Music News
Serrand’s Magical Multimedia Mozart
If you have never heard Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, there is no better introduction to it than Steven Epp and Dominique Serrand’s Figaro, now playing at the Berkeley Repertory Theater. At the risk of raising eyebrows, after a lifetime of listening to Marriage, for me some of the bloom is off this obviously great music. Habit is a great deadener, alas.
At the Saturday matinee of Figaro, however, the music of Mozart’s opera — performed gloriously by singers I have not yet encountered elsewhere — came through once again fresh and glorious, speaking to the heart and misting the eye with its affecting insights into human nature and its yearning beauty. The production is a theatrical coup, a dazzling enterprise honoring Mozart as few proper opera performances do.
Based on Beaumarchais’ little-known third play of the Figaro trilogy — the 1792 La Mère coupable (The guilty mother) — this Theatre de la Jeune Lune-originated musical play takes the 1775 Barber of Seville and 1784 Marriage of Figaro into the future of the two plays’ characters. With “thanks and apologies to Beaumarchais, Mozart, and da Ponte,” Figaro opens in the French Revolution’s Reign-of-Terror phase.
Dominique Serrand, as the old Almaviva, mourns the Countess
Photo by Michal Daniel
The old Count (Serrand) is hidden from the enragés (the Cultural Revolution crowd of those days) by the old Figaro (Epp), called Fig, and roundly abused by the delightfully dissolute Almaviva. In the first act’s dizzying, spectacular, funny whirlwind, the Beaumarchais trilogy is recounted and updated. The Countess (long estranged from the Count) is in the country with her son (and wait until you hear that story). Susanna went to live in America, where she is now in charge of the linen at the Jefferson household in Virginia.
(In that faraway land, there is no king, “not some divine sovereign with pretensions to be god on earth, not some flatulent monarch whose only claim to power is that his daddy was on the throne before him. No, a president, the voice of the people, elected by the people and for the people! His name is George. George … something with a W.”)
Jennifer Baldwin Peden (the Countess) and Momoko Tanno (Susanna)
Photo by Michal Daniel
Even as in Sondheim’s Follies, old and young selves of characters meet, interact, or speak and sing over each other’s heads. The multimedia aspect of Figaro is wonderfully well handled, with live video close-ups of the actors and singers that provide the sets, while also enhancing our understanding.
Without the close-ups, it would be impossible to see and appreciate fully the tremendous acting prowess in the eyes and faces of Serrand, Epp, Jennifer Baldwin Peden (the most beautiful and elegant Countess since the young days of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf), Momoko Tanno (Susanna), Christina Baldwin (Cherubino), Bryan Boyce (young Figaro), and the big-voiced, show-stopper Bradley Greenwald (young Count), as well as all the other lively ghosts from the days of Figaro’s wedding.
The second act of the nearly three-hour-long production slows down, almost too much so, with more pauses, less manic action — but then some of Mozart’s most ravishing music is interpolated in context, leaving new fans and spoiled veterans in the same exalted place of bliss.
Live accompaniment is provided in a superb fashion by music director and pianist/harpsichordist Barbara Brooks, and the Seventh Avenue String Quartet (Justin Mackewich, Sarah Jo Zaharako, Katrina Weeks, and Alex Kelly). At the end, interrupting the standing ovation, Serrand led the entire cast off the stage to greet the audience at the exit, in an ultimate, timely, and most effective and affecting demolition of the fourth wall.
Even if it is obvious that in this case the third time was no charm, it’s been somewhat of a puzzle that while the first two Beaumarchais plays inspired operas by Paisiello, Mozart, Salieri, Rossini, Massenet, Corigliano, and others, La Mère coupable had only a solitary response, in a Milhaud opera of that name. Until now. Figaro is the definitive musical version, using the best possible material in the whole wide world, fortuitously in public domain.
Steven Epp (”Fig”) and Dominique Serrand (Count Almaviva)
Photo by Kevin Berne
S.F. Ballet Season Announcement
San Francisco Ballet, which concludes its 75th anniversary season tonight, announced plans for next year in the War Memorial Opera House. Beginning with the usual Nutcracker run of 31 performances in December, the company will follow opening night on Jan. 21 with eight programs in a total of 56 performances alternating through May 9, 2009.
Highlights of the season include a new production of Swan Lake, three works Mark Morris has created for the company (A Garden, Joyride, and Sandpaper Ballet), and reprisals of these pieces from the current New Works Festival: Stanton Welch’s Naked, Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House, Christopher Wheeldon’s Within the Golden Hour, Yuri Possokhov’s Fusion, and Jorma Elo’s Double Evil.
Evening-long programs include Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson’s new Swan Lake, with scenery and costumes by opera and Broadway designer Jonathan Fensom; and George Balanchine’s Jewels, to music by Fauré, Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky.
Muti to Chicago
After years of controversy in search of a successor to Daniel Barenboim as music director of the Chicago Symphony, the announcement came Monday that Riccardo Muti, 66 — at one time of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and late of La Scala and a huge intramural struggle there, which led to his resignation — will take the post, beginning in 2010, for at least five years.
While there can be no question about Muti’s artistic excellence, or of his current (visiting) leadership of the orchestra in Chicago, it remains to be seen if the match is a good one in extramusical terms. Barenboim left Chicago after 15 years, expressing frustration at his fund-raising duties, an inevitable part of being a music director of an American orchestra. A few months ago, Muti made the same point in rejecting the idea of taking over such responsibilities. And yet, on Monday, Muti said he was “fully committed to the duties of an American music director, including supervising auditions, helping raise funds, and engaging in community outreach.”
Riccardo Muti
A.C.T Event With Lang, Chapman, Shive
The American Conservatory Theater will conclude its Koret Visiting Artist Series on May 18 with Notes on Music and Theater, featuring 2008 Pulitzer Prize–winning composer David Lang, Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, and Bay Area–based alternative rock cellist Bonfire Madigan Shive.
Lang has provided scoring for several A.C.T. productions, including The Tempest, Hecuba, and The Difficulty in Crossing the Field. Last month, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his The Little Match Girl Passion, based on the children’s story by Hans Christian Andersen.
“Music has played a large part of A.C.T. this season,” says Carey Perloff, the company’s artistic director. “And I can think of no better way to close out our Koret Visiting Artist series by exploring the relationship composers have with theater.” Admission is free to the event, which begins in the Geary Theater, at the conclusion of the matinee of Curse of the Starving Class, but seats should be reserved in advance from A.C.T.
David Lang
SOS From Fremont Symphony
“Save Our Fremont Symphony” is the tell-all title of a fund-raising event scheduled on May 10, from 2 to 6 p.m., at the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. Among participants: the San Francisco Brass Quintet and the Steve Pietkiewicz Jazz Trio. Raffle prizes include private lessons with Fremont Symphony Music Director David Sloss.
German Requiem, Big and Small
In modest competition with the San Francisco Symphony’s presentation of Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem), Chora Nova is offering the work in Brahms’ own two-piano version. Paul Flight is artistic director, the singers are soprano Rita Lilly and baritone Jeffrey Fields, and the pianists are Nalini Ghuman and Lino Rivera. The concert is on May 24, at 8 p.m., in Berkeley’s First Congregational Church.
Whistling With Flicka: a True Story
An adventurous writing colleague, Jason Victor Serinus, is also one of the world’s all-too-few classical concert whistlers. Last week, he reached a career high in that capacity, performing a duet with Frederica von Stade Herself. His story, the account of an artist from the inside:
Besides the usual panic — oh no, did I leave my music at home? (It was in the trunk.) And, why am I driving through Golden Gate Park and going in circles when I should be driving down Van Ness? — I made it to the benefit for Oakland’s Sophia Project in plenty of time. I entered Fort Mason’s Conference Center as a large, lovely crowd of supporters was standing amidst absolutely gorgeous pottery and crafts, watching an inspiring film of the project’s remarkable work with homeless children and families.
Then the first set of performances began. Accompanied by Jim Meredith, it consisted of Flicka and high schoolers enrolled in a special low-income music program performing songs and arias. The singing was wonderful, but the program was long. Because most attendees were standing — there were only a few rows of seats, and they needed a break for more food, wine, and browsing — the set was concluded early.
Frederica von Stade
I immediately approached the stage, and suggested to Flicka that we perform only one duet. That gave all the youth their opportunity, and the audience a break. It also allowed cellist Emil Miland the opportunity to play some gorgeous Bach, and Flicka the chance to blow us all away with the tipsy Offenbach that she had triumphed in with Los Angeles Opera a year or two ago.
Less than a half hour later, I’m standing in back when I hear the second set begin. Oops, I guess I’m on. I make my way to the front, and 10 minutes later, Flicka announces me and our duet. We take our places on opposite sides of the keyboard. I ask to speak.
First, I say that it’s undoubtedly insane for a music critic to stand up here in front of an audience with a singer whose performances he’s written about and dare try to duet with her. But here we are. Then I explain how Flicka and I met by phone, when I was writing a preview of the Pauline Viardot and Friends salon she performed with Marilyn Horne, Vladimir Chernov, and Melody Moore. My spiel went something like this:
“And then, while talking about the Sophia Project, Flicka said, ‘What else are we going to do if we don’t address the situation and serve these children? Build a prison on every street corner?’”
“At that point, I replied, ‘Oh honey, I hear you. We are so on the same page. I deal with this all the time on the Oakland Community Policing Task Force.’ Shortly after that, I told her that I had fantasized performing Mozart’s letter duet, “Sull’aria,” with her for 15 years. She was remarkably open to the concept, and immediately proposed that we do so at this benefit.”
Time for the music. Hardly anyone in the audience had ever heard me before. It is fair to say that they were stunned. Some giggled, which was cool, as they discovered my whistling carrying as well as many of the voices on the program, and got used to my bright, intentionally Mozartian sound. They especially loved my appoggiatura.
In my sole rehearsal with Flicka, I had stared at the sheet music, trying to stick to my line while dueting with a major operatic presence. Here, after lots of practice, I was relaxed enough to gaze up at Flicka several times as our voices were answering each other. The second time, as she found me looking right at her, whistling the words she had just sung, she cracked up. It was hilarious. Somehow, I kept going without blinking an eye.
Musically, it went wonderfully. The audience cheered, bravoed, yelled, hollered … it was a total, total joy.
Flicka is one of the most generous, openhearted opera singers I have ever encountered. I hope to have the privilege of performing with her again. Don’t miss her San Francisco Opera performance next season of Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers, which he wrote especially for her.
Janos Gereben (janosg@gmail.com) is a regular contributor to San Francisco Classical Voice.
©2008 By Janos Gereben, all rights reserved.
Hi Janos:
Thx for this review. I gather it’s a wonderful show. One quick correction: the keyboardplayer/conductor in this production is Jason Sherbundy. Barbara originated the ‘role’, but Jason is leading ‘Figaro’ in Berkeley. He’s an exceptionally talented guy, and I thought you’d want to know.
Best,
Charles
Posted by Charles Barber on May 6, 2008 at 8:46 pm