The inimitable Canadian contralto Maureen Forrester sings Johannes Brahms' Alto Rhapsody in a performance televised by the CBC in 1957. The Orchestre de Radio-Canada is conducted by Igor Markevitch.
Watch and listen here.
Grigory Sokolov ~ Rameau's Les Cyclopes
Grigory Sokolov plays Rameau's Les Cyclopes; watch and listen here.
Verdi REQUIEM ~ Philadelphia 1986
Lorin Maazel conducts the Verdi REQUIEM is a 1986 performance given by the Opera Company of Philadelphia. The soloists are Susan Dunn, Ildikó Komlósi, Luciano Pavarotti, and Paata Burchuladze. I vividly remember tuning in to this performance live.
Watch and listen here.
GrahamFest95 ~ Part III
Above: Xin Ying and Lloyd Knight in Martha Graham's Saraband from Dark Meadow; photo by Brigid Pierce
Sunday May 2nd, 2021 - This afternoon, GrahamFest95 - the Martha Graham Dance Company's celebration of their 95th anniversary - concluded with the third of three virtual gala offerings in a program entitled Other Spaces. Solos choreographed by Martha Graham, and duets by Graham, Troy Schumacher, and Elisa Monte were performed, some on film and others live.
Today's matinee opened with a duet from Troy Schumacher's The Auditions, set to a perky score by Augusta Read Thomas, and danced - Viva L'Italia! - by Marzia Memoli and Lorenzo Pagano (photo above by Marina Levitskaya). The dancers wear sneakers, and they dance with boundless, joyous energy the very lively choreography. Each has a solo along the way, and each collapses in a pool of light at the end.
In an immediate contrast, Martha Graham's Saraband from Dark Meadow was danced on film by Xin Ying and Lloyd Knight, framed by the artwork of Luchita Hurtado (photo above by Melissa Sherwood). The ballet, to a score by Carlos Chávez, premiered in 1946. Ms. Hurtado's work has a quality of mythic folk art which suits the music and choreography perfectly.
Saraband is one of Graham's most poetic creations; Xin Ying and Lloyd Knight created a palpable atmosphere as Lloyd cradles, lifts, and carries his partner. The "longing" pose (photo) creates an iconic Graham image, and later the dancers are back-to-back, the woman hanging from her partner's shoulders. A passage where the kneeling dancers' hands flutter adds a touch of mystery. The Xin/Knight partnership has a special allure...so great to have seen them together during GrahamFest in both Saraband and Conversations of Lovers.
My River Runs to Thee, from Martha Graham's Letter to the World (1940,) was danced with captivating fluency by Anne O'Donnell (photo above by Melissa Sherwood). The solo is set to a score by Hunter Johnson, and though it was created some eighty years ago, it might have been made for Ms. O'Donnell.
Here is the Emily Dickinson poem gave this solo its name:
"My River runs to thee. Blue sea, wilt thou welcome me? My river awaits reply. Oh! Sea, look graciously. I'll fetch thee brooks From spotted nooks. Say, sea, Take me!"
The dancer appears, wearing a lemon-yellow gown with a white scarf; the setting feels domestic, but her mind is elsewhere. Ms. O'Donnell moves beautifully about the space, her flowing skirt accenting her feminine grace. A lovely diagonal in which she pauses to briefly kneel three times is repeated as the dance nears its end. There is a swirl of turns, and then stillness.
The poem - so brief - is variously interpreted as a longing for death or a longing for one's lover. In Anne's performance today, it felt - even in its wistful moments - like a breath of Spring,
Watch a brief video of Janet Eilber coaching Anne O'Donnell in this solo here.
What a beautiful couple So Young An and Jacob Larsen made in the Graham duet Moon from Canticle for Innocent Comedians (above photo by Melissa Sherwood). This ballet, created in 1952 to music by Thomas Ribbink, is in three sections, of which only Martha's original choreography for Moon remains intact.
Following a brief solo for Jacob Larsen, clad in sleek tights, So Young An enters, swirling softly in her white gown. There is a tender adagio, with a lullaby-like atmosphere in which Jacob tenderly rocks his moon goddess. Later, he holds her in a series of turns, dipping her so that her hair brushes the ground. These two dancers gave us a vision of a dreamy realm, a refuge from the chaos of the world.
Above: Martha Graham herself dancing Immediate Tragedy
Martha Graham's 1937 solo to music by Henry Cowell, Immediate Tragedy, was danced for today's program by Xin Ying in a filmed version with artwork by Rita Ackerman. The solo was Graham's deep-felt homage to the women who fought in and suffered during the Spanish civil war.
Ms. Ackerman's vibrant color palette served as a striking counter-poise to the dancer's simple black skirt and white bodice. Xin Ying's dancing expressed the inner turmoil of a woman living in a place torn by war and fraught with danger. Different camera angles captured the dancer's shifting emotions; at times she seemed to make eye contact with us. At the end, she rises and advances slowly forward.
In these GrahamFest presentations, it has been especially wonderful for me to see Xin Ying again. The last time I visited the Graham studios, in what now seems like a lifetime ago, Xin Ying was on leave, caring for her newborn daughter. I've missed her both as a dancer and a friend...and I've missed her distinctive speaking voice.
The program ended with a repeat of Elisa Monte's duet Treading, danced by Charlotte Landreau (above in a Melissa Smallwood photo) and Lloyd Knight.
And so GrahamFest95 has come to an end. Whenever, during these months of pandemic, I have been down in The Village, I have made it a point to pass by Westbeth, the Graham Company's home. I cannot wait to go there again, someday soon, and see all these beautiful people live and in person.
~ Oberon
GrahamFest95 ~ Part II
Above: choreographer Sir Robert Cohan whose works were featured in today's GrahamFest95 presentation
Saturday May 1st, 2021 - The Martha Graham Dance Company are celebrating their 95th anniversary with GrahamFest95, a three-part virtual gala. In this evening's second festival presentation, entitled Past/Present, works by Ms. Graham, Sir Robert Cohan, and three dances from the Lamentation Variations project were on offer.
I have to admit that the works of Sir Robert Cohan have been totally unfamiliar to me until now; I loved the Cohan pieces given in today's program. Cohan was born in New York City; he danced with the Martha Graham Company from 1946, and was associated with them thru 1969. Cohan is credited with "bringing modern dance to Britain", where he was for 20 years director of London Contemporary Dance Theatre, and he also worked with the Yorke Dance Project. Sir Robert passed away in January 2021 at the age of 95. Communion, from which two solos were included in today's Graham presentation, was Cohan's last major work. Watch a trailer for Communion by the Yorke Dance Project here; I wonder if the entire work could become part of the Graham repertory.
Laurel Dalley Smith...
...and Lloyd Mayor (photo by Melissa Sherwood) each danced a solo from Communion to open today's GrahamFest program. Laurel, whose solo appears to have been filmed in England, was followed by Lloyd, who was dancing live; the score is by Nils Frahm.
The solo that Laurel Dalley Smith performed has a hesitant quality which the dancer captured so perfectly; she seemed to be searching for something. Laurel's dancing was immaculately meshed to the music, creating an ebb and flow of movement that was beautifully timed.
Lloyd Mayor's solo commenced with the dancer circling the space. The choreography veers from athletic to lyrical, with some quirky elements - gentle hops - woven in. The contemplative piano score underlined Lloyd's elegant turns and spacious port de bras; and there are times when the dancer kneels, either in prayer or in despair. Laurel and Lloyd gave us an enticing look at Communion...I want to see more of it.
Next, from the Graham Company's ongoing project, Lamentation Variations, works by three choreographers were presented. This section of the program opened with filmed excerpts of the original Lamentation performed by Martha Graham; watching her, it is easy to understand the fascination this piece has evoked over the years.
In the first, choreographed by Kyle Abraham, a duet performed by Lloyd Knight and Lloyd Mayor (photo by Brigid Pierce) finds the men dancing in sync, and later partnering one another in supported poses. The feeling is one of brotherhood, with just a tinge of desire; the atmosphere is hauntingly poetic.
Richard Move's Lamentation Variation was sublimely danced by So Young An (photo by Melissa Sherwood). To a crescendo of music from the DJ Savage score, the dancer steps into a path of light. Making her way slowly across the space, she halts at times to pose or balance - once in a lush développé. So Young An's shadow takes part in her journey, her long hair seeming almost weighted, her hands speaking some mystic language. A meditative pause is filled with a sense of quiet ecstasy before the dancer backs off into oblivion. So Young An's performance spoke to us as if from another dimension of time and space. Brava! Beautifully done!!
For Nicolas Paul's Lamentation Variation brought together Anne O’Donnell, Anne Souder, and Leslie Andrea Williams (seen in the above photo by Melissa Sherwood), all dressed in trousers and shirts. The choreographer has thoughtfully chosen music from the Renaissance by John Dowland, and then costumed his dancers in a contemporary-casual look; this juxtaposition of time frames gave the work enormous appeal.
The women emerge from and disappear into the darkness up-stage; their constant comings and goings keep the eye engaged. The choreography is brilliantly devised, and thoroughly musical. Although dressed identically, each of the three women made her own mark on the steps and gestures. Nicolas Paul's Lamentation Variation is a pleasure to watch, and to hear.
Lorenzo from Afternoon Conversations with Dancers by Sir Robert Cohan presents an entrancing portrait of dancer Lorenzo Pagano (photo by Melissa Sherwood). Clad in black trousers and an iconic wife-beater t-shirt, Lorenzo commands the stage at every moment. This is a restless solo, full of lively combinations and demanding great energy; the dancer even turns some back-somersaults. Lorenzo provided an opportunity to deeply savor the technique, artistry, and personality of this incredible dancer.
Robert Cohan’s Lloyd from Afternoon Conversations with Dancers, performed by Lloyd Knight, in a filmed performance with artwork by Rashid Johnson. First seen in silhouette, the dancer remains stationary throughout the solo, which is performed to somber piano music.
Seemingly without moving from his mark, Lloyd uses every fiber of his heavenly body as an expressive instrument, his arms and hands carving the air; even his hair seems vibrant. Things become very intense, but then there's a sudden silence. Lloyd's body goes into spasms before stillness settles over him. Lloyd was utterly engrossing from start to finish.
To close the evening, the duet Conversations of Lovers from Martha Graham's Acts of Light was luminously performed by Xin Ying and Lloyd Knight (photo by Melissa Sherwood).
This pas de deux is set to a beautiful score by Carl Nielsen; from its opening cello phrase the music - in which strings, oboe, flute, and clarinet are prominent - charts the emotional path of a long-lasting love. When the music turns huge, and the brass join, there is a glorious lift for the dancers.
To an oboe solo, the couple express express their tenderness, dancing slowly back-to-back. Passions rise and fall, and there's a whimsical lull in which the dancing becomes playful. Calm settles over the ballet's ending, as they exit with the woman poised on her lover's back.
The marvelous partnership of Xin Ying and Lloyd Knight caught all the moods of the music and the choreography, giving a performance that radiated trust and deep affection.
~ Oberon
GrahamFest95
Above: Natasha M. Diamond-Walker performing Martha Graham's Spectre-1914 recently at The Guggenheim. Photo by Christopher Jones.
Friday April 30th, 2021 - The Martha Graham Dance Company, celebrating their 95th anniversary with GrahamFest95, a 3-part virtual gala. This evening's program, entitled The EVE Project, brought us four of the Company's extraordinary female dancers appearing in Graham solo works, followed by the charismatic duo of Charlotte Landreau and Lloyd Knight dancing Elisa Monte's Treading.
After we were greeted by the Graham Company's Artistic Director, Janet Eilber, the dancing commenced with Graham's Deep Song, performed by Leslie Andrea Williams (above in a Melissa Sherwood photo). This 1937 solo was Martha Graham's response to the horrific headlines during the period of the Spanish civil war. It is set to a score for prepared piano by Henry Cowell.
In this, and in each of the four Graham solos on today's program, we see the dancer in an iconic costume that immediately identifies it as "Graham". Clad in Deep Song's striking black-and-white gown, Leslie Andrea Williams danced with striking authority. As the woman struggles with her inner torment, she seems alternately commanding and fearful. The simple bench on which she is seated at the start later becomes a shield, a hiding place...or a coffin. Ms. Williams' performance moved me to tears - partly by its sheer beauty and partly because I could not be there to applaud and congratulate her.
Anne Souder then took the stage for Graham's Immediate Tragedy (photo above by Melissa Sherwood), a solo which is a sort of companion piece to Deep Song: both works sprang from Martha Graham's despair over the Spanish civil war. Again the music is by Henry Cowell, and again the simple the costume of a black skirt and white top is the same as Martha wore at the premiere. Here the prepared piano has the sonic effect of a dulcimer; the music has a tinge of Spanish flavour. And the costume has its own intriguing subtlety: the skirt is lined in red...the colour of blood, and a visual echo of the stunning costume seen in the 1936 piece Spectre-1914, which would follow on today's program.
Anne Souder's dancing always finds the perfect balance between vigor and lyricism; her pliant physique responds to the music so naturally, making her always a joy to watch. She fills the space with achingly beautiful movement, alive with feminine energy, and momentary close-ups of her face made me think wistfully of the times I have watched her in the studio...something I have truly missed during the long months of the pandemic. At the end of her solo, I found myself spontaneously applauding.
In a marriage of art and dance, Mary Heilman's colors created a dazzling setting for Xin Ying's appearance in Satyric Festival Song. This quirky Graham piece was created in 1932; it disappeared for many years before Diane Grey and Janet Eilber brought forth a re-construction in 1994.
Speaking of iconic costumes, the long stretchy shift in black-green-yellow stripes for this solo simply screams "Graham!"; and Xin Ying wears it so very well. The dancer caught all the wit and sparkle of the choreography to perfection, her long hair playing its own part in the presentation. The Heilman virtual blasts of color were eye-popping, whilst the fluteful score by Imre Weisshaus tickled the ear.
Xin Ying's dancing, and the quizzical charm of her facial expressions - aligned with the glow of the Heilman artwork - made for a visual treat.
In the fascinating Spectre-1914 - the work that gave me my "Graham Revelation" in 2012 - the majestic Natasha M. Diamond Walker (photo above by Melissa Sherwood) gave a riveting performance.
As the lights came up on the dancer, seated in utter stillness, a great feeling of anticipation swept thru me. And then she rose, reaching heavenward, and began to move. A stunning développé was but one memorable moment in this demanding solo, in which everything I love about Natasha came into play: her striking features, magnificent hair, hypnotic port de bras, and the nuanced expressiveness of her hands all combined to mesmerizing effect. As the lights faded, I found myself wishing the solo could go on and on.
Prior to the final work on today's program - Elisa Monte's Treading - Ms. Monte and Janet Eilber talked of their experiences of dancing for Martha. Ms. Monte told of how an injury that side-lined from dancing brought about an invitation from Ms. Graham to try her hand at choreography. The result was Treading, which she said was inspired by the eternal questions: "Why do we need love?" and "Why do we fall in love?"
Treading brought together Charlotte Landreau and Lloyd Knight (above in a Melissa Sherwood photo). To an animated Steve Reich score, the duet opens with the sleekly-costumed Lloyd Knight kneeling; his poses and gestures - moving slowly to fast music - call for great control.
As if from out of nowhere, Lloyd suddenly draws Charlotte Landreau forward; the French beauty, her hair in a tight, pinned-up braid, exudes an air of mystery in her solo passage. Lloyd joins her for a duet in which she perches on his back. They entwine, folding into one another, and Charlotte displays a luxuriant backbend. These two gorgeous creatures brought Treading - a surprisingly darkish work - to vibrant life.
~ Oberon
Kathleen Battle ~ Oh! quand je dors
Kathleen Battle sings Franz Liszt's 'Oh! quand je dors' from a recital she gave at the Temple of Dendur, Metropolitan Museum of Art, in 1990. Warren Jones is at the piano.
Watch and listen here.
Elena Cernei
Above: Elena Cernei as Amneris
You never forget your first Amneris; mine happened to be Elena Cernei, a comely Romanian mezzo-soprano with a marvelous chest-register. My first AIDA came during the Met's second season at Lincoln Center, on December 27th, 1967; Ms. Cernei's colleagues were Gabriella Tucci, Flaviano Labo, Mario Sereni, and Bonaldi Giaiotti, with Thomas Schippers on the podium.
Born in 1924, Ms. Cernei studied at Bucharest. She joined the Romanian National Opera in 1952, singing there thru 1977. She also sang at La Scala, Paris, Barcelona, Brussels, Mexico City, and at the Bolshoi.
She debuted at The Met in 1965 as Dalila; her other Met roles were Amneris, Maddalena in RIGOLETTO, the Princesse de Bouillon in ADRIANA LECOUVREUR, and Carmen.
Ms. Cernei's repertoire further included Azucena, both Laura and La Cieca in LA GIOCONDA, Ulrica, Rossini's Arsace, and Gluck's Orfeo. She was named an Honored Artist of the Republic of Romania. Upon retiring from the stage, she lived and taught at Rome. She passed away in 2000, and a commemorative postage stamp was issued in her honor.
Elena Cernei sings the Séguédille from Bizet's CARMEN here.
And here's a sampllng of her Dalila:
The Crossing: James Primosch ~ CARTHAGE
UPDATE (4/28/21): It was sad to read today that the composer James Primosch has passed away at the age of 65. This is an article I wrote in May 2020 upon the release of CARTHAGE by The Crossing:
~~~ Newly released by Navona Records, CARTHAGE features works by composer James Primosch performed by the choral group The Crossing. This music came my way during the isolation of the pandemic in May of 2020.
From the opening phrase of the opening piece, Journey, a spell was cast over me. Listening to the men of The Crossing intoning these words drawn from the work of 13th-century monk and mystic Meister Eckhart - “There is a journey you must take. It is a journey without destination. There is no map. Your soul will lead you. And you can take nothing with you.” - was all it took to draw me in. Not just the evocative words themselves, but the particular beauty of the voices created a mood that is sustained throughout the span of the album.
While the title track, Carthage, evokes for me visions of the lost city of Carthage, where Dido died of despair after being abandoned by Aeneas, it's Marilynne Robinson's novel Housekeeping that is the source of the text. James Primosch provides wondrous harmonies which feel at once ancient and vividly of our time. Individual voices sometimes rise from the ensemble as the music veers from pensive to ecstatic. After listening, I ordered a copy of Ms. Robinson's book.
Following is Mass for the Day of St. Thomas Didymus. Comprised of five movements, this work employs four soloists singing the traditional texts from the Latin mass whilst the main choir of The Crossing sing from Denise Levertov’s cycle of poems which inspired the work's title.
In Kyrie, the solo voices are deeply affecting, the choir's harmonies alive with dynamic and rhythmic shifts. The Gloria is appropriately more animated and upbeat, whilst the Credo opens thoughtfully, with especially marvelous harmonies in a variety of moods. The Sanctus opens with solo voices, each on its own trajectory and finally meshing; following a dense harmonic burst, the word "Sanctus" is repeated. The music then becomes lullaby-like. Agnus Dei, the final passage of this Mass, opens with the beloved "Lamb of God" text gently voiced; later, an emotional rise subsides into a fading finish, a quiet plea for peace.
The album's notes so accurately describe this work honoring St. Thomas Didymus - known as “doubting Thomas” - as "...plumbing the depths between unbelief and faith in which true spirituality so often resides." That is the exact place I have dwelt for so many years.
spiraling ecstatically has a vivid spatial sense, a drifting loveliness followed by a high-rising passage of animation to a sustained finish. Two Arms of the Harbor opens thoughtfully, the voices soft and reflective. A female voice explores some high-range coloratura, leading to a brief energy surge. The music then subsides to a gentle coda, drifting into silence.
The album closes with One with the Darkness, One with the Light. In this brief track, a feeling of reverent acceptance pervades. The text, from poet Wendell Berry, is so simple and heartfelt, and composer James Primosch has given it a dreamlike setting in which the voices of The Crossing quietly reach us in the depths of the soul.
"At night make me one with the darkness
In the morning make me one with the light
When I rise up, let me rise joyful like a bird.
When I fall, let me fall without regret, like a leaf.
Let me wake in the night and hear it raining and go back to sleep."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Above: composer James Primosch; photo by Deborah Boardman
Mr. Primosch was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1956. He studied at Cleveland State University, the University of Pennsylvania, and at Columbia University. Among his teachers were Mario Davidovsky, George Crumb, and Richard Wernick, In 1988, the composer joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania. His website is here.
The Crossing (above, in a Becky Oehlers photo) is a Grammy Award-winning chamber choir. Under the direction of Donald Nally, the ensemble have commissioned over one hundred choral works. Visit The Crossing's website here. ~~~
~ Oberon
Cura ~ Stutzmann ~ TANNHÄUSER
Above: José Cura, Nathalie Stutzmann
A production of TANNHÄUSER, sung in French, from Monte Carlo, 2017. José Cura sings the title-role and Nathalie Stutzmann conducts.
Watch and listen here.
CAST: Tannhäuser: José Cura; Wolfram: Jean-François Lapointe; Walther: William Joyner; Elisabeth: Annemarie Kremer; Venus: Aude Extremo; Landgraf Hermann: Steven Humes; Biterolf: Roger Joakim; Henry: Gijs van der Linden; Reinmar: Chul-Jun Kim; Un Pâtre: Anaïs Constans.
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