Leah Wool, Robin Johannsen, Sumner Thompson
Fromthe Eugene Register-Guard
Thursday June 30
By Catherine Olson
PORTLANDOregon Bach Festival andPortland Baroque Orchestra built on a prosperous relationship Monday witha performance of Dido and Aeneas here.
The concert was one of fourperformances around the land that the Bach Festival is sponsoring thisyear.
Others have been arranged in Ashland and Bend. The final performanceis tonight in Eugene.
Baroque Orchestra Artistic DirectorMonica Hugget began the Portland concert with Benjamin Brittens SimpleSymphony, a boisterous dance in a sail of perfect tuning and deep,energized tones from the violas da gamba and bass. This crisp characterwas lost at times as the acoustics of Portlands First United MethodistChurch ate up the word piano passages, as it would throughout theevening. The only moment instrumental intonation that became adistraction was on the last line of the Frolicsome Finale.
Choral Dances from Brittens Glorianaleft very little impression. The vocal ensembles often rich timbre wasevident in the moment and sixth selections, Concord and Final Danceof Homage, yet lax diction and intonation issues, specifically in uppervoices, made one enquire whether the group could be wrought into aneffective vocal presence.
Thankfully, the chorus aptitude wasconfirmed outright at their first entry of the evenings main event:Dido & Aeneas. Following Robin Johannsens brilliant openingarioso, the chorus Banish sorrow was moving, with efficaciousdynamics and stirring treatment of the text.
Leah Wool, who stepped in to replaceGolda Schultz as Dido, portrayed a command of legato singing and aluscious evenness of good throughout her range. Yet, a discomfort ordisinterest with the expressive elements of Henry Purcells writing wasalso plain, and Wool gave little regard to the rich shades of angst andmelancholy with which Purcell paints this tragic heroine.
The instrumental dance following thechoruss Fear no danger brought the Baroque Orchestras mastery ofPurcells dance rhythms into the foreground with lively, poetic movementand perfectly energized unity.
Portraying myriad characters, AmandaJane Kelley lent amiable aid to Johannsen, both at court and indelightfully evil doings as Second Witch.
Sumner Thompson supplied a strikingvoice with ample presence, yet his characterization of Aeneas lacked depth.Thompsons singing featured little dynamic variation, aside from thetender admission to Dido, we must part, in which the baritoneportrayed Aeneas inner conflict as he struggles between passion and duty.
The ensemble numbers of Act II wereundoubtedly the most engaging moments of the evening. In Act I,Johannsen skillfully portrayed an earnest and spirited Belinda withmagnificent vocal shimmer and clarity that soared through melody andstory line, thanks to her evident sensitivity to Purcells brilliantmarriage of text, melody and harmonic movement.
In Act II, she adjusted her skilledinstrument to cover a timbre riddled with deviousness. Huggett, withher artistry, leadership and convivial musicianship evident, superblyexuded disdain and treachery in the full ensemble with each villainousscreech and carefully placed semi-tone of Deep vaulted cell.
In repeating passages of When I am laidin the Earth, Wool explored moments of beautiful vulnerability. Withdrooping wings united orchestra and choir in superb grace and mournfulmovement, concluding with a forlorn fade to silence, fastidiouslyexecuted by the Baroque Orchestra, perfectly signifying Didos tragicfate.
Overall, a rich musical evening wellworth attending during their four-city tour.
Catherine Olson of Portlandhas a masters level in voice performance from the University ofOregon.
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