June LeBell

Originally published in The Observer
Date: March 20, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

The Sarasota Orchestra’s Masterworks concert this past weekend was titled “Made in America” and featured a quartet of pieces that, in one way or another, represented American culture. Fittingly, it featured an American guest conductor, Andrew Grams, who is probably — of all the guest conductors who’ve come to Sarasota in the past several years — the most technically gifted.

Interestingly, Grams is an extremely European conductor. Perhaps his work with the Cleveland Orchestra — probably the most European of all the major American symphonic ensembles — has trained him to take a more conservative approach to his conducting. Whatever it is, it serves him well except for the moments when his excellent technique stands in the way of his emotions.

Technique seemed at the forefront in the program’s first two works, starting with a charming piece called the “Tamiami Sinfonietta.” This four-movement work was composed by children from four area elementary schools who came up with inventive, catchy and fascinatingly American melodies, which Greg Smith (not to be confused with Gregg Smith, the choral conductor/composer) scored. Each movement had its own flavor ranging from a minor-key march to a jazzy, syncopated finale (with a lot of John Williams-like harmonies) and the orchestra, under Grams, gave the work a serious but exciting treatment.

Irving Fine, whose fun choruses from “Alice in Wonderland” Gloria Musicae performed a few years ago, wrote in the first half of the 20th century, turning out symphonic, chamber and vocal music that is very much of its time and place. His “Toccata concertante,” written in 1947, has an early 20th-century American sound and combines tonality with jazz, open fourths and fifths, lots of percussion and complex rhythms that make it accessible, yet interesting. Grams and the orchestra gave it a texturally layered performance that was precise but colorful.

The Piano Concerto in F was a relatively early George Gershwin work, in which the young composer hadn’t yet had the classical training he would have in the later years of his short life. Some say he was trying to prove he could write a serious classical piece and, as intricate and difficult as it may be to play, it is a fine example of American ingenuity combined with traditional European musical practices.

That’s exactly the reading it received by the orchestra with Grams and pianist William Wolfram. The first movement was particularly serious, with every note in place but a certain lack of soul. The adagio and finale, however, picked up a spark, and Wolfram’s own faultless technique carried with it some beautiful colors while Grams brought out the vast dynamic range of the orchestra, especially from the brass section.

Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” gave Grams an opportunity to feel more at home. Here, the composer’s take on American life, weaving folk songs and traditional American rhythms and melodies into a European fabric, brought the admirable musicianship of the individual Sarasota Orchestra musicians to the forefront, and there was no lack of soul this time around. Grams gave it an impassioned, gorgeous performance, highlighted by exquisite playing from all the instrumentalists, particularly the English horn solo in the slow movement, the unrivaled artistry of the French horn solos and the sensitive clarinet and cello duet in the finale.

Grams has musicianship and technique to burn. I look forward to a time when he unleashes the passion that seems simmering beneath the polish. When he does that, he’ll be at the top of the conducting pool in this country.

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: March 13, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

“Of Mice and Men,” an opera of emotionally epic proportions written so economically not one note or word lacks meaning, opened this weekend for the first time at Sarasota Opera. Carlisle Floyd, one of America’s greatest living opera composers, has taken the classic Steinbeck story and given it, through his music, color, pathos and despair, that which has turned it into the great American tragedy that reaches into your heart, squeezes it and, finally, rips it from your chest.

In producing this, Sarasota Opera — the third in its American Classics series — has given us a cast that so embodies this work, you forget they’re singing and acting. Rather, you grow to empathize with the piteous people on stage to the point they become your relatives, your friends, your family; people you grew up with; people you know; people you’ve seen; people you hope you’re not but know, deep down, you could be.
George Milton (Sean Anderson) is a big-hearted man of America, a wanderer and worker who dreams of a better life and, along the way to reaching that vision, takes on the care of Lennie Small (Michael Hendrick) who is also searching for a better way. But Lennie is what our grandparents might have called “not quite right.” A big man with a small aptitude, his aspirations are simple: friendship, a home and some small, soft things he can stroke and pet. The problem is, Lennie doesn’t know his own strength and sometimes, when he’s simply trying to be gentle, breaks and kills things, from small animals to hands and necks.

Hendrick, a last-minute replacement for the tenor originally slated to sing Lennie, has made this role his own by slipping into the skin of this lovable but dangerous galoot with such a tight fit, vocally and emotionally, it’s hard to think of him as anyone else. Hendrick, who’s sung everything from Bacchus in “Ariadne” at the Met to Parsifal with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, has a soaring tenor voice that seems endless in range, color and depth. Yet, his acting is so skilled, his characterization so complete, you forget he’s singing; with remarkable enunciation and body language, he totally personifies Lennie.

Anderson also embodies the part of George, singing the role with a sturdy, flexible, strong baritone that never strains and always personifies this kind-hearted, trustworthy man of the rails and roadhouses.

There’s only one woman in this opera, and she’s such a tart, so much the flirt, so sordidly self-centered, she doesn’t have a name. She is, simply, Curley’s Wife. Played with astounding dynamism by studio artist Chelsea Basler, her soprano cajoles, trifles, seduces and dallies with the enormous range of notes and emotions Floyd has given her, making her the villain in a dress, the demise of dreams.

Curley, sung with finesse by Studio Artist Jon Jurgens, is the angriest man on stage, always furious and always picking fights.

Carlson (Marvin Kehler) and the Ballad Singer (Jason Winfield) — both studio artists — make strong impressions in their roles. And Slim (Matthew Hanscom) becomes the shining light of understanding and strength with characterization and vocalism to match, while Andrew Gangestad, as Candy, uses his powerful bass to personify an old man who’s not too elderly to have a dream of his own.

Michael Unger has taken this beautifully constructed opera and turned it into a brilliant piece of theater. Singers are allowed to soar but, through Unger’s intelligent and poignant direction, they use their singing voices to embody their characters. David Neely, the conductor, brings out every important nuance and sound from the excellent orchestra while permitting the singers the freedom to act with their voices and bodies.

The scenic design, adapted from a production by the renowned John Conklin, has interior sets — barns and bunkhouses — so real you can almost smell the timber. And, as always, Howard Tsvi Kaplan’s costumes and Ken Yunker’s lighting set the tone for the era with care and ingenuity.

Kudos must also be given to Pede the dog, who seems born to his role on stage. Pede gets our Golden Biscuit Award for best four-footed performer.

“Of Mice and Men” is a true American verismo opera. Lyric and often tonal, Floyd has used his music to underscore this great American tragedy with a theatrical genius reminiscent of another great composer of the theater, Puccini. It’s not an easy story but, then, neither is “Madama Butterfly” or “Turandot.” Raw emotion fairly swims through every note; it’s even evident in the silences. Floyd works with tension, and he has us riveted as we wait for the inevitable gunshot and snap of a neck. And, from the prolonged (and deserved) cheers and ovations at the end of this production, it’s made converts of many who never thought they’d salute a 20th-century opera.

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: March 13, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

+ Darwin’s Wins Big at Tampa Bay Beer Week
Darwin’s on 4th, one of my favorite restaurants for great food and ambience, is also known as the Darwin Brewing Co. and it just won 13 medals at the Tampa Bay Beer Week, as well as second runner-up overall for “Best Beer in Florida” for 2013.

Brewmaster Jared Barnes has developed his recipes to match Chef Darwin’s special Peruvian flavors, so you’ll find rather unusual ingredients such as quinoa, cacao nibs and aji charapita peppers in his brews.
If craft beers are new to you, Darwin’s is offering “First Friday Firkins” at 5:30 p.m. with a special release firkin (a barrel of beer that’s one-fourth the size of a regular barrel) for just $3 a glass until the firkin kicks the bucket (or barrel).

+ Kazu’s 2.0 is Celebrating Sake, Sushi and … Craft Beer
Kazu’s 2.0, at 6566 Gateway Ave., gets started early every day with 36 new craft beers to accompany the Sushi Happy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. With the logo “Eat, Drink and Evolve,” Kazu’s 2.0 is rebranding itself as a destination for glisteningly fresh sushi and a variety of craft beers. And, taking it one step further, it’s presenting a rotating list of sake cocktails to pair with the food.

+ Fleming’s Raises the Bar on New Cocktail and Food Menu
Russell Skall, Fleming’s executive chef, recently came out with a quartet of menu items that include an appetizer of pan-crisped pork belly with goat cheese grits, a small plate of braised short ribs, a burrata salad and a broiled Pacific swordfish entrée.

And Maeve Pesquera, Fleming’s director of wine, has refreshed the cocktail menu with a bunch of new recipes and fresh ingredient mixers for six brand-new cocktails. “There is a new ‘cocktail generation’ of guests coming to Fleming’s,” says Pesquera. “No longer is it good enough just to shake a good martini. We are making a commitment to have the Fleming’s Bar become a destination for our guests.”

+ Beach Bistro eyes Another Important Award
Peter Arpke, who wears many toques as the innovative head chef at Beach Bistro and the executive chef for all three Eat Here restaurants, has been nominated for “Best Chef of the South” by the James Beard Foundation. We’ll keep you posted …

EXECUTIVE CHEF DWAYNE EDWARDS MAKES IT BIG IN THE BIG APPLE
The last few years I spent living in New York City, I was a proud (and well-fed) member of the James Beard Foundation and spent many a happy lunch and dinner in the beautiful James Beard House in the West Village, sampling the cooking of some of the greatest chefs in the world who’d been invited to present their finest in the legendary chef’s kitchen.

Dwayne Edwards, the executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, brought a five-course dinner — plus hors d’oeuvres and dessert — to the Beard House just last week and, with it, he brought a singular taste of Sarasota that lucky New Yorkers and their guests will remember for years. Calling it “Coastal Cuisine,” Edwards and his culinary team dazzled diners with a menu that included Mote marine caviar, fried Southern oysters with Cajun remoulade and pickled shallots, Gulf flounder fagioli and “My Mother’s garden pork.”

“It was an amazing and humbling opportunity to be in the James Beard’s House and cook in his kitchen,” Edwards told us in an exclusive interview for the Observer. “I can’t help but think of all the great chefs who have and will cook in that kitchen. I felt inspired the minute I walked in the house.”

“Did you feel their spirits?” we asked. “My fryer did turn itself off in the middle of service,” he chortled but added, “it’s a cozy kitchen but certainly user-friendly.”

We wondered what makes the “Gulf Coast cuisine” he brought to the Beard House different from food we might get in the Florida Panhandle or even New Orleans. After all, they’re all on the Gulf Coast, too.

“Sarasota is a unique area of Florida, and I believe our access to local farms and fishermen gives us the ability to create exclusive meals,” he said. “Jack Dusty’s cioppino is a great example. Obviously a dish from San Francisco Italian fishermen, we make it with local black grouper, Pine Island shrimp and other local items. And My Mother’s garden pork is from a Sarasota local farm called ‘My Mother’s Farm’ that grows beautiful produce and raises pigs that are allowed to free-range graze on acorns and grass, giving the meat an amazing flavor.”

The menu, which you can see in the photo gallery, looks too good for a one-night stand. Fortunately, Edwards is considering recreating it in Sarasota. That’s not set in stone, yet, but he did tell us, “I’d absolutely love” to do that, “and we’re talking about it. We’re thinking of doing it on Beard’s birthday.”

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: March 6, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

In the 11 years I’ve lived here, I’ve come to regard the Sarasota Orchestra as one of the finest instrumental ensembles I’ve heard. Young, vibrant, vigorous and highly musical, it is — as they say in the business — a great band. This weekend, my estimate of its members rose even higher as they, miraculously, pulled one of the most poorly conducted concerts I’ve ever witnessed out of a bag like a bunch of magic rabbits.

Alessandro Siciliani, who used to be the conductor of the Columbus (Ohio) Symphony, has a bio that reads a bit like a travelogue but doesn’t put him in one place more than one or two times. Some of his past reviews don’t read much better. Still, one would think he’d be able to lead an excellent ensemble and give a credible reading of two works familiar to him: Martucci’s “Notturno” and Verdi’s Sinfonia from “Aida,” as well as the Beethoven Symphony No. 9, a work all too familiar to most audiences. Not so.

Attending one of this past weekend’s performances was a perfect lesson in what a conductor does. A good ensemble — and the Sarasota Orchestra is more than just good — can play all the notes and, with a little help from the concertmaster, start and stop together. What the conductor does is mold, shape and give insight into the music. The conductor guides the musicians so the notes on the page become alive with his or her interpretation of what the composer meant. The conductor must, at times, be a good traffic cop, making sure wrecks don’t occur at awkward moments when the composer has written a fermata, asking that a note be held, or a ritardando that slows things down a bit.

In the Martucci, a pretty piece that sounds like an Italian take on Mahler’s famous Adagietto, there was little focus. Although Siciliani managed to hold things together at an uncannily slow pace, it was just a blur of meanderings, like a Delius work gone amok. The Verdi was equally muddy except that the opening pianissimo portion for strings was played beautifully by the violins, and the solo clarinet soared in the hands of principal Bharat Chandra.

The Beethoven, however, received a reading that, because of the conductor, almost fell apart several times. Cues, if decipherable, were sometimes afterthoughts. There was no focus, no sense of interpretation and no real understanding of the massive work. The excellent Festival Chorus, which Joseph Holt had thankfully well-trained, was hung out to dry without a word mouthed or even a nod of the head to bring them in or cut them off.

The solo quartet, placed by Siciliani for unknown reasons behind the orchestra, managed to make itself heard: soprano Heather Spence, who has a voice that could etch glass sharply but is perfect for the Ninth Symphony; Gabriela Garcia, who had the unenviable task of singing the alto solos, which are almost inaudible no matter who sings them; Yeghishe Manucharyan, an excellent tenor; and Mikhail Svetlov, a rather wooly bass.

Singers and instrumentalists were all heroic because Siciliani’s grand display of gymnastics and gyrations served to distract rather than help. Having this encounter is painful, for the musicians as well as the audience. But it can also be a great learning experience, and I’m proud of the Sarasota Orchestra and Festival Chorus for having come through as well as they did. If they can do this, they can do anything.

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: March 6, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

What a difference a year makes. In 1840, Giuseppe Verdi’s wife and, two children died and then, “Un giorno di regno” (“A King for a Day’) came along and everyone hated it. Not the best of times. Everything, from the singers on stage to the gods in the heavens, seemed to be conspiring against Verdi.

Now, I wasn’t there, but my guess, based on the joyful music and the splendid current production at Sarasota Opera, is that Verdi didn’t have the right cast 173 years ago. His singers were expecting “Un giorno” to be a serious story, and they were probably serious singers without a funny bone in their bodies. They were probably miffed they weren’t singing “contemporary” Verdi, but, rather a Verdi who was looking back at the music theater of Rossini and Donizetti. So, they didn’t give the work the performance it deserved, and “A King for a Day” became a flop for the times.

That’s not so with the new production at Sarasota Opera. In the elastically humorous hands of director Martha Collins, this cast has made “A King for a Day” a hit for the season.

The story, based on the comedy, “Le Faux Stanislas,” (The False Stanislaw) by Alexander Duval, has all the wit, eccentricity and hilarity of a really good farce. The King of Poland, Stanislaw, has asked the Cavaliere of Belfiore to take his place for what turns out to be a day while he tends to business in Poland. The false king visits the castle of the Baron of Kelbar whose friends are kowtowing and bowing to the “king,” trying to win his favor. There are a couple of love trapezoids (far more entangling than the simple triangles), a nest of two-faced, slightly dim-witted counts and squires out to get what they can, even if it means selling off daughters and lovers like a pound of lox at Zabars. And there’s the false king who knows he may never have the power that’s suddenly been thrust upon him and, with his penchant for meddling in the love lives of others, manages to contort, manipulate and alter the future of every individual in the court, mostly for the better.

Corey Crider, as the king for a day, is a warm, believable poseur who searches beneath the outer crustiness of power and comes up with a fun-loving, attractive character. Crider, a baritone who seems able to do almost anything with his voice, beautifully embodies the Cavaliere and is able to play with the audience, as well as his colleagues on stage.

That playfulness seems to embody everyone on stage thanks to Collins’ understated but immensely funny staging. This slightly incestuous court (everyone seems related to everyone else), in Collins’ hands, isn’t a group of singers but, rather, a set of evolving individuals who entertain and delight each other, as well as the audience.

Jennifer Feinstein, as the Marchesa of Poggio, who is really the Cavaliere’s lover but isn’t quite sure if she’s seeing her real fiancé or just his face on the body of the King of Poland, is believably befuddled by all the flummoxing. A mezzo of enormous range and flexibility, her Marchesa is an attractive, smart woman who turns perplexing circumstances to her own advantage.

Danielle Walker, our Giulietta, who is almost married off to the wrong man, is a charming, beautiful young soprano with a lyric voice that carries well over the footlights and has a demeanor reminiscent of Beverly Sills in her energetic hey-day.

Stefano de Peppo, her father, the Baron, and Kevin Short, Signor La Rocca, are hilarious as the social-climbing duo who threaten, cajole and coax each other into what could be ruination, were it not for the false king’s commitment to set the world straight in 24 hours. Short, particularly, has a wonderful proclivity for comedy and, by not over-acting or over-singing, almost stole the show.

Finally, Hak Soo Kim’s light but far-reaching tenor turned Edoardo, the young officer in love with Giulietta, into a prince-of-a-person and singer.

Jeffrey W. Dean did miraculous things with scenery that seemed plucked out of a late Ingres or early Monet painting. Each set, from the halls of the castle to the gardens outside, were works of art, which Ken Yunker brilliantly set.

The orchestra, under Victor DeRenzi, was extraordinary. It sounded stylish and offered just the right kind of support for the excellent soloists and chorus on stage. But, why didn’t that excellent chorus get a curtain call? They do so well, sound so good and add so much character but never get the deserved praise.

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: February 27, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

The Great Performer Series, formerly known as the Sarasota Concert Association, presented the Vienna Boys Choir recently at the Van Wezel, and the evening showed us how when art becomes frozen in time, standards and quality can slip.

The Hapsburgs created this illustrious group as a private choir until 1918, when it went, so to speak, public. Since then, these talented young boys have been touring the world, and these days the 100 members of the group give about 300 concerts a year in four different touring ensembles. Unfortunately, the group that arrived in Sarasota was either the fourth in ascendance or this formerly grand ensemble has let its standards slide.

This is not to say the boys aren’t talented. They seem to be excellent musicians with fine young voices, and I’m sure their school gives them some excellent training. The kids are not to be blamed. They didn’t do the programming — which spoke down to our audience — and, although I’m sure they fairly ooze talent on their own, they can do just so much without inspired leadership.

Throughout the program, from Buxtehude to insipid arrangements of Broadway and movie Americana, they looked positively bored, scratching, swaying and looking as if they wanted to be anywhere but where they were. Their mood was infectious, and more than a third of the audience left at intermission.

In the first half, the music was more of what we expected, although it was sung sloppily with little attention paid to pitch, entrances or diction. We heard a trio of early church works by Buxtehude, Gallus and Caldara that was pleasantly but blandly performed. Their “Simply Classical/Choral Classics” section was probably the best on the program, featuring a lovely setting by Heinrich Werner of Goethe’s “Heidenroeslein.” Made famous in the Schubert setting, this was a fetching change of pace. Also in this group was the German setting of “Lift Thine Eyes” from Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” which had some intonation problems but was more together than some of the other pieces. The first half ended with the youngsters singing the opening measures from Orff’s “Carmina burana.” Written for adults, “O Fortuna” actually worked well with the kids (who usually don’t make an appearance until much later in the score) and was clean and crisp.
From then on, it was all downhill, as if the choirmaster, Oliver Stech (or whoever did the programming), thought Floridians wouldn’t know the difference. From the group of international folk songs through the film music (including a sloppy, in rhythm and pitch, performance of a piece from “Sister Act” that was so unstylistic it was almost laughable), the program was interminable. Even the three Johann Strauss Jr. pieces were spiritless and dreary. Perhaps the kids were worn out by then. Adolescent lackluster ran amok, but I still don’t blame the youngsters.

I blame the leaders of this once-inspiring ensemble for turning them from angels to automatons. Talented kids cannot be humdrum on their own. It takes dreary teachers. It takes a lack of discipline and an attitude of “phoning it in” and underestimating their audiences to turn talented youngsters into robots. How disappointing and what a shame!

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: February 27, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

+ Made Makes a Splash
Made is the sparkling new restaurant at 1990 Main Street. Moving into the space that was occupied for a while by Brasserie Belge, Made — which stands for Modern American Delicious Eats — has changed both the look and the menu. No mere appetizers for Made. The restaurant makes them into a more contemporary “apps” with small plates of grilled corn dogs, wings, ribs, crispy duck empanadas, fried tomatoes and mussels in a spicy chorizo broth with grilled bread. There are soups and salads, heartier entrées from short ribs to burgers, and some ingenious sandwiches including a “BLFT” — that features the usual BLT plus a fried heirloom tomato, for an extra lilt.

Made is a family owned and operated restaurant by Mark D. Woodruff and Michael Ripatranzone. Mark used to work at Two Senoritas but, in 2007, he graduated from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and now he’s back in Sarasota. With that kind of training and Michael behind the bar, American-inspired Made should make a lot of people happy.

+ Clasico is a New Classic
The corner of Palm and Main has struggled with its identity. It’s gone from bookstore to cafe; and bookstore to Apple computer outlet and cafe; to, well, your guess is as good as mine. Finally, a classic restaurant has moved into the space and, according to owner Pablo Castro, “We named it Clasico because it is a classic corner space, where Palm and Main converge, where friends meet to discuss love and life and politics and watch people go by.

“It’s like a Spanish Tasca,” he explains. “It’s your hangout where you disconnect from life and reconnect with friends. Our service philosophy is casual, no stress.”

Pablo’s hometown is Buenos Aires, but Clasico’s cuisine, prepared by Chef Geoff Reyes, is contemporary American. Locally, you’ll remember Pablo from Uva Rara, the beautiful restaurant that used to be in Burns Court, and the great Selva Grill (right down the street from Clasico), where Pablo was a co-founder and co-owner for four years. Eventually, Clasico will serve its meals “city-style,” where customers order at the counter and their food is delivered to them. They’ll be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a late-night menu after 10 p.m.

+ Eat At Home With Elegant Fare and Little Fuss
Another pretty new face downtown is As Good As It Gets, an elegant gourmet shop at 49 South Palm. Douglas Gourley opened this charming food boutique on Sept. 7, and he’s rightfully proud of the 40 different European cheeses they carry.

“We have cheese from France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, England, Holland and Spain,” he told us, rattling off the countries like a travel agent touting a high-end European tour. There’s also a magnificent array of Scottish smoked salmon, four kinds of prosciutto, luscious foie Gras, and a white balsamic vinegar so sweet and smooth you might drink it for dessert.

If you’re a tea drinker, you’ll go crazy with their varieties from the great Tea Forte company and their beautiful pyramid-shaped silken tea bags or, if you prefer, canisters of loose leaf teas. There are rum cakes and champagnes and caviars, including the one from Sarasota’s own Mote Marine. (We had some the other night with iced vodka and were thrilled with its texture and taste.)

Douglas has a wonderful story to tell about his transition from work at 3M and living abroad to coming to Sarasota and becoming a “purveyor of extraordinary delicacies.” Ask him the next time you drop by.

+ Looking Back at the Sixth Annual Forks & Corks
The recent four-day culinary and wine celebration that brought celebrated chefs and vintners together with the public and, in the process, raised funds for the Ringling Museum and other non-profits, has some fun facts to share with us. Ready? During the festival …

18 visiting winemakers were guest panelists on three different educational seminars.
680 guests attended the winemaker events and dinners.

38 different winemakers from around the world were guests of honor at these events.

More than 700 people attended the public tastings and more than 1400 bottles of wine were sold.

At the “Grand Tasting,” 400 tickets were sold in the first 10 minutes of ticket sales.

All tickets were sold out in under four hours, and all VIP tickets went within an hour.

More than 48,000 samples of food were prepared and served at the Grand Tasting.

More than $100,000 in wine sales were recorded over the Forks & Corks weekend.

$12,000 was raised at the silent auction for the American Red Cross.

72.5% of ticket purchasers reside in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

+ Looking Ahead to a Wine Walk
You’ll have a chance to stroll the grounds of the Ringling Museum 6 to 11 p.m. March 15 and enjoy pairings of wines, food and entertainment from around the world. You can taste your way from Argentina to California to Italy, while enjoying Mabel’s Rose Garden and the glorious and elegant Ca’ D’Zan while sipping wines and tasting foods prepared by Treviso Restaurant.

There’s even a VIP area with special cuisine, distinctive blends and dedicated service staff on the Ca’ d’Zan terrace overlooking Sarasota Bay.

Tickets range from $110 (for Museum members) and $125 to $185 for the VIP section. For more information, call 941-360-7399 or go online to ringlingmuseum.org.

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: February 20, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

”The Pearl Fishers,” written by Bizet when he was almost 25, is the 19th century’s answer to what would become silent movies: not much plot, lots of histrionics and a definite demand on audiences to suspend their disbelief. In a nutshell, it’s the story of two men, Zurga and Nadir, who were best friends as children but who split up because they both fell in love with the same “mysterious” woman. Nadir, a hunter who was formerly a fisherman but left the village, returns and meets Zurga, who has become the chief of the pearl fishers. They pledge an everlasting friendship that will never again allow a woman to come between them.

Leila, that woman, is now a priestess and she, too, has taken a vow to keep her face hidden, sing and pray for the village and never, ever to fall in love with a man. Of course, she fell in love with Nadir some years ago; but she fails to mention that to the High Priest, Nourabad, or to Zurga, who tells her she’ll die a terrible death if she breaks her vows. Not only that, but Leila, as a child, saved Zurga’s life, but she was so young at the time. She doesn’t recognize him and he, of course (hey, this is opera), doesn’t recognize her. Nadir and Leila find each other, can’t resist temptation, are caught and, through a series of implausible but very operatic twists and turns, meet their fate, as does Zurga.

Confused? Confounded? It doesn’t matter because Bizet’s music is so glorious, so ear-catching and opulent, the characters could be reciting the alphabet and we wouldn’t care.

Unfortunately, in the hands of stage director and choreographer Keturah Stickann, in her Sarasota Opera debut, the characters never have a chance to plow whatever depths there may be. She has them sing their loving lines to the audience, only turning to each other when they’ve finished a phrase. She has whatever facial or body emotion they portray played to the wings so we can’t really see it. She has a group of dancers upstaging the chorus. And she has the chorus (and everyone else) so stilted and stylized, the opera might as well be an oratorio. There are also occasional incomprehensible things such as group hugs on both sides of the stage that look like football huddles or the final episode of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” In other words, much of the staging was inexplicable and perplexing.

The singers, however, were content to leave their acting to the music and, by doing so, left us, for the most part, musically and vocally satisfied.

Zurga, sung by baritone Lee Poulis, was vocally strong and resilient. His character may change his mind more quickly than a politician running for office but his voice was always there — robust, solid and compelling.

Heath Huberg, who sang Cassio in last season’s “Otello,” has a light, but pleasing, voice that runs into a little trouble when he tries to push it beyond its present capabilities. He and Poulis did an admirable job with the well-known duet, “Au font du temple saint,” but he had vocal problems trying to sing his aria, “Je crois entendre encore,” which calls for great maturity and finesse in the upper, softer portions of the voice.

Asako Tamura, heard here last as Madama Butterfly, has a beautiful, rich voice with point and passion so, although her movements may have been restricted, her singing was not. It soared over the footlights and conveyed the emotion and passion Bizet wrote into his score. Her aria, “Comme autre fois,” (which is so close in style and writing to the one Bizet later gave Micaela in “Carmen” — French horn and all), was quite splendid.

Andrew Gangestad, as Nourabad, the High Priest, was — as always — stalwart and sturdy.

The Sarasota Opera Orchestra is a grand group and played the score musically and beautifully, in spite of the conductor, Robert Tweten — who has some great credits to his name — who led a pallid and colorless reading without the important forward motion and tension inherent in this musically passionate piece. He seemed bent on following his own ploddingly lethargic tempos and, as a result, the whole opera bogged down where it should have shimmered.

Dancers and group hugs aside, the chorus was positively glorious, filling the Opera House with opulent sound.

J. Michael Wingfield’s scenery and Ken Yunker’s lighting gave a good sense of tropical paradise, from the painted palm trees and twinkling, starry skies to the Indian temple ruins of Act II and the diaphanous tent of Act III’s first scene. Yes, there were some chuckles as Leila asked to speak alone with Zurga and his guards simply closed the see-through curtains, but those were the audience members who hadn’t checked their disbelief at the door, something extremely important with this opera. Howard Tsvi Kaplan’s costumes were, as always, fitting and right for the time and setting of this Ceylonese tale.”

“The Pearl Fishers” may not be the most believable story, and its characters may be more one-dimensional than we’d like, but it has some of opera’s most beautiful and memorable music. It’s stunningly sung and well worth suspending almost anything for a few hours.

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: February 13, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

The stars were out this weekend when the Sarasota Opera opened its 2013 season with Puccini’s passionate “Turandot.” The largest and most grand of operas Sarasota Opera has presented, this lyric drama of ancient China calls for the most singers on stage and instrumentalists in the pit. Before the curtain went up, with visions of Zeffirelli chock-a-block in our brains, we feared director Stephanie Sundine would go for enormous and fill the stage with teeming throngs so busy the music would be overwhelmed, or she’d go for a chamber mini version that would look trivial.

Sundine did neither. Rather, she — with the help of scenic designer Michael Schweikardt and lighting designer Ken Yunker — turned the comparatively diminutive area into a microcosm of ancient Peking, using the chorus, which, in this opera is one of the most important characters, to comment on and advance the drama.

And drama there was. Princess Turandot, played with just the right mix of icy trepidation and melting passion by Brenda Harris, is an almost super-human figure. She thinks she is beyond human, a goddess, too aloof and superior to be touched by the evil promulgated, she’s sure, by men. Untouchable, impeccable and, most importantly, unattainable, this ice princess is terrified of men because they silenced the beautiful voice and life of an adored ancestor and she will not allow that to happen to her.

Harris, with a voice bigger than all Peking itself, manages to combine the steely resoluteness of the princess with the terrified woman beneath and, through a trio of incomprehensible Chinese riddles, entices men from afar to guess the answers and marry her or fail at the riddles and lose their heads.

Threes abound in “Turandot.” Along with the three riddles, there are three courtiers — Ping (Matthew Hanscom); Pang (Marvin Kehler); and Pong (Eric Bowden), harlequin-type characters, clowns and pawns of the court, who, in Sundine’s brilliant staging and their believable acting and singing, become mere men, pining for their hometowns and fearing for the future of their beloved China.

Thanks to the Unknown Prince, Jonathan Burton, this opera has a happy ending, because he’s not only kind and compassionate, he’s also smart, and he, of all Turandot’s suitors, unravels her riddles and wins her hand. Burton has some unraveling to do with the audiences, as well. While he must match the steely but beautiful Turandot in both voice and eminence, he must also convince an audience, whose ears have been filled with the sound of Pavarotti, and sing the role and the well-known aria, “Nessun dorma,” like a god. Burton did it all and came away with a roar of well-earned approval.

Puccini, a great man of the theater, has inserted other characters into “Turandot,” who make this tale even more believable. Sarasota Opera stalwart basso Young Bok Kim, with makeup and hair designed by Gabrielle Vincent and Anne Ford-Coates of Elsen Associates, looks more ancient than the Great Wall, itself, but sounds rich and poignant as Timur, a deposed Tartar king and father of the Unknown Prince.

Maria Natale is the honorable, beautiful young slave girl Liu who has aided Timur on his travels until he’s reunited with his son. Sometime in the past, the Prince smiled at Liu and she fell madly in love. In her first aria, “Signore, ascolta,” Natale’s warm lyric soprano simply melted the final words, “ah … pieta … ” and the audience instantly fell in love with her.

This is an opera about love. The Prince doesn’t want Turandot as a prize; he wants her to love him. So, even after he’s solved the riddles and won her, he decides to put a riddle to her and, if she solves it by dawn, he will still lose his life. But, if she cannot find the answer, she will be his. His question seems simple: She must tell him his name. Only Liu knows and, realizing she may break under torture, she kills herself — for love. And that melts the icy façade Turandot has carried all those years.

The Sarasota Opera production melts our hearts, as well. Yunker’s way with lighting and color (look for the magnificent green night sky with twinkling stars that blooms into a renewed dawn in the third act!) and Howard Tsvi Kaplan’s understated peasant costumes compared with the splendor of Turandot’s robes, make this a miniature giant-of-a-production.

Then, there’s the all-important orchestra in the pit, which, under the direction of Victor DeRenzi, played at its very best. DeRenzi has gotten inside this score and melded orchestral sound with vocal opulence to the best possible effect. We wish they and the first-rate chorus would have had a curtain call to call their own.

This is a “Turandot” that could teach past productions and performers a thing or two about theater, proving big isn’t necessarily better. They nailed it. Zeffirelli, eat your heart out!

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Originally published in The Observer
Date: February 6, 2013
by: June LeBell | Contributing Columnist

This past weekend, the Sarasota Orchestra’s parade of guest conductors continued with Daniel Hege, current music director of the Wichita Symphony and former music director of the now-defunct Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.

Hege is an extremely competent conductor, and what he lacks in energy and zeal is certainly made up by stick technique and clarity. He could step on the podium of almost any major orchestra, without a rehearsal, and come away with a proficient performance. But, for these ears, energy is the key when musicians take that step beyond proficiency, and, for the most part, Hege didn’t have it.

His program, like his podium work, was exemplary. Starting with Haydn, he led the Sarasota Orchestra through a textbook reading that was stylish, clear and witty. The only mistake he made was in removing the composer’s mischievousness at the end and inserting his own humor.

In his Symphony No. 90, as in much of his music, Haydn shows an elfin waggishness. In this case, he gives us two false endings. The conductor, who leads the audience as much as he does the orchestra, can conduct those finales so the audience knows there’s more to come. Hege chose to give the first ending a wild swoop of his baton, leading the listeners to think it was the end, so, of course, they applauded. Then, as if he’d never seen the piece before, he looked at the score and “remembered” it was a false ending. So, he lifted his baton and went to the next ending.

At this point, he actually left the podium as the audience clapped, stopped mid-stride, looked at the concertmaster’s music, put his hand to his head as if to say, “Whoops. I forgot. There’s more,” ascended the podium and proceeded to conduct the real finale. Then, he turned to us and beckoned us to applaud. It was condescending to all. Haydn did it better.

Soloist Philippe Quint joined Hege for a glistening performance of the Barber Violin Concerto, one of the most romantic and beautiful works in the repertoire. Quint, who has one of the most stunning sounds I’ve heard, has a small dynamic range and, when the orchestra reaches a forte, tends to disappear into the orchestral sound, a fault of both the soloist and the conductor, who is responsible for balance. As shimmering as Quint’s sound is, he has some odd physical mannerisms, when not playing, that distract from the performance and make him seem almost embarrassed to be before an audience unless he’s making music. Still, nothing could take away from the lush, gorgeousness of Barber’s fiddle concerto, a work that overflows with the melodies that made the composer’s songs a staple in the vocal literature.

Before the second half of the concert began, Hege chose to speak to the audience to explain the process that went behind the making of this seemingly eclectic program. More of a lecture than an insight, his explanation failed to mention the balletic connection between the two pieces to come: Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” (choreographed most notably by Nijinsky and, then, Robbins) and the 1945 revision of “The Firebird Suite,” by Stravinsky, (originally with choreography by Fokine and, later, Balanchine).

These are two of the most sensuous pieces of music written in the 20th century, the Debussy achingly like an aural painting by Monet, and the Stravinsky moving into the Matisse era. Hege gave them each note-perfect performances, but they lacked the intensity and tension so necessary in this (and all) music.

Soloists from within the orchestra gave the works the inspiration needed. The first chair winds — flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn — were nothing short of spectacular. They brought the passion and zest that was, for the most part, lacking on the podium.

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