Itʼs not often that a concert can move people to tears. But itʼs no exaggeration to say that PKF – Prague Philharmoniaʼs season finale left more than a few listeners dabbing at their eyes. Even the guest soloist, American baritone Lucas Meachem, told a group of supporters and well-wishers afterward, “That was the most emotional Iʼve ever been onstage.”
Meachem sang Kindertotenlieder, Mahlerʼs musical treatment of five poems on the death of children by German writer Friedrich Rückert, who lost two of his children to scarlet fever. Sorrowful, turbulent and drenched in regret, the music walks a fine line – dramatic without spilling over into melodrama, tragic without giving in to despair. It makes the same demands of the singer, who has to express the feeling of devastating loss while maintaining masterful vocal control.
This was Meachemʼs debut performance of the work, but it sounded like he had been at it for years. A warm singer with faultless diction and a dark-hued timbre, he seemed constantly on the verge of tears without ever breaking down. In the few melodic moments, a rich Romantic voice would emerge, making it clear why Meachem is currently in demand at the Metropolitan Opera, Semperoper Dresden and other major houses. Otherwise he was a study in melancholy, caressing memories, biting off bitter turns of fate, singing as if the world hung in the balance on every note. Certainly his world did.
Conductor Emmanuel Villaume provided somber, nuanced accompaniment, sometimes punching up the emotional impact, other times softening the blow with a delicate touch, particularly in the woodwinds. Villaume and Meachem are longtime colleagues, and their rapport showed in a finely detailed and balanced performance that showcased both the singer and the orchestraʼs strengths.
The evening opened with the prelude to Wagnerʼs Lohengrin, a piece that would not typically have been on the program prior to Villaume becoming PKFʼs Chief Conductor and Music Director three years ago. His success in expanding the orchestraʼs range and repertoire was evident in the assured approach and sound, which rose almost ethereally from a gentle, lustrous awakening to glistening majestic proportions. The craftsmanship was first-rate and the playing took the edge off Wagner without sacrificing any of his power or eloquence.