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Review of L'Amico Fritz and Iolanta by Emily Brown
For the opera lovers who missed the first Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) production of the New Year, Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz was performed in concert form January 20 through 22. This is a charming tale of a philanthropist who falls, very innocently, for his steward's daughter. The opera is rarely performed due to a lack of dramatic weight. Athough musically sound, it lacks an expansive plot and character development. The characters simply do not change much throughout the story. In spite of this, the opera can be a real treat for a viewer who enjoys seeing the lighter side of romance. AVA's production contained strong performances from the entire cast. Including only seven members (with five of the parts doubled), the cast was small but well-knit. In minor roles, Jeffrey Halili, Jesus Ibarra, Filomena Francesca Tritto, and Nicole Piccolomini carried their weight with well-focused singing and a nice touch of playfulness. Sensitive conductor Christofer Macatsoris led the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. The interaction between Ailyn Perez and Yungbae Yang, L'Amico's heroine and the Rabbi, was strong. The execution of the scene in which these characters recount the biblical story of Rebecca becoming betrothed to Isaac was subtle and sweet, yet energetic. This is not to discount the tremendous performance of the Cherry Duet--- perhaps the most famous piece from the opera. James Valenti, who performed the title role, and Perez exhibited intricate musicianship both technically and dramatically during the duet. Perez has a naturally warm, expressive voice that is matched by her equally expressive face. Valenti, likewise is marked by his expressiveness, particularly during the climatic moments. Valenti is to play Alfredo in La Traviata for the Salzburg Festival this summer, a role in which this dramatic tenor doubtless will thrive.
Through March 6, AVA is presenting Tchaikovsky's final opera, Iolanta. The title character is the daughter of Neapolitan King Rene. Early in life due to a fire, Iolanta became blind. The King instructed no one to tell his daughter of her condition, or to describe to her the concept of sight at all. She is kept isolated from the outside world until fate brings Count Vaudemont. Vaudemont reveals to Iolanta her physical disability and awakens in her the reality of much more than sight. Music director, Ghenady Meirson, explains, "Tchaikovsky wrote from the honest point in his heart and intellect that wasn't guided by anything other than his honesty and conviction in writing something." Meirson is a fan of Tchaikovsky's music-- meaning he not only enjoys the composer's work, but will support it, defend it, and teach it to others in order to spread the love. He acts not only as the musical director for the production, but also the language coach, and pianist for the production. To put on Iolanta, the directors must love it. There isn't much on-stage action. Meirson says, "You really have to have a creative director . . . we have that in Peter [Kazares]. The opening displays stage director Peter Kazares' brilliance. The production begins in silence with Iolanta walking slowly through the audience to the stage. Her gorgeous, timeless dress is perfectly fitted to the innocent beauty she is portraying. The music begins as the princess climbs sadly onto a rocking horse, displaying not only her momentary distress, but a symbolic distress with childhood itself.
For Tchaikovsky's one-act opera, Kazares brings the sensitivity of a literature critic. An accomplished tenor, Kazares' resume includes director, vocal coach and artistic advisor. He has taught Master classes at Yale and Vassar and even found time to do the concert staging and lighting for Act III of John Adams' Nixon in China at Alice Tully Hall. His reading of Iolanta includes all the characters' blindness. "[Iolanta is] a fairy tale about a young woman who, the first thing she says is, 'What's wrong with me?'" Kazares, sympathizing with the troubled heroine explains, "She sees with this heart so acutely that she blinds [Vaudemont]." Kazares' reading worked well because the entire cast displayed the vulnerability of their characters, and through that vulnerability their need for each other was illustrated. Ariya Sawadivong who plays Iolanta is a first-year student at AVA. It was easy to believe the transformation that her character made when the princess left her childhood and literal and figurative blindness. Sawadivong explains how she has learned to relate to her character's "true" sight and deepening sense of love. "Iolanta's character [is] technically blind, but she has her eyes opened to so many other things . . . I think I can take something from each instance in this opera, where I've realized something that I didn't know before, and appropriately, I think it was music that opened my eyes to the life that I live now." Sawadivong's character begins young and naïve. She has a powerful pout. Her father places her lover's life in her hands, threatening that if the doctor cannot cure her of her blindness, Vaudemont must be killed for revealing her condition. Sawadivong displays the weight of this responsibility well with added vocal intensity and a solid presence. Throughout, Sawadivong displays a maturity of voice and presentation. Focused and warm in the middle, her voice tends to brighten too much through her break, but magically refocuses above it. Already having received the encouragement award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council, Sawadivong will be a force with which to be reckoned very soon. Jeffrey Halili complements Sawadivong as Iolanta's hero, Vaudemont. Although Halili's Russian sounded a little mechanic during his recitatives, this was not noticeable in his major pieces. Most impressive, Halili's high notes are big and bold and beautiful. Just as Iolanta's transformation was easy to believe, it was also easy to believe smoke was in Vaudemont's eyes. Together Sawadivong and Halili give the honest effect of new lovers-- tender and very moving. And not to forget King Rene, Iolanta's stronghold of a father. Mathew Arnold, who came to AVA after completing more than two years of service as a paratrooper in the United States Army, has a well-developed sound that matches his well-developed physique, perfect for his royal role (or for a soldier). Arnold's bass bellows with gorgeous resonance and does not fade at the top. If each character is blind in some way, it is King Rene's over-protectiveness of his daughter that blinds him to her true needs. Arnold displays this controlling nature in his character particularly well in his aria, in which he is tormented by the state of his daughter, as well as the initial scene in which the doctor describes Rene's responsibility to tell Iolanta of her disability.
In a more minor roles, Yungbae Yang, already mentioned for his performance in L'Amico Fritz, gave a terrifically agile performance of Robert's aria. Ellie Dehn, Brigitta, and Nicole Piccolomini, Martha, counter-balanced each other in their supporting roles, singing together during the chorus pieces. Both women have very powerful voices. And last, a remarkable job was executed by Eric T. Dubin who read the part of Ibn-Hakia, the doctor, from a music stand by the piano, having been called the day of the opening to learn the role with its difficult Russian-- quite an accomplishment. Surveying the other members of the audience at Friday's show, it was easy to see the support that Philly brings the finishing school. The audience was encouraging as well as entertained. Their enthusiasm will pay off as more young stars continue polishing their trade and give opera lovers in the city a chance to watch their progress. Upcoming performances, news and other information about the Academy of Vocal Arts can be obtained at www.avaopera.org or by calling (215) 735-1685. On Sunday, April 3 at the Kimmel Center, Met star Aprile Millo, and AVA alumni John Packard, Indra Thomas, Stuart Neill, Richard Troxell, and others will peform in "BrAVA Philadelphia! A Concert ExtrAVAganza of Opera Stars."
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