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RECITAL REVIEW
March 30, 2003
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By Olivia Stapp
Mezzo–soprano Michelle DeYoung sang a full and varied recital program this Sunday afternoon at Hertz Hall. As is customary with American recitalists, she presented a generous array of composers and styles: Mahler's Rückert and Wayfarer songs, selections by Strauss, Respighi, Duparc and Weill, all sung in their original languages. Fortunately for the listener, Ms. DeYoung has the technical ability needed to confront most of this expansive repertory. She sings easily, naturally, and with great assurance. There were some understandable signs of vocal tiredness after her triumphant series of performances in The Trojans which finished on the 27th of March at the Met last week. But there is really nothing lacking in her vocalism. Her voice is topaz colored, beautifully schooled, noble, and it matches in every way her appearance. Her Junoesque stature and head full of untamed blonde curls let us know immediately that we are in the presence of a generous performer, outgoing and unabashed.
The music most suited to her facile talent was that which she offered in the Strauss and Mahler selections. And of those the songs with large phrasing and forward thrust brought out the best qualities of her sound. Strauss', “Heimliche Aufforderung” (Secret Invitation), and Mahler's, “Ich hab' ein glühenden Messer” (I have a red hot knife), were fraught with excitement and inner drive, and she was able to open her voice to its natural opulent power. Generally though, for the rest of the evening, there was a lack of emotional content and dimension to her interpretations, which was covered over with some distracting histrionics. For example, need one put hands on hips to portray a young boy walking staunchly across a field, to interpret, Mahler's “Ging heute übers Feld” (I walked across the field this morning)? Given DeYoung's abundant talent, this tendency to over-act in recital format will surely evolve in time into more elegance of presentation.
The Duparc songs seemed mismatched to her temperament and vocality. These songs require a sweet urgency which are not an evident part of her artistic makeup. Because her voice is large, she modulated it to give the necessary gentleness but succeeded only in de-energizing the sound and giving the impression of nonchalance. The rendering of the transcendent Baudelaire text in the song “L'invitation au voyage” (Invitation to a voyage), the last words of which are “luxe, calme et volupté” (luxury, calm and delight), came to nothing. This music is just too small for her exuberant personality. Very successful were the two Ottorino Respighi songs, “Nebbie” (Mists) and “Contrasto” (Contrast), and the final three songs by Kurt Weill: “September song,” “I'm a stranger here myself,” and “Speak low.” “Nebbie” was vocally ravishing, and by the time she got to the last song and was able to relax,her heroic vigilance over her slightly fatigued voice, she gave us some sensitive poetry.
The pianist Kevin Murphy played eloquently.
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Michelle DeYoung