listening to the maestro's VOICE

I just left fb, thanks to this little photo making me laugh out loud - thanks, JinHi!
I'd popped on to grab the link to the PFS superhero flick, "Ōgon Batto", after tonight's episode of svf-8.
I don't know if Pig Skins is a barbeque joint she visited or not,
but I love their slogan:
"We like our butt rubbed"!
Hahahaha! Hahaha!!
What a foursome of country hams there on the wall!

This fourth offering from the festival was titled "Masters In VOICE I - An American Aria: An Evening With Sherrill Milnes", but it could just as easily have been "The Many Faces of The Maestro".
Even when he's clowning around,
as he is here in the lead role in
"I Pagliacci", he is still a towering figure that doesn't have to command attention to receive it.
He naturally is the focus in any room, in any attire.

I had noticed that in previous years' lessons at the Fine Arts Auditorium.
However, it was at SVF7, when he towered over me on the smaller Morris Center stage, that left a lasting impression.
Tonight, I especially liked this piece, with him in formal attire and accompanied by his friend John Spong on piano.
To be honest, it wasn't the music
I liked so much - it was that ocean-toned green undervest!

The scariest face seen was this one.
Iago, the scorned military man, was definitely not a character anyone would want to meet in a dark alley!
"Credo in un dio crudel" is an outpouring of hatred toward mankind, but especially toward Otello for not promoting him.
Thereafter, a plot is hatched to bring the downfall of the Moor of Venice -
Shakespeare really knew how to write drama, but I'll take the comedies any day - or night!

I don't believe Sherrill had much opportunity to play comedic roles.
As a Verdi baritone, most roles for him would be as the evil antagonist.
That's a shame, as he has a delicious sense of humor, as demonstrated in "A Moment With The Maestro" where he was allowed to wax rhapsodic about Giuseppe Verdi.
Tonight, I learned that Verdi's chorus for Hebrew slaves, from his first big opera, was nearly the national anthem of Italy - wow!

As well as having another chance to see some of his big performances from the past, the 85-year-old also spent some time talking with performers from his past.
The first of these casual chats was with Neil Shicoff.
Mostly they reminisced about the opera scene in New York City, but they also shared stories about teaching future singers.

After that, there was a Bento item, "Inside the VOICE Studio"...and the scene switched to inside the Milnes' abode, with him in an easy chair giving lessons to a student across the room!
During this time of social distancing, singers have to be thirty feet from each other, so I'm glad his haven provides such a safe space.
Plus, those stained glass windows are divine!
(Yes, pun intended!)

Denyce Graves was also one of the four he Zoomed with in this episode.
They met during "Samson And Delilah".
I recognized her as the singer of "America The Beautiful" at the memorial service for those who died during the September 11, 2001, tragedy here in the US.
They mostly talked about Leontyne Price, the singer who inspired Denyce to a career in opera.

James Morris, another baritone but not of the Verdi persuasion, spent quite a bit of time chatting with Sherrill about past shows.
They also spoke a lot of Wagner's works and Jim told stories about initially avoiding German opera, turning down roles in them, falling asleep during them.
Then, one day he actually listened to a song in The Ring cycle and now he loves German opera!

The last Zoomer was Diana Soviero, a soprano who was also in many productions of "I Pagliacci", becoming famous as Nedda, the clown's wife.
The two former colleagues on the stage spoke of the importance reading the score to a singer.
To just listen for music cues is not enough and doesn't allow the artist to be fully invested in the nuances of their vocal performance.

When all was said and done, I knew more about the man and more about the world of opera - success!
And to thank us for joining them on this episode wasn't Maria, but their 20-year-old son, Theo.
What a nice surprise!
I got a kick out of the family-story lead-in he gave for that final clip, the scene with Iago - good one, Theo!
And tomorrow, svf-8 will give me "Mozart @ Home"!!!
(smile!))