1998 CARMEL BACH FESTIVAL
VOCAL MASTER CLASS
SHOWCASE RECITAL

Starting with four experienced singers with excellent voices, the sessions this year were really a refinement process emphasising the transfer of emotion into the voice and the consciousness of the audience very subtly rather than the overtly operatic approach modern singers are accustomed to. As the classes went along and also as was manifested in the recital, the participants took full advantage of the wisdom of the four outstanding coaches who worked with them. Music director David Gordon and Festival vocal soloists Rosa Lamoreaux, Catherine Robbin and Sanford Sylvan can be very pleased with the results of their instruction.

Soprano Jennifer Ellis has a delightfully fresh, agile and frequently ear-opening dramatic sound. She displayed star vocal quality, quickly assimilating the guidance which harnessed her tremendous personal energy. She was simply brilliant in the Vivaldi cantata aria 'Inturbato mare irato', sometimes sounding like a trumpet, other times like a virtuoso violinist. Singing flowing shimmering scales and extravagent flying figures, she was simply dazzling. As a contrast, a Bach cantata aria revealed a gently floated, refined tone.

Maria Soulis, a rich velvet-toned mezzo soprano, also has an indisputable star quality voice. She too learned to rein in her physical and emotional reactions to the meaning of her texts which, in her range, are often heartrending. That she succeeded, was shown by her beautifully molded singing in the Bach cantata aria 'Ach, bleibe doch'. The voice spoke feelingly and a Handel aria from 'Xerxes' was full of warmth. The duet 'Pur ti miro' by Monteverdi, sung with Ms. Ellis, was an exquisite blend of lovely, artistically produced and sensitively employed voices.

Tenor Marc Molomot was also an exemplary participant. He listened and was highly responsive to suggestion. He put his energy into his fine voice rather than into operatic body language and in two difficult, somber Bach cantata arias sang with refinement and taste. Still, it was in an aria from Gluck's opera 'Armide' that this tenor's true worth was best appreciated. The voice was well colored, flowed easily and was vibrantly projected.

Baritone Jeffrey Fields achieved much and very noticeable growth in the course of the classes. Possessor of a nobly rich easily produced tone, he brought more color and a sense of understanding to his three Bach arias. The weighty texts could be felt in his projection. At one point he almost became a lieder singer with a light sweet tone and rhythmic airiness.

The outstanding and virtuosic instrumental solos in support of the vocal selections were well handled in spite of the handicap of the lackluster nasal tone of the 'authentic copies' of baroque instruments and the tuning (a half step lower) that was employed. This was, in my view, a misguided decision. Cynthia Roberts who was violin soloist as well as concertmaster of the group, played with polished artistry. Baroque flutist Kimberly Reighley, baroque cellist Allen Whear and gambist Joelle Morton gave fine support. Daniel Lockert, the superb pianist for the class sessions, was the aware and highly polished harpsichordist and organist for the recital.