Merola Grand Finale 2013

This year's Merola Grand Finale, an event which always reminds me summer is coming to a close, felt different this year, even before the program began. As Margarita and I entered the tiny side room in the lobby of the War Memorial Opera House to pick up our tickets I espied many of the usual suspects, but also a noticeable number of new faces scattered among them. Curiously, I didn't feel the sense of nostalgia which has permeated the event for me the past couple of years. Inside the hall I recognized a few Adler Fellows, former Merolini scattered among the audience, as well as a number of faces I've seen at earlier events in the summer long season. The tribe gathering for its annual rite.

The evening began with the orchestra performing the overture from Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, most likely a nod to the bicentennial of the composer's birth. For the first few minutes this sounded like a mistake- the brass were doing their part in fine fashion, but the strings weren't soaring the way they should. About halfway through conductor John DeMain managed to get the orchestra where it needed to be and it ended up sounding decent, though it never hit the robust high it could have. For the remainder of the evening they provided well-paced foundations for each performance, allowing everyone to be easily heard.

Although each of the 23 singers who appeared onstage are highly talented, some enormously so, the evening didn't hit high gear until Casey Finnigan's selection from Weber's Die Freischütz. His warm, clear voice rang through the house, and it was the first selection which seemed not only to make sense for the singer, but also the house, whose applause brought the singer back for a curtain call. Following Finnigan were Rihab Chaieb and Linda Barnett in an excerpt from Barber's Vanessa, which I thought was an inspired choice not only for the pair, but for the event. Neither of these operas has been performed on that stage in a very long time. Chaieb impressed me here, as she did in Figaro a few weeks ago, and Barnett proved able bring a palpable dramatic presence to her performance to match her voice. 

Alisa Jordheim, one of my favorites in these year's group because of her beautifully bright voice and stage presence, but her selection' "Dal tuo gentil sembiante" from Mozart's Ascanio in Alba (no, I'd never heard of it either- turns out the then-fifteen-year-old composer wrote the role for a castrato), seemed chosen to supply Queen of Night-like fireworks without resorting to the easier, too obvious choice. Jordheim easily dispatched it, but it didn't provide her with a vehicle to knock it out and it felt like a missed opportunity for a truly stellar performance from someone who appears wholly capable of delivering one.

Maria Valdez and Pene Pati

 Such an opportunity wasn't missed by Maria Valdez and Pene Pati- definitely two of the most talented singers this year, who delivered a marvelous excerpt from Massenet's Manon. The pair had both physical and vocal chemistry together, chose material perfectly matched for their age and voices, and made everything work perfectly. It was the kind of moment one attends these events to witness. I would expect both of these singers to return as Adlers. Pati has a voice of rare quality and that same kind of ebullient presence Ramon Vargas had fifteen years ago.

The second half of the evening began with exceptionally strong performances by Robert Watson as Captain Vere and Alex Desorio as Billy Budd in a pivotal scene from the Britten opera. Thomas Richards sang Claggert's part quite well, but Watson was on fire and Desorio nailed Budd's stammering terror. All three sang with great clarity and enunciation.

Choosing to sing Monteverdi in a house this large looks like a mistake on paper, but Joseph Lattanzi's confidence must much the size of his voice because he turned in one of the most memorable, surprising, and impressive turns of the entire night as Ulysses with "Dormo Ancora." Happily, he was followed by Efrain Solis and John Arnold in a very campy, laughter-inducing scene from Rossini's La Cenerentola. Both singers were obviously having a good time and feeding off the audience's appreciation of the manipulated scene, which could have easily gone awry but in fact worked extremely well.

Zanda Svede

Zanda Svede possesses the looks, the glamour and the voice. There's not much more to say. She's ready. Bring her back, Mr. Gockley, so we can listen to her for an entire evening.

Issachah Savage. "You're gonna know my name by the end of the night" 

Following Svede was another likely sure thing, Issachah Savage. What a great name for an opera singer. Sometime in the future there will be reviews with the headlines "A Savage Lohengrin" and "A Savage Otello" and they'll be right. His voice is like a sharpened axe that cuts with the precision of a knife. 

Kate Allen's gown was the most well-chosen outfit of the night, turning her Helen into a temptation Matthew Newlin's Paris couldn't help failing to resist in their duet from Offenbach's La Belle Helene. That Allen's voice proved as seductive as the peek-a-boo fold in her skirt made their scene all the more pleasing.

The evening closed with "Make our garden grow" from Leonard Bernstein's Candide, a curiously bad choice despite the presence of Pati and Valdez leading the pack. Not only did the song make the singers seem like a ridiculously well-dressed and well-rehearsed college glee club seeking the audience's approval, but as a chorus the 23 soloists did not gel at all- instead, their individual voices created a cacophony of alarming discord. Weird.

Merola's Marriage of Figaro

The Merola Opera Program has long had an outstanding reputation for finding and developing young talent, but this year's crop seems to possess an even greater abundance than usual. At least that was my impression after seeing them perform Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro last weekend. Not only were the majority of singers in this production quite good, but everything about it- including conductor Xian Zhang's decision to sacrifice a certain amount of the score's dynamics so each voice could be clearly heard, director Robin Guarino's sharp and nuanced direction, and Ulises Alcala's costumes worked to make this an exceptional afternoon. It was so good it made me realize I like this opera much more than I knew.

While it's not a battle of the sexes ala Cosi, the women outshone the men this time around, led by Maria Valdes as Susanna, whose crystal-clear voice and appealing presence were a constant magnet for one's attention from start to finish. Jacqueline Piccolino's Countess didn't begin the afternoon as strong, but as the opera progressed she steadily momentum and by the time the happy ending rolled up three hours later she had me thoroughly convinced that not only did she possess a lovely, dusky soprano with a mid range which simply glows, but she may have been the most intriguing performer among the talented ensemble. This is her second time in the program, and she's even better now than she was last year- which is saying something because she really impressed me last summer. Even in the trouser role of Cherubino, Rihab Chaieb's alluring looks shine through. She has the face of a model, an equally expressive voice, and inhabits the stage with a physical agility reminiscent of Diana Damrau. In the smaller role of Barbarina, Alisa Jordheim, who recently shone in the program's The Rape of Lucretia, had another strong outing. I'd like to see all of these women become Adlers. 

Among the men baritone Joseph Lattanzi was exceptional as Count Almaviva- his booming voice and magnetic stage presence were in place from start to finish, and he gave the role an interesting arc. I'd be especially curious to see what he could do with other roles.The rest of the strong cast- John Arnold as Figaro, Thomas Richards as Dr. Bartolo, Casey Finnegan as Don Basilio, Rhys Lloyd Talbot as Antonio, Matthew Newlin as Don Curzio and Daryl Freeman as Marcellina all held their own and each had their moments (the opera is particularly generous in this way). All of them, and the rest of this year's participants, will be on the stage of the War Memorial Opera House on August 17 for the Merola Grand Finale, which judging by what I've seen so far this year, should be quite an evening. Tickets for it can be purchased through the San Francisco Opera box office.

About Merola's Schwabacher Summer Concert

The participants in Merola's Schwabacher Summer Concert. Photo by Kristen Loken.

Although every one appearing onstage during the Merola Opera Program's all-Italian, all night long Schwabacher Summer Concert acquitted themselves quite nicely, there were four standouts, and two of those were sensational. Of the sensations, Zanda Švēde, a mezzo from Latvia, has magnetic presence, exceptional looks, and a huge voice. She was delightful as Isabella during an extended segment from Act 1 of Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri, though the speed of the music proved a bit tricky for her and Alex DeSocio as Taddeo. The other sensation was New Zealand tenor Pene Pati, who shone early in the evening as the title character in a scene from Verdi's Don Carlo in a duet with DeSocio (also quite good here). But both Švēde and Pati would impress the audience even more when they returned- she as Beppe in a segment from Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz, he as Edgardo in an aria from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, delivered with Pavarotti-like heft and tone, including a bravura finish which physically rippled through the audience.

The evening closed with a beautiful, devastating version of "The Willow Song" from Verdi's Otello sung by Canadian soprano Aviva Fortunata. She was ably matched by American Issachah Savage as the Moor, whose imposing size and dramatic delivery was perfect, but all that would have been for naught had he not been able to nail the vocal, which he did impressively well. These four singers are ready- remember their names.

The orchestra sounded superb under the conducting of Kevin Murphy. The direction by Roy Rallo made the most of the limited space with the orchestra taking up most of the stage, and the costumes by Christopher Verdosci were flattering, especially the dresses for Fortunata's Desdemona and Švēde's Emilia. Up next in the Merola season is a repeat of this concert Saturday afternoon in Yerba Buena Gardens (free- bring a blanket or a low-rise lawn chair and a picnic), followed by  performances of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro August 1 & 3 and the Grand Finale in the War Memorial Opera House on August 17th. Tickets are available through San Francisco Opera,

About Merola's Rape of Lucretia

This year's Merola participants staged an exceptionally well-conceived and executed production of Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia last week. Setting the story in what looked like an Eastern block military tribunal, the emotional weight of the drama was laid bare on the stage and vividly brought to life by the singers. There's an unavoidable artifice to having solo male and female singers take the parts of the Greek chorus, but the acting of Robert Watson and Linda Barnett made the parts an integral part of the whole. Chris Carr's Tarquinius had nuance as well as menace, making him more than just a sociopath- one could see why Lucretia's shame wasn't based on just the loss of her honor. David Weigel's Collatinus was suitably anguished, constantly drawing one's attention to his fine singing and acting, and Efrain Solis was effective as Junius.

As fine as the men were, the show really belonged to the women- especially Alisa Jordheim, whose voice was a constant source of surprising strength and clarity. Katie Hannigan's Bianca had strong stage presence and nice tone, and Kate Allen's portrayal of Lucretia was delicately balanced vocally and dramatically- she was conflicted, tempted, shamed and repulsed- it came through in her voice and you could see it in her eyes. Mark Morash led the small chamber ensemble with an excellent sense of pacing and balance, and if there were any challenges for the musicians working in a new auditorium, no one would have been the wiser. Perhaps the highest honors should go to director Peter Kazaras, who brought sensible, illuminating metaphors to the action, delivering handsomely on the difficult task of making this tricky opera work. The period costumes by Kristi Johnson, stark set by Donald Eastman, and seemingly unforgiving lighting by Chris Maravich all combined to make this a solid success for all involved.

The next event in the Merola season is the Schwabacher Summer Concert this Thursday evening at the Everett Middle School Auditorium, with a repeat performance Saturday afternoon in Yerba Buena Gardens. The concert will feature scenes from Rossini's comic masterpiece L'Italiana in Algeri, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Verdi's Don Carlo, Mozart's Don Giovanni, Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz, and multiple scenes from Verdi's Otello. Saturday is free (bring a blanket or a low-rise lawn chair and a picnic), tickets for Thursday are available through San Francisco Opera, which is also where tickets can be purchased for the August 1 & 3 performances of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and the Grand Finale in the War Memorial Opera House on August 17th.

Get out and about

The amazing Bernadette Peters

Sometimes summer can be a bit slow in these parts but there’s actually an awful lot going on this month. Now that San Francisco Opera’s summer season is over the Merola program takes over for the next couple of months with a production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia this Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, followed by Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in early August as well as concerts both indoors and out, all culminating in the Merola Grand Finale which takes place in the War Memorial Opera House. Check their site for dates and event descriptions- Merola never disappoints in delivering an abundance of talent while identifying the next generation of opera stars. 


The summer season of the San Francisco Symphony has some serious talent taking the stage of Davies in the next few weeks with Bernadette Peters, Michael Feinstein, & Jessye Norman. The pianist/topic of conversation in some quarters Valentina Lisitsa performs the 3^rd Piano Concerto on an all-Beethoven Program (Jul 18^th), Teddy Abrams conducts a program of classic all-American pieces the following night, and that most epic of classical pop crossovers, Carmina Burana returns July 30^th. 


There are numerous interesting shows taking place in the galleries at 49 Geary over the next month, including this one which looks especially brash or intriguing, depending on your aesthetic leanings. Upstart opera companies/academies are performing at Fort Mason, and the SF Silent Film Festival runs from 07/18-21, which the Symphony is complementing by presenting Cameron Carpenter performing a live accompaniment to Eisenstein’s classic Battleship Potemkin (07/27). If that’s a little too tame-sounding for you, there’s always The Matrix Live with the San Francisco Symphony (07/27). You can get $2 off the price of admission to the Silent Film Festival with the code FILMSFS. 


Also, there's the West Coast premiere of Rob Handel’s A Maze unfolds in Berkeley at Live Oak Theatre from 07/12 thru 08/04. “A dizzying, dazzling, ambitious work, Rob Handel's A MAZE interweaves a teenage girl recreating her identity after eight years held captive in a suburban basement, a pair of rock stars re-inventing themselves after a hit song, and a self-taught artist gaining a cult following for his 15,000-page comic book.” DC Theater scene said "A Maze explores the depths of our own prisons in an arresting portrait of obsession, addiction, and fear of the unknown"- on top of all that, it stars the talented and gorgeous Janis DeLucia among an especially strong cast. Tickets here.

And if that weren't enough, there are still some tickets left for what will likely be the best version of Outside Lands so far.

Merola 2012: still smoking

Elizabeth Baldwin, soprano.

This year's Merola Grand Finale featured 23 singers performing selections from 19 operas over the course of  nearly 3 hours. Despite the mammoth proportions, the concert felt largely seamless and for the most part flew by. Credit that to the abundant talent on the stage, a consistently engaged performance by the San Francisco Opera Orchestra under conductor Nicholas McGegan, and especially the mostly thoughtful staging of it all by director Jennifer Williams, which looked great on the set of San Francisco Opera's upcoming production of Moby Dick.

The first stand-out performance of the night was Erin Johnson's clear, bright turn as the Female Chorus in "Their spinning wheel unwinds dreams" from Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, but then Sarah Mesko and Casey Candebat performed "Ah! Mon courage m'abondonne..." from Massenet's Werther and a greater intensity began to emanate from the stage. Both singers projected an air of being ready for the War Memorial stage, and while Candebat may have gotten the slightly larger amount of the first sustained applause of the night, I thought Mesko burned a bit brighter. Either way, it was an impressive pairing, as were Jennifer Cherest (in an arresting gown) and Andrew Stenson who immediately followed them in "Mein Freund. Vrenunft!" from Lehar's Die lustige Witwe, though this could have been even better if Stenson spent more of his time singing to Cherest rather than the audience.

The second half of the concert got off to a very strong start with Suzanne Rigden (showing off a pair of fantastic shoes) and Aviva Fortunata sounding beautiful together in "Ich danke Fraulein..." from Struass' Arabella. Theo Lebow joined Cherest to impress the audience in "Voglio amar e disamar" from Handel's Alcina- the soprano's second marvelous turn of the night, accompanied by a memorable cello solo from the pit.

Joshua Baum, Seth Mease Carico and Gordon Bitner succeeded with the "Pappataci" number from Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri,  working well as an ensemble to nail the song's comedic elements. Chuanyue Wang, perhaps the most gifted tenor in this year's group, impressed with Donizetti's "Povero Ernesto!" from Don Pasquale, though one suspects he could have done even more with a stronger selection. He was followed by Elizabeth Baldwin's turn as Medora singing "Egli non riede ancora!" from Verdi's Il Corsaro in arguably the best vocal performance of the evening. Baldwin brought it all- a large, clear voice, great diction, and stage presence. Expect big things from her.

She was followed by the most delightful pairing of the evening: spunky and bright-voiced Rose Sawvel and Joseph Lattanzi in a sexy, bawdy, laughter-inducing performance of the "ZZZ Song," or more properly known as the "Duo de la mouche" from Offenbach's Orphee aux Enfers.

"Bevo al tuo fresco" from Puccini's La Rondine closed the evening and featured the entire group in the chorus (it was a nice touch to include the non-singing participants from the program here)- a perfect, elegant choice.

The only sour note was the decision to have singers smoking cigarettes during at least three of numbers, which is just ridiculous and lazy stage direction in the year 2012. Surely there are more interesting ways of illustrating a character than this? Rather than say anything about the character, all it does is pull the audience out of the moment, screaming that the singers themselves are showing a character, not portraying one, because not one could convince a single soul they do indeed, smoke. So stop the smoking onstage already- it's an outdated, overused cliche that works against the singer's performance. And it looks stupid.

Postcard from Morocco

The cast of Postcard from Morocco. Photo by Kristen Loken.

Sitting in the Cowell Theatre last night for the Merola Opera Program's production of Dominick Argento's Postcard from Morocco, I felt alternately flummoxed and intrigued. Flummoxed because I couldn't quite grasp why the word "masterpiece" is so often used in discussing this particular opera, yet intrigued by moments of it that are certainly brilliant, even if the whole left me somewhere in the middle between admiring it and thinking it a failed attempt at operatic postmodernism.

About midway through its long one act I also wondered why Merola chose this particular vehicle, finally concluding the opportunities it provides for seven singers to really strut their stuff trumped a desire to present something more audience-friendly- or at least more coherent. And yet that's not really fair, because director Peter Kazaras delivered something with quite a lot of meat on its bones. It's really just a question of whether or not most will have the palate for it.

Postcard From Morocco finds seven people on a train platform, who are identified by the items they carry in place of a name. There's a Lady with a Hand Mirror, another Lady with a Hat Box, a Man with Shoe Sample Kit, a Man with a Paint Box (whose name is eventually revealed as he becomes the protagonist), etc. Are the everymen? Archetypes? Illusions? Ghosts? Does it matter? It soon become obvious that these characters are theatrical inkblots- you'll see them through your own perspective and everyone will have a different interpretation of what or who they're meant to represent. A plot doesn't exist- the libretto by John Donohue seems like something William S. Burroughs would have concocted from a Paul Bowles story. In its details it's a mess, but the whole still somehow works.

As the assembled would-be travellers gather onstage (they never do board the train), the Man with the paint Box is watching, but he's apart from them, not of them. Suddenly a horribly loud train-whistle screams- and the Man with the Paint Box, turns to the audience and screams along with it, his face twisted into Munch-like agony.

From there Paint Box alternates between interacting with the others and watching them- the line blurs, and as one scene follows another the absurdity of the character's actions and words never gel into something comprehensible. By the time everything stops for an interlude which recalls a visit to the Bayreuth Festival (complete with Wagner excerpts and dancing) it becomes clear the Man with the Paint Box is insane and the people on the platform are either figments of his imagination or what we're watching are the memories (often persecuting) of someone suffering a schizophrenic episode on a train platform. At least that's my take on it.
This gives the performers license to go over the top, and the young Merolini take every advantage to do just that, aided in no small part by Melecio Estrella's well-chosen choreography. They chew up every scene with relish and Argento's score provides each singer with moments to stand-out. Aviva Fortunata, Joseph Lattanzi, Matthew Scollin and Andrew Stenson all acquit themselves well. Suzanne Rigden hit some impossibly high notes dead-on, Carolyn Sproule smolders as A Foreign Singer vocally and visually, and AJ Glueckert as the Man with a Paint Box gives a decidedly nuanced performance. I wish Mark Morash's conducting would have taken greater care to bring out the more romantic elements of the score by slowing things down a bit to create a more hallucinatory sensation, but since the whole thing seemed to constantly totter on the edge of a cliff I can understand why he wanted to keep it all on a speedy track.

The costumes by Kristi Johnson were quite perfect. The lighting design by Justin Partier and Nicholas Muni's set succeeded well at providing a contemporary sheen on its decidedly retro look. In the pit, Sun Ha Yoon's keyboards, Paul Psarros' guitar and the percussion work of Scott Bleaken called attention to the many interesting moments within the score. The Cowell's house chorus of seagulls, offstage as always, were especially vociferous, ensuring there was never a moment of silence.

In a hidden red room, watching Dido

Once in awhile I find myself in the strangest places. For example, early last Saturday evening I entered the Wattis Room- a gorgeous, capacious hideaway within Davies Symphony Hall. The deep red walls, upon which large mirrors and abstract art are hung strategically, were as inviting as the buffet laid out in the center of the room. The ceilings must be twenty feet high, allowing conversations to float upward, instead of across the room. Even with everyone chatting at once one can't really overhear any conversation other than the one with which one is engaged and that seems to be by design. The room feels clubby and exclusive. In the corner a sat a grand piano. I knew the chance of hearing it played this evening were slim, but I did hold out some hope. It wasn't that I wanted to hear the piano itself. What I wanted was for someone to sit at that piano and accompany the guest of honor.

Scanning the crowd she was easy to spot with her long blonde hair, looking dazzling in a long pink coat. We had never met before but I was determined to change that before I left. I made my way over to the two people in the room I knew and chatted them up a bit. A bit out of sorts, since I was unexpectedly stag for the evening, I meandered and struck up a conversation with a couple of warm, older gentlemen, who shared some inside information I found interesting but should keep to myself, because perhaps they'll invite me back again if I don't share all the dirt.

Suddenly a brunette struck some random keys on the piano, creating a discordant sound within the room bringing all conversation to a halt. The guest of honor was introduced (though it seemed many present already knew her) with a recitation of her accomplishments and biography. Twenty five years ago she was a young woman living in Midland, Texas with a dream and a unique talent. An audition resulted in a phone call and soon she was on her way to California for the first time, bags packed with summer clothes, completely unaware that a summer in San Francisco is not the same thing as a summer in California.

Unlike many of her peers, she spent most of that summer studying roles rather performing them in front of people, and it obviously paid off, because when she finally did perform for an audience that summer, she won the highest award given. Since then she's reached the highest levels of acclaim, Gramophone calls her "America's favorite mezzo" and really, when you think about it, who else could it be but her? On this night she was joining a short list of only six other people who have been similarly honored: Thomas Hampson, Patrick Summers, Ruth Ann Swenson, Carol Vaness, Deborah Voigt and Dolora Zajick.

When she spoke she was funny, warm, and sincere, naming many in the room and offering the highest praise for the program honoring her this evening, calling it the "best in the world" and telling Director Sheri Greenawald "I say that even when you're not in the room." She told us of her just-concluded travels around the world, and connected these experiences to the those she had with this group twenty-five years earler.

When she finished speaking a tall blonde clad in head-to-toe black armed with a big camera snapped away while well-wishers queued up to speak to her. Out of the corner of my eye I watched her admiringly from the buffet, sampling coconut-encrusted shrimp on skewers and soon found myself talking with a woman of a certain age, a charmer named N______, who also had some interesting stories and anecdotes. I could have chatted her up for awhile but I realized if I continued to do so I would miss the opportunity to introduce myself to the center of attention. I excused myself and found an opening.

I introduced myself and she was incredibly gracious yet open. She did let one small thing slip: the next time we would see her locally onstage would be in Berlioz's Les Troyens, in 2015. I didn't have the presence of mind to ask if she would be singing Dido or Cassandra (I presume it's the former), as I found myself too taken by her.

After that what was left to do but casually slip back into the cool crisp night, back to a far less well-appointed room just blocks away but in what might as well be a different universe, where Thaïs awaited, and upon my entrance performed a scorching "Ah! je suis fatiguee a mourir!"

Congratulations, Susan Graham, on being awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Merola Opera Program.


Former Merola Opera Program President Patrick Wilken, Susan Graham, Donna Blacker. Photo by Drew Altizer.



A master class with Carol Vaness

Carol Vaness and Rolando Villazon in a Merola master class in 1998. Photo by Lisa Kohler

Despite having seen her perform half a dozen times, I was still taken aback when Carol Vaness walked onstage at the Herbst Theater last night to begin a master class for the Merola Opera Program. She looks fantastic. I could go on about this but I won't because it's beside the point, which is that Vaness' class was incredibly illuminating.

I've found master classes to be an excellent way to learn about the art and craft of opera singing and what's really involved in making it work. Attending them has made me a better listener, giving me a greater appreciation for what a singer is doing (and how). There's an awful lot to absorb in a performance and it's been my experience that the more I know the more I appreciate what I'm seeing and hearing (or in some cases, why I don't). All of this, of course, is meant to encourage you to attend one if you never have, and the Merola season offers excellent opportunities given by teachers of the highest caliber.

Vaness, who has starred in most of the world's leading houses and now teaches voice at Indiana University, worked with five singers. What was really interesting about last night was what she did with the wide range presented to her- the performances ranged from one derailed from the start by nerves to one so polished and effective there seemed little if anything to be improved. And yet with each student, within a space of time ranging from 15 to 25 minutes, tremendous progress was achieved by all, even with the one who pretty much killed it from the get-go, who not only got even better, but was given some seriously good for thought regarding his choices of material and how it could limit his career.

Vaness not only brought her formidable experience to the exchanges, but also keen intelligence, genuine warmth, and an obvious interest in the success of her charges. I learned at least a half-dozen things to watch and listen for of which I was previously unaware and even more to think about regarding the choices a singer makes. Whether you're new to opera and want to learn more, or a seasoned enthusiast who relishes in the finer points and details, I doubt you'll walk away from these master classes unimpressed and without knowing more than you did when you walked through the door.

There are two more for this year's Merola participants on the schedule: Thursday, July 26, with Steven Blier and Tuesday, August 7, with Martin Katz. The singers are not announced beforehand. Both will be held at the Herbst Theater and begin at 7:00 PM (they last about 2 hours).

Merola 2012 kicks off

Chuanyue Wang

The Merola Opera Program's 2012 season kicked off last night with the annual Schwabacher Summer Concert- the first in a series of performances designed to showcase this year's participants; 29 young artists selected from over 900 applicants, of which 23 are singers. There are a number of behind-the-scene events for donors and followers, including master classes and receptions, but the performances are what really matter. Reputations are launched, careers start to take shape, and for those in the audience the pleasures are two-fold: getting to hear some excellent talent right now, and the satisfaction of knowing many of these singers are going to have prominent careers, thus giving the audience future bragging rights to say "I saw [insert famous name here] back in the day when they were in Merola." It's also fun to sit back and try to figure out who onstage is going to turn out to be a future star.



Hadleigh Adams



Last night there were nine singers onstage (the different performances feature different participants, giving each a prominent showcase), and though everyone onstage had talent and ability, and I think it a bit of a mug's game to play Cassandra with this stuff, three of them were pretty sensational: Chuanyue Wang- a tenor from China; Hadleigh Adams, a bass-baritone from New Zealand (who elicited a declarative "He's hot" from Thaïs); and Seth Mease Carico, another bass-baritone from Tennessee. Remember those names.











Seth Mease Carico



The Merola season continues with a free concert in Yerba Buena Gardens tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 PM, followed performances of Dominick Argento's Postcards From Morocco on July 19 &21, Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera on August 2 & 4 (all at Fort Mason's Cowell Theatre), and concludes with the Grand Finale concert on August 18th at the War Memorial Opera House.  Tickets can be purchased at the San Francisco Opera box office Monday- Friday from 10:00 - 6:00 (5:00 on Mondays), or by calling 415 864 3330.

Here we are again...

There's a song by the 70's rock band Nazareth called "Telegram" which was a favorite of mine as a teenager. There's a strong sense of nostalgia and ennui permeating the song from start to finish, which is essentially about the life of a performer. After a couple of minutes of driving rock with a percussive piano providing as much of the beat as the drums, the song has a bridge to the Byrds' "So You Wanna be a Rock and Roll Star" that's very reminiscent of what Queen was also doing at that time. At the six minute mark the song's denouement begins- a Beatles-esque final stanza with these lyrics, performed in kind of sing-song, dance hall manner:

Here we are again, singin' the same old songs / Lookin for someone who will sing along / Here we are again playin' the same old scenes / Lookin'for someone who will share our dreams / Here we are again facing the same old sights / Lookin' for someone who will share our nights

The tune entered my mind as Penelope and I gingerly made our way into the small, crowded Press Room of the opera house last night and has been lodged there ever since. Entering the room, there, in the back corner, I espied Axel and Ms. D, wine and snacks in hand. It then struck me that it was two years ago the three of us had attended this very same event and it was that night I met Maria Gostrey. So much has happened since then, and in retrospect that evening seems to be the starting point for two years of lust, desire, madness & passion. After the performance, as Axel, Ms D, the Opera Tattler, Penelope and I were standing on the sidewalk in front of the house discussing the performers, I had a sense of inverted deja vu. This time there would be no blonde descending the steps in a Cavalli gown, yet here we were, once again. It was a palpable sensation which is still lingering.


We were there for the Merola Grand Finale- an evening dedicated to showcasing some of the best aspiring young opera singers in arias and set pieces, concluding a summer of intensive training and career development. The evening began with the SFO Orchestra, led by Johannes Debus, playing the overture to Rossini's Semiramide- an odd choice that didn't really work well as it limped along. Throughout the rest of the evening Debus would lead the orchestra well, though on more than one occasion the young singers struggled to be heard over it and some simply disappeared into the sound altogether. By the concluding number three hours later- again Rossini- everything seemed to be in place.

 Mark Diamond, Scott Quinn, Elizabeth Zharoff, Joo Wan Kang and Cooper Nolan.

Photo by Stefan Cohen

Scott Quinn and Mark Diamond (who was an impressive Figaro in the recent Barber) then performed “Au fond du temple saint” from Bizet's Pearl Fishers, and both men could have benefited by singing with greater volume, though I can only imagine how difficult it is to be in the first slot in such a large house.


Elizabeth Zharoff, who floored me in her Schwabacher performance, toned her volume way down while singing “Suis-je gentille ainsi?…Je marche sur tous les chemins” from Massenet's Manon. If I had one expectation of greatness among the women from this year's group it would be Zharoff, but tonight she seemed like a different performer than when I had heard her previously. She could still clearly be heard, and her voice has a beautiful tone, but when one has that kind of power I want to hear it let loose at full bore and for this piece she didn't.


Next came Guodong Feng's “Zazà, piccolo zingara” from Zazà, a Leoncavallo opera I hope to one day hear somewhere in its entirety but probably never will. Feng sang the brief aria with a burnished tone and it seemed to pass by very quickly, leaving wanting to hear more.


Laura Krumm, who was also impressive at the Schwabacher concert, started off strongly with “Bel raggio lusinghier,” from Semiramide, but midway the song flagged, though she recovered her energy nicely by the end.


Phillipe Sly was an excellent King as he sang “Andiam, fidi, al consiglio…Invida sorte avara” from Handel's Ariodante. His was one of the strongest performances of the night.


Singing “Sei tu?…Minacciata è la mia vita” from Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia, Renée Rapier and Heath Huberg had difficulty drawing me into their duet. I'm not sure this selection worked to the advantage of either, but thankfully Rapier got a chance to really shine in the evening's conclusion. She looked great in her tux- the best sartorial choice of the evening.

“Vy tak pichalni…Ya vas lubyu”- from Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades,  was beautifully sung by Suchan Kim, though I found myself mesmerized by Zharoff's scapulae as she stood with her back to the audience during the aria.


Next came the one true star turn of the night, as I expected it may be. Jonathan Michie proved his magnificent performance as Figaro a couple of weeks back was no fluke. Singing the gorgeous "Batter My Heart" from Dr. Atomic,  he owned the stage with both presence and vocal excellence. He's truly magnetic and I hope he's going to be an Adler Fellow because he's certainly a singer to watch. Fantastic.


Though Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail is an opera I really have no pleasure in hearing, Suzanne Rigden and Pei Xin Chin were both in excellent form for the comedic duet. Rigden has a wonderful stage presence to match her bright, strong voice and Chen's journeyman-like work ethic and booming bass made him an audience favorite.

Deborah Nansteel didn't own “Divinités du Styx” from Gluck's Alceste as much I thought she might, but here again I found the selection of material not to her advantage. If anyone onstage should have been singing Verdi, Nansteel would be the one.


Xi Wang and Cooper Nolan performed “Lucia, perdona…Sulla tomba che rinserra…Verranno a te” from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. I heard Wang sing part of the mad scene from Lucia in a master class, so it seems she's determined to have the role in her rep, but Nolan was the one who really shined in the duet, his voice a perfect fit for the role of Edgardo.

Joo Won Kang, who possesses and extraordinarily lovely baritone, sang “L’orage s’est calmé…O Nadir…” from The Pearl Fishers  to great effect.


Marina Boudart Harris gave a truly memorable performance as Strauss' Arabella, singing “Das war sehr gutgave  Mandryka” with John Maynard. The pair combined to make the sole German work on the bill one the evening's musical highlights.

For all his efforts, I couldn't get past the unintended novelty of Pei Xin Chen performing “O patria…O tu Palermo” from Verdi's I vespri siciliani and the sight of him wielding a succession of increasingly absurd firearms during aria caused laughter in the audience. The night's one true misfire.

At this point the night began to flag, not helped by two more Italian arias, neither of which served their singers particularly well, though they sang them with conviction: Daniel Curran's “Tornami a dir che m’ami” from Donizetti's Don Pasquale, and Adam Lau paired with John Maynard in “Il rival salvar tu dêi…Suoni la tromba” from Bellini's I Puritani. More variety in the scheduling, please.

Renee Rapier, Philippe Sly, Cooper Nolan, Suzanne Rigden and Deborah Nansteel. Photo by Stefan Cohen.

The finale was a delight on every level- an extended excerpt from Rossini's L’Italiana in Algeri which was brilliantly choreographed by stage director Ragnar Conde. The stage was full of comedic and visual flair. Rapier was a sexy and vivacious Isabella, Cooper Nolan not only sang Lindoro with aplomb but did it while executing moves that would have made Jackie Gleason proud. Phillipe Sly got in another good turn as Mustafa as did Rigdon as Elvira, and everyone onstage made this come vibrantly alive to close out the evening on a high note.

After it was all over and the OT, Ms D and Axel made their way south down Van Ness, Penelope and I headed north and ended up at the newly opened Jasper's, hopeful they could provide a decent Manhattan to end the evening. Our bartender, a delightful woman named Allison with an amazing head of hair, was not only knowledgeable about bourbon, but has a genuine enthusiasm for it. We took her suggestion to use Blanton's in place of Woodford, though I silently thought the idea of using Blanton's in a mixed drink a bit much. She happily re-made our drinks when we sent them back, requesting a different vermouth than Punta Mes, which is just wrong to use in a Manhattan. The second time she got it right (for us, that is). Some things won't change.

Two nights, two Barbers

Not all that long ago, the Merola Opera program's summer schedule featured two different operas in which the participants got to strut their stuff. In recent years tighter budgets (I'm  assuming), has changed that to one opera with different casts and this year they invited me to see both casts perform Rossini's Il Barbiere di Sivilia on consecutive nights. Which means in the last twenty-seven hours I've spent six of them watching The Barber of Seville- roughly matching the same amount of sleep I've had in that time. Seeing the casts this way is meant to be a showcase, but it inevitably turns into a kind of competition- one can't help comparing the two, seen so close together in the same production.

There are two remaining performances and if I were to advise you to see one or the other I'd say it depends on whether you want to see a performance featuring a better all-around comic ensemble which really brings out the buffa in the Barber, or would you prefer to hear slightly stronger singing? For those of you who chose the first option, you want to go see the first cast, whose 2nd and last performance is today. For those of you who prefer stronger singing, I'd say the 2nd cast, performing again on Sunday, might please you more. The best compliment I can give this year's Merola participants is that either way you really can't lose.

Yet a caveat is needed there, I think, because the first cast had to, well, go first- and I think that's always a bit nerve-wracking. Who wants to go first? No one except those obnoxious eager Johnnys and Janes in elementary school who always had their hands up as soon as the teacher asked a question, no matter what the question was. Yes, you can read that as a vote for the cast of the first night being my own personal preference, though the audience, judging by applause, seemed to be more enthusiastic on the second night. Perhaps because it was a Friday night?

Thursday night got off to a bit of a shaky before quickly settling in to what was an all-around delightful performance. With the orchestra placed on the floor in front of the stage (why not use the Herbst's pit- is it too small?), it began with Adam Lau's Don Basilio transforming Heath Huberg's Count Almaviva into his disguise as "Lindoro." I say shaky because it took Huberg and Suzanne Rigden's Rosina a couple of scenes to settle down vocally. Rigden went on to have an excellent overall night, with not only strong high-notes but a performance that reminded me of Reese Witherspoon's better comedic outings. Huberg ended up being quite convincing as the count and was especially strong in the second act.

The night took off with the entrance of Jonathan Michie as Figaro. Michie has incredible stage presence. He has rock star stage presence and it doesn't hurt that he's incredibly handsome. Picture Marc Bolan wielding a straight-edge razor and you get the idea. Oh wait, that was Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd. Okay, go with that- it's a fair comparison. He can also sing and if there's anyone in the current crop of Merola singers destined to be a star he's the one I'd put my money on.

Jonathan Michie: Photo by Kristen Loken

Philippe Sly's Doctor Bartolo, done up as an 18th century Bozo the mean clown in a John Waters film, was a comedic delight, though he had problems keeping up with the faster parts of the score, something members of both casts seem to struggle with at times, but he also possessed the strongest voice onstage the first night. Deborah Nansteel's Berta made the most of her second-act aria- the strong performance she gave in the Schwabacher concert two weeks ago was no fluke.

Philippe Sly: Photo by Kristen Loken

All of these pleasures aside, the unexpected highlight of the performance (besides Michie's stunning presence) was Adam Lau's Don Basilio. Not only did he deliver vocally, but Lau has one of the most expressive faces I've seen on a stage- in any medium. He's simply a terrific, very funny actor. This particular cast worked extremely well as a comedic ensemble.

Suzanne Rigdon, Adam Lau: Photo by Kristen Loken 

Last night's cast didn't have the same strength, but made up for it with stronger vocal performances. As the second cast's Figaro, Mark Diamond gave an incredibly self-assured performance on every level. If he doesn't quite have Michie's charisma, he rivals him in looks and vocal talent and has the goods to give Nathan Gunn and Jonas Kauffman a run for their money as the next barihunk people will be frothing at the mouth over. He also has a superb voice and the role is a natural for him. He's so attractive onstage I think he's actually going to have to work at toning it down to be taken seriously beyond comic roles, though it appears he could have a great career ahead of him if even if he never ventured beyond the comedies of Rossini, Mozart and Donizetti- but he should go further than that, because underneath his pretty-boy exterior is an obviously highly talented young singer.

Mark Diamond: Photo by Kristen Loken

Renée Rapier's Rosina was a strong, seemingly effortless performance, but it's interesting to note how a female role changes in subtle ways when performed by a brunette compared to a blonde (Rigden). I don't think I'm alone in finding something disconcerting about seeing the brunette as the more innocent or trustworthy character even though Rapier played the role with considerably more sass- it was just harder to see it come through. A lifetime of social conditioning- exposed in unexpected ways.

John Maynard's Bartolo was an altogether different interpretation than Sly's and for some reason he
ick factor not felt on the previous night. He too, struggled in the faster parts of the role, but overall sang well.

John Maynard, Renée Rapier: Photo by Kristen Loken

Peixin Chin’s Basilio lacked Lau's comedic brilliance but made up for it with a voice of imposing strength and tone, though his Italian needs some work. Still, I can see a Commendatore in his future and he could make an excellent Grand Inquisitor. Marina Boudart Harris as Berta equalled Nansteel from the night before, and the limitations of the small role didn't give much of an opportunity for contrast. Daniel Curran as Almaviva had to work hard within the ensemble to stand out, but he had many good moments and his delivery was consistent throughout the evening.

An unexpected highlight for me was the strong stage direction and imaginative design of the production across the board, with the exception of the use of garlands to form curtains on the stage which was almost painful on the eyes. The Mark Weiner and Judgement Day gags were quite funny, even if the former seemed lost on 99% of the Thursday night audience. Kudos to are deserved for all involved: Conductor Mark Morash, Director Roy Rallo, Scenic Designer Erik Flatmo, Costume Designer Kristi Johnson and Lighting Designer Jax Messenger.

Purchase tickets here on the San Francisco Opera Web site or before the performance at the Herbst Box Office. There are two left, both 2:00 PM matinees.

Schwabacher 2011

As we sat in the Herbst Theater on Friday night, waiting for the Schwabacher Summer Concert to begin, Rosine Stoltz stopped leafing through the program, leaned over and quietly said to me " I Capuleti e i Montecchi is going to be on the [San Francisco Opera] schedule next season."


"How do you know that? And who's going to be in it?" I replied.


She answered my first question, but I can't divulge the answer. She couldn't answer the second, nor did she have any further information on what else was coming. Her sources like to keep things to themselves.


 "Do you like Donizetti?" she queried upon further examination of the program.


"I used to think I didn't, but then I kept seeing his operas and I loved them every time- so I realized my supposed dislike of Donizetti had nothing to do with the works themselves, but rather was based on some sort of belief that I should dislike Donizetti. But I don't. In fact I like him a lot."


The lights went down and the conductor, Robert Wood strode onstage and led the orchestra through a somewhat limp, perhaps even flaccid, account of the overture to Rossini's masterpiece L'Italiana in Algeri.  This didn't bother me too much, as no one in attendance had really come to hear the music- tonight was all about the singers. This annual concert is a showcase for Merola Opera Program participants. We were there to get a glimpse of the next generation of opera stars early in their careers.


The format is extended scenes from operas, and the first was from Verdi's Don Carlo, with Scott Quinn in the title role, Guodong Feng as his trusty side-kick Rodrigo, and Joo Won Kang briefly onstage at the beginning to make the most from one or two lines as a monk. Kang's vocals left the greatest impression in this one, as the material seemed to be slightly just beyond the grasp of Quinn and Feng. They both returned for another segment of the same opera in the same roles later in the first half, this time joined by Deborah Nansteel as Princess Eboli. In this latter segment both fared better, with Quinn especially seeming to rise to the occasion with excellent diction, but Nansteel dominated the scene- she appears to be a serious contender to be the next Dolora Zajick, a Merola alum herself.

Between the two segments from Carlo came a scene from Act 1 of Bellini's  I Capuleti e i Montecchi, featuring Elizabeth Zharhoff as Giuletta and Laura Krumm as her Romeo. When Zharhoff, inexplicably listed in the program as a soprano, opened her mouth and began to sing, it was one of those moments you wait for but rarely encounter- I could feel her voice hit me with a physical sensation as if it were a caress. I've never felt something like that, even sitting 15 feet away from Heidi Melton belting it out in full voice. It made me want to see if she could break a glass. She possesses a huge, distinct tone that on repeated listenings would probably be instantly recognizable, despite less her less than perfect diction. She was thrilling. Krumm, inexplicably billed as a mezzo in the program, held her own against Zarhoff's much larger voice by singing in a crystal clear contralto that managed to pierce through Zarhoff's caress like a razor sharp knife. At the close, when they both ended the scene by singing the word amore, it was Krumm's voice that one heard distinctly chiming through. Theirs were the most impressive performances of the evening.

Elisabeth Zharhoff

Laura Krumm

Next was a scene from Donizetti's Lucia, with Cooper Nolan and Joo Wan Kang as the enemies Edgardo and Enrico. Nolan and Kang suffered a bit by comparison coming after Krumm and Zarhoff and I still recall seeing this scene so memorably done a couple of seasons back with Giuseppe Filianoti and Gabriele Viviani tearing it up in the same roles. Such is the peril of using the standard rep in situations such as this. Still, it made me and Rosine wonder how Sheri Greenawald programs the voices of the particpants to the content with such impressive results.


After the intermission came an extended segment of Rigoletto, with Xi Wang as Gilda, Cooper Nolan as the Duke, Joo Wan Kang back onstage in the title role, and Krumm returning as Giovanna.  I would have preferred to hear Krumm as Gilda, just to hear her sing "Caro Nome," but that's just selfishness on my part. Wang gave an impassioned, sincere account and Kang brought forth all of the jester's anguish. Yet the whole didn't quite gel and I'm not sure these major Verdi roles are a good fit for many of these obviously talented singers at this early stage of their career.


The final scene was from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin featuring Marina Boudart Harris as Tatiana and Suchan Kim as Onegin. Onegin sounded strange coming after all that Italian and the melodramatic stage direction was a bit distracting, but the singers gave it everything, especially Kim, whose performance of the cad Onegin was more emotionally vulnerable than I've witnessed before. It would be interesting to see what he would do with the role in its entirety, and I would also like to hear Harris sing the "letter scene" to get a better sense of her voice.


More Merola participants will be performing Rossini's Barber of Seville August 4th -7th at Herbst, and they all take the stage of the War Memorial Opera House  for the Merola Grand Finale on August 20th. You can find  more information about these events and the performers here.

Merola's Elixir

The Merola Opera Program's summer season usually features two operas, but this year, due to economics one supposes, they are only presenting one, Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. While that's not an inspirational choice, it does turn out to be the perfect vehicle for the current crop of Merolini as Thursday night's opening performance at the Cowell Theater demonstrated. The cast alternates each night over the four performances and last night we had the gorgeous Nadine Sierra as Adina, whose large voice easily filled the theater and has a tremendous amount of stage presence. Daniel Montenegro reminds me of a young Villazon as far as looks go, and his acting was definitely an advantage to the production. Thomas Florio was a delightfully sleazy and funny Dulcamara and Benjamin Covey's Belcore was my personal favorite of the night as far as the singers go.

The setting of the production isFort Mason itself, which is fun, doing a spin on the show-within-a-show theme that has been overdone to death lately but worked well in this context. The sets, while spartan, were really nicely done, as were the 40's era costumes (especially the robe Sierra wore during the 2nd half). But what about those shoes Sierra wore at the end? Those were distractingly awful, especially since the costuming for this production was really great.

Sitting in the back row, where you can actually hear the orchestra, they sounded great, especially the harp during "Una furtiva lagrima."

Speaking of shoes, The Opera Tattler showed up in a great pair of red leather pumps, matching stockings and beret and made the rounds. Among the other usual suspects spotted in the house- Josh Kosman, whom I would have introduced myself to once again if it weren't for someone talking his ear off (yeah- that was me Josh, this time with the gorgeous brunette instead of the gorgeous redhead), SF Mike, Otis T. Firefly, oops, I mean David Gockley, Janos G., Smoliar, etc., etc.

There are only three performances left, including tonight. Sunday has the fewest seats left. This is a perfectly delightful production, well-sung, well acted and well worth seeing.

All photos by Kristen Loken: www.kristenloken.com

Merola Grand Finale 2009

The Merola Grand Finale was held Saturday night at the War Memorial Opera House for an enthusiastic audience. The 23 participants (called Merolini) performed solo and in various duets and trios. There was even the quintet from Die Meistersinger. With so many participants I won't detail every performance. All of the participants have a good evening, including especially nice work from the orchestra under conductor Antony Walker, but there were plenty of stand outs which merit specific attention and accolades.

Maya Lahyani's turn as Carmen was the highlight of the evening, reminding me of a young Beatrice Uria-Monzon. Lahyani has the voice, looks and presence onstage to perform the role today. She's captivating, seductive and it could well become a signature role for her. Brian Jagde's Don Jose was also fine, but Lahyani owned the moment so thoroughly that I found myself wanting to take his place onstage rather than listen to him.

Yohan Yi's solo from Rachmaninoff's rarely performed and under-appreciated Aleko was also compelling. Why not program the Rach trittico of Aleko, The Miserly Knight and Francesa da Rimini? SFO has only performed Francesca da Rimini once, back in 1956 and the other two have never been performed by the company.

Mr. Gockley?

Another strong turn in the Russian repertory came from Margaret Gawrysiak's solo from Tchaikovsky's Orleanskaya Dyeva (Joan of Arc). Hers was a masterful display of tone and beauty.

Caitlin Mathes and Paul Scholten excelled in their duet from Rossini's Barber, bringing just the right touch to the material and making it sound fresh. It's easy to dismiss Rossini since we're exposed to him so often, but when it's done well it's delightful- and this pair reminded us of that.

The set for the evening was consistently used to the singer's advantage and stage director Fernando Parra Borti's fine work paid off well for the participants.

The event was well-attended by the local press and blogging community: Josh Kosman (whom I'd like to thank for listing my blog), Allan Ulrich, Cindy Warner, Stephen Smoliar, Ms. Dodaro, SF Mike and the peripatetic Axel Feldheim were just some of the many people floating around the press room and the orchestra level, though Ms. Dodaro was comfortably seated in a box.

Finally, attention must be paid to the young woman from Salt Lake City via Dallas whose dress (Cavalli) was the star of the entire evening. I don't remember the last time I saw someone wearing something so perfect. Thankfully Herr Feldheim caught it (and me) on camera. Thank you to Mademoiselle MG and the Ginger for bringing the glamour to the house.