Oh, the humanity
Soprano sensation sizzles
by Christopher Key
Whatcom Symphony Orchestra’s final concert for the season was entitled “Songs of Humanity” and there was plenty of it, from the tragic to the exuberant. Tonight’s guest star, soprano Erin Wall, is a tremendously talented graduate of Western Washington University and yet another testament to the caliber of that institution’s performing arts programs. Wall spent three years with Lyric Opera of Chicago and made her debut at the Met this year. Just another addition to an already impressive international résumé.
Under the leadership of Maestro Roger Briggs, the WSO has developed a reputation for taking on some truly challenging work and this concert was no exception. Leading off the program was Symphony No. 3, Op. 36, by contemporary Polish composer Henryk Górecki, subtitled “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs.” It surely lives up to that description, but seems somehow cathartic rather than depressing. There is plenty of Eastern European angst tempered by an unquenchable hope.
The first movement begins with an ominous theme on the basses. Gradually, the cellos are added, then the violas and finally the violins. It is a mesmerizing canon that shows off the virtuosity of the strings. Guest artist Wall had a brief, but tantalizing solo in the second movement that merely hinted of what was to come. The third movement is utterly hypnotic and reinforces the idea that the work is a meditation.
Photo courtesy Whatcom Symphony Orchestra.
Following the intermission, Ms. Wall got the chance to exhibit passion of a completely different sort with “Susanna non vien…Dove sono,” from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Her delightful introductory remarks set the stage for both this number and “Song to the Moon,” from Antonin Dvořák’s Rusalka. To say that these pieces are highly charged romantic songs is an understatement of British proportions. They provided a perfect showcase for her astounding voice. The greatest masters of any discipline demonstrate both power and control while making it look easy. Wall is a master and the audience recognized that by calling her back for several bows.
Ottorino Respighi was a tree-hugger long before the term became popular. His evocative The Pines of Rome was a perfect conclusion to this emotional roller coaster of a concert. The piece includes some stellar work from an offstage nightingale that brought forth appreciative sounds from the audience. The conclusion to the work is a percussion-driven adrenaline rush that brought the audience to its feet for a well-deserved ovation.
Despite the billing of this concert as the season finale, the WSO has a couple other events scheduled. These include a mysterious Mother’s Day concert at the Performing Arts Center in Blaine on May 8 and the popular Pasta and Pagliacci on June 6 at Giuseppe’s Restaurant. For more information, see www.whatcomsymphony.com.
It might be a good idea to book your tickets for next season right away since it features legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson, among others. You can sign up for a season brochure at the aforementioned site. Stop taking my word for it that the WSO is a regional treasure. Come see and hear for yourself.
# # #