I was very excited to find out about a series that Opera Boston produces called “Opera Underground” from Facebook last week.  Just this past Tuesday, I attended their sold-out production of Leonard Bernstein’s 1952 one act opera, Trouble in Tahiti, with my friend Kim at Berklee’s Cafe 939.

“Opera Underground” is a series that brings opera to the people by making it a casual experience and performing in small, but intimate venues, and for short money – a concept that greatly appeals to me.  While getting dressed up to go out for a night at the opera can be fun, with my entertainment budget, it’s not something I can afford to do often.  As much as I love opera, this gives me the chance to see one staged live with great singers for a bargain while wearing my jeans.  The only thing that could have made it better is if Cafe 939 served martinis to go along with Bernstein’s fabulous period piece.

Boston Opera started the series in 2007 at the Lounge Lizard in Cambridge in conjunction with Boston Modern Orchestra Project’s Gil Rose with an evening of Kurt Weill.  Since then they have presented music by Mozart, Foss, Sondheim, and now Bernstein.  Trouble in Tahiti fits Opera Underground’s mission statement perfectly because it is only about an hour in length, features a small cast, and requires minimal staging, costumes, and sets.

The performance on Tuesday was really enjoyable.  Glorivy Arroya, a classmate of mine from New England Conservatory, played a great Dinah and brought quite a bit of pathos to the role.  A cocky and brash Sam was played by Graham Wright.  The chorus: Ishan Johnson, Nicole Rodin, and Korland Simmons sang in tight three-part harmony the whole evening providing witty and sometimes hilarious commentary as well as much needed relief from the heavy plot evolving between Sam and Dinah.

I will be sure to seek out more Opera Underground productions.  I can’t think of a better way to spend a Tuesday evening for less than the price of seeing a movie.  The potential seems to be there with a pool of talented singers who want stage time and a body of concert-goes hungry for more opera in Boston.  Maybe I’ll see you at the next production.

I’ve already written extensively about how beautiful the Metropolitan Opera House is in New York City. Still, I am impressed with its grandeur on each visit. This was our third visit this season, and I feel that this is a pattern that will continue for Dan and I for years to come. Seeing opera in this amazing hall makes the spectacle of the stage all the more appealing and you can’t help but feel as though you are amongst the cream of the crop when the curtain opens.

We saw the Zeffirelli staging of La Bohéme this past Wednesday night and were treated to some of the most amazing sets I’ve ever seen. The only thing that may have topped it was Turandot back in November, also a Zeffirelli production. I hear that these lavish stagings are slowly being phased out by the Met because of the enormous cost involved in showing them. La Bohéme involves a horse drawn carriage with a real horse, lavish costumes, and four multi-story sets. The short second act has the most elaborate set of all and includes a parade through “town” by a full batallion of soldiers just before the curtain closes. WOW!

It turns out that the Zeffirelli La Bohéme is also the most performed production at the Met since it first premiered in 1981. The Met has the reputation of selling out its seats for no matter who is singing, so often many young and relatively unknown singers end up starring in the difficult roles.

We were lucky that in the most recent revival of La Bohéme the singers are amazing, although I felt as though they could have spoken their roles and I would have been equally as impressed due to the extravagent production values. Anna Netrebko sang a beautiful Mimi and Ruth Anne Swenson’s Musetta was wonderfully delivered. Piotr Beczala was a sensitive and lyrical Rudolfo with never-failing control on the many difficult and rangey long lines that the part demands. George Petean’s Marcello was full of energy and Oren Gradus sang a wonderful “Coat Aria”.

I have seen La Bohéme a few times now, and I am still swept away with the storyline each time. The first act delivers some of the most beautiful music that Puccini ever wrote, and those themes dominate the rest of the opera. I usually start tearing up about twenty minutes in and remain misty until Mimi finally gasps her last breaths at the end of act four. Indeed, I saw many of my fellow audience members leaving the theater with red eyes and/or runny make-up. It’s an opera that I will never tire of seeing on the stage or listening to at home full of fantastic sweeping orchestral gestures and soaring lyrical vocal lines. For me, it epitomizes the operatic stage. I think many would be inclined to agree as it’s kept opera houses full since it premiered over a hundred years ago in 1896.

From a personal standpoint, La Bohéme especially appeals to me because of the artistic and hedonistic themes that permeate the work. All of the characters are passionate and tortured artists in their own right and there is a huge emphasis on culinary delights. The characters live on love in poorer times, and when they have money, they spend it on feasting and drinking. Much of the opera, in fact, takes place around a simple dinner table or in a café, and I can easily identify with the singers on stage due to my own love for the arts, my capricious temperament, and, of course, my obsession over food and wine.

The Zeffirelli production of La Bohéme is a must see. If you can get to New York before the run ends, do it! There is nothing to regret about seeing it live and if you can’t make it there in person, there is a 1977 video recording that is worth checking out starring the late great Pavarotti and the beautiful Renata Scotto. If you do make the pilgrimage to the Met, spend the money for amazing seats, or enjoy the bargain priced “Family Circle” seats that we opted for. The acoustics there are such that there are really no bad seats. You’ll have a fabulous evening of amazing music and awe-inspiring scenery either way.

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most prevalent composers in pop culture today, along with Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms.  What many folks don’t know about JS Bach is that he had over 30 children and married twice.  Three of his sons eventually went on to careers in composition: Carl Phillip Emmanuel, Wilhelm Friedman, and Johann Christian.  Living in the shadow of the great German master no doubt was a difficult challenge for all three of his sons, but perhaps none more so than the youngest of the three, Johann Christian Bach.

In broadly sweeping generalizations, JS Bach’s works are marked by terse counterpoint and rapid harmonic rhythm.  JC Bach’s music, on the other hand, favors melody and accompaniment and a much slower harmonic rhythm.  No doubt, JS insisted the his children learn counterpoint, but little of it is utilized in JC’s works.  I feel that he must have been trying hard to get out of his father’s shadow and create something that was all his own.  He went so far as to move to London to start a new life away from his family.  Furthermore, JC wrote in a style that squarely pointed toward the Classical style, but here and there one finds subtle references to his father’s work when listening carefully.

The Oboe Quartet by JC Bach is one of the earliest in what would become a common instrumentation in Western Art Music, and is also one of JC Bach’s more well-known works.  Composers like Mozart and Britten would later write works for this combination, and those have since become standards in the repertoire.  It represents some of JC Bach’s most clever and graceful composition in my opinion.  Oboists like playing it because it is written in a beautiful warm key on the instrument, Bb Major.

The first movement is in a rough Sonata Allegro form with a brief development ending with an opportunity for a cadenza before the recapitulation, what I feel was a nod to the classical concerto form that was developing at the time.  The use of Sonata Allegro form of the first movement also puts it soundly in the classical period rather than the Baroque.  In terms of tonality, the first movement remains mostly in sunny Bb and F major, with a short turn towards the minor in the development.  It is in the development that one hears the influence of JS Bach with a series of suspensions and use of imitative counterpoint, but these references are brief and fleeting.  On the whole, the oboe takes the lead with the violin commenting and answering occasionally.  The viola and cello take an supporting role throughout.

The piece lacks a slow movement in the middle.  At the time of composition the concept of the Sonata da Camera and Sonata di Chiesa, which always included slow movements, were being abandoned in favor of forms that used only lively tempos.  JC Bach’s lack of the inclusion of a slow movement was likely because of the piece’s utilitarian purpose, ie courtly music intended to amuse royal ears.  I can only imagine the lively parties or lavish lunches that must have taken place while this piece was being played for society’s higher-ups in 18th century London.

The second and final movement is a Rondo consisting of a Menuet with two trios – ABACA.  This dance form was popular in the Baroque and it prevailed in instrumental music through to the late classical period when the Scherzo took over.  The fact that it is dance music points again to the likelihood that the piece was intended for courtly performance, in which the musicians often served as a dance band.  What’s interesting is that JC Bach titles the movement Rondo instead of Menuet.  Rondo is a distinctly Classical form, and I feel this movement really fuses old and new concepts more than the first movement.

JC Bach inserts some juicy passages for the viola in this movement in the second trio in g minor giving the oboist a break.  This is a clear example of thought about orchestration since the viola has a darker and more mysterious sound than the oboe.  Though this practice was employed masterfully by JS Bach, many baroque composers transcribed their works for other instruments freely without consideration for individual instrumental timbres.  It was not until later that composers started to think about the personalities of each instrument, and Berlioz was one of the first to codify this concept in the late 19th century.  JS Bach no doubt passed this concept on to his sons and in a sense JC Bach was a pioneer in this respect continuing the traditions of his father, a concept that would become very important later in history.

The overall feel of the Quartet in Bb by JC Bach is elegant and courtly.  The phrases demonstrate a graceful arch and follow regular intervals, a mark of the Classical style.  It’s lack of a slow movement shows that the standard fast – slow – fast structure was still a developing concept.  There are however some subtle references to JS Bach’s ideas such as orchestration and some use of imitation and dissonance.  As one of the first works in the genre of the oboe quartet, it is a formidable and beautiful piece that is a joy to perform.

It was my first time hearing the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in person. They have made plenty of great recordings, but hearing an orchestra in its own hall is always a really disarming and illuminating experience. Our friend Jill had managed to get us two comp tickets to the all Mozart program that she was playing in Benaroya Hall on the night of our arrival in Seattle. It was a wonderful welcome to the city, and a great concert.

Before the concert, I enjoyed seeing the gorgeous Dale Chihuly
chandeliers.  They are a dramatic sight to see when you first enter the hall.  They remind of a giant luminous sea creature, which seems appropriate being so close to the ocean at Benaroya Hall.  If you visit, be sure to take a little extra time to see them before the show.  We later saw more Chihuly at the Seattle Art Museum, and the more I see of his work, the more I love it.

The first piece on the program was Symphony No. 34. It was new to me, and it was nice to hear one of the more rarely performed symphonies in Mozart’s oeuvre. My first impression of the Seattle Symphony was that they played with a beautiful sound overall. There was a sense of lyricism in the orchestra’s playing that I often miss in performances of Mozart and I appreciated their great care and attention to detail in shaping phrases.

The next piece featured the principal second violinist of the orchestra, Elisa Barston. Her appearance was part of a series in which musicians from the orchestra are invited to appear as soloists, a wonderful idea that I wish more orchestras would employ since there are so many amazingly talented individuals playing in orchestral settings these days.

Barston’s performance of the fifth violin concerto was light and airy. She luxuriated in her beautiful sterling sound and took quite a few liberties with tempo and stretched phrases; more so than I accustomed to hearing. The overall affect was a little like listening to French art song being performed by a great singer. It was a unique way of thinking about Mozart and I have to give her credit for originality. She backed up her creative approach to the concerto with unfailing technique and pristine intonation. I enjoyed her original cadenzas also. They were spare and favored lyric beauty over flashy technique. It was a bold statement on elegant simplicity an the importance of line that soloists are often afraid to make, and I respected and appreciated her conviction.

The highlight of the program, for me, was the “Posthorn” Serenade on the second half of the program. It is named for the small natural horn that the mailmen in 18th century Europe would play to let everyone know that the mail had been delivered. I wondered why all of the mailboxes in Luxembourg that I saw this past summer had horns on them, and now I know.

The principal trumpet player of the orchestra gave a stunning performance of the long solo on the Posthorn in one of the final movements. I was also really taken with the concertmaster, principal oboist, principal flute, principal bassoonist, and piccolo player. They had rather significant solo passages that they played with beautiful soaring tones and effortless phrasing. The piece really seemed like a concerto grosso for the many talented members of the orchestra than it did a true Serenade meant to be heard as background music. It is a testament to the virtuosity of the orchestral musicians of Mozart’s time.

After the concert, we headed out to Purple Wine Bar in downtown Seattle a block or so away from Benaroya Hall. It was our friend André’s birthday and we celebrated there with his brother completing our merry crew. It was a delightful gathering. Purple offers a tapas style menu of wine-friendly foods. The menu also offers standard sized portions of appetizers, main courses, and desserts. We liked the idea of lots of small tastes of many different foods, so we ended up ordering around ninety per cent of the items on the small bites menu.

Their wine list is extensive and comprehensive as expected for a metropolitan wine bar in a major wine production center. We drank a few local wines to start, and then moved onto some heavy-hitting French favorites. Our Gaston Chicquet Champagne and Graillot Crozes-Hermitage were beautiful and served as apt accompaniments to our celebratory feast.

The space is beautifully decorated and is housed in what used to be a bank and then a library. There is a dramatic spiral staircase in the center of the room that leads up to a miniature private wine tasting room isolated from the rest of the space by wine bottles on all sides. The ceilings seemed to be the same height as an airplane hangar and there is a loft that overlooks the main dining area with more seating for diners. The lighting is brooding, moody, and even a little sexy and many of the patrons seemed to have those same qualities. The kitchen serves the full menu up until midnight, which perpetuates the bumping late night scene. It’s easy to see why this one of downtown Seattle’s hotspots for the after-theater crowd.

Even though we were very tired after a long day of travel, it was wonderful to be out on the town in Seattle. It’s a great city with a real cosmopolitan feel that rivals Boston in my opinion. A symphony concert and a great meal set the celebratory tone of our trip there visiting dear friends for my birthday and André’s birthday. Of course, we can’t wait to return and we happily made many wonderful memories while there.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museums is one of the gems of Boston’s arts scene, but did you know that it boasts and equally wonderful concert series?  I was fortunate enough to hear one this past Sunday performed by musicians from Vermont’s Marlboro Music Festival.  The program consisted of Bartok’s second string quartet, a Haydn quartet, a Mozart concert aria, and Schumann’s Liederkreis.  It was a lovely program performed in an intimate and warm setting on a cold afternoon in Boston.

I bought the tickets some time ago in hopes that Dan would be able to join me since his quartet, Arneis, is also working on the Bartok second, but he actually had to perform a house concert in Western MA that same day.  I was happy he had work and they managed to raise nearly a thousand dollars for their group, so it was definitely worth missing the concert!  Luckily, my friend, the pastry ninja, from work was able to come with me.  It’s always more fun having someone along to talk about the program with during and after the concert.  Beth and I had a great time together.  We ate a quick lunch near the museum and she really seemed to enjoy the whole afternoon, especially the Haydn quartet which was beautifully and elegantly played with Ida Levin on first violin.

Hearing the Bartok second played live by another quartet was wonderful for me.  I have heard Arneis working on the piece for a month or two now, and they have given quite a passionate performance of the piece recently.  The Marlboro quartet also gave an exciting rendition of this amazing work which is quickly becoming one of my favorite string quartets.  I admired their steely precision in the second movement delivering a hair-raising performance that kept me on the edge of my seat.  It’s amazing how different the interpretation of a great piece of music can be in the hands of two equally skilled quartets.

Nicholas Phan may have been the star of the afternoon, at least for me.  Originally he was billed to sing duets with a soprano, but she had fallen ill, so he was solo for the afternoon.  He sang Mozart’s “Little German Cantata” which was a new-to-me work and Schumann’s Liederkreis.  Both sets were skillfully delivered with his dashing stage presence and flawless sense of line.  It was fun hearing a new Mozart work just when I thought I had heard just about all of the major vocal repertoire by him.  The Schumann set, however, was breathtaking.

Phan took quite a bit of time to explain the Liederkreis to the audience which I thought was helpful given that there was no text or translation provided in the program notes.  Beth commented that Phan’s acting was such that a lot of the emotion of the text would have been conveyed even without prior explanation.  Hearing Lydia Brown, pianist, and Phan collaborate on Schumann’s fantastically beautiful song cycle was quite a treat.  I kept thinking to myself that this was what chamber music is really all about.

I wish that I had some pictures of the event to share with you!  As I was pointedly reminded by one of the museum guards on my way out, as I tried to snap a quick shot of the atrium, there is no photography allowed.  It’s a shame because the museum is stunningly beautiful.  Above is a “bootleg” photo that someone else managed to take that I have borrowed from the internet.  I would love to have some personal photos as a memento of the afternoon, but I will have to settle for what’s in my head instead.

I think I am quickly becoming the Arneis Quartet’s biggest fan. Their concert on Tuesday night was wonderful. The setting was beautiful St. Paul’s Church in Brookline. The warm acoustics are a treat for the performer and even better for an audience member. I had the enviable experience of listening to my new favorite string quartet play a program of Haydn, Bartok, and Brahms.

The Haydn was elegant and gentile with a good sense of humor demonstrated by the musicians especially in the Menuet and Trio. In general, I love Papa Haydn’s sunny works. Even at their darkest, they seem only like a short summer squall that quickly yields to a blue sky. I have heard them play this work twice now in concert and I’m pleased to say that the second time around was just as enjoyable as the first. They have inspired me to listen to more of the quartets from Haydn’s huge catalog in the genre.

I love the Bartok’s second quartet, which they performed after the Haydn. I am especially fond of the second movement with its dance-like rhythms and high-energy feel. I thought Arneis really played the tar out of it! The first and last movements of the quartet are a bit more difficult for the listener, but they made sense out of both. There was some lovely sensitive playing in the first movement where motives were traded off effortlessly. The quartet’s facial expressions were fun to watch while they played this piece. I could tell it required a great deal of mental stamina. There were furrowed brows of concentration, raised eyebrows of anticipation, and big smiles of relief. I also enjoyed seeing two younger member in the audience, probably 3rd or 4th grade students, listening with rapt attention to this work in particular. Who says kids don’t enjoy classical music!?!?

The Brahms Quartet in a minor, however, was the highlight of the evening for me. Don’t shoot me, but I must confess having a bit of disconnection with the music of Brahms. Arneis succeeded in bringing the piece to life for me and I was pleased that I enjoyed the rich textures of the music as much as I did. I really liked that they took opportunities to lighten up their sounds whenever possible instead of always playing full tilt. I find Brahms heavy, and I loved their delicate approach to this amazing piece. Maybe there is hope for me yet!

There was a decent crowd for a cold Tuesday night, and I can only imagine that future attendance will only improve. These guys are playing great concerts for FREE! Once the word gets out about the quality of their performances, I know folks will be lining up to get in. You can check out their concert schedule by clicking this link for future programs.

Two or three weeks ago, my mother updated her facebook status with something like: “Just when you thought the packing was done, I discovered two boxes of sheet music!  Does anyone want it?”  I, naturally responded right away that I did.  I figured most of the sheet music was mine and there were quite a few books of Christmas and popular music that I thought would be useful for the cabaret events that I perform in where I work.  What arrived was a fantastic surprise that gave a big smile and lovely walk down memory lane.

The first thing I pulled out of the big fed-ex package was my high school letter jacket.  It had all of my honor band patches from the early nineties and I giggled at how much of a band geek I am.  I’ve been wearing it around the city, and surprisingly haven’t had any milkshakes thrown at my head a la television’s GLEE.

Underneath the jacket, however, was the best surprise of all.  Along with my piano music from the 80’s and 90’s was a stack of my mom’s sheet music from when she took piano lessons as a kid.  I have had so much fun playing through pieces like Bird Caprice, Trick-or-Treat, and La Nuit.  My favorite collection is Lyric Preludes in Romantic Style.  I have been entertaining myself by playing through them after work on these cold nights while I sip on some bubbles or a Bourbon.  What fun!

Thanks mom for sending me such a wonderful care package.  I know that I will derive tons of enjoyment from all of the great music and the letter jacket is sure to keep me warm in the frigid North.  No milkshakes, please!

“Images” is a fabulous new album featuring works for solo flute performed by Kristen Stoner, professor of flute at University of Florida.  It features works mostly by living American women composers like Libby Larsen, Katherine Hoover, Victoria Bond, and by the performer herself!  There is a nod to some standards in the flute repertoire also such as Debussy’s Syrinx, Honneger’s Danse de la Chevre, and Bozza’s Image.

The playing sounds effortless and is sensitive.  It is also evident that there has been some very careful attention to intonation, clarity of tone, and clean technique.  The many new works on the album will be a welcome addition to the repertoire for many an aspiring and professional flutist.  The inclusion of pieces like Hoover’s Kokopeli and her own piece, Naribue, makes reference to Kristen’s interest in ethno-musicology.  I also especially enjoyed Shafer Mahoney’s Six Miniatures, each one a little gem.  I’m thinking they might work nicely on the oboe as well…

I must confess having known Kristen from my Cincinnati Conservatory days.  I am inspired and proud of her output as a performer, teacher, and now recording artist.  I’m looking forward to more from her and excited to see that she continues to excel at what she puts her mind to.  I hope you will derive as much enjoyment from this recording as I have already.

You can download directly from Amazon by following the link above or it is also available on iTunes.