English Touring Opera are delighted to announce a season of lyric monodramas to tour nationally from October to December. The season features music for solo singer and piano by Argento, Britten, Tippett and Shostakovich with a bold and inventive approach to making opera during social distancing.
This tenth of ten Live from London concerts was in fact a recorded live performance from California. It was no less enjoyable for that, and it was also uplifting to learn that this wasn’t in fact the ‘last’ LfL event that we will be able to enjoy, courtesy of VOCES8 and their fellow vocal ensembles (more below …).
Ever since Wigmore Hall announced their superb series of autumn concerts, all streamed live and available free of charge, I’d been looking forward to this song recital by Ian Bostridge and Imogen Cooper.
The Sixteen continues its exploration of Henry Purcell’s Welcome Songs for Charles II. As with Robert King’s pioneering Purcell series begun over thirty years ago for Hyperion, Harry Christophers is recording two Welcome Songs per disc.
Although Stile Antico’s programme article for their Live from London recital introduced their selection from the many treasures of the English Renaissance in the context of the theological debates and upheavals of the Tudor and Elizabethan years, their performance was more evocative of private chamber music than of public liturgy.
In February this year, Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho made a highly lauded debut recital at Wigmore Hall - a concert which both celebrated Opera Rara’s 50th anniversary and honoured the career of the Italian soprano Rosina Storchio (1872-1945), the star of verismo who created the title roles in Leoncavallo’s La bohème and Zazà, Mascagni’s Lodoletta and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
Evidently, face masks don’t stifle appreciative “Bravo!”s. And, reducing audience numbers doesn’t lower the volume of such acclamations. For, the audience at Wigmore Hall gave soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn and pianist Simon Lepper a greatly deserved warm reception and hearty response following this lunchtime recital of late-Romantic song.
Collapsology. Or, perhaps we should use the French word ‘Collapsologie’ because this is a transdisciplinary idea pretty much advocated by a series of French theorists - and apparently, mostly French theorists. It in essence focuses on the imminent collapse of modern society and all its layers - a series of escalating crises on a global scale: environmental, economic, geopolitical, governmental; the list is extensive.
For this week’s Live from London vocal recital we moved from the home of VOCES8, St Anne and St Agnes in the City of London, to Kings Place, where The Sixteen - who have been associate artists at the venue for some time - presented a programme of music and words bound together by the theme of ‘reflection’.
'Such is your divine Disposation that both you excellently understand, and royally entertaine the Exercise of Musicke.’
Amongst an avalanche of new Mahler recordings appearing at the moment (Das Lied von der Erde seems to be the most favoured, with three) this 1991 Mahler Second from the 2nd Kassel MahlerFest is one of the more interesting releases.
‘And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven … that old serpent … Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.’
If there is one myth, it seems believed by some people today, that probably needs shattering it is that post-war recordings or performances of Wagner operas were always of exceptional quality. This 1949 Hamburg Tristan und Isolde is one of those recordings - though quite who is to blame for its many problems takes quite some unearthing.
There was never any doubt that the fifth of the twelve Met Stars Live in Concert broadcasts was going to be a palpably intense and vivid event, as well as a musically stunning and theatrically enervating experience.
‘Love’ was the theme for this Live from London performance by Apollo5. Given the complexity and diversity of that human emotion, and Apollo5’s reputation for versatility and diverse repertoire, ranging from Renaissance choral music to jazz, from contemporary classical works to popular song, it was no surprise that their programme spanned 500 years and several musical styles.
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields have titled their autumn series of eight concerts - which are taking place at 5pm and 7.30pm on two Saturdays each month at their home venue in Trafalgar Square, and being filmed for streaming the following Thursday - ‘re:connect’.
The London Symphony Orchestra opened their Autumn 2020 season with a homage to Oliver Knussen, who died at the age of 66 in July 2018. The programme traced a national musical lineage through the twentieth century, from Britten to Knussen, on to Mark-Anthony Turnage, and entwining the LSO and Rattle too.
With the Live from London digital vocal festival entering the second half of the series, the festival’s host, VOCES8, returned to their home at St Annes and St Agnes in the City of London to present a sequence of ‘Choral Dances’ - vocal music inspired by dance, embracing diverse genres from the Renaissance madrigal to swing jazz.
Just a few unison string wriggles from the opening of Mozart’s overture to Le nozze di Figaro are enough to make any opera-lover perch on the edge of their seat, in excited anticipation of the drama in music to come, so there could be no other curtain-raiser for this Gala Concert at the Royal Opera House, the latest instalment from ‘their House’ to ‘our houses’.
"Before the ending of the day, creator of all things, we pray that, with your accustomed mercy, you may watch over us."
When we entered the Crosby Theatre for Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette the stage was surprisingly dominated by a somber, semi-circular black mausoleum, many chambers inscribed with scrambled names of US Civil War era dead.
Director Stephen Lawless mined great dramatic potential in collaboration with this prodigiously gifted scenic artist, who also contributed a remarkably fine costume design. The austere unit structure included a high staircase stage right that easily suggests Juliette’s balcony. In the first choral scene, a trap reveals a plinth, rising to stage level with the lovers’ coffins. This effect returns in the final tomb scene, lifting ‘dead’ Juliette from the floor where she had collapsed, to seamlessly create her funeral bier. Meaningfully, the lovers’ nuptial bed had also risen into view from the same trap.
Ms. Martin-Davis suggested other scenes with the simple addition of such things as the altar railings, a profusion of vases with white wedding flowers (that get repositioned around the dead Juliette), a statue of Cupid that informs the balcony scene, and a military field hospital. A goodly number of hidden doors are imbedded in the imposing walls, and the basic structure can adapt to have whole segments swing into new positions, redefining the space. Completing the stellar design team, Mimi Jordan Sherin contributed a diverse and brooding lighting design, characterized by unusually effective use of stark, shadowy cross-lighting.
Back to the ravishing costumes, Ms. Martin-Davis created some unforgettable moments. The chorus women initially appeared in handsome black mourning gowns for the opening dirge, then the women stripped off those outer garments in a trice to reveal alluring white versions of those same costumes as Gounod transitions to the party scene. The richly detailed uniforms of the soldiers were not the Blue and the Grey, but rather the Blue and the Red, which made for a more vibrant visual.
Director Lawless has created memorable stage pictures and effective interaction between the protagonists that furthers the story and engages the spectators. The overall scope of the well-motivated movement is first rate. A major plus is the lively, well-coordinated fight choreography by Rick Sordelet and Christian Kelly-Sordelet. A caveat: When two characters have been ‘killed’ after a strenuous, active duel, please do not have Tybalt and Mercutio ‘die’ on their backs, revealing their uncontrollably heaving bellies as they gasp to regain their breath!
Nicola Bowie contributed appropriate choreography with some simple and effective court dances. I have never seen the actual ballet included, and the two ballerinas Beth Miller and Susan Vishmid were poised and skilled. However, if the extraneous dances are to be added, I wish they might have engendered more dramatic character and elan, lest they merely serve to lengthen a long evening.
Ailyn Pérez proved a delectable Juliette. Making her entrance down the upstage stairs like a gangly schoolgirl walking in heels for the first time (as she faltered Gertrude gave her a hand), she was believably youthful, and radiantly pretty. As love’s complications progressed, Ms. Pérez suggested a moving and honest maturation. Her soprano is one of the glories of the current crop of operatic talent, and once past a slightly bumpy Je veux vivre, her rich, responsive singing found all its usual sheen and nuance. The poison aria was characterized by an inexorable build to a searing climax, and proved the evening’s musical highpoint.
Stephen Costello (Roméo). Photo Credit: Ken Howard.
Stephen Costello was a fine match as a mooning, boyishly appealing Roméo, although he seemed somewhat distracted at the start, as if wishing to be somewhere else. He soon enough warmed to his task as the first encounter with Juliette developed more ease and urgency. Mr. Costello’s appealing tenor is well-focused, dramatically exciting, and thrillingly stentorian. Maybe sometimes “too.” While a handful of the very highest notes displayed more tenacity than gleam, it would be hard to wish for a more authoritative reading of Gound’s hero. And bravo to Stephen for brazening it out when, after an ear-splitting thunderclap and blinding flash of lightning from Mother Nature, he managed to convincingly say how the tomb was “so dark and silent!”
These two accomplished titular singers are conscientiously going through all the right motions, striking all the right poses, stroking, smooching, snuggling, and more. They are visually perfect and vocally splendid. But at the end of the day, at the risk of seeming ungrateful, I wonder if even more real dramatic heat and musical sparks might have been generated?
Deborah Nansteel has such a plummy, ingratiating mezzo that she made an exceptionally striking presence as Gertrude, the finest of my experience. Ramond Aceto’s solid Frére Laurent not only heals heartsick souls, but does double duty patching wounded bodies as head surgeon in a military hospital. Mr. Aceto has a firmly grounded bass-baritone that moved us with its bold, luminous tone and concentrated dramatic purpose. Mezzo Emily Fons was a thoroughly adorable Stéphano, and her agile, distinctive way with Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle was enchanting.
Elliot Madore has lost some of the incisive, youthful gleam in his attractive baritone, but the tradeoff is that he now effects a more swaggering, if more diffuse vocal presence. His energetic acting, strapping physique, and aggressive singing serve Mercutio well, although his impersonation is marred by a ‘bit’ of mugging. His Queen Mab aria was a personal best, with good variety and control.
Cooper Nolan strikes all the right poses and hits all the right notes as a scrappy Tybalt, and his fresh, flexible tenor shows good promise, even though is sometimes a mite covered. Tim Mix displayed a fine legato and beguiling tone as a capable Daddy Capulet, even while his instrument and demeanor are at the moment too youthful for the paterfamilias. It is impossible not to love Soloman Howard, blessed as he is with an ingratiating stage presence and a gorgeous, mellifluous bass-baritone. Mr. Howard commanded attention and admiration as the imposing Duke.
Tim Mix (Capulet), Soloman Howard (The Duke) and Stephen Costello (Roméo). Photo Credit: Ken Howard.
Music Director Harry Bickett infused the performance with just the right Gallic style, and he elicited emotion-infused playing from an orchestra that celebrated a full palette of color and effects. Ensembles, especially those involving Susanne Sheston’s fine chorus, were beautifully rendered. And Maestro Bickett’s partnership with the soloists was seamless and accommodating. If I had one musical wish, perhaps internal cues might be picked up. After more than one set piece, the pause was just long enough to prompt nervous, unneeded applause just as the next downbeat started. This gave an unnecessary stop and start feel to an otherwise commendable and forward thinking theatrical experience.
James Sohre
Gounod: Roméo et Juliette
Tybalt: Cooper Nolan; Paris: Thaddeus Ennen; Capulet: Tim Mix; Juliette: Ailyn Pérez; Mercutio: Elliot Madore; Roméo: Stephen Costello; Gertrude: Deborah Nansteel; Grégorio: Nicholas Davis; Frére Laurent: Raymond Aceto; Stéphano: Emily Fons; Benvolio: Peter Scott Drackley; Duke: Soloman Howard; Frére Jean: Adrian Smith; Lady Montague: Jasmine Quinsier; Dancers: Beth Miller, Susan Vishmid; Conductor: Harry Bickett; Director: Stephen Lawless; Set and Costume Design: Ashley Martin-Davis; Lighting Design: Mimi Jordan Sherin; Choreography: Nicola Bowie; Fight Directors: Rick Sordelet, Christian Kelly-Sordelet; Chorus Master: Susanne Sheston.
4th August 2016.