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EARLY MUSIC REVIEW
The young Handel's
January 28, 2001
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By Michael Zwiebach
On Sunday night at the Crowden School, Teatro Bacchino continued its exploration of Baroque opera's smaller treasures with a fleet, energetic performance of Handel's secular cantata Clori, Tirsi, e Fileno. The members of the troupe, by now well trained in the use of the gestural language of the period, communicated the sense of the words and music with a directness that demonstrates how vivid and expressive this repertory can be. And they did so without resorting to obvious anachronisms to make dramatic points.
Clori is one of the lesser-known Handelian jewels. Written in 1707 for a private performance at the house of Handel's Roman patron, the Marchese Francesco Maria Ruspoli, it is a sparkling miniature opera in two parts, richly scored and garlanded with all the invention that its 22-year-old composer could throw at it.
The plot is simple: The shepherdess Clori encourages the attentions of two suitors, Tirsi and Fileno, each of them outraged in turn as he discovers the cheat. But the men are comically resigned to the situation, because "the loving heart must be hopeful, beguiled by the thought of winning favor." In accordance with the esthetic doctrines of the Arcadian Academy, which heavily influenced literate Romans like Ruspoli, the work aims at simplicity and naturalness of expression.
The lyrical effusions of the pastoral mode could strike a modern audience as the furthest thing from simple and natural. But Jennifer Griesbach's stage direction smoothed away potential difficulties. Her production succeeded partly by making 18th century theater part of the performance.
The evening began with the stage manager lighting the candles that (along with discreet aid from the house lights) illuminated the production. We were always aware of this frame, for, even though the singers used period gesture and posture, their way of moving, carrying themselves, and relating to each other was quite clearly contemporary. This level of anachronism is a positive benefit: Instead of smothering the singers, the direction freed them to inhabit their characters unselfconsciously. And that is the only way that the comedy could have worked. Griesbach's production was animated from the outset, as characters darted from behind scenery to overhear pieces of each other's arias. Griesbach has also developed a fine sense of storytelling within arias that enables her to deal with the expanses of ritornello and the da capo convention without awkwardness. She timed entrances and crosses so that the stage picture was constantly renewed, and the pacing never lagged. She was aided immensely by a talented cast headed by the Clori of Melissa Fogarty. An accomplished flirt who established an instant rapport with the audience, She used her eyes to great comic effect. With a secure and well-supported voice and an imaginative way with a phrase, she also showed agility in her runs, binding them expertly into the line. Her aria "Barbaro, tu non credi," swerving back and forth between forceful indignation and pathos, was the evening's musical high point. Elspeth Franks, the Fileno, is that rara avis, a true contralto with vocal agility and sensitivity to match the power of her low notes. Hers may not be a voice for the largest operatic stages, but in the tiny Crowden School Theater she had a commanding presence. Her voice also blended well in duets, and she demonstrated fine dynamic control. In this repertory, she could gain tonal variety by cutting her steady vibrato more often. As an actor, she was concentrated, radiating energy even when listening. Jennifer Ashworth was a winning Tirsi. Her voice still has room to grow, but it is steady, with a nice lyric quality that is aided by her excellent diction. She brought studied intensity to her long solo scene, which opens the opera, tossing off melismas and tricky rhythms with aplomb. The singers were given spectacular musical support from a larger-than-usual band that included Philharmonia Baroque stalwarts, Lisa Weiss on violin and Judith Linsenberg on recorder, and a sensitive continuo--David Morris, cello, with Katherine Heater, harpsichord. Under Morris' direction, the orchestra played with spirit and fire. (Michael Zwiebach holds a Ph D in musicology from UC Berkeley, specializing in opera, and is a lecturer for the San Francisco Opera. ) Michael Zwiebach, all rights reserved |