Recently in Reviews
English Touring Opera are delighted to announce a season of lyric monodramas to tour nationally from October to December. The season features music for solo singer and piano by Argento, Britten, Tippett and Shostakovich with a bold and inventive approach to making opera during social distancing.
This tenth of ten Live from London concerts was in fact a recorded live performance from California. It was no less enjoyable for that, and it was also uplifting to learn that this wasn’t in fact the ‘last’ LfL event that we will be able to enjoy, courtesy of VOCES8 and their fellow vocal ensembles (more below …).
Ever since Wigmore Hall announced their superb series of autumn concerts, all streamed live and available free of charge, I’d been looking forward to this song recital by Ian Bostridge and Imogen Cooper.
The Sixteen continues its exploration of Henry Purcell’s Welcome Songs for Charles II. As with Robert King’s pioneering Purcell series begun over thirty years ago for Hyperion, Harry Christophers is recording two Welcome Songs per disc.
Although Stile Antico’s programme article for their Live from London recital introduced their selection from the many treasures of the English Renaissance in the context of the theological debates and upheavals of the Tudor and Elizabethan years, their performance was more evocative of private chamber music than of public liturgy.
In February this year, Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho made a highly lauded debut recital at Wigmore Hall - a concert which both celebrated Opera Rara’s 50th anniversary and honoured the career of the Italian soprano Rosina Storchio (1872-1945), the star of verismo who created the title roles in Leoncavallo’s La bohème and Zazà, Mascagni’s Lodoletta and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
Evidently, face masks don’t stifle appreciative “Bravo!”s. And, reducing audience numbers doesn’t lower the volume of such acclamations. For, the audience at Wigmore Hall gave soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn and pianist Simon Lepper a greatly deserved warm reception and hearty response following this lunchtime recital of late-Romantic song.
Collapsology. Or, perhaps we should use the French word ‘Collapsologie’ because this is a transdisciplinary idea pretty much advocated by a series of French theorists - and apparently, mostly French theorists. It in essence focuses on the imminent collapse of modern society and all its layers - a series of escalating crises on a global scale: environmental, economic, geopolitical, governmental; the list is extensive.
For this week’s Live from London vocal recital we moved from the home of VOCES8, St Anne and St Agnes in the City of London, to Kings Place, where The Sixteen - who have been associate artists at the venue for some time - presented a programme of music and words bound together by the theme of ‘reflection’.
'Such is your divine Disposation that both you excellently understand, and royally entertaine the Exercise of Musicke.’
Amongst an avalanche of new Mahler recordings appearing at the moment (Das Lied von der Erde seems to be the most favoured, with three) this 1991 Mahler Second from the 2nd Kassel MahlerFest is one of the more interesting releases.
‘And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven … that old serpent … Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.’
If there is one myth, it seems believed by some people today, that probably needs shattering it is that post-war recordings or performances of Wagner operas were always of exceptional quality. This 1949 Hamburg Tristan und Isolde is one of those recordings - though quite who is to blame for its many problems takes quite some unearthing.
There was never any doubt that the fifth of the twelve Met Stars Live in Concert broadcasts was going to be a palpably intense and vivid event, as well as a musically stunning and theatrically enervating experience.
‘Love’ was the theme for this Live from London performance by Apollo5. Given the complexity and diversity of that human emotion, and Apollo5’s reputation for versatility and diverse repertoire, ranging from Renaissance choral music to jazz, from contemporary classical works to popular song, it was no surprise that their programme spanned 500 years and several musical styles.
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields have titled their autumn series of eight concerts - which are taking place at 5pm and 7.30pm on two Saturdays each month at their home venue in Trafalgar Square, and being filmed for streaming the following Thursday - ‘re:connect’.
The London Symphony Orchestra opened their Autumn 2020 season with a homage to Oliver Knussen, who died at the age of 66 in July 2018. The programme traced a national musical lineage through the twentieth century, from Britten to Knussen, on to Mark-Anthony Turnage, and entwining the LSO and Rattle too.
With the Live from London digital vocal festival entering the second half of the series, the festival’s host, VOCES8, returned to their home at St Annes and St Agnes in the City of London to present a sequence of ‘Choral Dances’ - vocal music inspired by dance, embracing diverse genres from the Renaissance madrigal to swing jazz.
Just a few unison string wriggles from the opening of Mozart’s overture to Le nozze di Figaro are enough to make any opera-lover perch on the edge of their seat, in excited anticipation of the drama in music to come, so there could be no other curtain-raiser for this Gala Concert at the Royal Opera House, the latest instalment from ‘their House’ to ‘our houses’.
"Before the ending of the day, creator of all things, we pray that, with your accustomed mercy, you may watch over us."
Reviews
18 Feb 2019
Andrew Davis conducts Berlioz’s L’enfance du Christ at Hoddinott Hall
A weekend commemorating the 150th anniversary of the death of Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) entitled Berlioz: The Ultimate Romantic was launched in style from Cardiff’s Hoddinott Hall with a magnificent account of L’enfance du Christ (Childhood of Christ). The emotional impact of this ‘sacred trilogy’ seemed to gain further weight for its performance midway between Christmas and Easter, neatly encapsulating Christ’s journey from birth to death.
That this meditation on Christ’s infancy is still pertinent today, with its
themes of political ambition and religious intolerance, came across with
considerable force, not least through the ideal pacing from Andrew Davis
who steered the combined forces of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and
its Chorus through an almost uninterrupted 90-minute traversal.
Clearly, much of the success was also due to four outstanding soloists, but
their varied levels of communication raised questions, if not issues, about
the nature of a work which traces the biblical story from Herod’s dream,
through the flight into Egypt and on to the Holy Family’s arrival in Sais
as refugees. It’s a hybrid work that conforms to the conventions of
oratorio and yet rubs shoulders with opera. Indeed, one might suggest L’enfance du Christ is an oratorio wanting to be an opera - albeit
a gentle, pastoral one, its dramas (mostly evoked and narrated) contained
within a series of tableaux that occupy a mainly devotional mood.
Yet its few theatrical moments such as Herod’s scene with the mysterious
soothsayers in Part 1 and Joseph’s attempts to find shelter in Part 3
create an operatic dimension that simultaneously blurs distinctions of
genre.
This was strikingly apparent in the contrasting manner of delivery from the
soloists: Matthew Brook appeared to embrace the work as opera. He
inhabited his dual roles as a malevolent and paranoid Herod and later as a
compassionate Ishmaelite father with evident conviction, enjoying his
characterisations and seemingly transforming the platform into a stage. His
rich baritone wrapped itself with growing torment around his Part 1
soliloquy, and was sung so mellifluously he almost drew our sympathy.
Whilst there wasn’t quite enough menace or projection in his lower
register, there was enough cutting-edge timbre above and detailed
expression to bring off a persuasive performance that seared itself onto
the memory.
Berlioz characterises other roles less generously and which, arguably,
belong more to oratorio than to opera. Nonetheless, they were sung here
with clarity and nobility from Roderick Williams and Sarah Connolly as
Joseph and Mary. However well executed in terms of intelligent musicianship
and depth of experience, these were stand-and-deliver performances with
plenty of gravitas and fervour but an absence, at times of tenderness and
even fragility - possibly coming over better on the live transmission.
Doting parents? More like a visiting uncle and aunt and their first scene
together seemed too uninvolved to sustain dramatic tension. Connolly’s
voice is a less flexible instrument these days but her hardening of tone to
evoke desperation on the journey to Sais was well served.
Andrew Staples, as a clear-voiced Narrator, sang with polished tone
throughout - bringing a range of colour and subtlety to the role as if born
to it, singing off the voice with effortless control (‘Tous attendaient’
near the beginning was exemplary) and outlining events with a burnished
eloquence. His gentle evocation of the infant Jesus asleep en route to Sais
was simply stunning.
The BBC National Chorus of Wales was also in fine shape, whether as
Ishmaelites, soothsayers and shepherds, the latter catching the ear in Part
2 for an intensely wrought leave taking of the Holy family, its pppp dynamic scrupulously observed for the final verse. Even more
magical was an angelic semi-chorus purring repeated ‘hosannas’ and
‘halleluias’ off stage to wondrous effect and the work’s ethereal
apotheosis could not have been better judged - the chorus transcendent.
Let’s not forget the orchestral players who provide much of the work’s
cinematic detail - to which BBCNOW carried with obvious relish, Chief
amongst many felicitous passages included a superbly disciplined cabalistic
dance (with razor-sharp strings), unrestrained brass to convey Herod’s
terror and flute and strings bringing affection to frisky lambs by the
stable in Bethlehem. An exquisitely played Trio for two flutes and harp
confounded the idea that this passage robs Part 3 of momentum.
Yet it was momentum that Andrew Davis - a thoroughbred Berlozian - supplied
in spades, directing with demonstrable enthusiasm and flexibility, keenly
responsive to the music’s shifting colours and moods. From those strange
woodwind sonorities at the start to the closing a cappella
Christian message, the work’s characteristic restraint was lovingly
conveyed, tempi perfectly judged for the music, performers and venue.
Perhaps too, Davis is also The Ultimate Romantic.
David Truslove
Berlioz: L’enfance du Christ Op.25
Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano), Andrew Staples (tenor), Roderick Williams
(baritone), Matthew Brook (bass-baritone), Sir Andrew Davies (conductor),
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC National Chorus of Wales (chorus
master: Adrian Partington).
Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff; Friday 15th February 2019.