began the evening with informal, yet pleasantly articulate opening remarks as he thanked those who made this performance possible. This set an intimate tone that carried over for the entire concert as composers and performers alike shared anecdotes in pre-performance talks about their work. These talks were mostly a delight (as I’ll elaborate below), but often featured relevant information about the compositions themselves that I wish had been included in the printed program, which was little more than a leaflet (yeah, yeah, there was a QR code link to more information, but a concert hall is the last place I want to use my phone).

Above: composer John L. Cornelius

The first piece of the night was Pax by the American pianist and composer John L. Cornelius. Demanding the largest forces of the evening, Pax was cast for string quartet, tenor, and spoken word.

Tenor Kenneth Gayle (above, photo by Gretchen Robinette) sang a powerful libretto adapted from two poems by Langston Hughes (“Give Us Our Peace” and “The Dove”)...

...while the Houston Poet Laureate Outspoken Bean (photo above by Gretchen Robinette) dramatically provided the spoken word accompaniment. Pax, as the composer explained in a brief pre-performance talk, was inspired by the concept of peace and how we define it.

Above: performing Pax, photo by Gretchen Robinette

Despite the (relatively) large voicing, the work was rather sparsely orchestrated throughout, with focus trading off between the instruments, tenor solo, and the narration throughout the piece. The combination of elements was refreshingly unique, and it certainly grabbed the audience’s attention, but the music itself seemed to move in fits and starts because of this—the instruments would enter, followed by Gayle’s vocals, and then everything else would pause while Outspoken Bean’s delivered his poetic narration. Only toward the end did all of the forces come together for a full and surprisingly loud effect. Pax then came to its dramatic conclusion as Outspoken Bean delivered his final injunction “Peace!” It made for a riveting live music experience—if one that probably wouldn’t translate well on recording.

The next work was MoonStrike by the Native American composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. Tate, who was joined on stage by his son (above photo by Gretchen Robinette), first introduced himself in the Chickasaw language before amusingly explaining their “lost luggage look” of jeans and button-up shirts. Apparently, the airline misplaced their bags and they had to hastily shop for clothes at Old Navy before the concert (we’ve all been there). Tate’s father was also in attendance, making for a special three-generation performance event.

Above: astronaut John Herrington (center) and the musicians for MoonStrike: Matthew Detrick and Anabel Ramirez Detrick (violinists), cellist Matthew Dudzik, and violist Tonya Burton; photo by Gretchen Robinette

MoonStrike is scored for string quartet and narration, which was provided by the fellow Chickasaw nation member and first Native American astronaut John Herrington (this was an especially appropriate collaboration, as the piece was originally commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing). The narration of each movement therefore told a different story about the moon from various native tribal legends adapted by Tate.

The piece began on an instrumental prologue “Calusa Corn Dance,” followed by Herrington’s dramatic entrance from the stage door to begin his narration. The animated first movement “Origin of the Moon” told the Kalispel Tribe story of how a woodpecker ran away with the original moon and a coyote had to take its place. The lamenting second movement “The Man Who Married the Moon” told the Isleta Pueblo story of the tribal leader Nah-chu-rú-chu's marriage to the Moon and how the jealous Yellow Corn sisters betrayed and murdered her—but not without consequences. The energetic and thoughtful third movement “Raven Steals the Moon” of the Haida people told the story of how the selfish Raven stole the moon so that the irritated fishermen would continue feeding him. This was followed by a short, punchy epilogue “Calusa Corn Dance Reprise” that concluded to enthusiastic applause. It was an excellent conclusion to the first half of the concert.

Above: Jennifer Higdon, photo by Gretchen Robinette

After the intermission came Jennifer Higdon’s one-movement composition for string quartet In the Shadow of the Mountain. Higdon, who was undoubtedly the biggest name on the program, has long been open about the Appalachian musical roots stemming from her upbringing in Tennessee. In the Shadow of the Mountain, which is based on elements of her first opera Cold Mountain, was no stranger to that influence. The piece is chock-full of some of the same delicious bluegrass elements that made her Concerto 4-3, among others, such a delight to hear. There’s not much I can say about the work without relying on adjectives that have become string music clichés, but needless to say I look forward to revisiting the piece again.

Next up was L’esprit du Nord (The Spirit of the North) by the New England-born composer Pierre Jalbert (photo above). The piece, which lasts a little over 15 minutes, is cast in three movements andis richly infused with the French-Canadian folk music of the composer’s ancestry. It opened on a plucky and upbeat “Chanson de Lisette,” followed by a gorgeous and somber “Cantique,” and concluded on an almost giddy third movement “Fiddle Dance,” complete with knocking and dancelike elements that drove the work to a finale that simply (to borrow a contemporary term) slaps. A prompt cheer of “Yeah!” came from an audience member as the applause began—a sentiment no doubt shared by everyone in the concert hall.

The last piece of the evening was Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan for string quartet by the Turkish-American composer Erberk Eryilmaz. Eryilmaz (photo, above) was, surprisingly, the only millennial composer on the program, but he more than held his own against his Gen-X counterparts. He was also the only composer not present, which, as Matthew Detrick explained before the piece, is because he had flown to Turkey to be with his family following last month’s devastating earthquake. Detrick added, I should note, that this performance was dedicated to the victims of that disaster.

Based on folk music of the Thracian people, who historically lived in regions now encompassed by Turkey, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria, Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan was decidedly more Middle Eastern in sound, utilizing regionally appropriate modes and sporadic vocalizations of “Besime Sultan!” from the performers. It is written in a single movement lasting about 10 minutes and included some of the most exuberant and demanding writing of the entire evening, which included stomping and other decidedly non-traditional string performing. The players were more than up to the challenge, however, leading the piece to a wickedly vivacious end.

The audience members were quick to their feet for a lengthy ovation, during which all composers and performers returned to the stage for one final bow. It was a perfect, energetic finale to a glorious evening of contemporary chamber music. “That was sensational,” said the woman seated in front of me as the audience began to gather their belongings and exit the hall. I couldn’t have put it better myself.

~ Brad S. Ross

Zubin Mehta: TRISTAN UND ISOLDE ~ 1972

Zubin Mehta (above) conducting the Orchestra di Roma della RAI in a performance of Wagner's TRISTAN UND ISOLDE given in February, 1972, in Rome. This was the Maestro's first time conducting this opera.

Listen here.

The Cast: Tristan — Helge Brilioth; King Marke — Peter Meven; Isolde — Birgit Nilsson; Kurwenal — Siegmund Nimsgern; Melot — Claudio Strudthoff; Brangäne — Beverly Wolff; Shepherd — Ennio Buoso; Steersman — Wander Bertolini; Young Sailor — Gianfranco Pastine

Photo credit: Los Angeles Philharmonic Archives

Suzanne Balguérie

Born at Le Havre in 1872, Suzanne Balguérie was one of the great French sopranos of her day. After completing her vocal studies at Conservatoire National de Paris, Balguérie began to sing professionally; her interest in contemporary concert music led to some engagements at small venues with a limited audience. In the early 1920’s, the soprano finally appeared in opera, debuting at the Opéra-Comique as Ariane in Dukas’s Ariane et Barbe-bleu. She remained a member of the Comique for more than twenty years, also performing at L'Opéra, where she was greatly admired in the Wagner repertoire.

Balguérie rarely sang outside France, so she is not well-known internationally. She retired from the stage in 1950, and became a successful voice teacher. She died at Grenoble in 1973.

Suzanne Balguérie - aria from Gluck's ALCESTE

Isabel Penagos

Born in 1931 at Santander, soprano Isabel Penagos studied at the Royal Conservatory in Madrid; she made her professional debut in Bach's Saint Matthew Passion in Madrid in 1953.

Her career in opera, zarzuela, concert, and recital centered in Spain, and she also appeared in Paris, Lisbon, at La Scala (as Musetta in 1963), and Buenos Aires.

In 1967, Ms. Penagos created the role of Julia Farnese in Alberto Ginastera's BOMARZO at Washington DC; she later recorded the role under Julius Rudel's baton.

In 1968, I heard Ms. Penagos as Walther in Catalani's LA WALLY in a concert performance at Carnegie Hall, singing opposite Renata Tebaldi and Carlo Bergonzi. You can listen to the performance here.

Isabel Penagos' lovely recording of the Siete canciones populares españolas of Manuel de Falla with pianist Miguel Zanetti may be heard here.