Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Springfield, MA
by Shera Cohen
Maestro Kevin Rhodes called the evening “a potpourri of
opera.” With 15 arias – primarily dramatic with a smattering of comedic –penned
by 11 different composers, Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s “Passion, Love,
Murder & Mayhem: It’s Opera” was a success on many levels.
As expected, Rhodes’ exuberance was contagious. The members
of the SSO responded to their director’s enthusiasm in kind. Each section had its moments to shine,
and each of these professional musicians could easily hold the proverbial
candle to the talents of those in more well-known symphonies in larger cities
throughout the United States. Rhodes, equally delightful as a storyteller,
preceded the performance of the arias with a mini-synopsis. Particularly for
those uninitiated to opera, placing the upcoming piece into context made the
music even more special.
The job of assembling the concert’s five vocalists must have
been daunting, because these three women and two men could not have been more
perfect. Mary Wilson’s high soprano trills in Una voce poco fa from Rossini’s
Il Barbiere di Siviglia was joyful. Amy Johnson’s Pace pace from Verdi’s La
forze del destino was as lush as her harp accompaniment. Verdi work represented
a good portion of the second part of the concert, including the full
orchestra’s rousing Overture to this same opera. O don Fatale, from Don Carlo,
highlighted Stacey Rishoi’s vibrant mezzo-soprano. Verdi’s La Traviata’s duet Un
di Felice featured Wilson and Eric Ashcraft. At this point in the evening,
Ashcraft had already shone his talent in pieces from La Giocana and Madama
Butterfly capping with the poignant Vesti la guibba from I pagliaci. Finally,
it is not often that the bass singer is given solos, but the SSO gladly shared
its stage with Gustav Andreassen who was particularly deep and dramatic in two
roles as the Devil in Faust and Mefistofele.
While seemingly something small to notice was the stance of
the singers – simply put, they didn’t just stand there. Without props or
staging, they “acted” their roles in the operas. Solos and duets formed the two
hour presentation, with an ensemble work as an encore – a fun piece, whose
composer is obviously not identified in the program book; after all it was an
encore. Let’s hope SSO encores Opera Night each season.
