Reseñas de producciones pasadas
6“Aida” is set in ancient Eqypt and is most famous for the spectacle of the “Triumphal Scene,” in which the Egyptian army returns victorious — with prisoners and spoils of war — after having beaten the Ethiopian army. Latonia Moore commanded the stage as “Aida,” a role she's performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He voice is lustrous and smooth on top, and has an emotional tinge even at the ends of phrases that taper quietly. Her lowest register was dry at first, but velvety long before the exquisite tomb scene. The soprano's power was thrilling to experience, both in solos and in big scenes. She also acted extremely well. All in all, an unforgettable company debut. Tenor Carl Tanner, also making his debut, was an uncommonly strong Radames, the Egyptian general in love with Aida but desired by Amernis, daughter of Egypt's king. Elizabeth Bishop gave an excellent portrayal of Amneris, one that generated real sympathy for her situation. Her powerful mezzo had the steel for a daughter of the king, and she controlled it with mastery that was nuanced to her changing moods — stong-willed, conflicted, cunning and vulnerable. Oren Gradus sang very well as Ramfis, the high priest, offering strength and dignity. Phillip Gay as the King and Jasmine Muhammad as the High Priestess were both effective. Walker led a wonderfully dramatic performance — well-paced, colorful and beautiful together in ensemble. Delicate moments were all the more magical for being precisely defined. He also let the orchestra and chorus rip at the right moments, which contributed to the sweep of the performance. This made Moore's ability to ride the climaxes all the more impressive. The orchestra was outstanding, apart from one bad chord at the end of the prelude. The string section had remarkable tonal character and cohesion. Wind solos, including piccolo, were keenly drawn. The brass, and especially trumpets, have a big role in this opera, and played magnificently. Timpani and bass drum also stepped up to Walker's scale of sonority for this opera.
The opera that I attended on opening night was astonishing. The orchestra played relaxingly and mellifluously to the ear. The setting to Giuseppe Verdi’s version of “Aida” was located in Egypt. Aida played by Latonia Moore, was a gorgeous Ethiopian servant to Amneris from Egypt and also a princess. The tone of the opening act was quite calm.The costumes used in the Opera fit perfectly to the Egyptian times of warriors, kings, queens and slaves. I remember sitting there as the opera began and seeing 4 guards who at the time, I thought were statues but were not. So the make-up, lighting and poise of the cast were quintessential! Now I don’t know if I was so amazed by the opera singing because of the divine voices or because I never heard opera before, which gave it some perks but the voice of the main characters were astounding. Amonasro played by Lester Lynch, had a very compelling, vigorous tone. Aida played by Latonia Moore had a melodious sweet sound. The opera itself was very dramatic. Between the love triangle and having to imagine choosing between my father and the love of my life how Aida did in this melodrama made it very emotional. I actually found myself getting teary eyed towards the final ‘hours’ of Aida and Radames' life
The opera begins with Paul appealing his suspension from high school. Rebecca Belcyzk, Samantha Korbey and Nicole Rodin were the history, drawing and English teachers pushing for his suspension. They also sang well playing hotel maids in Act 2. The opening scene shows the stylistic stance of the words and music at their best. Spears writes in a minimalist style with some repetitions serving a baroque sense of ornamentation. The text is repetitive too, usually in the key fragments. This fits the opening scene because each of the characters is static. Spears' excellent ensemble writing welds it all into compelling music. Tenor Daniel Curran gave a superb performance of the title role, vocally secure across the nearly two-octave range and dramatically very well attuned to the somewhat mysterious ambiguities of Paul's character. Paul comes into his own in the split-stage second scene. He revels in his world at Carnegie Music Hall, while on the right side of the stage his father sits at a desk doing paperwork. Alex DeSocio offered well-supported singing in what is a one-dimensional role. Belczyk and Korbey shined in a duet Spears wrote, using lines by Stephen Crane, as an example of the art Paul enjoys. But that life is about to end. His father decides Paul must take a real job. The performance was effectively led by Glenn Lewis, who cued the singers attentively in the tricky score. The excellent nine-member ensemble was drawn from the opera orchestra, with assistant conductor James Lesniak playing piano. George Cedarquist's staging was direct and effective. Spears' opera is in two acts with an optional intermission, which Pittsburgh Opera declined. Performed straight through, the opera lasted a little more than an hour and a quarter. Although it felt long, the work is an impressive first opera from an obviously talented composer.
The Pittsburgh Opera performance was outstanding, both vocally and instrumentally. Soprano Jasmine Muhammad offered a compelling performance in the title role. She was both regal and human. Apart from a bit of edginess in a few of her highest notes, Muhammad sang with gorgeous tone and clean, precise lines. Mezzo-soprano Carrie Stallings was completely convincing as Bertarido. Her voice was vibrant and agile, while her characterization of the King was bold and heroic without a hint of exaggeration.Tenor Adam Bonanni offered a convincing picture of Grimoaldo, the usurper who talks (and sings) tougher than he is. Bonanni also sang extremely well, varying his tone and power to dramatic circumstance, and with well-arched phrasing.Philip Gay was impressive as the truly ruthless Garibaldo, who is the power behind Grimoaldo until he sees an opportunity for more power by trying to kill Grimoaldo. Gay has a one-dimensional character but sang with ample vocal heft.Bertarido's sister, Eduige, who rejects Grimoaldo's offer of marriage before he turns to her sister-in-law, was ably performed by mezzo-soprano Laurel Sernerdijian. Her voice has appealing weight, intensity and flexibility.Zachary Wood sang the countertenor part of Unulfo. He's actually a bass, but sang with confidence and appealing, consistent tone octaves above his home turf.Conductor Michael Beattie led a performance that was brilliantly unified in baroque style and dramatic thrust. The orchestra featured guest artists Chatham Baroque, along with Mark Trawka on harpsichord. The remainder of the ensemble was drawn from Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, played as though born to the baroque manner.The staging has to work within the constraints of the small size of the stage. The dramatic focus offered by stage director Crystal Manich is well conceived. However, her idea of the opera as taking place in a war zone was overdone in the set design. More distracting is the practice of have parts of the set, including the fauna to represent the royal garden, move in and out of place while characters are singing. “Rodelinda” lasts just under three hours as presented by Pittsburgh Opera. There were many cuts; a complete performance would last about four hours. This production also cuts the opera's total duration by breaking it into two parts, rather than Handel's three acts, saving a 20-minute intermission.
Pittsburgh Opera expended its best efforts on this production, and audience reception at the premiere on April 29, with Gibson’s great-grandson in attendance, was far more positive and enthusiastic than is usual here for a new or unfamiliar work. The Summer King is a compelling theatrical experience and a serious, thought-provoking addition to the repertory. There are some weaknesses, mostly in the libretto. While the action moves swiftly in a cinematic succession of flashback scenes, some segments go on a little too long, and there is a confusing assortment of supporting characters, several taken by a single singer. The final scenes, following the protagonist’s death are anticlimactic, detracting from the impact of the situation. The score is quite strong. Sonenberg’s eclectic aural landscape incorporates jazz, ragtime, swing, even extending to mariachi in a scene where Gibson goes to Mexico to play for the Veracruz Azules. Sonenberg’s vocal writing is demanding—he favors extremes of the range—but almost always idiomatic and gratifying. Alfred Walker sang colorfully in the leading role of Josh Gibson, capturing the player’s contrasting sides while swinging a bat with ease and confidence. In an aria that describes his wife’s death in childbirth and his determination to concentrate only on “the game,” the versatile baritone expressed the gamut of feelings, later managing to convey the less likable aspects of his character. Veteran mezzo Denyce Graves, as Josh’s girlfriend Grace, stole the show every moment she was onstage. At fifty-three, her low range remains a grand phenomenon, although her high notes are not quite in the same realm of richness. But that’s irrelevant given the way Graves illuminates the stage and makes her audience feel that she is making direct one-on-one contact with each of them. Her solo turn, in which Grace laments the dreary life she must return to when she leaves Josh, brought the emotional level of the show to its highest point. The sheer beauty of Sean Panikkar’s tenor sound enhanced the role of Wendell Smith, the journalist from Pittsburgh’s black newspaper, The Courier, and this most appealing artist made the most of every word and phrase in a memorable solo about “lightning,” the quality that sets Josh apart from the others. That scene has a counterpart in Act II, when Josh’s friend Sam, movingly portrayed by dark-toned basso profundo Kenneth Kellogg, compares Josh to Moses, “the Summer King,” who led his people to the Promised Land but could not enter it. Jacqueline Echols sounded shrill but was touching as Helen, Josh’s ill-fated wife; Jasmine Muhammad was fetching in both sound and presence as the coquettish Hattie. Multiple smaller parts were handled with expertise by tenors Martin Bakari, Norman Shankle and Raymond Very, along with resonant bass-baritone Phillip Gay.
Pittsburgh Opera has given its all to this show: a multi-racial chorus and large cast in which each principal is individually excellent but fits into the dramatic scheme, superb musical realization under Antony Walker, scenic designs by Andrew Lieberman that allow flash changes, and direction by Sam Helfrich that moves the action fleetly to its inevitable ill-fated conclusion. In the title role of Gibson, baritone Alfred Walker swings a bat with the same ease and naturalness that allows him to manipulate his burly, resounding baritone voice. He can be tender in a love duet with his young wife Helen (bright and edgy coloratura Jacqueline Echols), heartbreaking in an aria describing her death during childbirth, and yet, in the second act, elicit the viewer’s admonition for the character’s dissolution and self-destructive behavior. Portraying Gibson’s girlfriend Grace, Denyce Graves at 53 retains the booming chest tones and riveting persona that made her Carmen and Dalila world-class enactments for more than two decades. When this woman is on the stage, everything around her disappears into her own luminosity. The third principal, honey-voiced tenor Sean Panikkar, plays Courier journalist Wendell Smith, who describes Gibson’s gift as “lightening” – a quality that each of these three singers possesses in abundance. Deep-voiced bass Kenneth Kellogg is an asset as Gibson’s sympathetic friend, Sam Bankhead, while Jasmine Muhammad’s luscious soprano enhances the lines afforded to the flirtatious Hattie. In multiple assignments of smaller parts, high tenors Norman Shankle and Martin Bakari, dramatic tenor Ray Very and bass Phillip Gay all do yeomen’s work, although the proliferation of humanity that surrounds the opera’s central figure is too often overwhelming.
