Late but very enthusiastic

And so I am.
My take on Opera in the Heights' MACBETH!
Yes, Houston readers of this blog who are opera lovers as well, most likely will have seen it before and/or read the raving reviews. I do try hard to refrain from reading reviews, although I could not miss hearing things like "a must see" etc. but tried to shut out anything more, so I can report, as unbiased as possible, what I felt,and heard, and saw.

Which Better Half and I did Sunday afternoon to a sold out house at Opera in the Heights.
Saw is perhaps the wrong word.. most definitely HEARD wondrous music.
I really think MACBETH is my fave Verdi, right next to Trovatore and Othello! Maybe because all 3 are dramas dealing with human frailty and  'bad vibes" :-)  sort of "drammas horribiles" ;-)!

 

The voices of the 4 major singers, and the huge chorus (how did they all fit on that postage sized stage even if not crowded with props?) were so strong I am still amazed the roof didn 't fly off the rafters. Maybe a sign of the sturdiness of this historic church building on Heights Boulevard at 17th... they did build well in the 20's, didn't they?

Joke aside, the production set in a gangland   (NOT like this  PSY-gangman)

 

style was effective, IMO, the music and the singers were so overwhelming, one tended to overlook the iconoclastic sight of gangsta attire and machine guns (no protest forthcoming, methinks, but then we are in Texas!) in Birnam Woods and the Highlands of Scotland. Not a single Tartan in sight!

But no matter.

Andrew Cummings, (he will sing Kurwenal in Bogota, then return to OH! in La Traviata),
baritone with Wagnerian lungs, portrayed the ambitious and murderous (spurred on by his wife) Thane of Cawdor with raw vocal power,
ably matched in volume. albeit with much more vocal flexibility,
by soprano Emily Newton as his scheming and, finally, guilt ridden wife. Newton, sang with force when needed, but floated exquisite piano notes, where proper, without batting a lash!

BTW those of my chers readers in Germany should look her up at the Dortmund opera, where she will sing the title role in ANNA NICOLE (premiered by Westbrook) alas, those dates are not compatible with my European trip, since I shall be at Salzburg, Vienna (VOP and Staatsoper), and 5.17 Berlin at Komische Oper as a - hopefully - spell bound audience  member ;-)! And on the high seas on May 27! Otherwise... you better believe me.... I WOULD be there!

 Anna Nicole by Mark-Anthony Turnage

April 27 & May 2, 5, 10, 17 & 29 2013

Oper Dortmund

Dortmund, Germany

Aaron Sorenson, the Banco,  produced an amazingly rich bass sound from a very slender body, whose Banco reminded me of Che Guevarra.

Cameron Schutza, tenor, sang Macduff's beautiful aria with ringing sound and garnered much applause. Here Filianoti with this aria from Salzburg

OH chorus master Fuller schooled and managed the large chorus to huge success. Better Half opined that this was - in his mind - the best chorus yet seem/heard at OH in years!

Witches - photo thanks to Gwen Turner Juarez

The orchestra followed Maestro Carreon-Robledo's guidance with intensity and virtuosity.

It's late, the run's almost over, but...

I still have to post on Opera in The Heights' La Fille Du Regiment  by Gaetano Donzetti.
The first production of its season. And what a sparkler!
Having had a soupcon of arias sung by all 4 of the major roles' singers during the annual OVATIONS event the day before we left for Seattle and Alaska ( thus no blog on it), I was darn sure it would be a huge success! And so it is, and will be for 3 more performances - see how to get your last minute tickets below!
Newly appointed Maestro and Artistic Director Enrique Carreon Robledo 
(he, who wowed us all with his conducting of Don Carlo last season at The OH!) had the orchestra well in hand and the soloists played rather well. On the piano Keith Chapman.
Maestro's control extended to singers and chorus who sang with panache, verve and seemingly pure joy in doing a comedy - for a change - in which NO ONE dies!  Truly... no one does!

Now, I don't have samples of the voices heard with such pleasure at the OH.
BUT, just to give you, chers readers, an idea what this music by Donizetti can do for your funny bone:
Contralto Ewa Podles

Or maybe you like to soar with the High Cs' - like this byTenor Brownlee in recital "Ah, Mes Amis"!

In the case of The OH! production, which, BTW, was shortened cutting out one or two large crowd scenes and a few minor bits, I guess to keep the performance to the stated 2 hours 15 minutes with just one intermission, the cast made it a very pleasurable and stunning evening. It was a rapt audience of seasoned opera fans and young people from universities and schools. Rather refreshing to see them enjoy this comedy to spirited music!

 Erica Miller, soprano, as Marie gave it her all, singing with an incredibly agile, soaringly beautiful, clear voice, with more than just a hint of laughter, she also managed to infuse comic pouting;

all in all, a veritable show of vocal fireworks!

Her beloved Tonio, was sung with staunch endurance (all performances-there was no alternate Tonio) by talented tenor Gennard Lombardozzi..what a vocal feat!

And what a delightful smile he had (no wonder Marie falls for him:-)!

And he nailed those fiendish high notes beautifully, too!

Sergeant Sulpice benefited from the worldly experience of seasoned bass Stefano de Peppo who strutted, sang, and postured with some rather, ahem, sensuous Italianate charm and a warm rich sound.

(Chers readers know how low voices appeal to me :-)!

Marie's  newly found 'aunt'- actually her mother - was acted with perfect comic timing by the somewhat light mezzo soprano Nancy Markeloff, an OH audience favorite in such roles!

Cameo roles were well filled by baritone Wesley Landry as Hortensio, Maxim Bitner, also a baritone, as Corporal, and Nathan de Paz, a young tenor, as A Peasant.

Among the chorus were found such favorites as soprano Traci Davis, tenor Johnny Nichols, Jr, plus several new comers who acquitted themselves rather well blending their voices under Chorus Master Fuller.

Two speaking roles, Cassandra Black as Duchesse de Krackenthorp and  Kevin James Lusignolo as a bumbling Notary, did their bit of slapstick comedy to lighten the mood.

 

 upper row the Marie of Erica Miller

all photos by the talented Gwen Turner Juarez

lower row the Marie of Ashlyn Rust (not heard)

The story is simple, Marie abandoned as a baby, is raised by a regiment of soldiers under the watchful eye of "Papa" Sulpice, who does not quite like her falling in love with Tonio, but because he can't deny her much,  says yes to the union in the end. BUT now comes the new found 'aunt' who wants Marie to be 're-made' into a 'fine aristocratic' marriageable young society lady. In the end however, love wins out! 

And Marie and Tonio may have lived happily ever after!

 That part the opera does not address, alas.

BTW you have 3 more chances to see this sparkling comedy at The OH!

TONIGHT FRIDAY September 30,

SATURDAY NIGHT October 1, 

AND

SUNDAY AFTERNOON October 2

 To get tickets if still available

call immediately 713.861.5303

Inquisition of grand proportion and Aeros lastest

Oh say, can you see the swinging doors:
Zingoni has been sent back to Bakersfield -again.  
And also Morency!  Which leaves fight crazy fans to watch the old familiars: Almond, Bagnall, Kassian, with an occasional outburst by Kalus?
Ortmeyer stays-a good thing, I think.
Well, do I scent another stint for spunky Brock McBride coming?

Opera in the Heights is putting on the Spanish Inquisition.

 Verdi

Well, not exactly, it'll be DON CARLO set to music by Verdi , based on the mostly same named play by Friedrich Schiller.
The French or the Italian language version, which ever it is it will have surtitles.
So no fear you won't  'get it'...lots of great singing to be expected, milling crowds, lonely solos (Don Carlo)

a love affair gone wrong.
Not because she loves another, but because she has to marry that one for dynastic reasons.
Envy, and a jealous woman scorned creates havoc in mezza voce.
Male bonding, he'll die for the other. (Rodrigo and Don Carlo)

Support of  religious freedom.  And redemption or not?
The ending is enigmatic!
What more can an opera offer.
Quite a modern tale, all said, plus set to absolutely rousing music.
FYI: Opera in the Heights performances are set for last weekend in January 1/27-29)
and first weekend in February 2/3-5.
More on this after tomorrow night when I got to see the encore of this year's Met Don Carlo.