Thomas Stewart and Evelyn Lear Emerging Singers Program
Presented by the Wagner Society of Washington DC, October 19, 2001
Under the Honorary Patronage of His Excellency, Wolfgang Ischinger, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany

Review by Phillip W. Raines -- Personal Musik Kritiques

The third Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart emerging singers concert, held at the Embassy of Germany on Oct.19, 2001 and presented by the Wagner Society of Washington DC was, by far, the most successful venture to date in that Society's efforts to showcase imminent emerging talent for the music of Richard Wagner's art. Five promising singers were presented. Five promising singers triumphed. There were no weak links, only tantalizing promise of what could be, should the operatic gods care to favor these singers, whether it be in Wagner or the operatic genre as a whole.

As I have stated before, American singing talent is alive and well in the operatic world. The frustration is kicking the forces that "cast" into some kind of real action, recognizing musicianship and talent as opposed to image and management, forcing many of these artists into the chorus and sometimes inappropriate reparatory quagmires of nameless houses both here and Europe, resulting in the expense of spent voice or a limited career, should the singer ever be recognized. This is a real frustration and crime to the art. Money, provided by a limited scholarship fund of the WSWDC, which is growing due to member awareness and generosity, to infuse a career is one solution, but only a small one. The fact that Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart have lent their wonderful expertise and exposure to this program is a huge sacrifice and noteworthy to the cause of upcoming artists. Certainly, with each concert, Ms. Lear's and Mr. Thomas' expertise asinternationally acclaimed artists including their personal involvement with the singers, is a monumental benefit to aspiring American opera singers. The "Emerging Singers Program" of the WSWDC is certainly on the right track to help aspiring opera singers, but the frustration is palpable, especially when one has the quality of program that was performed Thursday.

Given the above, my statement is: Let's get these singers on stage now! The opera world needs them dearly.

Let's start with Laura Zuiderveen, mezzo-soprano, an artist whom I have been following since the first emerging singers concert of WSWDC. Ms. Zuiderveen received first prize in the Wagner division of the Liederkranz Foundation vocal competition in January 2000, added a company debut withthe Washington Opera as Berta in Barber of Seville as well as a debut in New York at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center combined with participation in the Caramoor Music Festival in New York this past summer.

This is a voice of majesty, power, warmth, and intense internal drama. Ms. Zuiderveen provided the dramatic and musical highlight of the evening with her rendition of the two Wesendonck Lieder: Der Engel and Im Treibhaus. She had the audience spellbound, spinning intuitive phrasing combined with rich and unforced tonal nuance that would gild any world class Lieder Abend. Ms. Zuiderveen's voice is one that, once released on the Wagnerian world, would be most welcome, and with time, she could easily become an outstanding interpreter of other great Wagnerian roles such as Erda, Kundry, Waltraute, and Ortrud. Along with her vocalism goes an intensive understanding of drama, combined with a physical dramatic intensity in her facial expressions and overall stage bearing. I beg to hear these roles by this singer, and I beg to hear them now, while the voice is rich in overtones, secure, and seamless in passagio. Ms. Zuiderveen also sang the pivotal scene between Fricka and Wotan in Act II of Walküre earlier in the concert. Starting from "Wo in den Bergen du dich birgst.." and continuing only through half of it (without a Wotan- a major flaw in my estimation), Ms. Zuiderveen sangthe goddess with flawless diction and pointed sarcasm, doing the best she could without Wotan responding, and attempting to keep the dramatic gestalt in an upward trend. (I secretly wished that Thomas Stewart could just stand up and sing opposite her. What a treat that would have been!) More could have been made of dramatic build to the climax using her wonderful vocal-dramatic skills leading to the final ironic lines (Herrvater harret dein...) that she never sang. To me, that is misdirected programming and, again, frustration... leading to the wish to hear more of this artist. The voice is chocolate rich, thinning to a fine orange at top ( a few silver tones tonight) but certainly, a Wagnerian and operatic talent par excellence! I have dreams of this artist on major operatic venues, bowing to the audience with those delicious eyes and gorgeous voice having conquered all... and then I wake up with arms bruised from my dear Wife, who also adores her artistry and who knows exactly what my dreams are. Such is life.

Jennifer Wilson stepped on stage and knocked off Brünhilde's battle cry with nary a shake of the head. This opened the concert. No, I don't mean singing it with a slight squeal. I mean full voice, good head tones, fine pitch in the upper stratosphere. I mean easy. Holy tamale I thought! And later she sounded like a young Rysanek singing Sieglinde for the end of Act I of Walküre opposite Thomas Truhitte as Siegmund. Good Lord I said! This simply cannot be! Well it was to be. However, her "Einsam in trüben Tagen" from Lohengrin and "Dich teure Halle" from Tannhäuser which closed the program brought one back to earth with some reservations though very mild ones. Jennifer Wilson, a winner last year in the Liederkranz Foundation Competition, is a fine talent. Her solid dramatic soprano is a beautiful seamless sound, with absolute on spot intonation particularly when supported with forte' breath. The top rings with gold/red overtones... very pleasing. The scratch on top on "Dich teure Halle" was probably due to pushing the vocal emotional top, as was some of "Einsam" which really lacked the lilt and line of a more lyrical voice. This gifted voice seems suited to Brünhilde, Sieglinde, later Isolde, Leonora (Trovatore) etc. I will say though, that this is a natural instrument of beauty with versatility of line. With many instrumentalists today, I tend to hear good technique, but little beauty. In this voice, there is much beauty in tone. How the technique is used will be up to the artist and her collaborators.

Two students of Claude Heater, who was also in the audience from California, made their debuts with the Society concerts. Jason Detweiler, who has sung Alberich with the San Francisco Lyric Opera, did a fine job with Alberich's curse from Das Rheingold. Avoiding the barking style of Alberich, Mr. Detweiler showed a gravely, finely pitched baritone in the middle and lower ranges during the short curse sequence, building the drama well. During the scene from Act II of Der Fliegende Holländer, however, the top became tight with pinched phrasing, showing just how difficult much of Wagner's earlier works can be for singers. Breathing and phrasing, as well as confident production in the upper register was missing in this excerpt for Mr. Detweiler. He sang the notes. What he was singing was, quite frankly, lost. Deep study of thetext is needed.

Thomas Truhitte, another student of Claude Heater, showed excellent promise, though he was suffering from respiratory difficulties due to asudden allergy attack. Mr. Truhitte has a truly exciting heldentenor/highbaritone voice from what I can tell. His "Winterstürme" from Walküre was warm in tone, and reminded me of James King with a slightly richer and darker timbre. The ring in the upper register is missing but didn't bother me, and may very well be there when he is in healthy voice. He also sang "Nur eine Waffe taugt" from Parsifal Act III, and again had to struggle with health and huskiness. His physical demeanor on the stage is handsome andcommanding. It is absolutely not fair to attempt to describe his vocal prowess on this evening of challenge for him. I will say that I was more than tickled with the possibility of hearing a real "heldentenor" type of voice, from such a young artist, and I look forward to hearing more from him.

Alma De Lon, has sung with the Stadt Theater Heidelburg. Her opening performance as Senta with Senta's Ballad from Fliegende Holländer was well articulated as far as singing the notes go. There was little feeling for the legato phrasing in the ballad, and little feeling for the overall schema, though I am sure, that as this artist progresses, that will come along. The voice needs some work in the upper register to reduce shrill overtones, however pitch appeared alright. In the Act II duet with the Dutchman (Jason Detweiler) there was little understanding of building the scene, something that was not limited to just this artist, but to the overall performance of this piece in this concert. Ms. De Lon has an instrument that is conducive to roles such as Senta. Coaching in interpreting the role is imperative here. Certainly the middle chest register is quite fine, and work needs to be done on warming the top and softening the higher overtones, but the overall instrument and talent is quite intact.

Betty Bullock did her usual fine piano accompaniment of the singers, exhibiting tone reproducing the Wagner orchestration, and showing finesse of dynamics regarding the singers. Especially regarding Wagner, it is important to have the "orchestra" in sync with the singer.

John Edward Niles should also be lauded for coordinating the program and artists. His devotion to the emerging singers program is well appreciated from this end. This was a successful evening for the artists and the Evelyn Lear/Thomas Stewart emerging singers concert series, a concert that could have been held, and in fact would have been a gala, at any major opera house or concert hall in the world.

See pictures of the singers:     Jennifer Wilson,   Alma De Lon,   Jason Detwiler,   Thomas Truhitte
last update: 22 May 2002 return to 2001 Emerging Singers Program links page.
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