Cleveland Orchestra: Verdi Requiem

Verdi: Messa da Requiem
The Cleveland Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
Robert Porco, conductor
Liudmyla Monastyrska, soprano; Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano; Dimitri Pittas, tenor; Raymond Aceto, bass.

The end of a season at Severance Hall always feels like the end of a school year-- the last time you'll see people who have become familiar faces over the past season, at least until next season rolls around. With tonight's concert I've attended every Cleveland Orchestra concert program from the last three seasons with one exception -- when I was out of town for a family event.
In that sense it seems only fitting, if a bit moribund, that we end the season with a requiem, "a mass for the repose of the souls of the dead". Equally fitting was the choice of Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem which could be a best of Cleveland Orchestra highlights: Quiet soulful notes from the low strings, fast and furious but precise playing when called for, an air of reverent mystery, and close communion with the chorus presenting one cohesive organism.
On my way up to the Box Level this evening two ushers commented that they had heard the performance on Thursday and it was fantastic; another usher -- who I perhaps chat with more frequently than my own mother -- mentioned she had heard the same things from friends who were in the hall for Thursday. This information proved accurate.
Finding my seat in the back of Box 14 -- further House Right than I prefer* but the best available with how well-sold tonight's concert was, I was a little concerned that I'd not get the chorus. That worry proved without merit. (Speaking of boxes, surprisingly, the other occupants of my box didn't bother arriving until two thirds of the way through the concert)
The first movement (Requiem and Kyrie) starts slow and quiet and ends with a tortured (and torturous--it was my least favorite part of the performance) Kyrie elieson by the soloists. That was followed by Dies irae, the longest movement and the most varied in texture. It started powerful, loud, and fast. for a guy who likes all of the above this (and a few similar moments along the way) ranked among my favorites.
One thing my perch in Box 14 allowed a fantastic view of were the trumpets blowing from the juliet balconies that flank the stage -- ("Tuba mirum apranges sonum per speulchra regionum..."/"The trumpet, sending its wondrous sound throughout the tombs of every land...") -- a relatively rare treat for the Severance concertgoer. Fast, peaceful, and delicate were all emotions that appeared -- sometiems singularly, sometimes in pairs, throughout the remainder of the concert before culminating.
"Requiem aternam don eis, Domine, et lex perpetua luceat eis." ("Give them eternal rest. O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.")
The Blossom season starts in just a few weeks with the Fourth of July weekend.

Lincoln
*- My preference is Boxes 1-11 with Box 1 being center, Box 10 being house right, and box 10 being house left. Further out and the sound starts to change, with, for example, the violins sounding brighter on the high even boxes, and the high odd boxes just sound weird to my ear.

Cleveland Public Theatre: Akarui [Bright]

Cleveland Public Theatre, presenting world premiere of playwright Jen Silverman's Akarui now through June 9th, always manages to pack in surprises.

Photo: Steve Wagner/Courtesy CPT

Akarui is no exception -- a mix of stories and fables, pounding music and drama -- with settings ranging from an American bedroom to Baba Yaga's chicken hut and a rave cave "at the end of the world" is a compelling story of acceptance and the power and right to change.

Aside from phenomenal acting -- which I'll get to in a moment -- the set, lighting, and sound design were all among the best of those productions in recent (and not so recent memory) effectively and creatively supporting the story without being intrusive and a completely believable portal to another dimension through the theatre's proscenium.

I don't do blood, guts, or surgery well -- I'm known to pass out with detailed descriptions -- but typically with plays I'm able to put it aside as fiction without problem. At one point near the end of Act I, Akarui's story combined with persuasive acting had me feeling a little lightheaded (and Rachel asking "are you alright...?")

Photo: Steve Wagner/Courtesy CPT

Beth Wood's demented portrayal of Baba Yaga [yes, the same Baba Yaga as also appears in Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition] as mad scientist kicked the action off to an amusing start and her appearances throughout rarely left without a worried chuckle ("Why do you insist on torturing yourself when I'm already torturing you?" perhaps being my favorite line from the show) -- but compelling didn't end there.

A DJ (Chris Siebert) watches over and occasionally guides the happenings. Each of the interlocking stories is a character undergoing change -- female to male, alive to dead, manta ray to man -- and struggling with acceptance, of their own status and as well as their status as seen by others -- before arriving at a rave "at the end of the world". And that rave is full of energy that spills out into the audience.

About two hours including an intermission, the show's pacing and overlapping stories held even my attention and it felt only about half as long.

Lincoln

(Directed by Raynond Bobgan, Cast: Chris Siebert as DJ Akarui, Beth Wood as Baba Yaga, James Alexander Rankin as Joshua, Molly Andrews-Hinders as DC, Davis Agulla as Fish/Manta Ray, Richard Brandon Hall as Mateu, Lew Wallace as Stack, Dionne D. Atchison, Roxana Bell, Carly Garinger, Fay Hargate, Jeremy Paul, Amy Schwabauer, Adam Seeholzer, Rose Sengenberger as Chorus; Todd Kripinsky, set design; Alison Garrigan, costume design; Benjamin Gantose, lighting design; Chris Siebert, pervussion coach; Michael Roesch and Raymond Bobagn, sound design; Richard Brandon Hall, choreographer; Danielle Case, production stage manager; Jennifer Caster, assistant producer)

Cleveland Orchestra: Salome Opera-In-Concert

Richard Strauss: Salome (Based on the play by Oscar Wilde)
Franz Welser-Most, Conductor -- full cast list at the end of this

The Cleveland Orchestra is presenting its annual opera this year as an "opera in concert" breaking from the recent years "fully staged opera". Also a little different for this year the Orchestra is taking the opera on the road for two performances at New York's Carnegie Hall before returning to Cleveland with a final performance on Saturday, May 25th.

As opera in concert I wasn't sure what to expect, perhaps an "opera sized" orchestra with soloists on stage. Instead, The Cleveland Orchestra came out in full-force with a densely packed stage full of musicians and an usual platform for the singers projecting as a peninsula into the sea of musicians accessed by removing a section of the decorative organ pipes that typically grace the back of the Severance Hall stage.

This staging was visually satisfying -- in that it both elevated the majority of singers above the orchestra and lessened the gap between singer and surtitles -- but may have contributed to the one less than desirable  thing that both Rachel and I noted: The men's voices, particularly, tended to disappear in the musical expanse of the instruments--the "problem" didn't seem as pronounced with the women who typically clearly cut through.

The program note mentions that "Other observers were less concerned with the work’s alleged decadence or blasphemy than they were with the question: Is it an opera? Gabriel Faure was among the first, and certainly notthe last, to call Salome 'a symphonic poem with voices added.'" and certainly with this format it's easy to see how a listener would get that impression. And I rather liked it.

I typically have a hard time with fully staged opera because of how many moving parts are involved -- there's the set, the blocking (movements of singers and props), singing (along with reading surtitles if there's any hope to follow the plot), and music, and opera in concert really cuts to the core. You can listene to the singers and the orchestra while reading the surtitles and not have to worry about interpreting the set or the blocking or the costuming -- thus the closest I think I've come to truly following the story in an opera.

That said I was mostly there for the musical ride and Mr. Welser-Most certainly seems to be at home conducting opera. The opera runs just about an hour and a half of continuous music and is performed without intermission, but was never boring. The emotion -- which in many cases would be highlighted by blocking -- was clearly conveyed in the music.

The highlight of the evening for me, though, was Salome's Dance of the Seven Veils, though the story at the end of the opera kept me glued to the action.

Lincoln

The cast list:
Rudolf Schasching, tenor, Herod; Jane Henschel, mezzo-soprano, Herodias; Nina Stemme, soprano, Salome; Eric Owens, bass-beritone, Jochanaan; Garrett Sorenson, tenor, Narraboth; Jenniver Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano, Herodia's Page and a Slave; Rodell Aure Rosel, tenor, First Jew; Matthew Plenk, tenor, Second Jew; Bryan Griffin, tenor, Third Jew, James Kryshak, tenor, Fourth Jew; Darren Stokes, bass-baritone, Fifth Jew and A Man from Cappadocia; Evan Boyer, bass, First Soldier and First Nazarene; Sam Handley, bass-baritone, Second Soldier; Brian Keith Johnson, baritone, Second Nazarene.

Susan Britton (violin) and Olga Gorelik (piano) Recital

Faure: Clare de lune (1887)
Beethoven: Sonata no. 1 in D major, Op. 12 (1796)
Grieg: Allegretto tranquillo from Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13 (1867)
Ysaye: Sonata no. 3 in D minor - Ballade, Op. 27 (1923)
de Falla: Suite populaire espagnole (1914)
Debussy: Beau soir (ca. 1885)
Susan Britton, violin; Olga Gorelik, piano.
At the Herr Chapel, Plymouth Church, Shaker Heights.

It seems I picked up a cold as an unexpected birthday gift but despite feeling a bit under the weather I wasn't about to miss tonight's  recital featuring violinist Susan Britton and pianist Olga Gorelik.

And I wasn't disappointed. This evening's recital featured a variety of music and moods spanning 150 years and was full of soulful playing on the part of both musicians. The result was delightfully blended and very passionate.

Lincoln

Announcing Column & Stripe @ClevelandArt (with Solstice Ticket Offer)

One of the few areas where I've felt that the Cleveland Museum of Art was lacking was that there was no organization for young professionals, or rather events didn't seem geared to young professionals needs and scheduling.

I'm happy to report that for the past few months I've been serving on two of the committees (along side a diverse group of other engaged Clevelanders) for what has become Column & Stripe: The New Friends of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

While a lot of specific programming is still being determined, a lot of the possibilities that we're discussing sound really great -- everything behind-the-scenes looks at museum departments [if you know me, you know that's a personal favorite] to walking tours of public art in Cleveland, to social opportunities (with and without curatorial staff).

While social this certainly won't be another happy hour drink-and-hang-out group, and membership will open doors to free and discounted unique programming, in addition to supporting one of Cleveland's cultural gems.

The best part is if you're already a Museum member Column & Stripe is only $50 more for an individual or $75 for two. (If you aren't already a member, the combined Cleveland Museum of Art membership along with Column and Stripe benefits starts at only $100 per year -- that's less than nine bucks a month, and includes unlimited no charge access to the museum's ticketed exhibitions [the permanent collections are always free] as well as access the exclusive Column and Stripe programming we're planning.

And the first 100 people to join Column and Stripe before we officially launch at the museum's Solstice Party on June 30th get a free ticket to Solstice. Already have your Solstice Ticket? Join Column & Stripe at Solstice to save 50% on C&S dues.

For more information see the Column & Stripe page on the Cleveland Museum of Art's website.

Lincoln

Cleveland Orchestra: Stravinsky's The Firebird

Kodaly: Dances of Galanta
Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 197 (Alisa Weilerstein, cello)
Unannounced Encore for Solo Cello (Alisa Weilerstein, cello)
Roussel: Suite from The Spider's Feast [Le Festin de l'araignee]
Stravinsky: Suite from The Firebird [1919 revision]
Lionel Bringuier, conductor

You can tell the general way a concert is going by the number of smiles you see on the box level at intermission; tonight people were absolutely beaming. At the end of the concert, leaving my box at the end of the evening I passed a gray-haired gentleman who, to no one in particular, remarked "wow, that was inspiring".

And indeed it was. For the fifteen-minute, five movement Dances of Galanta I was transfixed; played without pause I didn't realize that it was a multi-movement piece until referring to the program at the end of the piece. The first half of the piece strikes as a series of picturesque vignettes lead from the winds and beginning with ear catching work by Franklin Cohen's clarinet and shifting to other winds enthusiastically supported by the rest of the orchestra. As the end of the piece approached the full sound and energy of the orchestra was brought forth and I caught myself toe-tapping at times.

Next up and tonight's winner, Shostakovitch's Cello Concerto No. 1 with the solo part played by native Clevelander Alisa Weilerstein.  As the arc of the piece progressed my ear made me think of a lovers' quarrel. The first movement starts with a harsh repetitive sequence of notes in the cello and answered by the orchestra, perhaps the beginning of an argument. The second movement is toned down and instead of aggression has a romantic sound, particularly amongst the section strings; perhaps trying to sooth an upset lover. The third movement, on the other hand, is an extended performance by solo cello passioned and in increasing speed and coherence. Bringing the piece to a close, soloist and orchestra come back together though with a slightly sarcastic sense -- perhaps not quite ready to trust each other again.

I'm pretty sure this is the closest my eyes have come to outright watering in Severance Hall.

Next, Ms. Weilerstein offered an unannounced encore in the form of a delightfully rich solo piece.

The programming after intermission was good but not quite as compelling with the new-to-me Suite from The Spider's Feast, a six-continuous-movement program beginning with the prelude and entrance of the ants, dance of the butterfly and funeral of the mayfly. Though this is the story of a butterfly trapped in a spider's web I didn't really get a sense of urgency on the part of the struggling butterfly and the power of the marching ants was only fleeting.

Concluding the program, a 1919 suite from Stravinsky's The Firebird, which, per the program notes, premiered about three weeks after and mere miles away from The Spider's Feast. Though not as provocative as that composer's Rite of Spring, it has compelling moments -- though like the last time I heard the piece, I didn't particularly care for the first two movements with The Infernal Dance of King Kaschei and Bercuese ("Lullaby") being the most interesting.

The program repeats on Saturday at 8, and Sunday at 3. Friday a subset of the program (including the Cello Concerto and Firebird suite is presented as part of a Fridays@7 event including pre- and post-concert activities.

As the Severance season winds down, over the next two weeks on Saturdays May 19th and May 26 bookending a performance at Carnegie Hall, the Orchestra will be presenting Salome as Opera-in-Concert.

Lincoln

Heights Arts House Concert: 3Bs - Beethoven, Brahms, Bartok

Beethoven: String Quartet in G Major, Op. 18 No. 2
Bartok: Thrid String Quartet (1927)
Brahms: Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115
The Omni Quartet (Jung-Min Amy Lee, Alicia Koelz, violins; Joana Patterson, viola, Tanya Ell, cello) with Robert Woolfrey, clarinet)
At the Maron Penthouse, Downtown Cleveland.

The first Heights Arts house concert I attended was in the Maron's spectacular downtown Cleveland penthouse and it was a real treat to be back (this time also having the privilege of Ms. Maron showing Rachel and I through their beautiful home prior to the concert).

Having received some unfortunate financial news earlier today -- there may or may not be a separate post on that down the road -- I wasn't in the highest of spirits going in to this evening's concert but nonetheless, this concert, performed entirely by members of the Cleveland Orchestra (some of whom had played a concert at Severance earlier today) was the most enjoyable of recent memory.


The Beethoven String Quartet kicked the concert off to a lively start as the sun started to descend over the beautiful Cleveland skyline behind the musicians. The second movement turned more introspective with in the second movement before hitting a minor but unified celebration. Near the end of the piece I had the vision of the orchestra as a band of fellows kicking a rock down a dusty road as the same general motif bounced from instrument to instrument.

Taking a dramatic change of period, the second piece on the program was Bela Bartok's Third String Quartet which Ms. Ell provided a very engaging introduction for highlighting some of the things to listen for in the fifteen minute piece whos movements were played without pause. Starting with something bleak, and almost depressingly lonely (Ms. Ell related it to the Cleveland winter, but it seemed even more desolate and lonely than that to me) with a bit of anger before coming in to a eerie folksong with some eerie undertones -- perhaps indicative of angry spirits. The piece also featured some unusual instructions including col lengo -- where the stick [wood] of the bow is used to hit the strings rather than the bowhair.

Brahms Clarinet Quintet was passionately sweet with Mr. Woolfrey's clarinet seeming to take the place of a longing lover while the ensemble seemed to the the hero or heroine moments away from taking his or her own life. The second movement continued this impression with an compellingly anguished sound, while the third movement -- lead by the clarinet -- was more moving and showed a restoral of hope while the piece concluded with a passionate, longing and almost remorseful fourth movement.

But neither Rachel nor I had any remorse about attending this evening's concert.

Lincoln