REVIEW: Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Bach & Beyond

Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Hartford, CT

www.hartfordsymphony.org

January 18–19, 2019

by Michael J. Moran

Lisa Rautenberg

The fourth “Masterworks” program of the HSO’s 75th season showcased their own concertmaster Leonid Sigal and associate concertmaster Lisa Rautenberg as guest conductors in a varied selection of music by or related to Johann Sebastian Bach.

The concert opened with two short pieces by French contemporaries of Bach: the overture to Rameau’s opera-ballet “The Temple of Glory;” and a chaconne from Lully’s opera “Phaeton.” Yale early music specialist Grant Herreid played theorbo (14-string bass lute) in both works, and baroque dancer Carlos Fittante added graceful movements to the chaconne, a stately dance for the court of Louis XIV. Rautenberg led a reduced HSO in animated performances.

Rautenberg then picked up her violin to play the solo part, and lead the ensemble from the bow, in a supple account of Bach’s first violin concerto. In his familiar third orchestral suite, Rautenberg drew fleet renditions of all five movements from her musicians, with an especially flowing “Air” on the G string.  

The concert’s first half closed with two rarities: the “Gran Chacona,” a secular song by Bach’s Spanish predecessor Juan Aranes; and a sonata-variations on the traditional theme, “La Follia,” by his Italian contemporary Vivaldi. Herreid returned to introduce, sing, and play baroque guitar in the Chacona, which he had researched and reconstructed (relishing the robust “a la vida bona” [to the good life] chorus). Both pieces featured loving accompaniment by Rautenberg and the orchestra and stylish poise, with elegant period costumes, from Fittante and fellow dancer Robin Gilbert Campos.  

Intermission was followed by two relative novelties from twentieth-century composers. Villa-Lobos’s “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9” for string orchestra combines rhythms of the composer’s native Brazil with Bach’s beloved “prelude and fugue” structure. The Bach-era title of Jacques Ibert’s “Divertissement” suggests the light entertainment value of this colorfully orchestrated piece, which includes hilarious parodies of Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” and Strauss’s “Blue Danube” waltz. Sigal’s kinetic leadership elicited both the profundity of Villa-Lobos and the pzazz of Ibert.

The cross-generational appeal of this imaginative program was clear to an eight-year-old patron who had enjoyed the singer, dancers, and “circus clown” sounds she heard in “Divertissement.”

Preview: Panopera, “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

Academy of Music, Northampton, MA

www.aomtheatre.com

January 25 & 27, 2019

The following is an interview with Alan Schneider, one of the co-founders of the Panopera (PO), and one of troupe’s three managers. Schneider has worn many hats, both literally and figuratively: sung leading roles, sung in the ensemble, directed, and made sure the shows broke even. Panopera, a relatively new artist-led opera company based in Western MA, will perform “Sweeney Todd”’ for two performances only.

ITS: How and why did PO start? What is the mission?

PO: The purpose of Panopera since its beginning in 2014 was and is to make use of local artists and local resources to create performances for public consumption. Think of us as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), but for the arts- a Community Supported Arts organization. The company presents some of the best local talent and resources in full length, high quality opera.

Part of Panopera’s mission is “to create a sustainable model for live opera by employing primarily local talent, cultivating a large and diverse audience, performing a wide variety of repertoire, and sharing profits with artists and other creative partners.”

ITS: How are operas chosen?

PO: We choose repertoire based on a few criteria: scale of the musical forces, since we have yet to present a work with a reduced orchestration (although our string sections tend to be on the small side), whether or not we can cast it with primarily local artists, and, for these first few years, whether or not the orchestra parts are in our library.

ITS: What would you say to potential audience members who “fear” opera?

PO: I would say that opera is theater, plain and simple, and, language barrier aside, if you like musical storytelling of whatever genre, opera will probably appeal to you.

ITS: I’ve noticed in PO photos that the cast members seem to be dressed in contemporary style. Do you think this makes the work more accessible?

PO: We give no thought at all to making a work “accessible” beyond what one does normally to make any production clear and consistent. We believe that the idea that the public needs special help to understand or appreciate a work of art is unnecessary.

ITS: “Sweeney Todd” -- a wonderful musical, is not an opera. Why was “Sweeney” selected?

PO: Interestingly, the very first American company to produce “Sweeney Todd” after the original Broadway production and touring was the Houston Grand Opera, in 1984.

Here’s an interesting anecdote. (courtesy of Wikipedia) It is said that on opening night Harold Clurman, the doyen of American theatre critics, rushed up to Schuyler Chapin, former general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, demanding to know why he had not put it [Sweeney] on at the Met. To which Chapin replied: "I would have put it on like a shot if I'd had the opportunity. There would have been screams and yells but I wouldn't have given a damn. Because it is an opera. A modern American opera."

Also, we’re in a position to present the piece with its original orchestration, which is a rare thing nowadays, 2019 is the 40th anniversary, and we have yet to present a piece in English.

ITS: What are you most proud of about PO?

PO: I am most proud of the group of artists who have assembled to do each of our projects. I am grateful that so many of my professional colleagues are willing to invest their time and effort to expand the theater and music market in the Valley, which will ultimately benefit all of us.

ITS: What are plans for PO?

PO: To continue to find collaborators, as we have with Pioneer Valley Ballet, to present an ever-wider selection of opera to the public.

“Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street” will be performed on January 25th at 7:30pm and January 27th at 2pm at the Academy of Music, Northampton. For ticket information contact the Academy box office: 413-584-9032 or www.aomtheatre.com.

REVIEW: Majestic Theater, The Mountaintop

Majestic Theater, West Springfield, MA

www.majestictheater.com

through February 10, 2019

Konrad Rogowski

The Majestic Theater's current production of Katori Hall’s “The Mountaintop,” directed by Gilbert McCauley, is an intriguing combination of fact, faith, and fantasy, based on the last hours of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life, set in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel.

Photo by Kait Rankins

This fictionalized account is a powerful two-person show, a showcase for the talents of Jamil A.C. Mangan as Dr. King, and Lynnette R. Freeman as Camae, a housekeeper at the motel, and director McCauley capitalizes on those talents, as both actors deftly portray a wide and genuine emotional spectrum. The play works on the concept of “what if …” in order to bring the audience closer to what Hall describes as: “…the man, not the myth…this extraordinary man – who is actually quiet ordinary.”

That humanity is reflected in the everyday trials of a man who must travel, who finds no toothbrush in his suitcase, has holes in his socks from marching, and orders a late-night cup of coffee. That simple action brings the spirited and disarming Camae to his door, and there begins the unexpected journey that shakes the core of Dr. King’s thoughts and values.

What starts as a casual interaction of social pleasantries between the two, begins to morph and grow into a series of stranger and more probing exchanges. Each of these interactions forces Dr. King to examine, question, and defend his actions, his motives, and his very faith. Who is this late-night visitor who troubles him so? Is she actually a housekeeper, an undercover spy, or even a temptress? 

Mangan plays the role of Dr. King with a down to earth authenticity, ranging from humor and optimism to languishing uncertainty over his legacy, while Freeman fills the stage with a thought-provoking mixture of street smarts and incisive questioning. Hall’s script takes her audience through all of these challenges with a gritty humanity and surprising humor that gives a fleeting and inspiring look into the dichotomy of greatness and self-doubt, and which brings an audience to its feet.

REVIEW: The Bushnell, Hamilton

The Bushnell, Hartford, CT

www.bushnell.org

through December 30, 2018

by Shera Cohen

Did you realize that we look at the face of Alexander Hamilton at least a few times each week? There he is in the middle of a $10 bill. Other than this claim to fame, who was this man? He had probably done something important during the Revolutionary War? Doubtless that Hamilton knew George Washington on a first-name basis? And, wasn’t he the man who was killed in a duel? Is this enough subject matter for a musical, not to mention a game-changing, Tony Award winning, world-class musical on Broadway? Yes!

It was obvious that a large percentage of the Press Night audience at “Hamilton” at the Bushnell had seen this now-classic (even in its infancy as a musical production) before. It was eager with anticipation when many of the songs and movement began.

Photo by Joan Marcus

The unique music style is a trademark of “Hamilton.” Would a traditional theatre audience grasp, value, and literally understand the music, and especially the lyrics of rap? Do you have to be under age 30 to “get it”? Being a bit leery after the first five minutes of Aaron Burr’s opening number, which thankfully were not paced on warp speed, easily opened the door to an appreciation of the next two+ hours of rap. In many ways, “Hamilton” replicates the text of Shakespeare; it is not necessary to hear or recognize every word. The essence is there. No one need question, “Is ‘Hamilton’ for me?”

Lin-Manuel Miranda – writer of “Hamilton’s” book, music and lyrics -- has become a near-household name, defining creativity, innovation, and talent. Coupled with the genius of choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and director Thomas Kail, the visuals are remarkable. There are no static moments; the dance and songs never stop. Accentuating the steady beat of rap is discordant movement all about the stage. “Hamilton” is truly your atypical musical with juxtapositions of costumes and wigs of various eras, dialogue from the 1770’s and 2018 creating a joy in the experience.

The dark monstrous staging asks little of the audience’s imagination to “see” numerous indoor and outdoor settings. Strong flashes of lighting are synchronized with onstage movement to the timing of a millisecond.

Few musicals can pack in one dramatic song almost immediately followed by another; one superb voice after another. Austin Scott and Hannah Cruz (Alexander and Eliza Hamilton) lead the cast of approximately a dozen actors, each with exemplary voices. But, “Hamilton” is not merely a production of song upon song. The story is profound; the balance of one man’s adversity with the hardship of future Americans founding a new home. Exciting as it may be, this tremendous musical does not always paint a pretty picture of that era

Note: The Bushnell’s “Hamilton” run is longer than the one-week performances in the Broadway Series.

PREVIEW: Goodspeed Musicals, A Connecticut Christmas Carol

Goodspeed Musicals, Terris Theater, Chester CT,

www.goodspeed.org

through December 30, 2018

by R.E. Smith

Say the name “Goodspeed” to anyone in New England (or perhaps the country) with even the slightest knowledge of musical theatre and they will probably describe the majestic site of a well-restored late 1800’s Opera House sitting on the banks of the Connecticut River in East Haddam CT.

However, that structure, and its dedication to the American musical, is really only half the story. Sitting a mere 5 miles south, in Chester, CT, is Goodspeed Musicals’ Norma Terris Theater, dedicated to the discovery, creation and refinement of new American musicals. The shows staged here might not be quite ready for the lights of Broadway, but this place can get them closer than anywhere else. Chester center during the holiday season, with its festively lit shops and restaurants, is as quaint looking as any small town you would see in a Hallmark Channel movie, so it is only appropriate that the current production at the Terris is a new show called “A Connecticut Christmas Carol”.

Photo by Diane Sobolewski

After debuting last year, this “Nutmeg state”-centric retelling of the Dicken’s classic returns and it continues to evolve and shape itself into a top-notch, family-friendly seasonal production. Speaking of winter. . .the show has not been “frozen”, meaning that it could/can/will undergo changes like many shows at the Terris do. At a talkback after the show there were a number of people who had seen both this year’s production and last’s, giving the author an opportunity to gauge what was thought of various changes. Some of those changes included the addition of a new song, an intermission and the switching out of an entire character.

While core figures like Scrooge and the Cratchits remain the same, various other characters, locations, and even the “spirits” are now decidedly Connecticut-themed. There are references and representations of notable regional figures such as Igor Sikorsky and JP Morgan, as well as famous Hartford landmarks and businesses. Like a kid’s cartoon with adult humor, the show can be enjoyed on multiple levels. Having knowledge of Connecticut history will enhance your enjoyment of the show, but it is not absolutely necessary to appreciate this timeless tale of redemption. L.J. Fecho’s book is rife with actual quotes from the famous denizens of the Constitution State, skillfully woven into the script.

Goodspeed’s long-standing musical director, Michael O’Flaherty has crafted some memorable new songs such as “How Can You Resist the Irresistible” and “Everyone But You” that practically beg for a bigger stage and a larger chorus. Robert Cuccioli as Scrooge/William Gillette, a Tony-nominated actor, leads the cast, so rest assured that this smaller second stage is in no way “second best”. The entire cast, many returning from last year, is talented and engaging, from Michael Thomas Holmes’ multiple “ghosts” to Robbie Berson’s Tiny Tim. Though familiar, the various scenes of past, present and future move along briskly and feature some inventive stagecraft.

No matter the season, a trip to a Terris Theatre production is an experience no musical theater buff should miss, and seeing “A Connecticut Christmas Carol” during the holidays is the gift any musical theater fan will appreciate.

REVIEW: Springfield Symphony Orchestra, A Holiday Celebration

Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Springfield, MA

www.springfieldsymphony.org

December 8, 2018

by Jarice Hanson

Holiday concerts are expected to have at least a smattering of familiar tunes and seasonal jokes, but the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s holiday program also celebrated the diversity of the community and the talent of many musical artists with a program that left the audience with a smile on their faces and warmth in their hearts.

From the time conductor Nick Palmer bounded onto the podium in red pants with candy canes, members of the Symphony, and the Springfield Symphony Chorus treated the audience to seasonal favorites and some special numbers that captured the magic of the holiday season.

Special guests including the Children’s Chorus of Springfield, Mary Lambert, Cantor Elise Barber, the Extended Family Choir, and young Brynn Cartelli, winner of NBC’s “The Voice” entertained the enthusiastic audience with songs and musical renditions that reflected a myriad of musical styles appealing to all ages. It was obvious that many families were introducing their youngest members to an evening at the symphony, and the children were treated to a few special appearances by Santa, who at one point, ascended the podium and conducted “Sleigh Ride” with some comic hip swings and an appropriately jaunty attitude.

The first hour of the concert featured a number of familiar tunes along with Cantor Elise Barber’s soulful interpretation of “Ki Eilecha” and “Ocho Kandelikas,” but the second hour left no doubt that the Springfield Symphony Orchestra is a first class musical organization. Their two selections, “Wizards in Winter” and “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” were breathtaking in their complexity, complementarity, and musicianship.

All received a well-deserved standing ovation for providing the sold-out audience with an evening of warmth and heart, despite the frigid temperature outside.

REVIEW: Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Tchaikovsky’s Firsts

Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Hartford, CT

www.hartfordsymphony.org

November 30–December 2, 2018

by Michael J. Moran

To open the second “Masterworks series” program of the HSO’s 75th anniversary season, Music Director Carolyn Kuan selected the elegant “Polonaise” from Tchaikovsky’s opera “Eugene Onegin.” The orchestra’s stately and refined account set a festive tone for the evening.

Szymon Nehring

The program continued with a sensational HSO debut by rising 23-year-old Polish pianist Szymon Nehring in a full-blooded performance of perhaps the best known of all piano concertos, Tchaikovsky’s first. From the majestic introduction, through the lyrical Andante and the rip-roaring finale, Nehring, now a student of Boris Berman at the Yale School of Music, skillfully varied his touch from delicate to thundering as the music ran its volatile course. In a novel and engaging use of technology, an image of the keyboard was projected on a large screen above the Belding stage as Nehring played, making his fluid fingers visible throughout the hall. Kuan and the HSO supported him with equal passion and precision.  

A standing ovation brought Nehring back on stage for a dazzling rendition of the lively “Russian Dance,” one of three movements which Igor Stravinsky arranged for solo piano from his ballet “Petrushka” for Artur Rubinstein, who could hardly have done it better than his fellow Pole.

The concert closed after intermission with a vibrant account of Tchaikovsky’s seldom-heard first symphony, called “Winter Dreams” by the young composer, who wrote it when still in his mid-twenties. Despite its sometimes-episodic structure and slightly bombastic finale, the symphony often foreshadows the colorful orchestration and melodic genius of the mature Tchaikovsky. Committed playing by all HSO sections under Kuan’s dynamic leadership, from the haunting “Allegro” opening, through the dreamy “Adagio cantabile,” elfin “Scherzo,” and spirited finale, made a strong case for the piece.

Just before the symphony, Kuan tearfully recalled the sudden passing in October of HSO assistant principal cellist Eric Dahlin and expressed the musicians’ sorrow at his loss with a single red rose at his chair and a heartfelt performance of the “Nimrod” movement from Elgar’s “Enigma Variations.” This was a classy tribute to a beloved, world-class musician, who will be sadly missed by Hartford audiences.