Oberon's Grove

Extreme Taylor @ The Joyce ~ 2024

Above: Alex Clayton in Runes; photo by Steven Pisano

~ Author: Oberon

Saturday July 29th, 2024 matinee - In the days leading up to this afternoon's Paul Taylor Dance Company performance, I was trying to recall my first-ever experience of seeing the Company live. I knew it was at Jacob's Pillow, but was it 40 years ago...or earlier?

I went thru my archives (I save everything) and discovered that it was in the summer of 1983, though the exact date is not on the cast page. The program opened with Esplanade...is it any wonder I was hooked?  In fact, my old pal Richard and I loved the Company so much (and especially David Parsons and Christopher Gillis) that we went to the box office during intermission and got tickets for the following weekend.

But...zooming back via time-warp to today's matinee, it opened with Taylor's Post Meridian, dating from 1965, set to a score by Evelyn Lohoefer de Boeck. This was my first encounter with this ballet, and I loved everything about it.

Above: from Post Meridian, photo by Steven Pisano

Somehow the Alex Katz costumes and Jennifer Tipton's lighting created an impression of the dancers glowing from within. The music, described as "for magnetic tape", is a delightful conglomeration of noises. The piece starts with thunder, or perhaps it's the sound of a helicopter landing. Bizarre passages of spoken word, bang-on-a-can type percussive intrusions, a jazzy string bass rhythm, a trilling clarinet, music from a carnival funhouse: all this provides impetus to the dancers.

In an opening segment of walk-ons and gestural moves, we first meet Eran Bugge, Lisa Borres, and Jada Pearman. The men join - Lee Duveneck and Kenny Corrigan - along with Jessica Ferretti. Kristen Draucker has a featured solo, beautifully danced. A striking segment of two parallel pas de trois is truly original, with Mssrs. Duveneck and Corrigan handling the partnering elements with aplomb. Ms. Bugge dances a solo, and as the music turns whimsical, she spins blithely about the space. Devon Louis is fantastic in a jazz-based solo..simply superb.

Some images from Post Meridian:

Kristin Draucker, photo by Ron Thiele

Devon Louis, photo by Ron Thiele

Paul Taylor's Brandenburgs (1988) is normally a closing piece, but this afternoon it fit neatly between the quirkiness of Post Meridian and the mythic bleakness of Runes. Brandenburgs is quintessential Taylor. It has a cast of nine, but somehow feels 'larger', whilst the iconic Bach score lends a sense of grandeur.

Above: Maria Ambrose and John Harnage in Brandenburgs; photo by Ron Thiele

From its opening pose of the six men and three women, Brandenburgs is a nonstop dance feast: each of the women - Maria Ambrose, Eran Bugge, and Lisa Borres - has a flirtatious segment with the five men of the ensemble: Lee Duveneck, Alex Clayton, Shawn Lesniak, Austin Kelly, and Jake Vincent. The men are given demanding Taylor moves as they come and go throughout, crossing the stage in leaping combinations.

The charismatic John Harnage (above, photo by Whitney Browne) holds the audience under a spell in the lyrical adagio, partnering Mlles. Bugge, Ambrose, and Borres in turn. In the succeeding faster movement, John admiringly observes solos by Maria, Eran, and Lisa, and then had a mesmerizing solo of his own. The animated finale brings us back to the ballet's opening pose.

Closing the program was Runes, choreographed by Paul Taylor in 1975 to piano music by Gerald Busby. The ballet opens with a blue moon in the sky and a corpse onstage. Jennifer Tipton's perfect lighting creates a timeless feeling as an ancient tribe gather to perform their sacred rituals. Their stylized movement has an air of Martha Graham about it.

Above: Patches of fur on the men's costumes evoke images of the Druids...dancers Lee Duveneck and Alex Clayton; photo by Steven Pisano

Eran Bugge (above, in a Steven Pisano photo) and Lee Duveneck have an intimate duet. They are joined by the captivating Ms. Draucker - as magnetic here as in Post Meridian; she and Devon Louis engage in a duet of their own, engrossing to watch.

Christina Lynch Markham's solo stood out as the centerpiece of the ballet; she is perhaps the high priestess of the community, dancing powerfully whilst exuding a spiritual glow. Alex Clayton's magnetism dominated the stage in a solo danced before a semi-circle of seated women; both here and in the ensuing duet with the radiant Madelyn Ho, Mr. Clayton once again affirmed his esteemed place in the Company. Runes ends with the corpse again in its place as the mysterious rites come to a close.

Above: Lisa Borres; portrait by Bill Wadman

Throughout the afternoon, I kept my eye on Lisa Borres, a dancer I have known for some time thru her performances with Lydia Johnson Dance and Damage Dance. Lisa's dancing and presence have always stood out, and it's so wonderful to find her so thoroughly at home in the Taylor repertoire. 

The afternoon marked the last time I will see Eran Bugge and Christina Lynch Markham dancing with the Taylor Company. Thru the years, they have each provided me with many wonderful memories, and their distinctive - and very different - personalities have always put a personal stamp on whatever role they are dancing. 

Above: Eran Bugge in Runes, photo by Seven Pisano

Above: Christina Lynch Markham; portrait by Bill Wadman

~ Oberon

Lando Bartolini Has Passed Away

The Italian tenor Lando Bartolini has passed away. A native of Prato, Italy, Lando started studying voice in Philadelphia at the Academy of Vocal Arts with Nicola Moscona. Soon after, also in Philadelphia, he made his operatic debut as Luigi in IL TABARRO in 1968. He enjoyed an early success in Mascagni's IRIS at the Teatro Liceu in Barcelona, and became a member of the Saint Gallen Opera. 

Lando joined the New York City Opera in 1976, appearing there until 1979. His Italian debut came in 1982 as Ernani at La Scala. He sang at the Teatro Colón, at the Arena di Verona, at Hamburg, Berlin, Chicago, Vienna, Munich, Naples, Lisbon, Tokyo, Catania, Parma, Turin, Firenze, San Francisco, Rome, Washington DC, at Covent Garden, and in Sydney.

Bartolini made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera on tour in Boston in 1986, as Cavaradossi. He continued singing at The Met thru 1996, appearing as Manrico, Andrea Chenier, Calaf, and Radames. I saw him at The Met in AIDA opposite Leona Mitchell and Stefania Toczyska, and as Cavaradossi opposite Anna Tomowa-Sintow. He was a passionate singer, and his voice had real cutting power.

My favorite memory of Lando Bartolini was in LA BOHEME at the New York City Opera in 1976, opposite a very young Catherine Malfitano. He was a handsome, ardent poet whose "Che gelida manina" won strong applause; then he sat on the floor at Mimi's feet as she told her story in "Mi chiamano Mimi." Their love duet was youthful and rapturous.

Lando sings Andrea Chenier's Improviso here, and Pinkerton's "Addio, fiorito asil" here.

Camille Saint-Saëns ~ Piano Quartet

Above: Camille Saint-Saëns

A performance of Camille Saint-Saëns' Piano Quartet, Opus 41, by members of the WDR Symphony Orchestra in 2022.

Watch and listen here.

The artists are Caroline Kunfalvi, violin; Katharina Arnold, viola;  Martin Leo Schmidt, cello; and  Nenad Lečić, piano.

Kristian Bezuidenhout @ The OSL Bach Festival

Above: Kristian Bezuidenhout, photo by Marco Borggreve 

~ Author: Oberon

Tuesday June 25th, 2024 - The Orchestra of St. Luke's brought their Bach Festival 2024 to a close tonight at Zankel Hall with a program titled Bach and Sons. Kristian Bezuidenhout (above) was conductor and soloist. The concert was sold out, with audience enthusiasm running high. The popularity of the series has prompted to OSL to announce a 4-performance festival for next year.

This evening's program featured works by J S Bach and two of his sons, and ended with Mozart. The opener, Johann Christian Bach's Symphony in G-Minor, Op. 6, No. 6, immediately engaged the audience. From the scurrying start of the opening Allegro, the music sounded thoroughly fresh and inviting. Horns and oboes join the strings, and the OSL's bass player, John Feeney, marked the epicenter of the entire evening. The Andante opens with a unison passage, leading to a steady, pulsing beat decorated with stealthy trills. A lovely violin theme is heard. An urgent start to the concluding Allegro molto develops into roller coaster up-and-down scale passages, hunting horns, and exaggerated string tremolos.

Next, Mr. Bezuidenhout at the pianoforte commenced J. S. Bach's Contrapunctus XIV from The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080, performed in an adaptation for strings. The cello, viola, and bass - and eventually the violins, seemingly one by one - join in this lament-like work. Poignant harmonies abound, the music gradually becoming somewhat animated.

Music of C. P. E. Bach came next, with Maestro Bezuidenhout taking up the Keyboard Concerto in D-Minor, Wq.17, H 420. The energetic opening Allegro was masterfully played, with a cadenza that displayed Mr. Bezuidenhout's technical assurance and intriguing subtlety. The ensuing Adagio has a dreamy feeling, with periodic interjections of drama. Gracious harmonies invite the keyboard to join, with enticing turns and trills woven in. The turbulent opening of the final Allegro has a trace of a Spanish feel. Delicious playing from Mr. Bezuidenhout kept the audience entranced.

Following the interval, more from C.P.E. Bach: his String Symphony No. 3 in C-Major, Wq. 182, H. 659. From its speedy start, swirling violin motifs come to a sudden change of mood when the Adagio suddenly takes over: here, an interlude of affecting violin passages is interrupted by urgent stabbing tones from the bass. In the final Allegretto, melodic phrases are intruded upon by insistent bass and cello comments.

What finer end for a Bach Festival than music of Mozart! While Bach and his progeny are the source from which all musical blessings flow, their music - so meaningful to the mind and spirit - seldom touches heart. Thus, Mr. Bezuidenhout's outstanding rendering of the Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major, K. 271, "Jeunehomme", reached me on an altogether different level.

The 9th, composed in 1777, is considered Mozart's first truly mature piano concerto. In terms of musical scope, technical demands, and depth of feeling, it seems to signal a new phase for the composer. The string ensemble, reinforced with horns and oboes, plays a unison introductory passage, and then Mr. Bezuidenhout immediately captivates us with a sustained trill. His playing throughout is remarkable for its dynamic range, with a delicacy of touch that charms the ear.

Having been a frustrated horn player in my teens, a brief horn solo reminds me of the fact that I didn't take it seriously until my senior year: a lesson too late for the learning. Mr. Feeney's bass resonance - such a pleasure to hear all evening - was of special appeal here. The piano cadenza, a jewel in the musical diadem of the evening, included spine-tingling nuances and hushed pianissimi which were vastly pleasing to the ear.

Dolorous might be too heavy a word for the concerto's Andantino...wistful is perhaps more apt. All I know is, this music went straight to my heart...which has been in a tormented state of late. A full-bodied theme, brief but later repeated, was impactful. And the Bezuidenhout cadenza was immaculate and engrossing: a series of trills was a joy in and of itself.

But...no time for reverie. The pianist commences the concluding Rondo as a solo, which will recur; of particular charm was a keyboard cantabile played over plucked accompaniment.

Mr. Bezuidenhout has always been a prince among pianists, and with the redoubtable artists of St. Luke's all on such fine form, the evening was a balm to the ear and the soul. I simply did not want this concert to end; it was the final live musical event of my seventy-fifth year; next week, the fourth act of my life/opera commences. For the moment - like Alceste - "Je sens une force nouvelle."   

~ Oberon

Tebaldi @ Buenos Aires ~ 1953

Renata Tebaldi is at her most sumptuous in arias from two concerts given at Buenos Ares in 1953.

Listen here.

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana @ The Joyce ~ 2024

Above: dancer Fanny Ara

~ Author: Oberon

Sunday June 23rd, 2024 - Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana presenting the US premiere performances of  EQUILIBRIO (Clásica/Tradición) by Emilio Ochando. Featuring nine dancers and musicians, the work embraces flamenco tradition while creating a unique staging of dances set to an original score by guitarist Daniel Jurado and featuring multi-instrumentalist Gonzalo Grau.

On the hottest day of the Summer (so far...and we are only on day 3) - with a high of 95 degrees - it was unfortunate that The Joyce's air conditioning was malfunctioning. This made for a sweaty audience experience, and I can only imagine the effect on the dancers. But they persevered, looking as proud, noble, and sexy as ever; that's an odd trio of adjectives, no?  But that describes them perfectly.

Today's program was rather different from last season's Flamenco Vivo production; today was more of an ensemble affair. There were some impressive solos but none of the free-standing flamenco showpieces that feel like great operatic arias; instead, Mr. Ochando's EQUILIBRIO had a more organic quality. Three fantastic musicians guaranteed an afternoon of fabulous music: Mr. Jurado is a guitarist de luxe, and Mr. Grau is extraordinary in his range, playing keyboard, drums, and cello in turn. (I bet if someone handed him a bassoon or trumpet, he could manage that as well). Vocalist Loreto De Diego displayed a multi-hued sound that ranged from slightly raspy parlando to clear, sensuous soft tones to full-fledged Broadway-style belting. Her singing was emotion-drenched and heartily applauded.

Lighting designer Daisy Long kept things simple and effective. Large moveable rectangles of tube lighting changed hues to fit the mood of the music, and were easily shifted about the stage by the dancers, giving each of the scores thirteen movements a distinctive character. Carmelita Vestuario's costuming had the women in red gowns with black underskirts and the men in fitted black trousers and red shirts (later, they donned black skirts for a while). Castanets, the iconic sound of flamenco, were often in use, delightfully played by the six dancers.

Above: the Company

The afternoon opened with a keyboard solo from Mr. Grau. All six dancers appear with their castanets for a gorgeous opening, red skirts swirling. Mr. Jurado's guitar comes in for the second movement, and Ms. De Diego's voice begins to entrance us.

Mr. Grau takes up the cello for a riveting fandango in which dancer Emilio Ochando, lying on his back, gives a virtuoso performance with the castanets. The clarity of his playing was amazing, especially when he honed the volume down to a mere whisper. Mr. Ochando then dons a vest embellished with silver bells for El Vito, with Ms. de Diego showing her vocal range whilst the three female dancers - Fanny Ara, Lorena Franco, and Laura Peralta - clap in varying rhythms.

A somewhat competitive duet ensues, with Fernando Jimenez and Yoel Vargas doing some dynamic foot stamping; castanets continue to entice, and the four women observe the men's 'duel', calling out to them, egging them on.

The musicians take over for Zambra, a slow lament for cello, guitar, and voice. Then the music speeds up, and all six dancers take up spoons for a rhythmic ensemble piece...big, lush dancing here: the audience loved it.

A classic Spanish fringed shawl is passed from dancer to dancer in Alegrias; Fanny Ara was especially captivating here, manipulating the shawl with flair. The six dancers, seated in a row of chairs, have a marvelous piece full of synchronized hand gestures and animated clapping. Again, the audience seemed to take special pleasure in this segment.

I now realized that my note-taking was all jumbled and over-written; this usually happens at The Joyce where the house is in deep darkness during most performances. Further notes became impossible, but I must mention a passionate 'aria' sung by Ms. de Diego before the afternoon's finale was reached.

A large crowd gathered in the lower lobby after the performance where there was an impromptu Q and A, and where I got to greet the beautiful Ms. Ara: the dancer who first turned me on to flamenco. Bravissima Fanny!

~ Oberon

Ferruccio Busoni ~ Mass

Above: composer Ferruccio Busoni

Coro Filarmonico Trentino perform Ferruccio Busoni's Missa in Honorem Beatae Mariae Virginis. Listen here.

2024 Chelsea Music Festival ~ Opening Night

~ Author: Lili Tobias

Friday June 21st, 2024 - The opening night concert of the 2024 Chelsea Music Festival was held in by far the most surprising venue I’ve ever been to. It took place in Genesis House, which is a restaurant/car showroom/performance venue associated with the luxury car brand, Genesis. In fact, the audience walked into the building through the showroom, so we were surrounded by new cars as the event staff offered glasses of wine. We then descended down a flight of stairs, through a lounge area, to the performance space. 

 

The stage floor was actually a large screen itself, as were the back wall and the ceiling. This concert featured not only music but visual art completely surrounding the musicians as they played. While I thought the visuals were beautiful and intriguing, I didn’t quite see how they were connected to each specific piece. I think both the music and the visual art could have stood on their own just as well as together!

 

The concert opened with two pieces by Augusta Read Thomas: Bebop Riddle V and Dancing Stars. Both were very joyful and bouncy! I particularly enjoyed the juxtaposition of staccato and legato moments in Dancing Stars. This piece was primarily staccato throughout, but there were brief moments when more legato phrases rose up and then dissipated. These moments got more expansive as the piece progressed, and culminated in one bright pluck, followed by its echo in the resonance of the piano strings.

 

Wooden Bodies, by Tebogo Monnakgotla, was next on the program, performed by the Aizuri Quartet. Beginning with a slow melody in the lowest register of the viola, this motif was then explored by the other instruments in turn. In general, this piece was very fugue-like with all the motifs that got passed around within the quartet. My favorite moment was when the two violins traded off short, choppy phrases, creating a sort of panning effect between them. As a nice contrast to the explorative nature of the previous piece, Augusta Read Thomas’s next piece, Clara’s Ascent, felt calmer and more relaxed. The music stayed slow and legato for most of the time, punctuated by a fun pizzicato solo for the cello near the very end.

 

Next was a beautiful string quartet arrangement of Clara Schumann’s song, Die stille lotosblume. Having played the original piano and voice version myself, I really appreciated the liberties Miho Saegusa took in adapting the music for strings. First of all, the vocal melody is traded between string instruments which creates fun contrasts within one performance of the piece. And second, Saegusa added some delicate arpeggios which don’t exist in the piano part. These added interesting variety to the texture which the piano part just doesn’t have, and the half cadence ending left me wanting more!

 

To end the first half of the program was the world premiere of Nicky Sohn’s wind quintet, A Night at Birdland. Despite being accompanied by images of birds, this piece has nothing to do with birds, but rather is inspired by Charlie Parker, who is known as “Bird.” It was a really wonderful piece, and WindSync performed it so well. The music traversed many different musical textures, often featuring a consistent bouncy rhythm and really lush chords.

 

Beginning the second half of the program were two solo piano pieces, first the theme from the 2022 movie, The Fabelmans, composed by John Williams. Melinda Lee Masur, one of the artistic directors of the festival, performed this piece herself. It was a beautiful progression of a melody through different accompanying textures. Next was Against Time, written and performed by 2024 composer-in-residence Ania Vu. Starting with a single barely-there note, the music evolved into an exploration of different piano textures and techniques: full chords vs single notes, clusters vs octaves, steady pulses vs filigree. I’d love to try out playing this one myself!

 

The concert ended with Poulenc’s Sextuor (1931-32, performed impeccably by WindSync and pianist Andrea Lam. After the music, the audience was invited back upstairs to the Genesis House Restaurant for more drinks and canapés. This opening night concert featured such a wide variety of artistic ideas, and I’m sure the rest of the festival will live up to that as there’s a full week of performances ahead—from Bach to jazz to Brazilian forró. Congratulations to the Chelsea Music Festival on their 15th season!

 

~ Lili Tobias

Raehann Bryce-Davis ~ La Luce Langue

Raehann Bryce-Davis (above) sings Lady Macbeth's "La Luce Langue" at a 2021 concert given at Antwerp. Alejo Pérez conducts the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Orchestra. 

Watch and listen here.

In 2019, Ms. Bryce-Davies sang the mezzo-soprano part in the Verdi REQUIEM with Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall; she was truly impressive.

Recordare

The Recordare from the Verdi REQUIEM, sung by Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and Elīna Garanča, with the orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Antonio Pappano.

Watch and listen here.