Thomas Stewart and Evelyn Lear Emerging Singers Program
Presented by the Wagner Society of Washington DC, May 2, 2001 at the German Embassy, Washington DC

Review by Phillip W. Raines -- Personal Musik Kritiques

There is a future in opera, and in Wagnerian opera. There is a hope. There are singers in the wings. They need to be on stage now, and nurtured as only artists like Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart can.

A knowledgeable and enthusiastic audience greeted five young singers who gave electrifying performances of Wagnerian music, (with one grand exception from the composer Lehar), and who literally had this audience cheering wildly at the end in support of the raw energy, fine singing, and excellent musicianship displayed throughout the evening. This evening was a triumph in the face of the "dumbing down" of the operatic arts exhibited in the media, such as the dropping of the Texaco Met broadcasts by a major classical music station here in D.C., and the general move in the recording industry to drop whole operatic recordings and concentrate on the glitter and personality of singers who may not be trained for operatic careers, but who draw the bucks , or to concentrate on image instead of voice. These fine young singers tonight showed, above all, fine singing technique in the genre in which they want to perform- opera... perhaps the most challenging area of the vocal performing arts. This evening was a breath of fresh air.

Betty Bullock, a faculty member at the Levine School of Music and on the music staff of the Washington Opera, with impressive credentials from Oberlin to Salzburg, was the accompanist. She effectively supported all the singers tonight with accute balance and tempi adjustments as necessary. To attempt to be the Wagner orchestra was no small task, but it was very sensitively done and with craft.

Paul Mow, a young tenor from University of Michigan, a finalist in the 2000 McCollum Competition at Houston Grand Opera and finalist in the Opera Pacific competition, made the largest impression on me. His voice cannot be restricted to normal tenor classifications. There is a lyrical sweetness throughout the register, though the upper range is true, clean, warm, but with some dramatic heft in the overtone. Afterwards we both were in agreement that Andrea Chenier would be a fine role for him. His "Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond" was brightly sung with no pitch or phrase difficulties whatsoever. I was amazed to learn that he had only learned the piece in less than a month. Actually, I was not amazed. Depth of interpretation is usually an issue with me regarding Wagner, however, in a concert such as this, I put such difficulties aside. That will come. This selection, however created fireworks with the audience, especially because it was paired with Amanda Mace singing " Du bist der Lenz." More on that later. In Mr. Mow’s second selection, the only non-Wagner selection in the concert, he sang "Dein ist mein ganzes Hertz" from the Franz Lehar operetta Der Land des Lächelns. This performance was truly beautiful, showing understanding of lyrically spun line, and fine control with warm tone of the top, nothing being pushed. One wishes for more piano head tone. Again, I believe that will come. Watch this name. The instrument is fine and the "chops is great."

Amanda Mace had the enviable task of opening up the concert with "Dich teure Halle", a piece that equals singing "Celeste Aida" at the beginning of that Verdi opera. Both composers should have had drip torture prescribed to them by St. Peter as part of their entrance to heaven. Ms. Mace negotiated the valleys and summits of "Halle" quite well. The voice is enormous. (I will digress to say that all the voices tonight could fill a major opera house... impressive.) More than a large voice, an extremely accurate voice in pitch and intonation. And then, there were the warmer tangerine tones in the high range that won me over. Ms. Mace has had training in how to use facial expressions to her advantage. Sieglinde, however, was the blockbuster. On the heels of Paul Mow’s Siegmund, she let loose with "Du bist der Lenz" with no swooping, swapping (of pitch), or slurrping (of line.) The voice filled the hall, richly and warmly. The internal intensity she was portraying swept over the audience. For the first time, I saw a young Sieglinde live on stage, a Sieglinde that was almost a teenager, with the wisdom of one many years older. Now mind you, Leonie Rysanek, who I saw onstage in Bayreuth, has remained the ultimate Sieglinde in my fantasy world, but this young artist has the goods both vocally and dramatically to become a great one. Watch this name.

If we don’t get Paul Mow or Amanda Mace or Laura Zuiderveen (who was conspicuously absent ..a fatal flaw in this concert since we needed excellent Wagner mezzo selections this evening) to perform in major houses in the future, there is something seriously amiss in the operatic world.

But there is more. Yes indeed...more talent to follow. (Part II to continue.)

Here is the completed section, put on the NY Times Opera Forum today. Continuation of the Second Annual Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart Emerging Singers Program May 2, 2001- Sponsored by the Wagner Society of Washington, D.C. Phillip W. Raines- Personal Musik Kritiques

Amy Fuller (Soprano) was a 1995 finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti competition, and the Licia Albanese competition in the same year.

This evening Ms. Fuller sang "Einsam in trüben Tagen" from Lohengrin with sweet and clear lyric tone. The voice is slightly reedy in the top, but the edge is actually welcome in Wagner’s roles for this type of voice, in my opinion. Certainly, this young artist has the presence and beauty to portray roles such as Elsa and Eva with convincing dramatic and vocal sympathy. One of my favorite moments in Meistersinger is when Eva discloses her naive feelings to Sachs in "O Sachs! Mein Freund! Du teurer Mann!" In this piece, Ms. Fuller was rather one-dimensional and pushed the top, but the potential is there. I wondered about the lack of heft overall in the voice at this point in her career. The lyric Italian repertoire might really be a route to take at this point for her.

Ray L. Karns (Bass Baritone) from the Boston conservatory of Music was Artist in Residence at Opera Omaha and Apprentice Artist at Sarasota Opera and Santa Fe Opera.

Mr. Karns opened his section of the evening with "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge" from Rheingold. His voice is large in the middle with warm tone, but quickly shows pitch and intonation difficulties in the upper register, along with a rather uneven passagio. Certainly, he cuts the figure of Wotan well, and his Abendlich was much more successful than his later "Leb wohl du kühnes herrliches Kind" from Act III of Walküre. Pitch difficulties and lack of dynamic range marred the Wotan farewell, a moment of extreme pathos in the Ring that must be studied and sung with nuance. Nonetheless, the potential for further growth and expansion in the Wagner repertoire is there for this artist as well. The voice has ring and full body and with proper training should flourish. In the case of this singer I would say, pitch, pitch, and more pitch!

Jay Hunter Morris (tenor) began his career on stage in the non-operatic role of Tony in Master Class. I did see him in that role when he performed here in Washington D.C. This summer, he will perform the role of the Drum Major in Wozzeck in Santa Fe, and will also sing Walther von Stolzing in his Wagnerian debut with the San Francisco Opera in Die Meistersinger.

Mr. Morris is a handsome figure on the stage, with much acting presence and command. His voice reminds me of a matinee idol from Germany in the 60’s by the name of Rudolph Schock, who also recorded, among other things, the role of Walther von Stolzing, which Morris sang tonight. He opened with "Am stillen Herd in Winterszeit" from Act I of Meistersinger, which was ,technically, sung solidly. His voice is clear and spot on pitch with a handsome burnish of gold. Mr. Morris’s second selection "Morgenlich leuchtend" from Act III of Meistersinger was also handsomely sung. One would wish for more caress of line (something I always wanted from Schock also) but clearly this is a voice trained for the theater. The crossover possibilities to opera are definitely there. Dynamic range, in particular the high piano head tone, needs work as well as phrasing detail. Watch this tenor. I think he is on his way.

A very successful evening of singing in my estimation. I and the Wagner Society of Washington D.C. thank Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart and Betty Bullock for their part in bringing about this wonderful evening of operatic singing. The quality of performance, here at the German Embassy, was of high caliber and reinforced, in my mind at least, that the Golden Age of opera is not over. Siegfried is ascending the rock and the future will continue.
last update: 22 May 2002
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