Arts & Events

Ashley Dixon in Recital with Pianist Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad

Reviewed by James Roy MacBean
Sunday April 10, 2022 - 09:58:00 PM

In the first of this year’s Schwabacher Recital Series presented by San Francisco Opera Center and The Merola Opera Program, mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon teamed with Ukrainian pianist Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad in a program of Spanish and French songs at the Taube Atrium Theater on Wednesday evening, April 6. A Grand Finals winner of the 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, Ashley Dixon has already sung in major roles at San Francisco Opera and Los Angeles Opera, as well as at other opera companies. She possesses a fulsome tone that is rich in vocal colours, and impeccable technique. 

Ashley Dixon opened the Schwabacher Recital by singing a capella a traditional Spanish song, “Las nubes fecondantes.” Then she was joined on piano by Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad in the song “Triste está la infanta” by Alberto Hemsi (1898-1975). Next came a song in Spanish by Maurice Ravel, “Chanson Espagnole,” from his Chants Populaires. This song included a section of wordless vocalise, beautifully sung by Ashley Dixon. There followed a playful song in French by Franz Lizst, “Comment, disaient-ils,” set to a text by Victor Hugo. Closing out this opening set was the lovely song, “L’Heure exquise,” by French composer Reynaldo Hahn from his Chansons grises. This song featured delicate accompaniment on piano and closed with a high note that demonstrated Ashley Dixon’s impressive range in the upper register. 

The second set was devoted to Spanish songs. First came “Cita” (“Meeting”) by Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000). Next came a lively song about bullfighting, “Llamale con el pañuelo” by Jesús Guridi (1886-1961), followed by the whimsical song “Canción al arbol del olvido” (“Song to the Tree of Forgetfulness”) by Alberto Ginestera (1916-1983). Closing this set of Spanish songs was “Polo” from Siete Canciones populares Espagñolas by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946). This dramatic song expressed the anguish of love and was accompanied by repeated heavy chords on piano. 

The fourth and final set of the first half of this recital was devoted to French songs. First came “Ronde d’amour” by Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944), a song that was delightfully playful. Next came the dramatic “Fleur jetée” by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), followed by Claude Debussy’s “C’est l’extase langoureuse” from his Ariettes oubliées. Ashley Dixon beautifully expressed the langourous rapture of this text and her voice shone in the surprisingly high and forceful moments of this song. The final song of this set was the jaunty “Fêtes Galantes” by Francis Poulenc set to a text by Paul Éluard. 

After intermission, the first work performed was Poema en forma de canciones by Joaquín Turina (1882-1949). This opened with a lovely piano solo called “Dedicatoria,” beautifully performed by Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad. Then she was joined by mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon in the succeeding songs that included “Nunca olvida,” “Cantares, (which featured a lively shout), “Los dos miedos,” and the closing song, “Las locas por amor,” which was an exultant paean to Venus. The final work on the printed program was “La Mort d’Ophélie,” by Hector Berlioz, with a text based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet beautifully rendered by Ernest Legouvé. As Ophelia drowns in a river she sings a lovely ancient lay, exquisitely sung here as a sad vocalise by Ashley Dixon. Then, in response to effusive applause from the appreciative audience, Ashley Dixon teamed with Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad in the French chanson “La Vie en Rose.” 


Erratum:Cal Performances informs me that the encore performed by Barton-Heggie
was in fact a song by Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers tv fame. The confusion
came because pianist Jake Heggie interpolated a quote from a Chopin
nocturne.