An Evening with the Philadelphia Orchestra

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Wednesday, 27 October 2021 16:43

Written by Jack Angstreich

Philadelphia Orchestra, photo by Pete Checchia

On the evening of Wednesday, October 20th, at Carnegie Hall, I was enthralled to hear the outstanding Philadelphia Orchestra, under the brilliant direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, performing the second concert in their complete cycle of symphonies by Ludwig van Beethoven this season. They had presented a superb account of the Fifth Symphony at the Opening Night Gala and here amply fulfilled the expectations generated on that night.

The first half of the program featured a marvelous reading of the less frequently played Fourth Symphony, realized with an unusual clarity. The opening movement began with a suspenseful Adagio introduction which transitioned into the jubilant Allegro vivace. The slow movement was lyrical, at times introspective, while the scherzo was playful and energetic, alternating with Trio sections that were pregnant with anticipation, segueing into a propulsive, exhilarating finale.

The conductor then addressed the audience with regard to the question of another Beethoven symphony cycle before leading the musicians in a confident version of the gorgeous “Pastoral” Symphony, beginning with a an enchanting, joyous first movement followed by a more meditative slow movement. The third movement was captivating and tuneful, which gave way to the dramatic, tumultuous Allegro, concluding beautifully with the affirmative, unexpectedly serene finale. The artists garnered enthusiastic applause and deservedly so. I look forward to the next program in the cycle on November 9th.

A Tradition of Dance: "Giselle"

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Saturday, 23 October 2021 13:45

Written by Jack Angstreich

Katherine Williams in Giselle. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor

On the evening of Friday, October 22nd, I had the great privilege of seeing a superb, moving presentation by American Ballet Theater of Giselle, “the oldest continually-performed ballet,” with choreography after that of Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, and Marius Petipa, in a staging by Kevin McKenzie, the Artistic Director of the company. The fantastical libretto is by the eminent, 19th-century French writer, Théophile Gautier, on a theme by the major German Romantic poet, Heinrich Heine. The melodious score is Adolphe Adam. The scenery was designed by Gianni Quaranta, with costumes by Anna Anni, and with lighting by Jennifer Tipton, which was especially effective in the mysterious, supernatural second act.

The title role was magnificently played by Gillian Murphy, one of the finest ballerinas in the company, dazzling throughout the evening. Her excellent partner, as Count Albrecht, was Thomas Forster, exhibiting a rare emotional power in his final scene. Katherine Williams was outstanding as Myrta, the queen of the wilis, while Jarod Curley was impressive as Hilarion the Village Huntsman. The secondary cast was also extraordinary, featuring the wonderful Luciana Paris and Gabe Stone Shayer as the dancers of the Peasant Pas de Deux, and, in the second act, the roles of the two wilis, Moyna and Zulma, were performed by the splendid Sierra Armstrong and April Giangeruso, respectively. The admirable corps de ballet was in characteristically marvelous form. The company’s fall season continues for another week, with several intriguing mixed programs.

Jonas Kaufmann & Helmut Deutsch Perform Classics at Carnegie Hall

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Tuesday, 19 October 2021 14:04

Written by Jack Angstreich

Jonas Kaufman (R) & Helmut Deutsch, photo by Jennifer Taylor

On the evening of Saturday, October 9th, I had the pleasure of attending a recital at Carnegie Hall by the incomparable and dashing Jonas Kaufmann, probably our greatest living tenor, superbly accompanied by Helmut Deutsch. The program was notable for presenting some less familiar—though excellent—repertory, all of songs in the German language, almost all of which the singer has recorded in two recent albums, Liszt - Freudvoll und leidvoll and Selige Stunde.

The evening opened with nine lieder by Franz Liszt, beginning with two to texts by Heinrich Heine: the bitter “Vergiftet sind meine Lieder” and the powerful “Im Rhein, im schöne Strome.” The composer set “Freudvoll und leidvoll” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe—whose poetry could be found throughout the program—twice and the singer here performed both versions in succession. There followed: “O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst”—one of the celebrated Liebesträume—to a lyric by Ferdinand Freiligrath; the beautiful “Es war ein König in Thule,” again by Goethe; “Ihr Glocken von Marling”; “Die drei Zigeuner,” to a text by Nikolaus Lenau, one of the finest 19th-century German poets; and “Die Loreley,” to a famous lyric by Heine.

After these, Kaufmann performed two more Goethe songs: Franz Schubert’s “Der Musensohn” and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart‘s lovely “Das Veilchen,” the composer’s only setting to a text by the great poet. A highlight of the program was Robert Schumann’s very popular “Widmung”—from his magnificent cycle, Myrthen—to a lyric by Friedrich Rückert, the source also of many great songs by Schubert and Gustav Mahler. These were succeeded by another Schubert work, “Wandrers Nachtlied II,” to one of Goethe’s most beloved poems, and then another peak in the program, Antonín Dvorák’s gorgeous “Als die alte Mutter,” from his Zigeunermelodien. Johannes Brahm’s “Wiegenlied” was the most recognizable work in the recital, preceding “Still wie die Nacht,” by the less frequently heard Carl Bohm.

Frédéric Chopin’s exquisite Étude Op. 10, No. 3, is one of his most commonly played pieces and was adapted by Alois Melichar as the next song heard in the evening. Just as well-known is another Goethe setting, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable “Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt,” another highlight of the recital which the tenor equalled in the ensuing version of Richard Strauss’s similarly extraordinary “Zueignung,” from his collection, Acht Gedichte aus “Letzte Blätter.” The program proper continued with Alexander Zemlinsky’s “Selige Stunde” and then concluded gloriously with two magisterial works: Hugo Wolf’s “Verborgenheit,” to a text by Eduard Mörike, another major German Romantic poet, and Mahler’s  “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen,” one of the immortal Rückert-Lieder.

The artists garnered enthusiastic applause which amazingly elicited six encores! They began with Schumann’s “Mondnacht,” from his esteemed cycle, Liederkreis, all settings of lyrics by Joseph von Eichendorff, an eminent German Romantic poet. Kaufmann then performed another well-known song, Schubert’s “Die Forelle”—to a text by the Sturm und Drang poet, Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart—the theme of which served as the basis for the variations of the fourth movement of the composer’s enormously popular Trout Quintet. Another peak in the program was reached with the next work, the astonishing “Träume” from Richard Wagner’s fabulous cycle, the Wesendonck Lieder. Three more Richard Strauss lieder followed, starting with “Nichts” from the same collection as “Zueignung.” The evening possibly reached its pinnacle with “Morgen,” maybe the composer’s finest song, and then ended with “Cäcilie (Wenn du es wüβtest).” One looks forward to the next local appearance of these wonderful performers.