~ Author: Oberon
Tuesday June 11th, 2024 - Lisette Oropesa (photo above, with some of her NYC fans) was the featured soloist tonight at Carnegie Hall, where the MET Orchestra and their Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin offered works by Jessie Montgomery, Mozart, and Brahms.
Ms. Montgomery's "Hymn for Everyone" opened the evening. Being a 'hymn', I was expecting to hear singing...but the piece is for orchestra, and it was richly played by the Met's wonderful musicians. The music opens with the sound of a summoning chime, from which a prayer-like theme for the violas and cellos develops. The violins and winds join, developing a grand tapestry of sound. The oboe and flutes have their say, and then the brass take prominence, with the trombones and tuba anchoring the ensemble. The music turns grand, and a march-like rhythm springs up. As this fades, there is a poignant clarinet theme, taken up by the violins. A brass choir emerges, supported by an insistent beat that continues to a huge cresting wave of sound...which then fades away. The piece was warmly applauded, as was the composer, who was summoned to the stage for a bow.
After the concert ended, Ms. Montgomery emerged from the stage door to cheers from the waiting fans; she graciously signed my program.
After the stage was re-set, Lisette Oropesa appeared - to an exuberant welcome from the crowd - for two Mozart concert arias: "Vado, ma dove?" K.583, and "A Berenice...Sol nascente", K. 70. Ever elegant in her choice of gowns, Lisette wore a buttercup-yellow and black frock with a summertime look.
From the moment she began to sing, it was evident that Lisette's is a perfect voice for Carnegie Hall. For some reason, the space is not that cordial to every voice, but Lisette sounded wonderfully vivid: it is a voice with great presence.
In "Vado, ma dove?" the soprano displayed a blooming middle range and low notes of warmth and colour without being pushed. The clarity of tone, her expressive dynamic palette, and some gorgeous piani made the aria a treat to the ear. And her flawless breath control gave aria's final measures an impressive sustained quality.
Mozart wrote "A Berenice...Sol nascente" at the age of 13. After a lively start comes a charming recitativo, followed by a long orchestra passage to introduce the aria proper, in which Lisette's fluency of coloratura was effortlessly displayed. A shift of mood leads on to one heavenly sustained tone and a delicious Oropesa trill.
The house went wild for the soprano, who was called back for extra bows to insistent applause. Clearly an encore was what the audience wanted, but none was forthcoming. So now, Gotham must wait til October to hear this marvelous voice again: Lisette and pianist Ken Noda will be at Zankel Hall for a recital on October 23rd.
Following the interval, Yannick Nézet-Séguin gave us the 1st symphony of Johannes Brahms. It was, of course, beautifully played, but I can't say that there is much in it that appeals to me until the final - very familiar - Allegro non troppo ma con vivo. Of course there are felicities along the way: the second movement includes an oboe solo, a theme for high violins, wonderful moments for the double basses and horns, and a shimmering final note from concertmaster David Chan to finish.
But the third movement - though pleasant and innocuous - has nothing to recommend it other that a nice horn solo. A passage of pizzicati - played twice - seems like a silly detour. Looking around at my fellow audience members, several had fallen asleep.
But the finale seemed to please everyone, and we left the crowd applauding vigorously and went to greet Lisette at the stage door. From the people I talked to who'd gathered there, it seemed they would have preferred more Mozart, no Brahms.
At last Lisette appeared, and she spent a long time being her unique self with her admirers: a ray of light in a darkening world.
Performance photos by Jennifer Taylor, courtesy of Carnegie Hall:
~ Oberon