Kentucky District
Rachel Sterrenberg, 22, soprano, from Madison, GA
Thomas Gunther, 28, baritone, from Muscatine, Iowa
Vincent Turregano, 24, baritone from Alexandria, LA

Middle/East Tennessee District
Edward Hanlon, 27, bass-baritone, from Port Washington, NY
Lauren K. Frey, 24, soprano, from Pittsburgh, PA
Linda C. Brimer, 26, soprano, from Greenville, TN

Arkansas District
Jacob Watson, tenor, Wynne, Arkansas
Kristin Lassiter, soprano, from Dallas, Texas

West Tennessee District

TBD

In this blog, I’ll have a review of the new Joshua Bell/Jeremy Denk CD on Sony Classical, French Impressions, that contains violin and piano sonatas of Saint-Saens, Franck, and Ravel. I’ll also have my impressions of the Metropolitan Opera’s new pastiche The Enchanted Island via the HD broadcast of Saturday, January 21.

Edward Hanlon, bass-baritone, age 27 from Port Washington, NY

Lauren K. Frey, soprano, age 24 from Pittsburgh, PA

Linda C. Brimer, soprano, age 26, from Greenville, TN

Each received an award of $1,000 and will compete in the Mid-South Regional Finals, Saturday, February 11, at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre. An Encouragement Award went to Johnathan Riesen, tenor, age 21.

A hat tip to Shelley Page for the information.

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Joining the above singers in Mid-South Regional competition will be three winners from the Kentucky District: soprano Rachel Sterrenberg of Madison, Ga.;  Thomas Gunther, 28, a baritone from Muscatine, Iowa; and Vincent Turregano, 24, a baritone from Alexandria, La.

Last January, I attended my local district auditions for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions with the simple—but I think important—intent to publicize and support those singers, both winners and non-winners in this blog and in Metro Pulse. In following up on regional competitions, I discovered that the level of local organization varies wildly from district to district, and region to region. Some areas have websites, but most don’t. Some make real efforts to publish the winners’ names in the media—but more often than not, searches for the information proved futile. Some district or regional contacts responded to my emails, but, strangely, most did not. It became a real source of irritation that perhaps the most visible manifestation of local opera enthusiasm, the Met National Council Auditions, was not getting the publicity prior to the semi-finals and finals in New York. So, I set about to merely list winners, and in the case locally, district participants in blog posts. That series of informational posts turned out to be the most popular of the year–I think that is evidence that there are opera fans everywhere hungry for information about what is going on.

The most popular of 2011 posts on Classical Journal were:

• 2011 Met Opera Grand Final Winners  March 2011
• 2011 Metropolitan Opera Audition Finals on Sunday  March 2011
• 2011 Mid-South Met Opera Auditions on Saturday February 2011
• 2011 Met Auditions: Middle/East Tenn. District Winners  January 2011

Most Memorable Orchestral Performances

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Lucas Richman became something really new, fresh, and different this fall–and exciting. New personnel in the orchestra—among them the new concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz and season substitutes Peter Cain, principal clarinet, Ebonee Thomas, principal flute, and Jeffery Whaley, principal horn—have had a substantial impact on the orchestra’s already fine performance. The October and November concerts contained my two choices—Dvorák’s New World Symphony in October and Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra in November. The level of individual performance in the Bartok was especially stunning. Richman brought a satisfying mix of American flavors and European tradition to the Dvorák.

For honorable mention, I must choose last season’s April KSO performance of Beethoven’s Ninth with the KSO and the Knoxville Choral Society.

Most Memorable Concerto Solo Performances

I have two selections in this category. Cellist Zuill Bailey appeared with the KSO in the Dvorák Cello Concerto in a magnificent performance in November. From my review—

“[Bailey's] ultra-relaxed stage persona oozing confidence and charisma seems to be genuine and sincere—a style that seduces the audience with a refreshing transparency. What shone through that transparency, and what made this such a rewarding listen, was a gorgeously rich cello tone with just enough edge wrapped in a judicious vibrato.”

For a number of solid reasons, my second choice is trombonist Jeremy Wilson, who appeared with the University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra last February in Launy Grøndahl’s Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra. Wilson, a UT alumnus, is currently a trombonist with the Vienna Philharmonic, and one of the few American players in that orchestra. In my review I stated:

“This concerto asks of a trombonist—and Wilson delivered unforgettably—not just virtuosity and mastery of the trombone’s extreme range, but delicate, subtle tone one might expect from a woodwind instrument combined with the energy of a powerful, but controlled, brass instrument.”

Most Memorable Small Ensemble Performances

Perhaps this category should be titled “Perseverance in the face of Zeus-knows-what-obstacles.” For perseverance and dedication alone, the Knoxville Early Music Project certainly deserves this recognition. Now in its 20th year of existence, KEMP is the model for small ensemble performance to which the Knoxville classical music scene should be paying more attention. And, it seems they are.

KEMP’s concert in February, “Sacred Music of the Italian Baroque,” was as intriguing as it was eye-opening. KEMP also deserves thanks for being the only classical music ensemble with the willingness to appear at Metro Pulse‘s 20Fest in August. The group performed this month at St. John’s Cathedral downtown and they are scheduled to appear on New Year’s Eve as part of Downtown’s First Night celebration.

My other choice in this category is the Principal Woodwind Quintet of the KSO and their performance last season of Samuel Barber’s Summer Music. (part of the KSO’s Chamber Classics series at the Bijou)

Most Memorable Operatic Performances

Last year, my choice was obvious—soprano Rachele Gilmore for her 2010 Lucia in Knoxville Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Her appearance last April in I Puritani for KO was no less memorable, but I have decided to choose baritone Daniel Mobbs from that production. From my Metro Pulse review:

“Equally impressive was bass Daniel Mobbs, singing an outstanding performance as Giorgio, Elvira’s uncle. Mobbs’ voice has a strong, rich warmth at the low end, yet is marvelously focused and clean. This supported his elegant dramatic portrayal of the solemn Puritan that was, nonetheless, sympathetic and complex.” 

My second choice was another baritone, Mark Womack, who sang Germont in KO’s La Traviata in October. From my review:

“Once again, baritone Mark Womack, who turned out a marvelous Sharpless in last season’s Madama Butterfly, opened eyes and ears in the role of Giorgio Germont, Alfredo’s father. Not only is his voice warm and rich, but he clearly knows how to deliver conflicted but sympathetic characters.”

Most Memorable Vocal Performances

This year, this category belongs to an entire concert—Knoxville Opera Goes To Church.

“the program of gospel soloists and choir numbers, Broadway tunes, and opera arias was a bit incongruous, but that is definitely its charm and draw.”

The concert featured (among many) soprano Joyce El-Khoury, tenor Zach Borichevsky, bass Kevin Thompson, as well as Knoxvillians Denisha Ballew and tenor Boris Van Druff.

Most Memorable Surprise Performance

Without a doubt, the UT Symphony Orchestra, under Maestro James Fellenbaum, continues to surprise me. However, their performance of the Brahms Symphony No. 1 last February literally took my breath away. From my review:

“…the Brahms which filled most of the second half of the program—the Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, op. 68—seemed to take the evening into new and unexpected territory, at least for me. Let me be clear, this performance from the mostly-student/some-faculty orchestra was not perfect, but in terms of having the soul of musicality, it was sublime.”

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Best wishes to all for a happy 2012!

I’ve tried to train myself to look past a performer’s stage presence, particularly if it seems to unduly affect one’s opinion of a performance, positively or negatively. Bailey is something of the exception here as his ultra-relaxed stage persona oozing confidence and charisma seems to be genuine and sincere—a style that seduces the audience with a refreshing transparency. What shone through that transparency, and what made this such a rewarding listen, was a gorgeously rich cello tone with just enough edge wrapped in a judicious vibrato.

Bailey and Maestro Lucas Richman combined for a concerto performance that was every bit a continuation of the orchestra’s New World last month. Yet again, I was struck by what seemed to be specific American sensibilities of tone and atmosphere from both the cello and the orchestral balance. This was not Europe, nor the bustle of cities, but rather a lush, green, musical landscape of the New World of our imagination filled with poignancy, a touch of sadness–yet with an air of expectation. This carried through into all the instrumental flavors as well, from the exposed horn passages to the woodwinds.

As Richman indicated in his introductory remarks, this concert was to be a showcase of instrumental performance—and the opening and closing works on the concert were certainly that. Georges Enesco’s Romanian Rhapsody No.1, a swirl of folk melodies not unlike a peasant wagon careening downhill, is a feast for players from the opening tune of clarinet, oboe, and flute, to lush waltzes in the strings. Give Richman a hand as well for an addictive rhythmical take throughout.

Richman closed the evening with a fulfilling ride through Béla Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. Against the background of the poignant Dvorak and the rhythmical Enesco, the work was alive, vital, and urban, sometimes brooding, sometimes snapping with the sudden energy that comes from the host of individual player moments—way too many brilliant ones to mention, unfortunately.

Foremost, these were the first productions for the new UTOT Artistic Director James Marvel who was teaming with music director/conductor Kevin Class and stepping into an opera program that is now rebuilding for the future. The opera selection alone seemed to speak volumes concerning the balance of available female and male singers–there is only one male vocal role in The Medium (the role of Toby is mute). And, of course, Suor Angelica takes place in a location noted for the absence of males– a convent. Despite that fact, all the split-casting roles in both operas were well-covered and I was truly impressed by the depth of soprano and contralto talent.

Marvel stated in his notes his desire to give singers the staging tools they’ll need to succeed in today’s opera world. While everyone knows the days of “park and bark” are over, not every singer will become a great actor or actress. Yet, they all need to be challenged by a director that takes character and role development seriously. And that is certainly the emphasis Marvel seems to be placing on his students.

I was also overjoyed to see that Marvel embraced the idea of projections as a scenic device–opera has long been a fertile ground for conceptual abstraction. To that end, guest projection designer Katy Tucker gave the productions beautifully kinetic video images as a significant reinforcing background. It was stated to me that Marvel and Tucker’s concept for The Medium was to be a film noir flavor. Of course, there is an inherent danger in attaching that term to things that aren’t film and aren’t noir, but still… to that end the production opened with images of the infamous Academy countdown leader followed by cast credits (under the orchestral prelude) complete with “old film” scratches and dust–an interesting cinematic idea. While it seemed more F.W. Murnau than film noir, I was happy to go along for the ride.

Unfortunately, two complications intervened. The intriguing moving images often fought with the singers for attention, the degree of which seemed to vary depending on one’s seat location in the Bijou Theatre. And in The Medium, the warm low-angle and under-angle lighting, obviously intended to indicate evil/danger/mystery, was in irritating conflict with the stylistic black-and-white coloration of the video images and the dramatic impact of the expressionist concept.

UT Opera Theatre’s spring offering (coinciding with Knoxville Opera’s Rossini Festival) will be Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. 

Knoxville already has a vibrant and extremely diverse music scene, so will the election have any effect on that? It couldn’t hurt.

Unfortunately, the orchestra had to really rub salt in my wounds on Sunday by taking on Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis with guest conductor Anthony Parnther and turning out a stunning performance. The work is a performance minefield for almost any orchestra, yet this turned into a bright and bold feast for both the orchestra and the listeners. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some excellent woodwind work, and, notably, the torturous flute passage taken by principal flute Kathryne Salo.

UT music alumnus and bassoonist Steven V. Ingle returned to take the featured role in Carl Maria von Weber’s Andante e Rondo Ungarese, a showcase for bassoon amidst  ever-increasing elaborations…and difficulty. Ingle’s bassoon tone is rich and velvety, matched by an amazing dexterity.

Following last month’s performance of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, Music Director James Fellenbaum wanted to finish off the Mahler tribute by programming the deleted movement from that symphony, now called Blumine. This lyrical, somewhat un-Mahler-like piece, features a lovely solo trumpet line (Emily Whildin) that was as soothing  as it was impressive .

Guest conductor Parnther is also a bassoonist, so the three available ones (Parnther, Ingel, and UT bassoon faculty member Keith McClelland) closed the concert with Three’s Company by Steven Amundson, an amusing showcase for three bassoons, strings, and drum set. Not being a woodwind player, I never get to hear three bassoons play in harmony—that was fun.