Superb AVA Puccini double bill in Philadelphia

By Susan Gould, 15 November 2018

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“Richardson sang beautifully and expressively”

Reviewed at The Academy of Vocal Arts: Warden Theater, Philadelphia on 8 November 2018

Puccini, Suor Angelica

Puccini, Le Villi

Academy of Vocal Arts

Richard A. Raub, Conductor

Christofer Macatsoris, Conductor

David Gately, Director

Claire de Monteil, Suor Angelica

Renee Richardson, Suor Angelica

Alice Chung, La zia principessa

Chelsea Laggen, La zia principessa

Rebecca Gulinello, Anna

Kara Mulder, Anna

Abraham Bréton, Roberto

Mackenzie Gotcher, Roberto

Ethan Simpson, Guglielmo

Lukasz Zientarski, Guglielmo

AVA Opera Orchestra

An inventive Rape of Lucretia with contemporary resonance at AVA

Cameron Kelsall, 17th February

A modern framing device drives home the sad timelessness of Britten's 1946 opera.

****1

Celebrating AVA’s 85th year: an outstanding Le nozze di Figaro

Susan Gould, 12th November

As part of its 85th season, Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts presented a Le nozze di Figaro excellent in voices, singing, acting, conducting, orchestra, direction, sets and costumes.

****1

“Arise, fair sun”: Gounod's Roméo et Juliette captivates

Susan Gould, 7th May

Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts Presents Gounod’s *Roméo et Juliette* with a fine young cast at the Haverford School.

*****

A totally groovy Così fan tutte from the AVA in Philadelphia

Gale Martin, 13th November

What is it about Mozart’s Così fan tutte that inspires the zaniest interpretations? While the music is lovely, replete with all those lush trios, quartets, and quintets that operagoers live for, the storyline is silly if not downright insipid.

****1

Big, beautiful voices power AVA's Ballo

Gale Martin, 8th May

“For some operas,” famed conductor Carlo Maria Giulini once said, “you can accept a voice of not absolute beauty – if it is well used and he is an artist and interpreter, it will work. But for Verdi you need all this plus the essential sound.

****1

Don Quichotte victorious at Philadelphia Academy

Gale Martin, 2nd March

As the legend goes, a noble cavalier loses his battle with giant windmills. But the Academy of Vocal Arts wins big with their latest production, Jules Massenet’s melodic Don Quichotte.

*****

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Susan Gould

Philadelphia native Susan Gould has been writing professionally about classical music since her Barnard College years in New York. She has written for both American and European publications, primarily during fifteen years in Europe, and has done liner notes for recordings and program notes for opera companies and orchestras. Among those she has interviewed have been Sills, Tebaldi, Popp and Fleming; Bumbry, Ludwig, Fassbaender, and von Stade; del Monaco, Kraus and Pavarotti; Prey, Morris and Ramey; Muti, Abbado, Giulini, Sawallisch, and Eschenbach. Fluent in Italian, German and French, she has coached both student and professional singers in foreign-language diction since 1980.