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  • Washington Concert Opera's La clemenza di Tito: Superb Cast, Music by Mozart, and PoliticsThis link opens in a new window There are a lot of interesting aspects to this little-performed Mozart opera.  About a third of the way into my first viewing of La clemenza di Tito (1791), I found myself thinking that WCO’s excellent chamber ensemble and a superb cast of singers were turning this turkey opera seria (dated, convoluted, improbable plot) into a rather enjoyable musical experience, but as it went along, Mozart’s music magic and the cast’s stellar vocals made me start to care about these highly improbable characters: an emperor (Tito) who encourages truthful insolence and forgives an attempt on his life by his close friend (Sesto), after Sesto sets fire to Rome as cover for his assassination attempt and stabs the wrong person, all to win the love of an ambitious woman (Vitellia) who challenges whether he has the “spirit” to win her, said woman being motivated by anger and wanting to avenge her loss of status, who is on again off again in scheduling the assassination, then in a remarkable change of heart, decides to admit her guilt to try to save her controlee, a really sweet and honorable guy, while the reluctant assassin’s friends implore Tito to spare the life of Sexto because they are sure he will be a loyal subject from now on.  If you had trouble getting through that sentence, you got a taste of the opera.  All in a day at Roman court, “Game of Thrones” style.  In fairness, the opera is based on the Roman emperor Titus Vespasianus, the only historical person in the opera, and the title does translate to “the clemency of Titus”, and history does report he was known for his leniency towards those who conspired against him.  Not an entirely selfless position, he sought to disarm enmity and intrigue by forgiveness.  Washington Concert Opera Orchestra and Chorus with Conductor Antony Walker and cast of La clemency di Tito. Photo by Caitlin Oldham; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera. But that was then; this is now, and the extreme positions in the plot viewed from the 21st century made it difficult for me to go with that flow.  Also hard to believe was the fact that this is WCO’s first performance of an opera by Mozart, though Artistic Director and Conductor Antony Walker stated that he had wanted to perform it for over twenty years; kudos to him for bringing it forward.  Part of Washington Concert Opera’s charge is to bring lesser-known works of great artistic value to Washington audiences.  Perhaps it is by chance that Tito, a highly political opera from the nineteenth century, premiering in Vienna a few months after the French Revolution, reappears in the politically charged time of today.  WCO’s production reminded me of my first reaction to Mozart’s Così fan tutte; an absurd plot that initially diminished my ardor for the opera, but on subsequent viewings I looked past that distracting aspect and became sensitized to the forces at play.  I grew to love Così.  Washington Concert Opera’s La clemenza di Tito managed that conversion over the course of three hours.  Emperor Tito found an epiphany in facing his most difficult moral dilemma: to risk making law meaningless if he spared the life of his friend who he believed to be of good heart.  Of course, the story only works because his friend fails in his assassination attempt and nobody dies; otherwise, I present you with the “Macbeths, Italian style”.  I enjoyed reading the libretto and found myself pausing to reflect on several statements in recitatives, such as Sesto telling Vitellia, “I will do anything for you”, and Tito’s claim that the only happiness afforded him as ruler by the gods was to reward virtue.  The opera makes a strong statement, if a little over the top, about morality in governance and how people’s potential for goodness can tip in the wrong direction – Sexto’s lamentation that, “I never thought it so hard to undertake villainy”, though it brought a laugh, is thought for us all.  I would have required Vitellia and Sesto to do community service and required them to memorize Lovelace: “I could not love thee (Dear) so much, Lov’d I not Honour more”.  I do wonder, if as written, whether this opera can be successfully staged for today’s audience, or if instead, concert opera treatment is optimum.  Some musicologists have said Mozart’s and Mazzolà’s deletions from Metastasio’s text reduced the dramatic impact. Tamara Wilson as Vitellia and Edgardo Rocha as Tito. Photos by Caitlin Oldham; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera.Because of the limited play it had received, I had long assumed that Tito was one of Mozart’s early, less popular operas.  Not so.  This is Mozart’s next to last opera and in fact, most of The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte, 1791) was composed before Tito premiered, just three months before Mozart’s death at age 35 and not quite a month before The Magic Flute.  These followed his big three of Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte in 1785, 1789, and 1790.  La clemenza di Tito was undertaken as a commission to compose an opera seria for the coronation of Leopold II. The libretto was taken from the work of Metastasio, modified to a version one third shorter, as Mozart emphasized the vocal additions, working with librettist Mazzolà to create in Mozart’s words “a real opera”, mostly by adding opera buffa elements to opera seria.  It is thought that despite working on The Magic Flute and other substantial works, he accepted the commission for the money which he needed and to show his prowess with opera seria, the genre favored by Leopold II’s wife, though it was fading in popularity.  It is believed that workload stress contributed to his becoming ill and dying at such an early age.  The court reception of the work seems to have been boredom at best (everyone was tired from a day of partying), but his wife, Constanza promoted the work to maintain Mozart’s legacy and provide support for their three sons.  The opera achieved considerable popularity until around 1830 when it dropped out of view for a hundred years.  Revived in the 1950’s, it has managed to stay in the repertoire though seldomly performed, likely due to audiences not connecting with the plot line and shortcomings in the score, mainly perceived by musicologists.  Importantly, for a substantial opera composed in a little over two months, the composer did not have a chance to do revisions; had Mozart made it to 40, there might have been an even better version.  I didn’t find the music in this opera as wonderful as Figaro, certainly, but some of that may have been the constraints of opera seria.  I remember one Sexto aria using the slow then fast format that seemed to me to break the connection with the emotion of the aria, when it moved to the fast section. Stephanie Doce as Sesto and Meridian Prall as Annio. Photo by Caitlin Oldham; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera. Mozart composed La Clemenza di Tito for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 basset clarinet, 1 basset horn, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings, with harpsichord for recitatives.  WCO employed a chamber ensemble of about 30 players and a 20-member chorus for this production, smaller than their usual full orchestra and chorus for their performances.  Clarinetist Jonathan Gunn was featured playing the basset clarinet and horn accompanying arias by Sesto and Vitellia.  Mr. Gunn was impressive in playing the basset instruments with one peccadillo for me.  Having him stand by the singers was distracting for me.  I was captivated by the emotion of Sesto’s singing when he appeared and would have preferred to keep my focus there.  Just me I guess. according to my wife, but I would have preferred that he remain in the orchestra, even given the beautiful sound he was making.  Mozart’s music, always melodious and pleasing, was impressively delivered under Conductor Antony Walker’s direction.  It was a special treat to hear music by Mozart I had not heard before.  The Washington Concert Opera Chorus fulfilled Mozart’s role for them as a public gallery and as always, added delight to the performance. l to r: Meridian Prall as Annio, Raven McMillon as Servilla, and Matthew Scolin as Publio. Photo by Caitlin Oldham; courtesy of Washington Concert Opera. Sometimes the singers in an opera elevate the work, bringing it to life with an intensity far above my expectations.  This was the case for WCO’s La Clemenza di Tito.  Renown soprano Tamara Wilson, a favorite in DC and well known to opera fans across the U.S. and Europe, gave a diva performance as the self-centered but complicated Vitellia, singing beautifully as her voice commanded the room.  Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Douche in a pants role as Sexto was stunning, a definite wow, in her performance as the conflicted lover/friend/assassin.  She had a lovely voice and sang with great emotion.  It might have been Sexto’s opera had not WCO brought in Uruguayan tenor Edgardo Rocha, an opera superstar in Europe, to sing the role of Tito.  He lived up to the billing, bringing a smooth, pleasing delivery to a Tito committed to being a caring and merciful leader.  One could listen to him all night; he could become a popular crooner of love ballads, I bet.  He made me long for a modern day Tito.  Sexto’s friend Annio is another pants role sung by mezzo-soprano Meridian Prall, adding her lovely voice and engaging vocals to the action as Sexto’s friend and the true love of Servilia performed by soprano Raven McMillon.  Her singing and comportment as Sexto’s sister and Annio’s love interest made me wish Mozart had written her a bigger role.  The scene, where she reveals to Tito that she is in love with Annio and does not wish to be the queen, came as a surprise to me that she had the courage, but then a bigger surprise, as a modern audience member: Tito gives thanks “that one has been found who will dare to speak an unwelcome truth”.  Matthew Scolin, a WCO veteran, brought his excellent voice and official substance to the role of Publio, the commander of the Guard.  And yes, it being Mozart, there were marvelous ensemble numbers.  It is my fondest wish that all these singers be brought back for future performances. On the sides, Tamara Wilson as Vitellia and clarinetist Jonathan Gunn. Ah, what an entertaining evening of great singing and music playing!  After enjoying so many performances of Washington Concert Opera, I should have had more faith in Maestro Walker. I went home feeling good that the worrisome potential of a turkey was transformed into a beautiful dove of peace, and maybe even a little inspired that there was still deep goodness in us, waiting to be tapped.The Fan Experience: Washington Concert Opera’s performance of La Clemenza di Tito was scheduled for March 1 in Lisner Auditorium. The performance, sung in Italian with supertitles in English, lasted about two and a half hours with one twenty-minute intermission.WCO has scheduled a third production this season, Verdi’s Luisa Miller for April 13 (note - back to the usual Sunday performance scheduling).  Peter Russell, General Director of Vocal Arts DC, presented a pre-opera talk and provided program notes.  His talks are impressively detailed and informative.In my experience, all the seats in Lisner Auditorium are fine for viewing the performance, but the sound is probably better towards the center of the auditorium.  The seats in Lisner Auditorium were upgraded over the summer, more legroom for the orchestra section and more comfort for all.  However, be aware, the side terrace seats continue to have very limited legroom.  Parking on the street around the auditorium is catch as catch can; be sure to read the signs!  Metro is two blocks away.  WCO has a visitor web page with directions and parking info, helpful in finding nearby parking lots.  Mar 3, 2025
  • Where to See Virginia Opera's Così fan tutte: Not in FairfaxThis link opens in a new window Are you considering attending Virginia Opera’s production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte?  Well, performances happened in Norfolk and will happen in Richmond, but not in Fairfax.  Due to the economics of opera, Virginia Opera and George Mason determined that only two operas would travel to Fairfax this season.  Virginia Opera has been under financial stress since the pandemic which shut down opera houses everywhere; opera companies have not fully recovered from the financial blow as audiences have been slow to return.  For the 2024-2025 season, Virginia Opera changed its previously announced schedule to offer operas of wider appeal, and they have undergone a leadership change.  The October production of Don Giovanni was also limited to Norfolk and Richmond.  This decision, while understandable, was a major disappointment to me and, I presume, to other opera lovers in northern Virginia.  Attending their Fairfax performance of Carmen last September at the George Mason Center for the Performing Arts, I thought attendance had improved noticeably.  Hopefully, that is a good sign, but I worry: Is opera in Fairfax slip, sliding away? l to r: Wm. Clay Thompson as Don Alfonso, Ethan Vincent as Guglielmo, Terrence Chin-Loy as Ferrando, Ashley Fabian as Despina, Kristen Choi as Dorabella, and Keely Futterer as Fiordiligi. Photo by Dave Pearson Photography; courtesy of Virginia Opera. Let’s take a brief look at what those of us in Fairfax won’t be seeing here.  Così fan tutte is a showcase for six talented singers and is generally recognized as one of Mozart’s top three operas, along with Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro; I’d say make it four and throw in The Magic Flute.  The first time I saw Così I thought it flawed, great music and singing, yes, but an absurd plot with disguises that would fool no one and the whole thing, including the guys going to war and returning from war, takes place in one day.  However, on subsequent viewings I began to ignore the absurdities and connect with the story line’s flow and tension dealing with unfaithfulness in love, on all sides.  I saw a production at the Santa Fe Opera that is one of my favorite opera experiences of all time.  Wolf Trap Opera produced an engaging version in 2024 that changed the ending, empowering the women.  Composer Amadeus Mozart and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte hit a nerve with this one.  They also created incredibly beautiful music and arias.  Così is labeled a “drama giocoso”, a playful/serious duality which typically features slapstick comedy…but don’t overlook the serious part.  While I always leave a performance feeling joy from the music, singing, and comedy, I also leave feeling a nervousness in the pit of my stomach.  I would have liked to have seen Virginia Opera’s take on it and the appealing cast they assembled. l to r: Keely Futterer as Fiordiligi and Kristen Choi as Dorabella. Photo by Dave Pearson Photography; courtesy of Virginia Opera. In closing, let me say a word about that cast of attractive young singers:Lyric soprano Keely Futterer plays Fiordiligi who loves Guglielmo or is it Ferrando she loves.  Ms. Futterer sang in last season’s Silent Night by Wolf Trap Opera. I noted then she sang with impressive precision and feeling.  The Wall Street Journal said this about her performance opposite Anthony Roth Constanzo in the 2023 Glimmerglass Festival production of Rinaldo: “ Keely Futterer was a thrilling whirlwind as Armida, ornamenting wildly and unafraid to take high notes into shriek territory.”Mezzo-soprano Kristen Choi plays Dorabella, Fiordiligi’s sister, who loves Ferrando or is it Guglielmo.  Ms. Choi is one of my favorite mezzo-sopranos.  I have enjoyed greatly her previous performances with Virginia Opera, Washington National Opera, and Opera Philadelphia.  About her performance as Suzuki in Opera Philadephia’s recent novel production of Madama Butterfly, I stated “…Kristen Choi, amazing in everything she does, was a standout, singing and acting…”.  I would love to have seen what she brought to the role of Dorabella. l to r: Terrence Chin-Loy as Ferrando and Ethan Vincent as Guglielmo. Photo by Dave Pearson Photography; courtesy of Virginia Opera. Tenor Terrence Chin-Loy plays Ferrando, the first of our holier than thou guys.  I enjoyed his performance recently in Virginia Opera’s Sanctuary Road.  He has also appeared with LA Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and Metropolitan Opera.Baritone Ethan Vincent plays Guglielmo, the other guy who makes a foolish bet their girlfriends will remain faithful.  Unfortunately, I missed his performance as Don Giovanni in Virginia Opera’s fall production which was not performed in Fairfax.  He has also appeared with San Diego Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and Washington National Opera.  Wm. Clay Thomson plays Don Alfonso, the mature cynic who lures the guys into their destructive bet.  He also played in Virginia Opera’s Don Giovanni, as Leporello.  I heard him sing Don Alfonso previously in Wolf Trap Opera’s Così.  Of his performance then, I said that he “sang the role of Don Alfonso authoritatively enough with a strong bass delivery, though his youth made me wonder how he could have become so jaded in his world view at that age; I am surprised that no one has attempted to compose an opera titled “Don Alfonso, the Early Years”.  I regret I could not attend Virginia Opera’s production to see how he has aged.Ashley Fabian played Despina, Alfonso’s paid accomplice, who is also worldly wise, but more mercenary than jaded.  I have not previously heard Ms. Fabian perform.  She has an impressive list of concert performances with noted orchestras, and her reviews for opera roles with companies such as San Diego Opera and Seattle Opera, make me wish I had been able to attend Virginia Opera’s Così.What else will we be missing in Fairfax?  How about Maestro Adam Turner conducting the Virginia Symphony Orchestra providing Mozart’s great music.  The performance is directed by Mo Zhou who also directed last March’s Madame Butterfly by Virginia Opera.  She has placed the Così in a grand hotel during the roaring twenties and offers the following comments: “At its surface, Mozart’s Così fan tutte has long been dismissed as a silly tale of love and betrayal. But beneath the disguises and schemes, the opera reveals a razor-sharp exploration of human vulnerability, desire, and the fragile constructs we mistake for love.”  See.  How’s your stomach feeling?As of this report’s posting, you can still catch a performance in Richmond, a hundred miles south of Fairfax; unfortunately, I have a conflict for those dates.  Fairfax will get to see Virginia Opera’s premiere of Loving v. Virginia later this year.  If we want opera to continue in Fairfax, we need to tell our neighbors, attend ourselves, take our friends, and if you can, make a donation.  As the old saying goes, use it or lose it.  Are Virginia Opera performances in Fairfax slip, sliding away?The Fan Experience:  Virginia Opera’s Così fan tutte was scheduled for performances on February 21 and 23 in Norfolk and February 28 and March 2 in Richmond.  Performances in Italian with supertitles in English.  I hoped to attend the February opening but weather (a rare almost a foot of snow in Norfolk) complicated making a car trip.  Sigh.Virginia Opera’s world premiere of Loving v. Virginia will be performed in Norfolk on April 25 and 27, in Fairfax on May 1 and 2 , and in Richmond on May 7 and 9.  The opera by composer Damien Geter and librettist Jessica Murphy Moo is based on the true story of a Virginia couple’s marriage that led to the Supreme Court affirming the legal standing of interracial marriages.  This production will be directed by Denyce Graves and conducted by Adam Turner who will be leading the Richmond Symphony. Feb 24, 2025
  • Opera Lafayette's Morgiane: Edmond Dédé ReclaimedThis link opens in a new window There is a lot going on in the first ever production of Edmond Dédé’s grand opera Morgiane, ou, Le Sultan d’Ispahan, a four-act opera he composed in 1887(!).  There is the opera’s story and music, the story of how the opera came to the stage, and the performance of the opera.  There is the story of the composer and the city and country where he was born and the country where he chose to spend most of his life.  There is the story of OperaCréole in New Orleans and its leader, Giovanna Joseph, who provided dedication to bringing this story forward, collaborating with Opera Lafayette in achieving a performance after 138 years.  There is the story of Opera Lafayette, now in its 30th season of serving as an authentic conduit for bringing 18th and 19th century operas to the present day and the changes underway as Ryan Brown, its Founder and only Artistic Director to this point, steps down later this year.  There is even the story of Lincoln Theatre where it was performed this past Monday.  I love these stories, and they greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the opera, another musical “find” by Opera Lafayette.  And once again, Opera Lafayette’s production exudes a richness of collaborative expertise, a richness of history, and a richness of the human spirit.  Photo of Edmond Dédé; courtesy of Opera Lafayette. Morgiane is considered the oldest known complete opera by an American black composer.  His and the other stories around this production have received wide coverage in newspapers and online print media across the U.S. in recent weeks; google Morgiane for a plethora of relevant articles.  Critic Michael Andor Brodeur has a preview article in the Washington Post, and journalist Keith O’Brien has a detailed article in the NY Times on the discovery of the manuscript and all involved in bringing it to the stage.  Finding and resurrecting a lost opera score and libretto is cause for celebration, but when it affords the composer long overdue recognition, it becomes an event of greater significance.  It is not possible to know why the opera was never produced, perhaps racial prejudice or just the challenge of getting an impresario to support your work. Ensemble photo of cast, orchestra, and chorus of Opera lafayette’s performance of Morgaine at the Lincoln Theatre in DC. Photo by Jennifer Packard; courtesy of Opera Lafayette. Edmond Dédé was born a free man of color, a Creole, in New Orleans in 1827, 34 years before the Civil War and died in 1901, 46 years after the war ending slavery in the U.S..  He was a brave man eager to increase his musical expertise and ability.  He traveled, worked, and explored music in Mexico, Belgium, Tunisia, and France, settling for many years in Bordeaux, where he became well known for his musical acumen, working in theaters, bars, and casinos to support himself.  He reportedly wrote short opera-comiques, songs, and orchestral pieces, much of it lost to history.  Little is known about the librettist for Morgaine, Louis Brunet, a friend, also black, of Dédé’s in Bordeaux, where Dédé lived and flourished for many years.  Sadly, after relocating in France, Dédé returned to New Orleans only once and after finding the environment with new Jim Crow laws enacted too restrictive and limiting for a man of color, he returned to France.  Early this century, the co-Founder and Artistic Director of OperaCréole, Giovanna Joseph, obtained some of his music and became determined to spread the knowledge of Dédé and his work.  A chance sale of music scores in 2014 led to the discovery of the composer’s 550-hundred-page manuscript containing the opera.  Harvard’s Houghton Library then made digital copies available online.  Director Joseph obtained a copy and began a sustained effort to have it performed.  The opera had its first premiere performance by OperaCréole in New Orleans on January 24 in concert at a slightly reduced length, before moving to DC, Maryland, and New York for full concert performances.Expectations are important, so keep in mind that this work, though complete, cannot be considered finished in a performance sense.  Incoming OL Artistic Director and Conductor Patrick Quigley reports on the considerable difficulty in turning the handwritten score in the Dédé manuscript into a working score for today’s instruments and musicians.  Opera Lafayette assembled a highly expert team to do this, and OL is renown for performances using period instruments.  Nonetheless, judgements had to be made about notes that were smudged and lines of music where the instrument was not clear.  Over 100 individuals contributed to bringing this work to the performance stage.  Conductor Quigley, a native of New Orleans and a strong advocate for this work, expects that future productions will come up with their own interpretations of the manuscript.  I would also point out that the composer never had the opportunity to hear it performed, and thus make his adjustments, changes, and later revised versions, a normal part of the process in opera development.  (Personally, let me add that as someone who can barely type I will never forgive the French for sneaking in so many accents over their vowels; that said, let’s move on.) l to r: Hassan (Joshua Conyers), Morgiane (Mary Elizabeth Williams), and Ali (Chauncey Packer). Photo by Jennifer Packard; courtesy of Opera Lafayette. Louis Brunet apparently chose themes from “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”.  In the opera, a conflict arises between an Arabian family and a Persian Sultan.  (Spoilers follow in this paragraph).  Amine is soon to wed to Ali.  Her father Hassan begins to tell the story of his first meeting of Morgiane, when she is holding a young daughter Amine.  He marries Morgiane but only Morgiane knows who fathered Amine.  Sultan Korouschah from the reviled Persian race has developed a lust for Amine and considers it her duty to submit to him.  Sultan Korouschah has her family imprisoned and threatens to kill Amine and her family if she refuses him.  She, of incredibly strong moral character, refuses.  Morgiane intercedes revealing to all and providing proof that she was his previous sultana and Amine is his daughter.  Hassan admits his confusion, eliciting laughter in the audience.  Amine now wants to die which draws more laughter.  Morgiane is called a dark comedy.  Yet to this point it was a tense moral drama, and I did not find the stage set for a happy ending.  Yet, the Sultan caves, asking Amine for mercy and forgiveness and releases the family.  She tells him where to go, more laughter.  Ali intercedes and tells Amine she should forgive the Sultan for he is her father.  Here's the thing.  The audience was not prepared to feel empathy for the Sultan.  The libretto could have been tightened up and may have been reworked if the composer and librettist had seen it in rehearsals.  I felt there were some parts that could have been shortened, such as the family’s time in the market in Act 3, and might have benefitted with time on stage for the Sultan. Amine (Nicole Cabell) with Conductor Patrick Quigley and members of the Opera Lafayette Orchestra. Photo by Jennifer Packard; courtesy of Opera Lafayette. At the same time, it bothered me that the audience, me included, laughed at this ending calling for mercy.  Surely this choice was not just the ending to a story the team liked.  The family and the Sultan were not only in conflict because of the Sultan’s threat but by the racial divide between Arabs and Persians, likely a safe way for the team of Dédé to approach the topic at the time.  But as pointed out in the pre-opera talk, these two races had created something shared and worth preserving, Amine, and that bond called for mercy and forgiveness on all sides.  It was a good ending and a surprise, though not completely well played for me.  I enjoyed observing the story unfold.  Having read a synopsis, I was wondering how the authors would keep the story interesting for three hours.  They did by revealing the tender pathos at times and the anger at times of the players in their roles, with the emotion and drama in the singing and music causing us to feel it within our bones. left photo: Kenneth Kellogg as Sultan Korouschah. right photo: Jonathan Woody who played Beher. Photos by Jennifer Packard; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.OL and OperaCréole assembled an excellent cast of singers along with The OperaCréole Ensemble as chorus, a compelling array of different voice types.  Though the performance was in concert, the performers all wore colorful costumes in middle eastern fashion that embellished the performance.  The role of Amine was sung by the marvelous soprano Nicole Cabell who gave us a resolute young woman, while adding trills and flourishes to her performance.  She won the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2005 and has since appeared in most of the famous opera houses of the U.S. and Europe.  Ali was played by Chauncey Parker, a high pitched tenor who sang with intensity of emotion that was affecting.  Hassan was sung by baritone Joshua Conyers, familiar to DC audiences from his performances with the Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Young Artists.  He commands attention when he sings.  Morgiane was played by soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams who used the darker aspects of her voice to display the drama and feeling of her role.  I was quite taken with her ability to pull me into her orbit.  OL veteran bass-baritone Jonathan Woody gave another fine, nasty performance as the sultan’s servant, delivering excellent vocals.  Sultan Koruouschah was sung by bass Kenneth Kellogg, an excellent singer quite familiar to DC audiences, perhaps best known for Blue.  Always affective in singing, he even managed to portray a genuinely remorseful sultan at the end. Soprano Taylor White as Marchand and tenor Antonio Domino, Jr. contributed positively in supporting roles. left photo: Ryan Brown, Founder of Opera Lafayette. middle photo: Giovanna Joseph, co-Founder and Artistic Director of OperaCréole. right photo: Patrick Quigley, Conductor and Artistic Director Designee. Photos courtesy of Opera Lafayette.Most often the orchestra for Opera Lafayette performances is a small ensemble group.  To play Edmond Dédé’s score, they utilized forty plus players with some instruments not typically heard today.  The build up for the performance caused me to greatly look forward to hearing the music, and I found it interesting, melodious, highly expressive, and enjoyable.  A talent and a lifetime of musical development by the composer had led to its creation.  That is not to say that I didn’t sense some rough edges on occasion.  The arias were pleasing and sometimes impressive, both solo and in the ensembles.  The chorus was excellent, and the overall impact of the vocals was considerable.  I found Morgiane to be an impressive, affecting, and thoroughly enjoyable opera.Overall, another triumph for Opera Lafayette, a successful journey for OperaCréole, and a fun evening for the audience, a trip to the past to enrich life today, OL’s cause célèbre.  Mr. Dédé, I’m glad I met you and I regret it has taken so long.The Fan Experience: Opera Lafayette scheduled performances of Morgaine, ou, Le Sultan d’Ispahan for January 24 in New Orleans, February 3 in DC, February 5 in NYC, and February 7 in Maryland.  The opera is sung in French with supertitles in English.  The performance lasts about three hours.The pre-opera talk given an hour before the performance included an informative and entertaining discussion featuring Giovanna Joseph, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of OperaCréole and Candace Bailey, a professor at North Carolina Central University and author of the forthcoming book, “Edmond Dédé: “Morgiane, ou, Le Sultan d’Ispahan”. Although Edmond Déde never saw the opera performed, his great-grandson was in the audience.One of the pleasures of attending the performance for my wife and myself was the chance to experience the Lincoln Theatre in DC, prompting us to read the background on a theater constructed for black audiences in an area once named “the Black Broadway” by my dad’s favorite singer, Pearl Bailey.  Admittedly, getting through security was a bit of a hassle which delayed the performance and put some attendees in a bad mood, but I consider just going through a few briars to get to a picnic.  The audience was in a much better mood at the end.  Feb 7, 2025
  • Opera Philadelphia's The Anonymous Lover: Thanks, I Needed ThatThis link opens in a new window Do you like the Netflix series Emily in Paris?   Sometimes I need a respite from today’s problems and tragic news stories.  Emily has become my go to escape along with a glass of wine.  I consider the show good not great, but good is great when you need it, and it is well done.  If The Anonymous Lover were a series, it would also regularly attend to that need with its emphasis, like Emily, on romance, friendship, humor, and fashion.  In his opening remarks, OP President and Director Anthony Roth Constanzo referred to this opera as “Bridgerton with better music”, but I will stick with Emily which is even lighter.  Maria Callas once said that an opera needed tragedy to be great.  Well, I don’t always need great and am sometimes weary of tragedy; I need escape, a little fun, why not with opera?  Since Emily in Paris, the Opera is not yet in the works, I welcome The Anonymous Lover ((L’Amant Anonyme, 1780) by the anonymous composer Josepf Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges back to the repertoire; the work has now received at least ten productions in the U.S. since first being introduced here in 2020, and will undoubtedly receive many more.  I guess I’m not the only one that needs a little fun every now and then. l to r: Valcour (Travon D. Walker), Dorothée (Sun-Ly Pierce), Orphémon (Johnathan McCollough), and Léontine (Symone Harcum) discuss whether to keep a gift from the anonymous lover. Photo by Johanna Austin; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia. Now as much as I enjoy Emily, I would not drive three hours to Philadelphia from my home and three hours back to see it, adding in an overnight stay.  Besides, I had seen a semi-staged production of The Anonymous Lover by Wolf Trap Opera in 2021.  So, what else drove my sojourn?  First, I like this opera, and Opera Philadelphia reliably provides excellent productions; I felt a good experience was assured.  But there was more.  I had seen several of the singers before, including soprano Symone Harcum, baritone Johnathan McCullough, and tenor Joshua Blue – all were in my want to see again bag.  The cherry on top was the chance to hear the work of emerging star conductor Kalena Bovell, who has a fascinating history; born in Panama, she was late in receiving formal training in music and now is award winning.  A few years back she was the first black female to conduct an opera in Canada, and she is now the first black female conductor to conduct for Opera Philadelphia.  Remember I referred to composer Bologne as anonymous?  Here is a clue why: he was a black composer in 18th century France, thus denied opportunities and recognition because of his race.  We know that he was a savant in several areas, fencing, playing the violin, military service, conducting, and composing, though many facts about him and much music by him have been lost to history (see Conlon’s excellent article for more background on Bologne and the opera).  He has a number of orchestral pieces that have survived and can be found on music streaming services, but this is the only one of his six operas that we have today.  One might justifiably argue that many 18th and 19th century operas with music worthy of being heard have been lost to history; Opera Lafayette in DC regularly unearths and performs these.  Yet popular in his day, we know that Joseph Bologne was still a victim of racial prejudice: a group of sopranos blocked his candidacy to lead the Paris Opéra by refusing to work with a black man. Jeanette (Ashley Marie Robillard) and Colin (Joshua Blue) celebrate their love. Photo by Johanna Austin; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia. So, for me, this OP production was a happening, a black female conductor beginning to receive recognition and opportunities, and a black composer beginning to receive recognition after being anonymous for over 200 years…in addition to everything else that Opera Philadelphia provides.  If truth be told, there was also the allure of pizza at Alice’s around the block from the Academy of Music.  That package was well worth a trip to Philly.The libretto by Desfontaines-Lavallée, based on an eponymous play, has been adapted by librettist Kirsten Greenidge to make it resonate more fully with audiences today.  The opera contains both spoken and sung dialog; for this production spoken words were in English and lyrics were sung in French.  The music has also been somewhat modified with the ballet being removed and additional music by Bologne inserted, much as it might have been done in his day from one production to another.  The story line presented a challenge to Director Dennis Whitehead Darling: presenting a plot with 18th century sensibilities and jokes to a 21st century audience.  Like most comedies there are serious issues below the surface.  Your story, to be funny, must receive your audience’s approval of the resolution.  Briefly, the widow Léontine has closed her heart, caused both by her husband’s death many years earlier and by his treatment of her in their marriage while alive; so, we the audience approve of her finding new love at this point.  She has received love notes for four years from an anonymous person.  Unknown to her, that person is her best friend Valcour.  Valcour is a sincere, honorable man; so, we the audience can root for him.  He is aided in his pursuit of love by friends Ophémon and Dorothée who stoke the comedy to the delight of we the audience, while Léontine is inspired by a young couple, Jeanette and Colin, who are being married with her support and who constantly display their affection, warming the cockles of the audience’s hearts as well as Lèontine’s.  The stage is thus comically set for revealing the identity of the anonymous lover and Lèontine’s response.  Will Léontine again open her heart to a passionate love or retreat to safety?  Well, it is a comedy…besides, would I drive six hours for an unhappy ending?  I was not completely satisfied with Wolf Trap Opera’s telling, nor was I with Opera Philadelphia: I wanted Léontine to have an aria alone revealing that if only Valcour returned her affection for him she would trust him with her heart, but that’s me.  The spontaneous kiss was exciting, though, and cleared the air. left photo: Composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Public domain image from Wikipedia. left photo: Conductor Kalena Bovell. Photo by Jamie Pratt; from media photos, kalenabovell.com. This was a very enjoyable production overall.  The staging and adaptations by OP creative staff were very well done.  The simple staging, though limiting possibilities for dramatic enhancements, was adequate and added color, keeping with the spirit of the piece.  The costume design by Leslie Travers was exceptional, fitting for the story and a delight to the eye.  The staging by Director Darling was expertly done, and the audience was frequently in laughter.  The action moved swiftly, maintaining my engagement throughout.  I laughed often and my fellow audience members laughed even more. Léontine (Symone Harcum) struggles with love’s appeal to a cautious heart. Photo by Johanna Austin; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia. Composer Bologne’s music is pleasant, supports and enhances the action, and the solo arias and ensemble numbers are moving and often impressive in their complexity.  The choral music is an added bonus; kudos to chorusmaster Elizabeth Braden.  Maestro Bovell, directing the Opera Philadelphia, did a craftsman like job rendering Bologne’s score in a lively and thoroughly enjoyable manner.  Timing and coordination with singers seemed excellent.  When there was no singing, the music was engaging and pleasant, very reminiscent of Mozart.  Please note that Mozart was 14 years Bologne’s junior.  The music added drama and emotion to the vocals.  I did not walk out humming the melodies but I did walk out with a happy heart.Ah yes, the singers!  There are six solo singers in the opera for the roles mentioned earlier, and they were uniformly excellent, breathing life and the joy of life into their characters.  Lead soprano Symone Harcum as Léontine gave a fine performance in a role that requires a lot of emotional back and forth.  Early on I was a little worried that her singing was too powerful.  Her first aria was delivered with the intensity of a Verdi, momentarily exiting the rom-com spirit, but the rest of the way she was a delight.  Her aria in the bedroom scene, where she pleads with love to let her be, was quite touching.  Her admirer Valcour played by tenor Travon D. Walker played indecision frustratingly well and his vocals proved more and more enjoyable as the evening progressed.  Baritone Johnathan McCollough as Orphémon sang well and was over the top, but effectively so, as the comedic focal point of the opera, clearly drawing the most laughs.  Dorethée, his partner in aiding Valcour, also later revealed to be his love interest, was comically played and well sung by mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce.  Tenor Joshua Blue, now a veteran of several OP productions, played and sung his role convincingly.  A surprise to me was perhaps my personal favorite of the evening, soprano Ashley Robillard.  Her trills and flourishes with her lovely lilting soprano voice and spot on comedic acting was pleasing all evening.  As a group, these singers made attending this performance a fun and joyful experience.  center:Valcour (Travon D. Walker) and Léontine (Symone Harcum) have admitted and accepted their love for each other while party goers look on with approval. Photo by Johanna Austin; courtesy of Opera Philadelphia. Something special is happening in Philadelphia beyond the chance of winning a Super Bowl.  After years of declining audiences, leading to a diminished season this year, operas are playing to packed houses.  In the fall of 2024, incoming Director, and world class countertenor, Anthony Roth Constanza took a big swing to initiate his tenure: pay what you want ticket pricing for any seat in the house.  Within days, the season was essentially a sellout, with two-thirds of the sales going to first time opera goers.  The question of whether there is still an audience for opera in Philadelphia has been convincingly answered.  In his opening remarks, Constanzo won acclamation with his assertion to the audience: “isn’t it great to be sitting here together listening to great music?”.  Now the challenge is to put the enterprise on financially sound footing and keep the newfound audience members returning.  Composer Bologne and conductor Bovell are welcome additions to that journey.  The great majority of contemporary operas appearing today follow Callas’ advice and have serious themes addressed in serious ways.  I personally would welcome a few more romantic comedies with pleasant music for some comic respites along the way in between being led to confront the darker side of human nature.  Is there no living composer who wants to take on Emily in Paris, the Opera, a modern take on The Anonymous Lover with Instagram and women having jobs?  Really?  C’mon.The Fan Experience: The Anonymous Lover was scheduled for performances on January 31 and February 2.  The opera featured spoken dialog in English while vocals were sung in French with English supertitles on a screen overhead. The opera ran a little over 90 minutes without an intermission.  The Pick Your Price format extends for the remainder of the opera season, though checking just now, there are only limited seats available for all performances of Don Giovanni, the remaining opera for this season.  The pricing scheme for the next season remains to be announced.Opera Philadelphia’s Scholar in Residence, Lily Kass, gave an informative pre-opera talk one hour before the performance covering information about the composer and the opera.  She corrected some misconceptions I had developed.  For example, while I had read that Bologne had met Mozart, she said they stayed in the same residence in Paris for awhile, but there is no factual evidence that they actually met.  She pointed out that even though Bologne’s music is said to sound like Mozart, Bologne was born 14 years earlier than Mozart and The Anonymous Lover was composed before Mozart’s popular operas, meaning let’s give Bologne credit for being Bologne.  Feb 4, 2025
  • American Opera Initiative's 2025 Three 20-Minute Operas: The Times They Are a Worryin'This link opens in a new window Washington National Opera’s AOI program, now in its 12th season, generates new operas, largely by young people, with original storylines presented at in the Kennedy Center at the beginning of each new year.  Composers and librettists compete independently to be accepted into the program, typically paired afterwards. The three teams selected receive mentoring from an established conductor, composer, and librettist, among others and are given access to the resources of WNO.  Members of WNO’s Cafritz Young Artists, many of whom have appeared in WNO’s main stage productions, provide the singing and acting talent, and members of the WNO Orchestra provide the music.  Everyone involved has an impact on shaping the final product that moves from idea to the performance stage in about a year.In recent past, ethnic, racial, and gender issues often provided the modern themes of the new operas, at least occasionally with romantic storylines.  Each new opera this year provides a window for a different view of the impact of influences of cultural change on what it means to be human today.  As I rode home Saturday night after seeing this year’s group, Bob Dylan’s song from 1964 titled “The Times They Are A Changin’” kept circulating in my head, only my brain kept inserting “Chang-ed” as the final word.  We are now reaping what Dylan’s admonition foretold, and I doubt it has turned out like he thought or hoped.  Seemingly, angst now dominates new generations as rapid changes in society take its toll and leaves many in society adrift.  Based on the premieres of this year’s three 20-minute operas, if Dylan wrote the song today, the refrain might be “Oh, the times now, they are a worryin’”.   Tati Sergio Martínex as Osvaldo, the organizer, Viviana Goodwin as Connie, the pregnant marine biologist, and Anneliese Klenetsky as the aggressive futurist. Photo by Bronwen Sharp; courtesy of Washington National Opera.  Leading off this year’s program was Tati by composer Kyle Brenn and librettist Lex Brown.  A ‘food sovereignty organizer’ on the lam, a ‘marine biologist’ who is with child, and a ‘progress obsessed investor’ pushing whales as a viable habitat in a failing environment, are surviving inside a bioengineered blue whale with time running out.  You’ve seen that one before, right?  Jonah may come to mind, but I don’t think Jonah ever heard the word ‘bioengineered’.  Well, like most parables there is serious work afoot here.  One element of life is the struggle to survive and procreate with time and resources running out; one can see scientific progress as offering our best hope to control our environment but not necessarily maintaining a focus on our need for fulfilment; confronted with those choices, one might just reach for the Elavil (this option is not in the opera).  Bass Sergio Martinez as the organizer wants to flee for potential safety and soprano Anneliese Klenetsky as the futurist who wants to see the first child born in a whale, were effective in their roles.  Mother-to-be soprano Viviana Goodwin had the best vocals and made the most of them; her singing was a highlight of the evening.  For Tati, Director Chloe Treat who cleverly directed all three works using minimalist sets gave us a periscope up the whale’s snout revealing a boat and possible escape close by, a meaningful bathing pool, and a failing whale heart offering nourishment.  In an opera that must tell a story in only 20 minutes, it is difficult to get a gauge on the music.  Composer Glenn’s music seemed an effective use of orchestral sounds as color and accents for the story, well done overall.  Conductor George Manahan led a dozen members of the Washington National Orchestra providing the music for all three operas; the ensemble under his direction were marvelous.  I enjoyed the original story and the performances in Tati though it was a lot to digest in 20 minutes and reading the program notes was to be recommended.    Cry, Wolf Nicholas as Zach, Sahel Salam as Ethan, and Jonathan Patton. Photo by Bronwen Sharp; courtesy of Washington National Opera. Second in the program was Cry, Wolf by composer JL Marlor and librettist Clare Fuyuko Bierman.  This opera addresses an issue that has come to the fore in current times, young male isolation and loneliness and the impact it is having on them and why we should be worried.  High schooler Ethan played by tenor Sahel Salam visits his brother Austin in college, played by baritone Jonathan Patton.  Austin wants a girlfriend but is cowed by social media corrupting his self-image and pushed to become a lone wolf by companion Zach played by tenor Nicholas Huff.  This opera had a highly scary and effective surprise ending as all three began a chorus of howling that brought shivers to my skin.  Surely this is a worthy topic for a lengthier treatment delving deeper into the characters and factors influencing their behavior.  The three vocalists all gave impressive acting and singing performances.  The music for Cry, Wolf created angst on its own, punctuated with blasts from the drums and brass.  Director Treat’s simple staging was adequate.Mud Girl left photo: Winona Martin as Maude and Kresley Figueroa as River. right photo: Michelle Mariposa as Poly 2 and Tiffany Choe as Poly 1 and Kresley Figueroa as River. Photos by Bronwen Sharp; courtesy of Washington National Opera. Last in the program was Mud Girl by composer Omar Jajimi and librettist Christine Evans.  Mezzo-soprano Winona Martin played Maude, a middle-aged homeless woman who has paired up with River, a young homeless woman played by soprano Kresley Figueroa, as they survive in a post-apocalyptic world living under a bridge surviving on frogs and mud fish.  Maude has been warped and made fearful by the world she grew up in while River wants to embrace this new world she was born into.  Maude seeks to protect River while River wants to explore the possibilities.  Theirs were exceedingly compelling acting and singing performances.  This opera also had one of my favorite creations, Poly, an AI creature made by River using plastics and other trash from the river.  The special delight here was having Poly made up of two sopranos, Poly 1 featuring soprano Tiffiny Choe and Poly 2 being mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa.  Fearful of what this is doing to River, Maude leads Poly to her demise in the edge of the water.  River is distraught but begins to recite code which causes Poly to spring back to life in a surprise joyous but dubious ending, sort of a yay, I think.  Poly 1 and Poly 2 were singing treasures.  Director Treat’s staging showed that much suspension of disbelief can be achieved with relatively few but effective props and costumes.  Composer Jajimi’s music gave us more to like, letting the strings provide some enjoyable sounds of melody.After seeing the 2025 edition, I remain hooked on the American Opera Initiative. Each January, we are offered a plate of new opera hors oeuvres to sample in a program that takes a year to prepare and only an hour to consume.  Kudos to this year’s composer mentor Gregory Spears and librettist mentor Tracy K. Smith. Beyond the compelling themes and inventive storylines, there was much to enjoy in the performances of these fresh artistic works.  While modern anxieties ran rampant in all three new operas this year, the amazing creativity, talent, and professionalism displayed in each work provides a beacon of hope for our future.  The Fan Experience: This year’s AOI three new 20-minute operas were performed at 7 pm and 9 pm in the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, without intermission, sung in English with projected supertitles in English.  The composers and librettists were present and presented on stage for applause as well as the performers.  These performances are typically sold out, so purchase your tickets for 2026 as soon as the Washington National Opera announces its new season.This year, for the first time, the three operas will move outside the Kennedy Center for an additional performance in New York City in a co-presentation on January 23 with the Kaufman Music Center. Parking in the Kennedy Center is typically plentiful at around $25 per day, with a small discount for Kennedy Center members when reserved ahead of the day.  The Metro to Foggy Bottom and the free red Kennedy Center buses, from there to the Kennedy Center running every 15 minutes, are an excellent option.  There is an advantage in getting there a bit early.  KC frequently has multiple performances on its different stages overlapping that can create traffic jams.There are snack stands in the main lobby, and on the Terrace level, the KC Café offers food cafeteria style at moderate prices; fine dining is available on the Terrace level in the Roof Terrace Restaurant.  Food and drinks except water are not allowed inside the opera house, but you can purchase reusable capped containers with your drinks that you can take inside. Jan 21, 2025
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  • Musica Viva NY Presents A Human Requiem Concert, May 18This link opens in a new window Musica Viva ends its 2024 – 2025 season with Johannes Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, which is one of the most imposing and profoundly moving musical statements in history. A work with personal significance to our Artistic Director, Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, Brahms’ Requiem is the most humanistic and universal of all the works of its type. As a […] Mar 13, 2025
  • Choir robes & stoles – entire lot for $50This link opens in a new window Robes: Approximately 20-25, various sizes. Conductor robe includedMake: Academic ApparelStyle: SanctusFabric: SilkstoneColor: Sand Stoles: Approx 30 two-sidedMake: AcademicColors: Eggplant & “heather” Special “conductor” stole includedPictures available on request.Shipping not included if outside of Denver metro. In Denver metro, pick-up or meet-up only. Mar 13, 2025
  • ISO – Christ is Alive! by Wren, arr. DirksenThis link opens in a new window We are hoping to purchase 12 copies of this SATB Octavo.Publisher, Oxford University Press Cat. No. 98.204currently out of print Mar 13, 2025
  • Choral Music for sale – OBOThis link opens in a new window The following choral octavos are offered. Pick up only in Denver metro. If shipping, postage will be additional The Day of Resurrection – Shelton RIdge Love, published by Beckenhorst Press; 110 copies. Never used. Asking $15Come and Taste – Alice Parker, published by Lawson Gould (G. Schirmer, Inc), 40 copies, good used condition Asking $3I […] Mar 13, 2025
  • Choral Ethics: Women ConductorsThis link opens in a new window “Nobody would comment on what clothes male conductors wear. Or if they kind of put on some weight or something like that, and maybe their jacket is a little bit too tight. But if that happens to me as a female, then that’s immediately pointed out.” Ruth Reinhardt Several years ago, I was at a […] Mar 13, 2025
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