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OperaNotes Concert Review
28th Annual Richard Tucker Music Foundation Gala
www.richardtucker.org
Avery Fisher Hall
Lincoln Center, NY
www.lincolncenter.org
November 16, 2003
by Charlene Frank
Conductors: Placido Domingo, Joseph Colaneri
New York Choral Society Music Director: John Daley Goodwin
Artists:
Stephanie Blythe
Elena Bocherova
Paul Groves
Kim Josephson
Salvatore Licitra
Jennifer Larmore
Indira Mahajan
Aprile Millo
Ruth Ann Swenson
Also:
Stephen Bryant
Christian Van Horn
Erik Nelson Werner
Members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Before the music started everyone was talking about the cancellations. Originally Maria Guleghina and Christine Goerke were scheduled to perform and they were no longer among the list of performers. Later cancellations included Denyce Graves, Celena Shafer. Who is this last minute stand-in Indira Mahajan? And what about Elena Bocherova? She was not on the original list of artists.
Salvatore Licitra and Placido Domingo entered the stage prior to the introduction by Barry Tucker. This was a great way to get people to stop talking about who wasn't there and concentrate on who was there. Sr. Domingo is a man of such stature that just his presence was a thrill, and Salvatore Licitra carried that thrill forward. It seems that New York is crazy about Salvatore, as is this reviewer.
Baritone, Kim Josephson's "Eri tu" was superb. Stephanie Blythes whose strong performance made the audience forget that Denyce Graves was not there. In her duet from L'Italiana in Algeri with Kim Josephson both were in great voice and showed great comic ability. And Indira Mahajan, who most of us did not recognize, was an excellent choice for Musetta in the Act II finale of La Boheme. People turned to the strangers next to them and asked, "Have you ever seen her? She's terrific!" And she was.
Aprile Millo apologized and announced that she could not continue after her first aria, so that left a hole in the concert. Rather than finding someone else to sing with Salvatore Licitra in "Vicino a te", Licitra sang a powerful and perfect "Vesti la giubba" and the audience roared. As good fortune would have it (not for Ms. Millo, but for the show) Sr. Domingo realized that since Ms. Millo was not feeling well on Saturday, she might not make it to the show on Sunday. So there was time to prepare Sig. Licitra for "Vesti la guibba".
Mezzo, Elena Bocharova was a new face in the group, although she was recognizable from Carmen at New York City opera last season. There was so much happening on the stage that individual voices were difficult to discern, when she was heard, her voice was quite rich.
And the big surprise. There were not enough singers for the final number - excerpts from Act II of Aida. Luckily the Richard Tucker Foundation keeps records not only of their first place winners, but also of other singers they want to remember. Lisa Daltrius, a 35-year-old soprano called the foundation and asked for a free seat. Peter Carwell, Executive Director of the foundation and Katherine Heraty, Assistant to the Executive Director, said yes. When they needed a soprano, Mr. Carwell and Ms. Heraty knew just where to look. (Quite the drama!). They sent people to her seat and asked her to come back stage and she agreed to join the group for Aida and the audience was thrilled.
To sum it up, the absences created not a disappointing evening, but an evening of drama and excitement.
Many thanks to Edgar Vincent, Vincent & Farrell Associates and to Catherine Heraty for the "behind the scenes information".