Javier Camarena in DC

I wrote about Javier Camarena's Kennedy Center recital for Parterre.com:

Singers who loom large in the theater have an interesting challenge in translating that intensity to the recital hall. Sometimes we get only fleeting glimpses of that bigger personality amidst tasteful lieder selections; others just import the volume and dramatics wholesale from a bigger space, resulting in performances that can be impressive but overbearing.

Read the whole thing here...

NSO plays Brahms and Beethoven

One of my earliest experiences with the NSO was a concert I attended during the pre-Eschenbach days shortly after I arrived in DC, perhaps the spring of 2009. I went because Brahms was on the program, and, while not necessarily expecting Brahms at the level of what I had just come from in Chicago, was pretty taken aback by what I encountered. Though hardly counting myself as the most critical ear when it comes to orchestral music, it was impossible to miss the out-of-whack balances, tinny sound, and lack of excitement on the stage or in the hall.

I'm happy to say that, 7 years of NSO concert-going later, that evening feels like a distant memory; whatever you may think of Eschenbach, his years in DC have been a boon to the band's overall sound and consistency. However, after hearing both Symphonies 1 and 3 under Eschenbach and the first piano concerto under Osmo Vänskä last night, there is still work to do in the Brahms department.

To be fair, the problems in the first piano concerto were mostly localized in the first movement, that ever ambiguous, halting statement Brahms saw fit for his first orchestral utterance. Conductors must work minor magic to make sense out of its melodic fragments and capriciously shifting colors and Vänskä just never found a firm footing from which he could build momentum with the orchestra. He was not helped by inelegant contributions from the horns and a general lack of commitment coordination in the strings.

Vänskä seemed palpably relieved to move onto the Adagio and elicited some beautiful, very focused, piano sounds from the strings, though perhaps slowing things down to excess at some points. The Rondo was a confident romp, with exciting precision in the exposed passages for the strings, though winds and horns never quite caught up.

Russian Nicolai Lugansky, whom I've never heard before, offered an engaging, measured reading of the solo part. Apparently people refer to him as "cold," most infuriating of all adjectives for a pianist, but his temperament seemed just right for the Brahms, which easily suffers from additional melodrama. See for instance that first entrance, in which the piano answers the orchestra's outsize turmoil with an anemic, meandering little figure. One could easily get caught up in the throes of the anguished orchestra part and ham this up, but Lugansky's reserved introduction was the more unexpected and haunting choice. While clearly possessing the technical chops for flashy virtuosity where needed, Lugansky prioritized intimacy and "Brahms-sized" emotion throughout with appealing results.

I was mildly considering bailing after the Brahms, but was glad I didn't, as Vänskä turned in a winning Beethoven 'Pastoral' Symphony after the half. Vänskä looks to be one of those consummate micromanager conductors, tirelessly trying to tune each dynamic and color as the orchestra hurtles forward, and the NSO seemed to relish the challenge. Vänskä carefully developed the constituent parts of the Allegro, highlighting delicate dynamic gradations and building up a tight transparent sound in the climax. This exacting approach never devolved into preciousness though, and Vänskä was able to pull out a lusty, go-for-broke storm section, and a warm, well-earned Allegretto.

NSO plays Picker, Liszt, Brahms

16th Street and Columbia Rd, Washington.

The NSO kicked off its first post-tour show with an engaging world premiere by composer Tobias Picker, best known for his operas "An American Tragedy" and "Emmeline." Entitled "Opera Without Words for Orchestra," Picker actually wrote this out as a short operatic work before removing the libretto to leave a purely instrumental piece. And indeed, the pleasant effect of this piece will be familiar to anyone who has sat through some of the dull stretches of "American Tragedy" and thought "wow this score is pretty solid, if only i could mute this book report of a libretto for a little while." Picker's work offers a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of textures and references, from passages of propulsive dissonance to lyrical, jazz-infused writing for solo strings. If at times there is a feeling of trying to fit too much at the expense of more clearly articulated ideas, "Opera Without Words" rarely drags and offers much to appreciate. Hopefully the NSO will program this again soon.

The balance of the first half was devoted to Liszt's second piano concerto, featuring Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Eschenbach presided over an exciting, very severe allegro agitato, followed by a dreamy allegro moderato with beautiful interplay between Thibaudet and principal cellist David Hardy. The penultimate Marziale is Liszt in trashy exuberance mode, and Eschenbach pushed things perhaps too far--frequently drowning out Thibaudet and precipitating at least one orchestra snarl. Things tightened up for an appropriately breakneck finale.

The NSO has been playing Brahms First Symphony a lot the past few weeks as part of their tour repertoire, heard at home in an erratic performance during one of the tour tryout evenings. Tonight they gave Brahms 3rd in a more assured take. Eschenbach has the right feel for the sturm and drang of the first movement, conjuring relentless anxiety and big satisfying swells from the orchestra, though the strings weren't always able to maintain coherence and beauty amidst all the agitation. Eschenbach relished the languid pace of the second and third movements, taking things maybe a bit slow for some tastes but I appreciated his patience in letting the quiet details in these passages unfold at their own pace.

The anguished fourth was a (mostly) controlled whirlwind, at its best achieving an exhilarating momentum and thrilling unified sound. Despite two weeks on the road together, though, the orchestra and Eschenbach seemed at cross purposes at several points, with several seemingly unanticipated gear shifts leaving the band in disarray. It's hard to go wrong with the 3rd's devastating, unexpectedly quiet coda, and this one mostly satisfied, though never quite reaching that hushed stasis that makes for such a chilling contrast with what has come before.

In a bizarre programming choice, the NSO then tacked on Hungarian Dances #3, #10, and #16, for a combined 7 or so minutes of bonus music. It's unclear whether someone felt the 3rd didn't make for a long enough second half (though it was already past 9 after a 7 PM start), that the end of the 3rd was too much of a bummer to end a show with, or whether some obscure union rules were in play, but none of the players seemed in the mood for these bonbons after the emotional catharsis of the 3rd. Odd.

WNO Announces

Kennedy Center, Washington.

You can't quite blame a company for taking the proverbial cigarette break after serving up a big historic Ring cycle, and WNO's 2016-2017 line-up is definitely a less ambitious affair than the current season, though redeemed in part by attractive casting and an admirable focus on contemporary work.

We get two chestnuts to bookend the season, Marriage of Figaro and Butterfly, both of which WNO hasn't done since 2010-11. Figaro gets opening night, in a production "adapted" from this nondescript-looking Glimmerglass effort from a few years back. Casting keeps this one interesting, with two intriguing WNO debuts: Amanda Majeski's Countess and Lisette Oropesa as Susanna. Oropesa made a fine impression here several years back with Washington Concert Opera in Verdi rarity I Masnadieri but she is long overdue for time on the mainstage.

Butterfly closes the season out, in a production imported from SFO (as was the tasteful 2010 incarnation). This time, the production is designed by Jun Kaneko, responsible for the video-projection driven/primary color-laden Floot the other year; we'll see whether that's a good look for Butterfly. The lead is shared between one unknown and one very well known quantity: Albanian Ermonela Jaho, of whom I am completely ignorant, and longtime Met veteran Hei-Kyung Hong. Peenk-air-ton offers a contrast as well, with Brian Jagde's big hearty sound swapping nights with Dimitri Pittas' light elegant tenor. Auguin conducts.

Fille du Regiment fills the wild card Donizetti fluff slot--an opera seen at WNO only once before in the 06/07 season. WNO has procured a first-rate A-cast here, with Oropesa back again and Lawrence Brownlee taking the role of Tonio.

The most distinctive programming is reserved for two American works, representing WNO's contribution to the JFK centennial that is being used to unify a lot of activities across the KC next year: Jake Heggie's popular "Dead Man Walking" and "Champion" by jazz musician Terence Blanchard. WNO seems to be economizing to get two contemporary productions onstage, as the press release notes these shows will use "many of the same designers and scenic elements." Kate Lindsey, assuming the role of Sister Helen Prejean, is the standout casting here.

I was lukewarm on Heggie's Moby Dick but am excited for DMW, and certainly support WNO's efforts to highlight the most successful American works out there. As for "Champion," I'm not familiar with Blanchard's music, but props to WNO for foregoing a musical offering this year in favor of a second contemporary work. Rounding out the contemporary offerings will be the company's regular evening of 20 minute new works and an hour-long premiere by Mohammad Fairouz.

Will try to circle back to other aspects of the new season later this week...