Arts & Events

On Friday, December 10, the Future was Once Again Now, as the 2021 Adler Fellows Concert brought fresh young voices to the stage of Herbst Theatre. San Francisco Opera’s Music Directer Eun Sun Kim conducted the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, leading off the program with the Overture from Ruslan and Lyudmila by Mikhail Glinka. The first vocal offering featured baritone Timothy Murray as Figaro singing “Largo al factotum” from Gioachino Rossini’s Il rbiere di Siviglia. Murray, a second year Adler Fellow, delivered this chestnut in rich tones, even breaking into falsetto at one point. It was a totally convincing performance and won huge applause from the appreciative audience. 

Next on the program was bass Stefan Egerstrom as Captain Daland singing “Migst du, mein Kind” from Der Fliegende Hollānder by Richard Wagner. Egerstrom’s deep, dark bass was impressive here. Then we heard Canadian soprano Anne-Marie MacIntosh in Anne Trulove’s aria “No word from Tom…Quietly night… I go to him” from Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. Anne-Marie MacIntosh, who was recently heard as Marzelline in San Francisco Opera’s newproduction of Beethoven’s Fidelio, gave a heartfelt rendition of this aria full of anguished longing for the errant Tom Rakewell. Following this aria came tenor Christopher Colmenero singing the famous “Cielo e mar” from Amilcare Ponchielli’s La Gioconda. Colmenero’s tenor voice has a baritonal ring to it though he adroitly polished off this aria with a ravishing final high note, which won him thunderous applause. Next we heard Romanian-American soprano Esther Tonea as Donna Anna and tenor Christopher Oglesby as Ottavio in the duet “Ma qual mai s’offre, oh Dei… Fuggi, crudele, fuggi” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Esther Tonea, who previously was heard in San Francisco Opera as Diana in the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s If I Were You, has a sumptuous voice, rich in tonality, and she was here well partnered by tenor Christopher Oglesby. 

Closing out the first half of this concert was an ensemble featuring Canadian mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh as the composer in the number “Ich weiss nicht, wo mir der Kopf steht” from Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss. Simone McIntosh previously gave a stunning 2020 Schwabacher Recital performance of Olivier Messiaen’s rarely heard song-cycle Harawi. (See my review of that performance in the March 6 Berkeley Daily Planet and my follow-up interview with Simone McIntosh in the March 27 issue.) Simone McIntosh has a magnificent voice, full of burnished tone, astonishing range and ample power. Though slight of build, Simone McIntosh probably generates more vocal power per pound than any other singer! She absolutely stole the show in this concert, producing the true highlight of the entire evening! In her effort, she was joined by bass Stefan Egerstrom as the Music Teacher, tenor Zhengyi Bai as The Dancing Master, soprano Elisa Sunshine as a superb Zerbinetta, Esther Tonea as the Prima Donna, and Christopher Colmenero as The Tenor. Andrew King accompanied the singers on piano and Ksenia Polstiankina Barrad was heard on celeste. The composer’s final words are in praise of the power of music, the holiest of the arts, beautifully sung here by Simone McIntosh! The appreciative audience gave Simone McIntosh a thunderous ovation. 

After intermission, the concert resumed with Simone McIntosh singing the role of Idamante in Mozart’s opera Idomeneo. The Greek princess Ilia was sung by soprano Anne-Marie MacIntosh, Esther Tonea was Elletra, and tenor Christopher Colmenero rounded out the cast as Idomeneo, King of Crete, in this moving ensemble. Next we heard tenor Christopher Oglesby as Rodolfo in the aria “Che gelida manina” from Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème. Oglesby gave a fine rendition of this aria, his baritonal tenor rising to the high notes of this well-loved aria. Following this we heard soprano Elisa Sunshine as Lucia and mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh as her maid in “Regnava nel silenzio… Quando rapito in estasi” from Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Elisa Sunshine, who in 2019 created the role of Selena in Jake Heggie’s If I Were You, has a bright, sparkling soprano which was in ample display here in this aria as Lucia recalls seeing a ghost but then exults in her love for Edgardo. Simone McIntosh offered cautionary warnings as Lucia’s faithful maid and friend.  

Next we heard Chinese-born tenor Zhengyi Bai in the overly excited “Aria of the Worm” from John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles. This music is not to my taste, though I must applaud Zhengyi Bai for giving it a rousing performance. He was accompanied by Ksenia Polstiankina Barrad on synthesiser. Following this came soprano Anne-Marie MacIntosh as Norina and baritone Timothy Murray as Malatesta in the duet “E il dottor non si vede…Pronta io son!” from Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti. This delightful duet was admirably performed here by the two singers. Closing out the evening we heard soprano Esther Tonea in the aria “Col sorriso d’innocenza… Sole! Ti veda di tenebre oscure” from the opera Il Pirata by Vincenzo Bellini. Esther Tonea’s dramatic soprano voice gave an impassioned rendition of this aria, as she was joined briefly by all the other singers from this impressive group of 2021 Adler Fellows.