The Castleton Diaries: Week 7, Extra- The Rant (Optional Reading)

---Warning: Rant Ahead-----

The Don Giovanni premiere went very well. Splendid cast and orchestra, wonderful sets, not so shining reviews. 

"Worse was the coda: Giovanni’s comeuppance is taken not by him, but by a doppelganger who shadows him at various points during the show. Giovanni stands by to watch, bemused, as the doppelganger is dragged off to Hades. He then provides cynical, pantomime commentary on the other characters’ denouements, upstaging them with a quick, final sexual conquest. So the moral of the story, I guess, is that as long as you stay true to your libertine principles, nothing bad will befall you."-Robert Battey, Washinton Post

He bashed the conductor, the costumes, and our concept, but the cast blew him away. I don't care what he has to say. I thought everything was incredible. My personal philosophy for putting on an opera is that you are always putting on a show for someone who has never seen an opera. Your production be whatever you want, but if your audience can't follow along with the story or with the emotions of the characters, then you are, and excuse my language for this with kids, s**t out of luck. This production was alive and engaging, and I was sitting in the wings the entire night. 

But the one thing I will care about is how in both opera reviews from The Washington Post, they continually set out to rip on the conductors. I think that this is simply because they are not Maazel. Things happen, people get sick, that is the whole reason why we have assistant conductors. Brad Moore is exceptional. Salvatore Percacciolo knows the work with such clear definition in his mind. I have spent weeks watching these rehearsals. The only things I have concern over are the length of the rehearsals, at least two 3-hour rehearsals a day for at least 6 days of the week. These musicians are kicking behinds and taking names, and I think that people should give them a break when it comes to being criticized. 

Maazel was there when they picked every musician and conductor who auditioned for this program. He has given his blessing to everything in the output and input of these performances. He has been watching every performance via live stream. He is essentially our Big Brother, ironic because he wrote the operatic version of 1984. Plus, we are working with ridiculous circumstances. Musicians are out of commission left and right and we need to fill replacements at the last minute notice. New practice parts have to be scanned and printed on the daily, not just for concerts, but Chamber Cabarets before each concert and the weekend chamber and scenes concerts. Instruments have to be moved between rehearsal spaces and performance venues on the daily. Internet and Phone service are incredibly limited. But that is all made up for in talent and drive. 

After Maazel passes over the reins of this festival, it is up to the musicians, singers, directors, teachers, and conductors to make this festival worth while for the duration of its existence, which i hope will be a long one because Rappahannock County needs this festival like a dog needs a bone. I have total faith in the people who brought me here. And one day, I hope it will be able to stand on its own without Maazel. He started this project, and it is up to the people to keep it going. 

---This concludes the rant. We return to our original programming in the next post---

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Review: 92Y presents Lyrics and Lyricists- W.S. Gilbert And The Broadway He Inspired 1/13/13

On a rather foggy sunday, after deciphering subway transfers, I visited the 92Y. There, I attended a concert program which was the first in the 2013 Lyrics and Lyricists series. The subject: W.S. Gilbert and how his lyrics inspired hits from the great american songbook. The artistic director and pianist was Rob Fisher, best known as the music director for Tony Award winning revivals of Chicago, Hair, and Anything Goes. Sitting at the adjacent piano was Mr. Ian Axness, who also played percussion. The host was none other than famed lyricist Sheldon Harnick (Fiorello!, Fiddler on the Roof, The Apple Tree). Having been a guest of the series for many years, Mr. Harnick decided to showcase the comic and lyrical genius of Gilbert and Sullivan. The first act consisted of songs from the duo. The second half involved lyrics by Mr. Harnick and other lyricists who claimed they were inspired by Gilbert, including Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Lorenz Hart, and Ira Gershwin. There was also an excerpt from Sondheim, although he stated he never had inspiration from Gilbert.

The show began and ended with 'Hail, Poetry" from The Pirates of Penzance, sung beautifully by the 8 eight person ensemble. This four lead vocalists were Jason Danieley (Curtains), Jenn Gambatese (Tarzan, All Shook Up), David Garrison ( TV's Married with Children, Silence! The Musical), and Mary Testa (On the Town, 42nd Street, Xanadu). The other singers who joined in as an accompanying quartet were Ross Benoliel, Christine DiGiallonardo, Michael Marcotte, and Lindsay O'Neil.

In the first half, Sheldon Harnick spoke about Gilbert's life and the style of his writing and inspiration, even suggesting that Gilbert's mother was the inspiration of Katisha in The Mikado. He even quoted from Wikipedia, where all the Gilbert and Sullivan articles are edited by a Mr. Sam Simmons, who I and Mr. Harnick met after the show. Some highlights from this section are Mr. Garrison's rendition of The Nightmare Song from Iolanthe, Mr. Danieley singing the comedic "A Tenor, All Singers Above" from Utopia, Limited, Mr. Harnick singing from Yeoman of the Guard, and "Brightly Dawns our Wedding Day" from The Mikado sung by the quartet. Ms. Testa was also enjoyable singing "When Frederic Was a Little Lad" from Pirates and joining Mr. Garrison in "Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast" from The Mikado. Mrs. Gambatese also presented great talent singing "The Sun whose rays are all ablaze" from The Mikado.

The second half was no less entertaining than the first. Thanks to Sheldon Harnick, I am inspired by "The Suave Young Man in the Trench Coat" to be that man. Everybody brought out their comic prowess. Mr. Garrison and Ms. Testa, wearing an electrical tape mustache, sang a duet version of Noel Coward's "The Stately Homes of England". Ms. Testa returned to sing "Mr. and Mrs. Fitch" from Cole Porter's Gay Divorce, complete with cymbal crashes at mention of the B-word. Mrs. Gambatese shined in the hilarious "To Keep my Love Alive" from Rodgers and Hart's A Connecticut Yankee. Mr. Garrison brilliantly channeled Danny Kaye in "Tchaikovsky" by Gershwin and Weill, and singing all three witnesses with hilarious accents in Harnick's "Little Tin Box" from Fiorello!.

All in all, I am glad that a google search brought me to this concert. The $25 discount ticket was also a good incentive. That's the lucky thing about being under 35. But like most programs of this nature, I was among the few young people in a crowd of senior citizens. This did not hinder my enjoyment, minus when the couple next to me were talking while Mr. Harnick spoke. It upsets me though how people my age are really missing out on these great opportunities to meet great people that made our world great. My only other complaint was my seat, A101. It was right in front of Mr. Harnick's station, but large speakers at the foot of the stage blocked my view of Mr. Fisher's piano and some of the ensemble. Otherwise, I commend the 92Y on their great programming and hope people will attend the rest of the season to learn about other great Lyrics and Lyricists.