Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – The Met and Sondheim, two pillars of the arts, held up amidst the lockdown and celebrated with considerable style

• By drediman
• April 29, 2020
• No Comments

In light of the bleak uncertainty facing the performing arts during the ongoing lockdown, I’ve been inspired by the valiant and nimble efforts of artists (and administrators) to band together and mobilize themselves for the benefit of the survival of their craft and the well being of the broader arts community. This past weekend, a pair of hugely ambitious programs celebrating two indisputable pillars of the arts world were streamed to the general public, and both movingly exemplified this unified call to arms. Along the way, each made a heartfelt case for the relevance of the arts – especially during challenging times as these – as agents for reflection and escapism.

A screenshot of General Manger Peter Gelb, Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and tenor Jonas Kaufmann from the Metropolitan Opera’s At-Home Gala.

THE METROPOLITAN OPERA: AT-HOME GALA

On Saturday night, the Metropolitan Opera presented a spectacularly starry At-Home Gala, featuring a luxurious bevy of opera stars from around the globe. Many of these artists have had a close affinity with the Met, having appeared on its grand stage numerous times over the years. By and large, the endeavor — which sought to raise funds for the mighty opera house — was a resounding success, particularly as not much lead time was allotted for the event’s preparation. Indeed, given the amount of scheduling needed, the number of time zones covered, and the varying levels of home technology involved, it’s a miracle that the mostly live program unfolded as seamlessly as it did. But beyond the impressive logistical and technical accomplishments, the gala featured an embarrasment of artistic riches. It was an evening of both epic scope and disarming intimacy, with opera stars affectingly recalibrating their wondrous instruments to the dimensions of their own homes. The necessitating format allowed fans to marvel at the grandeur and versatility of the unadorned human voice, as well as focus on these artists’ compelling ability to bring drama, intelligence, and emotion to their musical choices. The gala was also a special opportunity to get to know these stars on a personal level (in addition to getting an enticing glimpse into their homes!). These are some aspects that sometimes get lost amidst the distractions of the Met’s outsized productions. For me, some highlights included a trio of knockout performances from three gorgeous American sopranos – Renée Fleming’s quietly imploring rendition of “Ave Maria” from Verdi’s Otello, Lisette Oropesa’s gleaming display of coloratura technique in an aria from Meyerbeer’s Robert le Diable, and the self-accompanying Erin Morley’s bravura fireworks (vocally, as well as on the piano) in a comic number from Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment. Another highlight was the series of pre-recorded segments showcasing maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s dynamic conducting and the Met Orchestra and Chorus’s world-class musical prowess.

A screenshot of Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, and Audra McDonald from “Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration”.

TAKE ME TO THE WORLD: A SONDHEIM 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Then the following evening, the great composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim celebrated – with considerable style – his landmark 90th birthday. The program, entitled “Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration”, got off to a rocky start, with technical difficulties holding up the festivities for more than an hour. Many of the celebrant’s adoring fans, like myself, were met with frustration due to the delay (especially after the expertly presented At-Home Gala put on by the Met just the night prior), which was made even more frustrating given that most of the program was actually pre-recorded. Nevertheless, once the performances started rolling in, I was in musical theater heaven. No musical theater writer over the course of the last half century or so comes close to having produced the diversity, ingenuity, and quality of Mr. Sondheim’s works. Although I wouldn’t consider any of his shows financial blockbusters – like The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, or The Lion King – they’ve mostly stood the test of time, with some aging gorgeously like fine bottles of wine, as true art should. Like the Met’s gala, the participation hit rate from high profile names was impressive. Sure, iconic stage creatures like Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone predictably lit up the screen with their unmistakable song stylings and fawning testimonies, but so did film giants like Meryl Streep and Steven Spielberg. The song choices – with particular thematic emphasis on the two James Lapine collaborations, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George, as well as the legendary Follies – were often fascinating, much of them reflecting our current predicament and the importance of art during such times. In this respect, the Sondheim songbook easily proved flexible enough to function outside the specific context of the songs’ respective shows, while never sacrificing any of their penetrating humanity. Indeed, much like Shakespeare, Sondheim is a master dramatist and a keen observer of human nature. And invariably, his songs were performed and interpreted from a deeply personal perspective that provided yet more newfound layers to these gems. Some highlights from the celebration, which was in part arranged for the benefit of ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), included Audra McDonald, Christine Baranski, and Ms. Streep’s boozy, show-stopping rendition of “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company (which celebrated its 50th anniversary that same night); Chip Zien’s profoundly touching “No More” from the audience favorite Into the Woods; and Kelli O’Hara’s gloriously optimistic “What More Do I Need?” from the birthday boy’s early-career Saturday Night.