The fat knight sings in Bard Festival's Sir John in Love

Ann Toomey, Craig Colclough, Sarah Saturnino

Sarah Saturnino, Craig Colclough, Ann Toomey, Lucy Schaufer

Tyler Duncan, Julius Ahn, Craig Colclough, Lucia Lucas, Kevin Thompson

Sir John In Love

By Cameron Kelsall, 14 August 2023

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“a village of distinct, memorable characters that often seems like a precursor to Britten”

Reviewed at Richard B Fisher Center for the Performing Arts: Sosnoff Theater, Annandale-on-Hudson on 13 August 2023

Vaughan Williams, Sir John in Love (Semi-staged)

SummerScape Opera

Leon Botstein, Conductor

Alison Moritz, Director

Neil Fortin, Costume Designer

American Symphony Orchestra

Bard Festival Chorale

Craig Colclough, Sir John Falstaff

Sarah Saturnino, Alice Ford

Ann Toomey, Meg Page

Lucy Schaufer, Mistress Quickly

Joshua Blue, Fenton

Brandie Sutton, Anne Page

William Socolof, Frank Ford

John Brancy, Doctor Caius

Julius Ahn, Bardolph

Martin Luther Clark, Master Slender

Troy Cook, Master George Page

Lucia Lucas, The Host of the 'Garter Inn'

Almost rescued from tyranny: Smetena's Dalibor stuns at Bard

Robert Levine, 27th July

Bedřich Smetana’s patriotic opera Dalibor is given a rare outing at Bard College, directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini and conducted by Leon Botstein.

****1

Damning with faint praise: Berlioz at Bard

Cameron Kelsall, 18th August

As part of a festival considering the composer's oeuvre, Leon Botstein leads a concert performance of La Damnation de Faust lacking in French style.

**111

Saint-Saëns rarity Henry VIII takes the crown at Bard SummerScape

Cameron Kelsall, 21st July

Conductor Leon Botstein and director Jean-Roumain Vesperini treat this Tudor soap opera with appropriate grandeur, while a top-notch cast deliver the vocal goods.

****1

Strauss' Silent Woman makes a grand noise at Bard

Robert Levine, 24th July

Bard’s always courageous Music Director, Leon Botstein, never one to shy away from a challenge, presents Strauss' comedy uncut.

****1

Bard Musical Festival presents a thrilling Die tote Stadt

Cameron Kelsall, 18th August

American singers Clay Hilley and Sara Jakubiak offered performances of distinction in two fiendishly difficult roles.

****1

Das Wunder der Heliane makes long-awaited US debut

Cameron Kelsall, 28th July

Although Bard's production is only intermittently successful, the chance to hear this Korngold rarity live should be savored.

***11

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.

The fat knight sings in Bard Music Festival's Sir John in Love