This was a brilliant production of the Pro Musica Live concert series. Kudos to all who participated, with a loud brava! to Cecelia Sharpe of WRCJ 90.9 FM for conducting a most enlightening interview with our singer, Soprano Angela Theis. I want to focus on the musical performance, of course, but the interview gave us so many insights into the early years that an artist must face and conquer.
Let us now focus on the performance. The program was so well thought-out! It was Timothy Cheek’s novel idea to start off the evening with three arias from Mozart’s “Nozze di Figaro,” (“The Marriage of Figaro”) but each aria sung by a different character, as they are all lyrical soprano roles, but of distinctly different ages: Barbarina, a girl in her very early teens, is an ingenue part. It was Angela’s Michigan Opera Theatre’s debut role. She sang the little aria about a lost pin. (Done, and Check!).
The Countess’s aria “Porgi Amor” started the Mozart part of the program. She sang that role at the Bayview Festival some years ago. That’s a role for a mature soprano, and Angela gave us a beautiful rendition that will, no doubt, get even better over time. (Not done yet, and partial Check!)
And then, there is Suzanna, at present the perfect fit for Angela Theis! Right age, right temperament. She sang this part for Toledo Opera. Brava, Angela, for “De vieni non tardar” from Act IV.
(Done, and keep doing it: Check! Check!, Check!!) Perfection!
Dear reader, please know that Suzanna is the longest soprano role in all of opera – longer than Isolde, Brunnhilde, and Norma. Mozart asked a great deal of his vocalists, made clear through the many recitatives, with all those words and all those notes.
From all those words, Ms. Theis turned to the “Vocalise” by Rachmaninoff, which has no words at all. Just glorious sounds, reveling in the ability – and revealing the capability – of what one human voice can do and produce when given this freedom. The human voice is always a musical instrument, but rarely is that so evident as in the Vocalise.
The head cavity is the perfect soundboard and reflects the passions of the vocalist. It was obvious that Angela felt that she was in another world and took all of us with her.
Three Spirituals arranged by Hall Johnson, Norah Duncan, and Moses Hogan were next on the special concert program. Angela was first persuaded to try Spirituals by one of her voice teachers, Dr. Norah Duncan of Wayne State University. First on this set was “Ride on King Jesus!” — Hall Johnson’s superb arrangement. This had received a standard-setting performance under James Levine years ago by either Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle, both of whom wowed audiences with its power. Well, so did Angela wow me! “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” was next. I wish for Norah Duncan to be part of the Pro Musica audience when Angela melts the hearts of us listeners at an in-person live performance of this moving arrangement.
“Orchestra SONO” provided the setting for Moses Hogan’s beautiful “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (performed at St. Regis Church, if I’m not mistaken).
Oh, that was so good! Angela never succumbs to the temptation of a “show-off” final high note, showing an understanding of what music truly represents.
A spiritual that is not a spiritual but a Czech melody by Antonin Dvorak used as the Largo in his “Symphony from the New World” – “Goin’ Home” (adopted as a spiritual!) was a deeply moving, heart-felt expression by Ms.Theis. And such a sensitive piano arrangement by William Arms Fisher.
A great measure of thanks and appreciation go to Professor Timothy Cheek of the University of Michigan, who accompanied Ms. Theis. His great artistry on the piano was so very poignant. It needs at least a half-minute of silence for meditation when the piece was completed and its final echoes continued to impress upon our hearts and minds.
Lavishing praise on such local musical icons as Norah Duncan and the late David DiChiera, who begged Ms. Theis to return to Detroit after spending years away, for her to sing his songs. Angela came back home. And she loves the vibrancy and diversity of the area, and plans to stay. But she also professed he love for Austria and thus she sang the title song from “The Sound of Music” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Musical Theater is one of her passions, and she would so much like to be Sister Maria! Yes, I can imagine her in that character, as many viewers who enjoyed the Pro Musica Live presentation.
The perfect ending for this recital just absolutely had to be arias by Giacomo Puccini.
Just as she began with three Mozart arias, she concluded with three from the irresistible Puccini: the unavoidable “O mio Babbino caro” from “Gianni Schicchi,” the under-appreciated “Chi il sogno di Doretta” from the unloved “La Rondine,” and, in between, the tear-inducing “Donde lieta” from “La Boheme,” so exquisitly sung by Ms Theis. Really one of the highlights of this evening, which was full of highlights.
Thanks to everyone who made this evening with Pro Musica Live possible. In this season of darkness in so many ways, this was a bright and joyful light!!
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