BWW Reviews: Cancellations Galore Don't Put a Damper on the Richard Tucker Gala at Avery Fisher Hall

Soprano Anna Netrebko was AWOL. Tenor Marcello Giordani wasn't there. Mezzo Isabel Leonard didn't make it either. At least tenor Richard Tucker (1913-1975) had the best excuse for not being at Avery Fisher Hall on Sunday evening. But, as they say "the show must go on"--and the annual gala of The Richard Tucker Foundation certainly did, despite all the cancellations. Celebrating the famed singer, as well as showcasing the newly anointed winner of its top award, tenor Michael Fabiano, the evening was filled with many pleasures, under the baton of maestro Emmanuel Villaume with the Richard Tucker Gala Orchestra.

Fabiano was in wonderful voice, from the evening's powerful opener, "Tutto parea sorridere...Si! De' Corsari il fulmine" from Verdi's IL CORSARO to the lovely duet from Massenet's MANON with the excellent soprano Joyce el-Khoury and, finally, to the fabulous sextet from Donizetti's LUCIA DE LAMMERMOOR. He showed what he was capable of doing and then some. Fabiano was also the winner of this year's Beverly Sills Artist Award from the Metropolitan Opera--yet isn't on the roster this year. Hmmm.

Another young tenor, Joseph Calleja, who has been outstanding as Macduff in the Met's current MACBETH, was also in good form and the audience responded enthusiastically. I particularly liked his suave and urgent version of "Pourquoi me reveiller" from Massenet's WERTHER, which he sang along with "E lucevan le stelle" from TOSCA. He won over the crowd when he returned for a rarity, the romanza "No puede ser" from the zarzuela, LA TABERNA DEL PUERTO by the Spanish-Basque composer Pablo Sarazabal.

South African soprano Pretty Yende, who had her big break last year in Rossini's LE COMTE ORY at the Met, brought another example of her bel canto style with "Qui la voce" from Bellini's I PURITANI. She really charmed the house, however, with her rendition of the Bernstein-Sondheim "I Feel Pretty" from WEST SIDE STORY. (She was followed by tenor Paul Appleby and Broadway singer Alexandra Silber in the Balcony Scene from the same musical; while Appleby was in good, ardent voice, Silber was a little light-voiced for her company at the concert.)

In an aria that was probably last sung in New York when Joan Sutherland sang Massenet's ESCLARMONDE at the Met, soprano Angela Meade's performance of "Esprit de l'air" (with mezzo Jennifer Johnson Cano) showed she had the high notes to pull it off, if not the zest. She fared better, however, as Lucia in the sextet.

"Nemico della patria," from Giordano's ANDREA CHENIER, showcased baritone Zeljko Lucic (the Met's current MACBETH) at his best, while "La ci darem la mano" from Mozart's DON GIOVANNI was charming in the hands of the Met's current Figaro, bass Ildar Abdrazakov. He was joined by a lovely newcomer, Swedish mezzo Ingeborg Gillebo, who's stepping in for the indisposed Isabel Leonard as Cherubino this week.

The New York Choral Society, under Music Director David Hayes, provided some adroit accompaniment, although they were sometimes a bit too loud.

All in all, it was a happy occasion. I won't say that the audience didn't miss Netrebko--but it was a grand night for singing nonetheless. Hear it for yourself on "Live from Lincoln Center" in January 2015.

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Photo: Soprano Pretty Yende (center) with New York Choral Society, conductor Emanuel Villaume and Orchestra.

Photo by Dario Acosta Photography / Richard Tucker Music Foundation

Photo: Michael Fabiano

Photo by Arielle Doneson

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