The Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra
Handel's Giulio Cesare
Dominion Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street, Ottawa
Friday, April 27, 2012
Last night, the Thirteen Strings presented their most ambitious program it has ever produced in its nearly 40-year history. With 8 singers, a stage director, stage manager, and an enlarged orchestra, the ensemble performed a semi-staged version of Handel's Giulio Cesare. No doubt one of its better performances in recent memory, however the opera was an excellent example of baroque music performance during the 1980s.
A great display of young Canadian singing talent, the bunch predominantly came from the modern classical tradition. The vibrato of Caesar, Cleopatra and Cornelia in use throughout the opera became tiring at times and starkly contrasted its little use by the strings accompanying them. Interestingly, in Caesar's aria 'How silently, how slyly..." Ms. Yemen (Caesar) was almost entirely drowned out by the French Horn which she stood beside most of the way through. All that could be made out from the balcony nearest her was her ever-pulsating vibrato.
The star of the evening came in the form of Daniel Cabena (Tolomeo), who shone in his humorous character and the flexible style in which he sung, melding chest voice and falsetto into his lines effortlessly.
The modern instruments performed well stylistically, but some ornaments were muddled in execution. A rather odd beginning to the performance, a cello attempted to accompany the first recitative and, after much difficulty, promptly dropped out for the rest of the opera.
A much-needed production for the city, the opera was, sadly, full of compromises. The Thirteen Strings itself was born out of a want to explore baroque music, though without the baroque instruments other orchestras, such as Tafelmusik, were introducing to North America. One of the few orchestras who seem to operate in this manner, the only other orchestra which comes to mind is Quebec's Les Violons du Roy who, unsurprisingly, are of a similar vintage.
The most concerning part of the evening came in the introductory words by Rob Clipperton. Clipperton noted that the opera was an expensive venture for the orchestra, as attested to in recent pamphlets asking for donations of up to $1000 from individuals, and thanked those who did make a private donation quoting Kevin Mallon who, reportedly, said "people should get off their fat arses and support art." The quote was followed by cheers of "here, here!" from the 400-strong audience overwhelmingly made up of over-60s.
Though it is common to read the term 'silver sea' in classical music discussions, I feel that it is necessary to mention that there may have been 20 people in the audience below 40 years old. If noone pays attention to this fact, there will soon be no more arses left to support art, especially with the high rate of obesity in Canada.
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ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Burn,
ReplyDeleteI am writing to tell you that I take offense by your review of the Thirteen Strings concert of Giulio Cesare.
1/You wiite: “No doubt one of its better performances in recent memory”—Really? When was the last time you heard the orchestra? This is my second year of performances with the orchestra and there have been exceptional concerts—if you feel in a position to make a comparison of Giulio Cesare to these other concerts, maybe you could tell us how many of the concerts you have been to.
2/ You say:
“however the opera was an excellent example of baroque music performance during the 1980s”.
By way of explanation you simply mention Tafelmusik and tell us of the existence of Les Violons. Yes, Taflemusik is a period instrument orchestra. (I was a member if this orchestra for ten years.) Are you saying that the only people who should perform baroque music is a baroque orchestra? If so, especially in Canada, one needs to tread carefully lest the ghost of Glenn Gould bites one in the ass. Clearly the Thirteen Strings is a modern chamber orchestra, which covers all repertoire—and so there is a compromise, these are modern instruments that as you say play baroque music stylistically. But I see no explanation of 1980’s performance style……
3/ “A rather odd beginning to the performance, a cello attempted to accompany the first recitative and, after much difficulty, promptly dropped out for the rest of the opera”.
What in the name of God are you talking about? We rehearsed all week only with the harpsichord and at no moment did our first cellist, “after much difficulty, promptly drop out for the rest of the opera. “ How dare you make such a statement and cast a fine musician in the role of an incompetent. What’s more it makes it seem that the recitative was thereafter somehow disorganized, when in fact, it was played superbly by harpsichordist Marie Bouchard. How better it would have been for you to make this point instead of insulting our cellist.
4/ You mention the vibrato of the singers—never mentioning their good points, especially the fact that Jillian Yemen, singing Cesare has one the fasted coloratura for baroque runs I have ever heard. Oh, and by the way, when singers project and make more sound the voice naturally vibrates—I challenge you to listen to the recording of Christie or Gardiner and hear any less.
5/ Last but definitely not least you regret that there were so few young people and remark that the audience was a “silver sea.” I am furious with this! You are so arrogant and insulting to older people, who are the back- bone of the concert attending audience. I read in one of your own commentaries how you lamented that so few people came to one of your own concerts. I’m sure you would have been glad to see a few of these silver hairs, then. Sure we want younger people to come to concerts but that can’t be at the expense of our older and loyal patrons.
You are young and arrogant and offensive. I have been around in this game a long time. I have been concert- master for Gardiner and Christie. My credentials speak for themselves. You would do better to not make my work target for your foolish words. I stand by my work—who are you, what have you achieved—what right have you to cast stones? When can we see your performance of Giulio Cesare? I’m so sick of people sitting in their armchair pulling down other people’s efforts. Please tell me when your next concert is - I am in Ottawa frequently. I will gladly go and then write publicly about its shortcomings. How would that make you feel?
Kevin Mallon
Music Director,
Thirteen Strings
Aradia Ensemble
West Side Chamber Orchestra (New York)
hear hear
DeleteAlas, another critic in the mold of Addison DeWitt - but without the wit.
DeleteWell stated Maestro. If the author of this review dares to make such sweeping statements - at the expense of hours of preparation, years of toil, and decades of study, then by all means - we should demand that they back up their all-too-destructive criticism.
ReplyDelete"Ever-pulsating vibrato"- sounds like healthy singing to me!
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's any controversy with what he said. The only part that stuck out to me was the final paragraph - orchestras do a horrible job with community outreach. They're doing it all wrong.
ReplyDeleteI can't comment on the accuracy of the review, nor will I, but I have to agree with you in regards to community outreach; and it's not just orchestras, it's basically anything classical. I'm now 25 and I grew up singing classical music and competing, I've been a member of a number of choirs, some professionally, and I find the classical community difficult and often times puritanical(in terms of its demeanor). If that's how I feel, how must someone with no prior experience or interest feel?
DeleteI don't necessarily have a solution to this, but I think it would be helpful if everyone took themselves a little less seriously.
Here's my response to this controversy ... www.colineatock.com/eatock-daily-blog.html
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