It’s not often that one gets to hear Russian music in the DMV, but Bel Cantanti’s latest concert at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Bethesda proves just how affecting this repertoire can be and why it should be programmed more often.
Appropriately, before treating the audience to the impeccable drama of Russian opera, the performers treated us to a selection of Russian art songs. Rob McGinness, a Bel Cantanti regular and favorite, began the program with three songs by Rachmaninoff. It is remarkable how this baritone, despite having a music stand in front of him, has the ability to inhabit a song or character simply in the way he carries himself and stands and delivers. This Rachmaninoff set allowed him to showcase his big, beautiful voice and indulge in the passion of the poetry, with themes of anger against God, infatuation, and ultimately, love lost.
Mezzo-soprano Hannah Wardell, featuring a fetching black gown and a voice as beautiful as she is, with a chocolatey rich mid-low register, presented Rubinstein’s “Night” and Rachmaninoff’s “Oh, Do Not Grieve!”I really enjoyed hearing this voice singing Russian, which repertoire is a gold mine for her fach. She provided graceful low notes among the ladies for the evening, which balanced out the sopranos in the best way.
Christian Isaiah Simmons’ set of two Tchaikovsky songs “My Genius, My Angel, My Friend” and “None But The Lonely Heart” deserved to include the title of this concert. His is a powerful bass voice that is yet youthful and agile. It is little wonder the success he has earned with companies like Wolf Trap and INseries. Besides his stellar singing, in this set I was particularly impressed with his facial expressions. They were real and sincere, and I could feel a real sense of longing in the second piece. His treatment of these songs as if they were arias meant that the audience got the story he was trying to tell.
The first soprano of the evening, Nina Mutalifu, stunned with her wonderfully-balanced soprano, fabulous dress and earrings. She had the honor of giving the audience a genuinely lovely, happy, vibrant moment with her set of two Tchaikovsky songs, “Cradle Song” and “Whether Day Dawns.” This was a welcome respite among heavier, more contemplative and melancholy repertoire.
Tenor Ryan Lustgarten had only one art song in this program, Glazunov’s “A Dream,” but he only needed the one piece to make his best impression. I loved the clarity of this tenor voice. He has a triumphant sound that is well-balanced between middle and high registers. Hearing this piece, I was already excited to hear his operatic repertoire after intermission.
Zoya Gramagin, last but certainly not least to present her art songs, chose to memorize her set, one by Tchaikovsky and two by Rachmaninoff. With a sincere presence and as fabulously dressed as her colleagues, she delivered some songs that were on the lighter side due to their poetic subjects: nature and singing.
It must be said in all of this that director Katerina Souvorova at the piano makes one feel as though they are listening to an entire orchestra. In this program she was aided by cellist Igor Zubkovsky, and what a winning collaborative team they are. It’s rare to see recitals with more than two instruments at play, and here I am pleased to say that it works and made me want to see more programs like it.
After intermission came time to indulge in the Russian opera repertory. This was the meat of the program and worthy of the quality and size of voices performing. The standout acting performance of the night was from Christian Simmons singing Aleko’s Cavatina. Not only did he have masterful delivery of the Russian text, but the audience could feel him feeing Zemfira as he sings about her and their passion. Standout vocal moments were Hannah Wardell’s rendition of Paulina’s aria from The Queen of Spades, where she not only gave us luxurious low notes, but also somehow managed to highlight the interesting contrast between what the words say and the character of the music. Nina Mutalifu also sang Lisa’s aria from the same opera with remarkably consistent expressivity and beauty. Likewise, Ryan Lustgarten’s rendition of Lenski’s aria from Eugene Onegin reminded me why it’s been a successful repertoire choice for winners of the Metropolitan Opera competition. I also enjoyed his duet with Rob McGinness with their well-matched voices.
Overall, this part of the program benefited from impeccable singing and playing from everyone, and I would have loved to see much more acting, especially in the duet scenes. That said, even just considering the music it is impossible not to be affected, for example, by Eugene Onegin’s arrogance and horrible, dismissive rejection of Tatiana, and then the unbridled satisfaction and female empowerment of the tables turning in the final scene, appropriately also the last number of the program. Incidentally, I hope I get to see Rob McGinness in this role one day.
If this concert is any indication, Bel Cantanti Opera Company’s upcoming gala concert is an event not to be missed. It will be an enhancement of what we experienced here, with some different composers to show off as well. Bravo to the company on bringing this music to us.
Maggie Ramsey
Bel Cantanti Opera: My Genius, My Angel, My Friend
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – ‘My Genius, My Angel, My Friend,’ ‘None But The Lonely Heart,’ ‘Cradle Song,’ ‘Whether Day Dawns,’ ‘It Was Early Spring,’ ‘Paulina’s Aria,’ ‘Prince Yeletsky’s Aria,’ ‘Lisa’s Aria’ (The Queen of Spades), ‘Olga’s Aria,’ ‘Tatiana’s Letter Scene (Excerpt),’ ‘Onegin’s Aria,’ ‘Lenski’s Aria,’ ‘Duet (Enemies),’ ‘Prince Gremin’s Aria,’ ‘Final Duet’ (Eugene Onegin); Sergei Rachmaninoff – ‘He Took All From Me,’ ‘In the Silence of the Secret Night,’ ‘Fragment from Musset,’ ‘Oh, Do Not Grieve,’ ‘Spring Waters,’ ‘I Am Not A Prophet,’ ‘Aleko’s Cavatina’ (Aleko); Anton Rubinstein – ‘Night’; Alexander Glazunov – ‘A Dream’
Rob McGinness – Baritone; Hannah Wardell – Mezzo-Soprano; Christian Simmons – Bass; Nina Mutalifu, Zoya Gramagin – Soprano; Ryan Lustgarten – Tenor; Igor Zubkovsky – Cello; Katerina Souvorova – Piano
Bethesda, MD, January 23, 2026
Top image: Christian Isaiah Simmons (Left) and Igor Zubkovsky (Right)
All photos by Alex Souvorov