REVIEW: Hartford Symphony Orchestra, "Tchaikovsky & Bonds"

The Bushnell, Belding Theater, Hartford, CT

www.hartfordsymphony.org

December 13-15, 2024

by Michael J. Moran

For the fourth weekend of their 2024-2025 “Masterworks” series, HSO offered impressive debuts by Windsor-born guest conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush and HSO 2024-2025 Joyce C. Willis Artist in Residence, and pianist Clayton Stephenson. Rush took the stage to warm applause, responding, “I feel like I’m home,” and engagingly introducing the opening work on the program: three of the seven movements in Margaret Bonds’ “Montgomery Variations.”

Bonds, a leading African-American female composer, wrote these “freestyle variations” on the Negro Spiritual “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” in 1963-1965 to depict several key events in the US Civil Rights Movement. Rush and the HSO brought incisive vigor to “Decision,” stirring conviction to the “March,” and tender compassion to “Benediction”.     

Stephenson was next a sensational soloist in Tchaikovsky’s popular 1874/75 first piano concerto. A New York City native trained from childhood at the Juilliard School there, he launched into the famous opening “Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso” with commanding technical bravura. He played softer passages with equal sensitivity. His clarity of touch highlighted both the playfulness of the piano’s many dialogues with other instruments and its power in solo cadenzas. Rush and the orchestra were animated partners in a dramatic opening movement, a radiant “Andante semplice,” and an explosive “Allegro con fuoco” finale. 

In total contrast, Stephenson’s encore, Vincent Youmans’ 1924 hit, “Tea for Two,” showcased the pianist’s formidable jazz chops, with its easy swing tempo and elaborate improvised embellishments.

The program closed with an electrifying version of Tchaikovsky’s much less familiar 1875 3rd symphony. After experiencing its five movements – a haunting “Introduzione” and vibrant “Allegro,” a graceful waltz-like “Alla tedesca,” a luminous “Andante elegiac,” a fleet “Scherzo,” and a majestic “Polonaise” finale– as carefully shaped by Rush and cogently performed by the HSO, listeners in Belding Theater could only wonder why this colorful showpiece isn’t heard more often.

The rapturous audience reception of the charismatic Rush, former Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, suggested that return visits would be welcome.

The next Masterworks program (February 14-16) will feature HSO Music Director Carolyn Kuan and violinist Sirena Huang in music by Dawson, Strauss, and Sibelius.

REVIEW: Springfield Chamber Players, "Johnny Appleseed and Other Fun Stories"

52 Sumner, Springfield, MA

www.springfieldsymphonymusicians.com

December 8, 2024

by Michael J. Moran

Host Mark Auerbach introduced this Sunday matinee as a “family friendly” concert, and the enthusiastic audience had many younger members. The program featured three short works and one longer piece, each with immediate appeal to music lovers of all ages.

The concert opened with British composer Alan Ridout’s “Ferdinand the Bull,” a 1971 setting for solo violin and narrator of American author Munro Leaf’s classic 1936 children’s book, “The Story of Ferdinand.” The plot is set in Spain, where Ferdinand grows up preferring to “smell the flowers” under a cork tree by himself to practicing with his playmates for a bullfighting career, until an accident under his tree suddenly propels him into a bigtime ring in Madrid.

Photo by Brady LePage

Springfield Symphony Orchestra assistant concertmaster Marsha Harbison played her violin
with witty virtuosity, and Marty Kluger, SSO principal timpanist, narrated with droll humor, alternating deadpan and animated passages, and punctuated his reading with a cowbell, for Ferdinand’s mother (a cow) and wood blocks, for the excitement of the bullfight. Whimsical drawings by the book’s illustrator, Robert Lawson, were projected on both sides of the stage.   

Next came a ravishing section by SSO cellist Boris Kogan and pianist Clifton J. Noble, Jr., of “The Swan,” a popular excerpt from French master Camille Saint-Saens’ 1886 “Carnival of the Animals.” This was followed by “The Boston Wonder,” a 1959 setting for flute, piano, and narrator by Peter Schickele (aka P.D.Q. Bach) of his own comical tale about a cantankerous flute. SSO flutist Ellen Redman and Noble were nimble soloists, and Auerbach, an amusing narrator.

The major work of the afternoon was Noble’s “Johnny Appleseed,” commissioned and premiered in 2008 by the Longmeadow Chamber Music Society. The versatile composer again played piano and conducted an ensemble of Harbison, Kogan, Redman, Michael Nix on banjo, mezzo-soprano Justina Golden, and narrator Kara Noble, Jerry’s wife. The piece was inspired by Jane Yolen’s 2008 book about John Chapman, the real “Johnny,” who grew up in Longmeadow and famously planted apple trees across the U.S. two centuries ago.

The performance was a crowd-pleasing delight, with special plaudits to Golden, whose mellifluous voice replaced the children’s chorus in Noble’s original version with a wide emotional palette, and to Nix, whose fluent banjo added folksy charm.

The group's next concert take place on February 9, 2025.

Review: A Christmas Carol A Ghost Story of Christmas

Hartford Stage, Hartford, CT

www.hartfordstage.org

through December 29, 2024

By Suzanne Wells

Hartford Stage presents a hauntingly mesmerizing rendition of “A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story About Christmas,” written by Charles Dickens and adapted and directed by Michael Wilson. This chilling adaptation delves deep into the eerie and spectral elements of the classic tale, creating an atmosphere that lingers long after the final curtain call.

The story follows the redemption of Mr. Scrooge, who transforms from a penny-pinching moneylender to a kind-hearted benefactor, thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by his deceased partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.

Allen Gilmore is outstanding as Mr. Scrooge. He is truly detestable in his portrayal of an ungenerous and uncharitable man obsessed with money. Gilmore masterfully alternates between miserly, comical, and sorrowful as he learns his fate, ultimately becoming almost joyfully, childlike as a repentant man. It’s a lot to convey for one character, and Gilmore performs the transitions seamlessly.

Noble Shropshire, who plays both Mrs. Dilber and Jacob Marley, is incredible, infusing each role with the appropriate eerie drama. His low-pitched voice prophesizes the dismal events to come, creating a spine-shivering atmosphere that draws the audience in. As the ghost of Jacob Marley, he convincingly conveys his regrets and hopes with dramatic flair.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past, portrayed by Rebecka Jones, and Present, portrayed by John-Andrew Morrison, are both lovable and fearsome. They share Scrooge’s happy times but never let him overlook the consequences of his choices. Jones and Morrison truly shine as beacons of light on stage.

Scenic design by Tony Straiges is simplistic and efficient during the many scene changes, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the story without feeling lost in the transition. Collaborating with Robert Wierzel, in charge of lighting design, the audience passes from the darkened streets of a smoke-filled London to the mouth of hell to the end of time. Costume design by Alejo Vietti combines the Day of the Dead with Victorian England, clearly establishing there are ghosts walking among us. Choreography by Hope Clarke provides a mixture of traditional Victorian quadrilles with infusions of ballet and modern moves, contributing to a festive and hauntingly disturbing atmosphere.

Preview: Anita Kunz: Original Sisters Portraits of Tenacity and Courage

Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA

www.nrm.org

November 9, 2024 through May 26, 2025

by Shera Cohen

You probably see her shopping in the grocery, jogging the treadmill at the gym, or sitting beside you at the conference table. Who is she? She’s smart and savvy, eager and diligent, tenacious and courageous. She is many women. She might be you.

Anita Kunz (b. 1956)
Illustration for Original Sisters: Portraits of Tenacity and Courage by Anita Kunz
(New York: Pantheon)

The unassuming, yet internationally renowned and award-winning, sketch artist Anita Kunz brought a group of 12 media folk on a special tour through her current exhibit “Original Sisters: Portraits of Tenacity and Courage” at the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA. Leading the group and answering questions along with Kunz were two staff representatives from NRM. 

While the name Anita Kunz may not be familiar to many, it is a sure bet that her art is; seen through the years in Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Time, and many other magazines. Book covers are a big part of her talent, having illustrated over 50.  

Yet, Kunz is rather shy about her own accomplishments. Referring to the NRM exhibit, she credits the success of the “Original Sisters” drawings of 300+ accomplished women, not to herself, saying, “This is not about me, it is about them.”

Filling nearly every inch of wall-space in several of the Museum’s large connecting exhibit rooms are illustrations of faces upon faces in equal sized frames depicting portraits of women; some famous, some not, some alive, and others not. It’s safe to say that all ethnicities, races, and ages are represented throughout the centuries and the world.

Why would any one artist set her mind on such a massive project? Probably one answer was timing; during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under unknown circumstances, how can any single person fill time meaningfully?

Since no one knew how long the pandemic would last; Kunz had no deadline for her project. That said, she was positive that she would never run out of faces to draw.

Her decision to focus on women of strength, each in her own milieu and era, came from curiosity, asking, “How come I never knew about these women?” 

At her studio in Toronto, the isolation of the world-wide disease set her on a journey searching the internet for information about notable women in history.

Important to know is that Kunz’s exhibit is fun. Many faces are humorous as they look at the NRM visitor looking at them. Knowing Rockwell’s own work, it’s not surprising that guest artists’ subjects have a twinkle in their eyes or half-smile. Mr. Rockwell would be pleased.

Of course, many women’s names and faces were recognizable to Kunz and to most of us; i.e. Maria Callas, Isadora Duncan, Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Frank, and Gloria Steinem.

Then there were the subjects who were rather well-known from history books but without memorable faces; Edith Head, Nina Simone, and Dorothy Parker.

For those with no references to fall back on -- the unknown and the unnamed -- Kunz let her imagination create: Amanirenas, African warrior queen who defeated Augustus Caesar (died circa 10 BCE); St. Elizabeth of Hungary, princess who vested herself of all trappings to the needy (1207-1231); and Tomoe Gozen, legendary Japanese samurai warrior (circa 1157-1247).

Exploring and studying vast amounts of knowledge was essential to depict the “tenacity and courage” within each subject along with writing succinct bios. 

The drawings are not sketches, later to become finished products. Kunz’s task – to unrelentingly draw a woman-a-day, without fail, complete art pieces set to frame and mount.

The commonality of her subjects are the triumphs of the women; whether it be with the hindsight of history (Sojourner Truth 1797-1883) or through current events (Greta Thurnberg b. 2003).

NRM curators have put logical thought into the placement of the pictures. Oftentimes, one portrait faces another as if in conversation. Other women are deep in thought, having fun, or purposely facing her audience.

Each woman is shown in color primarily on a flat one-color background. The subject’s actual signature appears in different forms. It is obvious that Kunz took great care in fitting the names with the pictures. Whenever possible, the signature is written in the native language (Egyptian feminist philanthropist Huda Shaarawi), others are bold in block letters (US vice president Kamala Harris), or in a font which replicates the accomplishment of the woman (television credits for soap opera pioneer Irna Phillips).

Visitors to NRM will need more than a few hours to view and read about each woman. If that is not a possible, Kunz’s coffee table book is not a substitute, but a companion on the page. 

At the start of the project, and throughout, some names were culled from those suggested to her by people she knew as well as strangers who knew about her quest to honor women. Since COVID has somewhat subsided, Anita Kunz is no longer isolated in her home questioning herself, “What should I do next?” In fact, she has lots more women on her “to do list”. She actively seeks suggestions of women of tenacity and courage.

[This exhibit] is a tribute to those upon whose shoulders I stand with gratitude, respect, and love.  Anita Kunz, November, 2021

REVIEW: Springfield Symphony Orchestra, "Echoes of the Americas"

Symphony Hall, Springfield, MA

www.springfieldsymphony.org

November 16, 2024

by Michael J. Moran

With this program of five works by different Hispanic composers, led by Puerto Rican-born conductor-violinist Guillermo Figueroa and featuring Uruguayan-born composer-pianist Miguel del Aguila, the SSO presented a virtual mini-festival of Latin American music in 90 minutes.

Guillermo Figuero

It opened with Puerto Rican composer Ernesto Cordero’s “Insula Tropical” (“Tropical Island”), a concerto for violin and string orchestra written in 2007 for Figueroa, Music Director of the Santa Fe (NM) Symphony Orchestra. Its four short movements depict lively and quiet scenes of Puerto Rican life in music of lush romanticism. Figueroa led the SSO strings in a sensitive account, while also playing the solo violin. It was highlighted by a whirlwind minute-long finale, with a virtuosic violin solo depicting the flight of a golden hummingbird. 

Next came the evening’s major showpiece: the 2004 “Three Latin American Dances,” by multiethnic American composer Gabriela Lena Frank. The first dance, “Jungle Jaunt,” exudes the highly charged energy of Amazonian dance forms. The second, “
Highland Harawi,” is an intoxicating brew of nocturnal sounds, mysterious and slow. The third, “Mestizo Waltz,” evokes popular Indian, African, and mariachi band rhythms. Figueroa drew a sensational performance from an enlarged SSO, especially the brass section and a massive array of percussion instruments.

The best-known work on the program was the second suite from Spanish composer Manuel de Falla’s popular 1919 comic ballet “The Three-Cornered Hat,” portraying folk life in 19th-century Spain. Incorporating Spanish dances, the suite consists of a fandango (“Dance of the Miller’s Wife”), a seguidilla (“Neighbors’ Dance”), flamenco (“Miller’s Dance”), and a frantic closing “Jota.” Figueroa and the SSO delivered a colorful reading.

The concert closed with two brilliant dances. Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla’s 1974 “Libertango” transformed his country’s national dance, the tango, into what became known as “nuevo tango,” introducing elements of jazz and modern classical music. Ending the program was Miguel del Aguila’s infectious 1994 “Conga,” with the composer playing the dazzling solo piano part. Transforming the familiar Caribbean dance rhythm into a luxuriant Viennese waltz and back again, the brass and percussion created many hallucinatory effects. Conductor and ensemble were electrifying partners, and the enthusiastic audience loved it.

The SSO’s next concert, “Heralding the Holidays,” will feature conductor William Waldrop and the Springfield Symphony Chorus, on December 14th.

REVIEW: Hartford Symphony Orchestra, "Brahms’ First"

The Bushnell, Belding Theater, Hartford, CT

www.hartfordsymphony.org

November 15-17, 2024

by Michael J. Moran

While the third weekend of the HSO’s 2024-2025 “Masterworks” series included only two pieces, both are beloved cornerstones of the standard classical repertoire, and the Belding Theater audience was accordingly large and appreciative.

Inbal Segev

HSO Music Director Carolyn Kuan opened the program with Sir Edward Elgar’s 1919 cello concerto, featuring internationally acclaimed Israeli-born cellist Inbal Segev. Reflecting the English master’s sorrow over the devastation of World War I and the mortal illness of his cherished wife, the concerto was Elgar’s last major work. Segev’s tone was aptly rich and mellow in her opening soliloquy. This was followed by a glowing “Adagio; Moderato,” a light, playful “Lento; Allegro molto,” an elegiac “Adagio,” and a restless “Allegro; Moderato; Allegro, ma non troppo,” including a final, heart-piercing cello soliloquy. Segev’s playing was deeply emotional and technically secure, with Kuan and the HSO offering full-blooded support.

In sharp contrast, Segev’s encore was a joyous account of the closing “Gigue,” a lively Baroque dance, from Johann Sebastian Bach’s 1723 third suite for solo cello, which highlighted her fleet and flawless finger work.

The program ended with Johannes Brahms’ 1876 first symphony. After he was publicly hailed at age 20 by his mentor Robert Schumann as “the savior of German music,” it took Brahms over twenty more years of off and on work to publish his first attempt at the form so highly developed by Beethoven. But his first symphony was an immediate success, one critic even calling it “Beethoven’s Tenth.”

Kuan and the HSO delivered a stirring performance, masterfully shaping the distinctive character of each movement into a dramatic whole, with perfectly judged tempos throughout. The opening “Un poco sostenuto; Allegro” started forcefully and continued with power and warmth. The “Andante sostenuto” was gentle and reflective. The “Un poco allegretto e grazioso” was lithe yet relaxed. The closing “Adagio; Piu andante; Allegro non troppo, ma con brio” was first suspenseful, then majestic, and finally, jubilant. The standing ovation was long, loud, and well earned.

  

The HSO’s next Masterworks program (December 13-15) will feature guest conductor Jonathan Rush and the HSO debut of 2024-2025 Joyce C. Willis Artist in Residence, pianist Clayton Stephenson, in music by Margaret Bonds and Tchaikovsky.

Review: The Bushnell, “The Lion King”

The Bushnell, Hartford, CT

www.bushnell.org

through December 1, 2024 

by Lisa Covi

There are few things in modern life as clear and entertaining as the story in a Disney musical. It shows stark differences between villains and heroes; children and adults can laugh at the same jokes, and there is always a happy ending.

 

The tale delivers a message that all can agree on: that the circle of life continues when we are all able to take care of each other and our world. If we cannot “feel the love tonight” every day, the Bushnell offers the experience of joy in pageantry, performance, and pathos of this triumphant journey.

"The Lion King" musical debuted in 1997 based on the animated 1994 film where much of the music and most of the plot originated. Similar to the biblical stories of Joseph and Moses, where some of the themes are drawn, the action takes place on the continent of Africa.

 

On stage, the production hits hard and fast at the beginning with the score by Hans Zimmer, Elton John, and others that have a vibe between Graceland and Zulu chant. The stylish scenery is simple and evocative, incorporating cast members as grasslands and scrim to project upon. The elephants in the room (along with lions, gazelles, and hyenas) are large hybrid costume/props that resemble puppets the performers inhabit. The distinctiveness of this particular show is the way that the cast performs the drama and music in a physical style using these mechanical devices. The effects blend lighting and music to consistently awe the audience.

The Bushnell is the ideal, large venue for "The Lion King". From the orchestra pit to the ceiling, entrances and performances even take place in the balcony.

 

The non-puppet protagonist Rafiki sings some of the best music. Portrayed by  Mukelisiwe Goba, his character calls out the mood of each act. Peter Hargrave is a deliciously deep-throated Uncle Scar who contrasts with brother Mufasa, Darnell Abraham. They manage their recognizably branded headpieces while projecting the human characteristics each actor brings to the part. The youngest performers of Simba and Nala conveyed pathos and energy. Characters Timon and Pumbaa as Simba's meercat and warthog friends nearly steal the show with personality cast upon the costumes. This cast was more than musical actors – they performed like Ginger Rogers – backwards and in high heels. The entire seasoned ensemble delivered a satisfying and hearty show.

The audience was clearly enamored and laughed heartily at the modern references and inside Disney jokes. The only noticeable minor distractions were an acoustic muddiness in the hall that made dialog sometimes difficult to understand, and a shadow that occasionally appeared on the back wall during a spotlight sequence.

 

The production was a magical masterpiece of visual and aural pleasure. As someone who came expecting an experience based on Disneyland's Lion King Parade from the 1990's, it was pleasantly surprising to discover that Broadway's highest grossing production truly lives up to the title “World's #1 Musical.”