Review: Majestic Theater, “Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help”

Majestic Theater, West Springfield, MA

www.majestictheater.com  

through February 16, 2025

by Lisa Covi

A light adult comedy warmed the winter opening night of “Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.” Priming the audience with the setting's early 1970's music, this play presents a devoted and generous Irish Catholic family faced with the ironies and practical dilemmas of changing social mores. The cast's dynamic chemistry evokes both giggles and belly laughs, depicting a family full of contrasting characters, plus their local parish staff.

 

The story features two pairs of sisters (mothers and daughters) in an Irish Catholic lower middle-class family struggling with economic pressure, opportunities for change, and traditional roles in a close-knit neighborhood where they live and worship and judge each other according to the strictures of the church.

 

Photo by Kait Rankins

Hip Aunt Terri, played by Cate Damon (who has also portrayed the role of mother “Jo” in a previous production) mentors college-aged niece Linda (Jenna Burns), doubling roles as narrator and interpreter of the title incident that happens over the course of one day.

 

Burns' character valiantly cajoles the audience with wry observations and idiosyncratic perspective. She convincingly portrays a young woman wrestling with the promises and perils of asserting women's rights in her male-dominated world. At the same time, her story pokes fun at the clash between moral naivete and the illusion of religious social control.

 

Maggie Hamel, as Linda's younger sister, both motivates "the incident" but tries to inhibit the feared outcome with pluck and innocence that endears the audience to her.

 

Mother Jo (Sandra Blaney) is the put-upon glue of the quartet, struggling to nurture the family while keeping a cheerful but pragmatic outlook.

 

Rounding out the inhabitants of the O'Shea's burnt orange kitchen is Father Mike (John Baker) who makes pronouncements blind to the drama unfolding among the women.

The performances are superb, and production values support the effective delivery. Even though the plot follows somewhat predictable paths, deeper themes echo the way people struggle between religious authority, social control, and living with compassion and generosity.

Each female character shows a wondrous strength that imitates the power of the miraculous symbol that names their parish community of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Their domestic bonds provide the resources for these women to take charge of their destinies.

Katie Forgette's script (premiered in 2019) cleverly provides twists for pacing and propelling the plot. She includes unreliable narrators and a role where a single delightful actor masters four diverse personalities (and genders). The action flies with a running time of two hours, including a short intermission.

REVIEW: South Windsor Cultural Arts, " Sam DeCaprio, Cello; Anna Han, Piano"

Evergreen Crossings, South Windsor, CT

www.facebook.com/SouthWindsorCulturalArts/

January 5, 2025

by Michael J. Moran

A capacity South Windsor audience was graced with a sensational debut concert as a duo by Connecticut-born cellist Samuel DeCaprio, a globe-trotting performer and Juilliard School graduate based in NYC, and Arizona native Anna Han, a prize-winning pianist and Juilliard alumna based in Berlin, Germany.

The concert opened with an exuberant account of Beethoven’s 1798 Twelve Variations on “A Girl or Little Wife” from Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute.” The aria by the comic bird-catcher Papageno is cleverly reinvented, from the disjointed first variation for piano alone to the frisky whirlwind finale. The duo’s enjoyment of its technical and interpretive challenges was palpable.  

Next came an affectionate performance of Robert Schumann’s 1849 “Fantasy Pieces.” The three short works have titles which indicate their tempo markings. The first, marked “Tender and with expression,” was given a lush reading; the second, marked “Lively, light,” had an animated edge; the third, marked “Quick and with fire,” was almost manic in its impassioned energy.

The powerful centerpiece of the program was Turkish composer-pianist Fazil Say’s 2012 “Four Cities.” Each movement is named after a city in Turkey with personal memories for Say. The quiet “Sivas,” in which the cello sometimes sounds like a duduk (an Armenian woodwind), was wistful and haunting. The fast “Hopa,” about a wedding celebration, was raucous and percussive. The intense “Ankara,” which quotes a World War I protest song, was dark and ominous. The lively “Bodrum” evoked a pub with a jazzy swing rhythm. The nimble and virtuosic duo stretched the limits of both their instruments to dazzling effect.

Anton Webern’s 1899 Two Pieces for Cello and Piano are the 16-year-old’s first known work, long pre-dating his fame as an atonal composer. DeCaprio and Han beautifully captured its straightforward romanticism. The concert closed with a vibrant rendition of Cesar Franck’s 1886 Sonata in A Major, originally for violin and piano, in a transcription by Jules Delsart for cello and piano. The duo was aptly yearning in the first movement, turbulent in the second, reflective in the third, and joyful in the finale.  

Both varied their tones from delicate to forceful and smooth to gutsy when needed and meshed like seasoned partners throughout the program. Their helpful spoken comments about the music further enhanced its impact.

 

SWCA will next present pianist Ilya Yakushev on February 16.

REVIEW: Berkshire Bach Society, "Bach at New Year’s"

Academy of Music, Northampton, MA

https://berkshirebach.org

December 30, 2024

by Michael J. Moran

The Berkshire Bach Ensemble brought their customary flair and polish to Johann Sebastian Bach’s six “Brandenburg” concertos on the opening night of their annual three-day New Year’s concert series, with repeat performances in Great Barrington, MA and Troy, NY.

The program was led by Eugene Drucker, Artistic Director of the ensemble (and a founding violinist of the Emerson String Quartet), whose twenty-two members this year ranged from veterans of several decades to six debuting players.

Kenneth Weisse

Bach wrote these concertos separately over five years but published them together in 1721 to fulfill an overdue commission for the Margrave (Governor) of Brandenburg. Each is written for a different combination of instruments and features multiple soloists. Usually sequenced for dramatic effect when played as a set, the first, fifth, and third concertos preceded an intermission, and the fourth, sixth, and second closed the concert.

First-time ensemble member Yevgeny Kutik was a fiery violin soloist in the large-scale first concerto. The fifth concerto featured virtuosic solo turns by three ensemble veterans: expressive violinist Laura Lutzke; elegant flutist Judith Mendenhall; and protean harpsichordist Kenneth Weiss, who dispatched the taxing first movement solo cadenza with dexterous aplomb. The third concerto, for strings alone, offered an expanded slow movement and lustrous solos from veteran violinists Drucker, Lutzke, and Brunilda Myftaraj.  

Weiss returned to close the intermission with an entrancing take on the beautiful slow aria that opens and closes Bach’s hour-long “Goldberg” Variations for solo keyboard. 

The fourth concerto opened the program’s second half with sprightly solo performances by violinist Drucker and flutists Mendenhall and Berkshire Bach veteran Alison Hale. The sixth concerto, scored for strings without violin and harpsichord, showcased graceful solos by veteran ensemble violists Liuh-Wen Ting and Ronald Gorevic, principal viola of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. The second concerto, with standout solos by two more ensemble veterans, oboist Keve Wilson and trumpeter Maximilian Morel, ended the evening in a burst of joy.

The packed house loved every minute of this two-and-a-half-hour show in the warm Academy with exceptional acoustics. Kudos also go to double bassist Peter Weitzner for his resonant support throughout the concert and to Berkshire Bach Executive Director Terrill McDade for a model program book.

 

The Berkshire Bach Society next concert will be on February 8, 2025.

Review: The Bushnell, "Six, The Musical"

The Bushnell, Hartford, CT

www.bushnell.org

through Jan. 5, 2025

by Suzanne Wells

What do you get when you mix historical female role models with modern-day rock icons? “Six, The Musical” by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. Based on the six wives of Henry VIII, the show reveals each of their lives through the musical influences of rockstars like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Ariana Grande, to name a few. This all-female cast and band put on a rockin’ concert, conveying each woman’s strengths, weaknesses, and ultimate outcomes.

The atmosphere is a contrast between medieval and current times. The stage, designed by Emma Bailey, is set as a dark castle. The lighting, designed by Tim Deiling, and the scented fog contribute to the overall environment, making the audience feel as if they are attending a court banquet. Yet the modernized Tudor-era ball gowns, created by Gabriella Slade, incorporate a blinged-out, metallicized style found at any contemporary rock concert.

 

The choreography of modern dance moves conveys a myriad of emotions—joy, strength, lust, revulsion, horror—all the raunchy debauchery associated with the 16th century. The use of modern-day rituals and references makes these historical figures very relatable and adds a little levity to the storyline.

Each wife presents her story through a clever, witty solo drawing parallels between the past and present. While every song sweeps the audience into the excitement and emotion of the production, Kelly Denice Taylor’s voice while performing the power ballad “Heart of Stone” clearly moves the soul. “Get Down” performed by Danielle Mendoza is a feel-good, toe-tapping good time. And “All You Wanna Do” sung by Alizé Cruz creates a flirtatious vibe, revealing the destructive nature of repetitive patterns. The performers' vocal abilities are truly impressive, and their energy is infectious.

Whether a history buff, a music lover, or just looking for a fun night out, “Six” has something for everyone. This must-see show inspires strength, solidarity, respect, and equality; a unique and empowering musical.

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.