Photo courtesy of Maryland Opera.
If Maryland Opera’s Sounds of the Season is any indication, the future of opera in our area is very bright indeed. Narrated and accompanied by the company’s artistic director, James Harp, this performance offered an intriguing mix of classical opera standards and contemporary holiday favorites.
…the future of opera in our area is very bright indeed…delightful event…one can only hope it will be back again in years to come.
I was lucky enough to see the second and last performance of this delightful event which took place at the beautiful venue of St. Mark’s Church after the first performance at Bloody Vineyards two days prior. Given that this appears to be a second iteration of a concert that first took place last year, one can only hope it will be back again in years to come.
Those who have more familiarity with opera likely found the first act of the show more accessible. That said, between the evocative introductions by Harp that provided a narrative framework to each piece and the visceral emotion the performers infused into each piece, even a relative newcomer to the medium would have easily been captivated.
Julianna Smith (mezzo soprano and Opera Camp Alumna), Chauncey Packer (tenor), and Kimberly Christie (soprano) spent most of the first act alternating in a series of unforgettable arias. Ms. Smith, who was first up with a performance of “Una voce poco fa,” immediately wowed with the incredible quality and richness of her voice. As high as she had set the bar, Mr. Packer and Ms. Christie were to prove more than worthy successors, especially when the two combined their talents to close the first act with finale of Act 1 of “La Bohème.” In a gorgeous rendition made even more affecting by James Harp’s spirited introduction, Mr. Packer becomes the struggling poet, Rodolpho, and Ms. Christie the poor seamstress, Mimi, who quickly fall in love despite their challenging circumstances. While earlier selections featured no shortage of heartfelt gestures, this one took the performance to the next level with the addition of a few basic props and costume pieces. The chemistry between the two singers was evident with strategic blocking and, by utilizing the full scope of the space, it allowed them to exit through the center aisle, arm in arm, at the end of the piece.
Befitting the church setting, the first three numbers after intermission were explicitly focused on the “reason for the season” in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Ms. Christie and Ms. Smith led the way with two selections from G.F. Handel’s “Messiah,” followed by Mr. Packet’s plaintive and undeniably affecting rendition of the traditional Appalachian hymn, “I Wonder as I Wander.”
Unless you happen to be a grinch, it would’ve been almost impossible to avoid having a good time during the penultimate section of the concert when the selections switched from the more serious opera standards to popular, holiday classics.
Once again, Ms. Smith was first up with “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Mr. Packer followed with a medley of “ The Christmas Waltz” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Even Jason Buckwalter, executive assistant of Maryland Opera, got into the fun with an impressive rendition of “The Christmas Song.” Ms. Christie, who had earlier impressed us with the deep range of her mezzo soprano voice, proved she was equally capable of light and frothy with a flirty rendition of “Santa Baby.”
For an outstanding finale, all three singers joined together in Bach’s “The Christmas Oratorio,” providing impressive harmonies. The concert came to an ingenious end with an original song that transformed the “Drinking Song” from “La Traviata” into a festive ditty that could compete with the best of them. If you missed this concert, there are more events coming in 2024, including the first, full production of “Tosca.” I am quite excited to see what they have in store!
Running Time: Two hours with one intermission.
“Sounds of the Season” ran December 15 at Boordy Vineyards and December 17, 2023 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1900 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Fore more information on future events in 2024, go online.
