Concert Report #1

On October 20^th, I attended “The Oktoberfest: Fall Opera Scene Recital” at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theater. It featured performances by the ASU Opera Ensemble. It was directed by Patti Myers and the piano accompaniment was provided by Phillip Streetman. Although I have studied and taken lessons in classical music all my life, I have not had much exposure to opera music so I thought this would be a great opportunity. The program featured a range of vocals with a majority of female vocals, and there was piano accompaniment. The performances varied from arias with a solo performer, duets, to ensembles in different combinations and the performers were Garry Grant, Thomas Reed, Ashley Thom, Jaclyn Londino, Jennifer Morey, Malcolm Verbeck, Nancy Chafin, Larissa Roman Rodriguez, Sarah Price, and Kate Pendleton. As for the time periods of the compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Engelbert Humperdinck, Johann Strauss Jr., and Otto Nicolai, it was centered around the mid-1700s to the early 1900s.

The program started off with The Magic Flute, Act I, which was performed a quintet of the characters Tamino, Papageno, First Lady, Second Lady, and Third Lady. The piece switched from solo, duet, and quintet performances. The vocals ranged from bass, baritone, tenor, to soprano, which created a beautiful blend of polyphonic melodies. The second piece was an Act II duet from The Magic Flute featuring Papageno and Papagena. It was a light and playful piece that stirred laughs in the audience. The male and female vocals complemented each other and the colorful melodies created a very light-hearted atmosphere. Act II, Scene 2 of Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck featured three characters: the Sand Fairy, Hansel, and Gretel. Having a basic knowledge of the classic children’s tale made it easier to follow the storyline in the piece. The other pieces up to this point were more difficult to follow since they were scenes taken out of an opera.

Next in the program was Die Fledermaus, “Farewell” which was a trio from Act I featuring Rosalinde, Adele, and Eisenstein. The theatrical aspect of this piece had a great effect on the piece since it aided the audience’s understanding of the storyline. The dialogue between the characters created a blending of bass tones and soprano tones and because of the dynamic contrasts that set the mood, different emotions such as anger or joviality were expressed. The fifth piece was an opening duet from Act I of The Merry Wives of Windsor with the characters Frau Fluth and Frau Reich. The two female performers’ voices blended together to create a duet with The last piece in the program was musical selections from Act II of Die Fledermaus. The entire ensemble participated in the piece at various points and in various groups within the introduction, arias, ensemble and aria, and the finale. The party atmosphere started off with some dialogue and then it led to some solo performances which portrayed the characters’ contrasting personalities. Through the tone and speed of the pieces, it indicated the type of mood and the emotions being conveyed.

One piece in particular that stood out to me was the opening duet from The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act I. Ashley Thom’s and Jaclyn Londino’s blending of vocals created compelling emotions and through dynamic contrasts, varying slow and rapid rhythms and melodies, the emotions of the characters were well-conveyed. The story line is about Sir John Falstaff who is courting two wealthy married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. When he sends both of them nearly identical letters, they compare them and decide to seek revenge. The duet featured the two mistresses reading their letters out loud, and the call and response all throughout the piece was very well-articulated. The piece started off at a steady tempo and once the characters became enraged and were formulating ideas to seek revenge, the tempo, rhythm, and dynamics and pitches increased to indicate the change in mood. This one stood out to me because as the mistresses became progressively infuriated while comparing their letters, the amount of drama kept on building up. The call and response was well-executed and it goes to show that opera has the ability to convey strong emotions, drama, and dialogue through the different tone of voices. One’s emotion and the atmosphere can be determined by the speed of the tempo and rhythms, dynamics, and timbres involved.

My favorite piece was the duet of Papageno and Papagena from Act II of The Magic Flute. The theatrical elements such as the two characters chasing each other around the stage and their facial expressions along with the two complementing male and female vocals created a very entertaining atmosphere. After the first piece, which was not as upbeat, it was surprising to hear the rapid, playful melodies of the duet. Although I enjoyed all of the pieces and could not say that I disliked any of them, the quintet in The Magic Flute, Act I did not stick in my memory like some of the other pieces did. I found that the more upbeat and catchy songs such as the duet with Papageno and Papagena made a better lasting impression and I could remember more details.

The abilities of the performers were astounding and I enjoyed having the opportunity to see the kind of talent that students at Augusta State University possess. Plus, there were some students from HUMN 2002 performing that night too so it was great seeing them perform. I noticed that the abilities of the performers did affect the music because the emotional impact and connection to the audience is crucial. For example, the strong soprano arias throughout the program featured beautiful vocals which portrayed the storylines. Overall, I am glad that I attended this performance because I was able to learn from this listening experience. The performance provided a glimpse into the world of opera. The blending of dialogue, emotions, and drama are very entertaining to watch and the fact that it was performed by an opera ensemble from our own campus made me appreciate it even more. It goes to show that you do not have to go very far to witness such talent.

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