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| Charlene Baldridge Photo by Ken Howard |
‘Downtime,'
or what I did on my time 'off'
What does a theatre/arts critic do during her “downtime”? She attends performances and tends to other things. The week of October 12 was no exception and I report some activities here; that is, other than the thwarted attempt to find a parking space so I could attend Arthur Wagner’s memorial service; the results of the regular medical check up; and watching the first Democratic debate and the baseball playoff games.
Thursday, Oct. 15, I went to Mission Valley 20 to catch Benedict Cumberbatch in the National Theatre Live telecast of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Friday I heard Bach Collegium’s Something About Mary at St. James-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in La Jolla.
I agree with critics of the Hamlet stage production, who generally thought Cumberbatch’s performance far outshone those of his supporting players. I was wowed by the physical production and agree with those who saw it both live and live in the cinema that it came across well. I’m happy to have seen it and consider my $20 and time well spent.
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Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman return as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the acclaimed modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories. Image courtesy od PBS. |
PBS just announced that Cumberbatch returns for another year of “Sherlock” (set to begin production in spring 2016). But first, there will be a 90-minute special titled “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride,” to air on “Masterpiece Mystery” New Year’s Day.
Bach Collegium's 'Something About Mary'
Bach Collegium's 'Something About Mary'
As for Bach Collegium, the performance with orchestra, soloists and chorus confirms my opinion that the organization is one of topmost quality. Something About Mary comprised performances of Henry Purcell’s (1659-1695) Birthday Ode for Queen Mary II from Celebrate This Festival, Z.321, and J.S. Bach’s (1685-1750) Cantata for the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147.
The impeccable period-instrument orchestral playing, particularly that of trumpet Kathryn James Adduci, was jaw-dropping. And the soloists, hired from a national pool by Music Director Ruben Valenzuela, who conducted from the harpsichord, were wondrous. Sopranos Anne-Marie Dicce and Jennifer Paulino achieved a splendid blend; mezzo-soprano Janelle DeStefano displayed luscious quality and fioratura; and countertenor Reginald L. Mobley reaffirmed, with his vocal color and quality, my previous assessment that he is tops. Other soloists were tenor Dann Coakwell and baritone Kyle Ferrill; other singers were soprano Gitanjali Mathur, alto Clifton Massey, tenors Erik Gustafson and Scott Mello, and basses John Buffett and Patrick Walders.
The rest of my week “off” involved a humongous family taco feast in Laguna Hills (deportation stories around the fire ring and making of homemade tortillas in the kitchen!) and attendance at Lamb’s Players’ Oz, a review of which you may read in a forthcoming issue of Gay San Diego.
And on Monday, she rested.
The Week of October 19
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| Edelstein Courtesy of the Old Globe |
Sign me up. The dialogue between the two men was enough to convince me to purchase the book to read en route to Dallas this week for the opening of Jake Heggie’s new opera, Great Scott.
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| Jake Heggie |
I’ll be at the special opening night dinner October 30, among 124 of Jake’s closest friends! Then, if the old lady can stay awake, I’ll attend the post-performance reception, hoping to greet director Jack O’Brien, librettist Terrence McNally, soprano Joyce DiDonato, and mezzo soprano Frederica Von Stade. What a company! Also in the company is soprano Ailyn Perez, who is married (oops, was married) to tenor Stephen Costello. He created the role of Greenhorn in Jake’s Moby-Dick in Dallas in 2010. The pair did a spiffy joint recital here last year. By the way, Moby-Dick is playing at Los Angeles Opera October 31-November 28. Great Scott plays at San Diego Opera in May 2016.
San Diego Symphony
Sunday afternoon, I caught San Diego Symphony’s Beethoven and Adams program, conducted by Edo de Waart with violinist James Ehnes as soloist in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61.
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| Edo de Waart Courtesy San Diego Symphony |
According to Eric Bromberger’s excellent program notes, Harmonielehre is one of the most popular and most recorded works written since World War II. The word lehre in German means teacher; thus the title means a lesson in harmony. That it is, indeed. If ever you have a chance to hear it live, run to the symphony hall. It’s unlikely, though, that you’ll ever hear a more exciting performance than Sunday’s. This was the inaugural performance of the work by San Diego Symphony.
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| Violinist James Ehnes Photo courtesy of San Diego Symphony |
The familiar Beethoven D Major Concerto has a long history with San Diego Symphony, having first been performed in 1914. Ehnes’s interpretation was lovely, his Stradivarius’s tones sweet, precise and absolutely impeccable. He is a splendid artist. Hard to top that performance as well; perhaps only by the artist’s generous Bach encore.
So, how was that for a busman's holiday? God willing, I’ll return in mid-November with some theatre reviews.
Till then, Charlene