Happy brithday, Puccini!

Posted by Mickie T on Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

Even though it is “right next door,” we never go to the FoHi Library. After years of worry that my 1984 outstanding overdue book debt would still be on record and grown to a 6-digit figure, I finally got over my fear and got a new Queens Library Card this month with no problems! (Hmm, I guess I must have paid it..)

Soprano Marlena de la Mora, Tenor Benjamin Sloman, Pianist Inna Leytush

I was lucky enough to go back to the FoHi branch a second time this month to hear a 150th Birthday Tribute to Giacomo Puccini, composer of La Boheme, Madama Butterfly and Tosca, among other classic operas, on Saturday, August 23rd.

This presentation featured Australian-born tenor Benjamin Sloman, and Texas-born soprano Marlena de la Mora, both now local residents. Mr. Sloman has performed internationally as a soloist in recitals and concerts in venues ranging from the Sydney Town Hall and Sydney Conservatorium of Music in Australia to One World Symphony in New York. Ms. de la Mora is a soprano at the Metropolitan Opera, and has performed with the NYC Opera tour of Madama Butterfly, and as a special guest soloist at various events, cruises and concerts.

Joining them was Russian-born pianist Inna Leytush, who has performed as a coach and accompanist for various vocalists in venues around the world, including Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, San Francisco Opera, Moscow State Philharmonic, and Funabashi Opera Society in Japan.

After starting out with a piece from Wagner (who is sometime linked to Puccini stylistically), the talented trio performed a lively assortment of arias from La Boheme, Madama Butterfly and Turandot to the mostly blue-haired and balding crowd. Ms. de la Mora ended her set with Klange der Heimat from Die Fledermaus, and Mr. Sloman rounded it out with a “sing along” (more like a “mumble along”) to the much-loved Neapolitan song, Santa Lucia. Despite the basement atmosphere, the singers let loose and almost shook the plaster off the ceiling. They belted out the big notes and hit the high notes!

Brava!! Brava!!

I must say that a library basement, with folding chairs, linoleum floors, flourescent lighting and 7-foot ceilings is possibly the worst venue for opera singers, especially when singing Italian arias. Not only does it make some notes sound needlessly crass and harsh, the acoustics can easily blow out a hearing aid battery. But the performers were really good sports about it, and the crowd was very appreciative. I overheard that there were many opera aficianados in the audience, even a retired tenor who must’ve been about 90 years young.

There was also the expected bit of crankiness, too. Frankly, some of these seniors giggled and whipsered like fidgety junior high school kids! Settle down, people!

Maestra Leytush will return to the FoHi branch on October 30 to present a program celebrating operas based on the poetry of Alexander Pushkin. Enjoy the classic melodies of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Rimski-Korsakov as well as pieces from the opera, “Eugene Onegin,” with the talented vocalists Victoria Kurbatsaaya and Alexander Krinkov.