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August, 2012 Newsletter
Upcoming Concert: Opera Night in Oyster Bay
August 19, 2012, Sunday at 4:00 pm
Christ Church, 61 East Main Street, Oyster Bay
$15 donation
Performers include:
Frances Fascetti, mezzo soprano
Mary Liz O'Neill, mezzo soprano
Cheryl Warfield, soprano
Maurizio Casa, tenor
Danielle Davis, soprano
Kate Cooke, soprano
Stephen Barchi, baritone
John Brakatselos, baritone
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano
Kelly Horsted, piano
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Memo's from Maddalena:
RE: Opera Night Night in Oyster Bay, August 5, 2012
OPERA NIGHT ALWAYS FEELS WELCOMED WITH BOTH OPEN ARMS AND OPEN HEARTS, WHEN WE PERFORM AT THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, IN HUNTINGTON. THIS WAS SURELY THE CASE ON SUNDAY, AS EIGHT OF OUR CHOICE SINGERS DELIVERED A DIVERSE MONTAGE OF THE ARIAS THAT HAVE BECOME THE LONG STANDING REPETOIRE OF THE OPERA WORLD. WE WERE GLADDENED TO SEE A HEALTHY SHOWING OF AUDIENCE, FRIENDS AND FAMILY GATHERED JOYFULLY TO HEAR SOME OF THE FINEST MUSIC EVER WRITTEN AND SUNG BY SOME OF THE FINEST SINGERS AROUND. I DON'T BANDY WORDS AROUND TO JUST BLOW OUR OWN HORN WHEN I USE TERMS SUCH AS FINEST AND CHOICE SINGERS. THOSE WHO LOVE OPERA AND COME FAITHFULLY TO OUR PRODUCTIONS WILL AGREE THAT OUR ARTISTES HAVE TRAINED HARD AND ARE FIERCLY DEDICATED. AS OLYMPIANS SET GOALS FOR THEMSELVES AS THEY PERFECT THEIR EVENTS, SO TOO DO OUR PERFORMERS WHEN THEY HONE AND MAKE READY THEIR ARIAS. IF OUR SINGERS ARE UP ON THE HIGH WIRE , THEN OUR PIANIST GROUNDS US ALLWITH HIS SKILLS RESULTING IN YEARS OF PRACTICE. JAMES BESSER IS EXTRODINARY. NOT ONLY IN HIS SIGHT READING SKILLS, BUT HIS ABILITY TO MAKE THE MOST DIFFICULT OF PIECES ( SUCH AS HANDEL'S "REVENGE ARIA") SEEM FLAWLESS. ISABELLA AND JAMES TOOK TO THE SAME PIANO BENCH IN THEIR FOUR- HANDED INTERPRETATION OF SAINT-SAENS "ALBUM LEAF." I WAS ENRAPT AND CARRIED AWAY BY THIS ROMANTIC INTERLUDE OF SWEETNESS. I TAKE THIS FEELING AWAY WITH ME AND FALL BACK ONTO IT AS I MIGHT ON A BILLOWY PILLOW. MUSIC IS SENSATION FOR ME. IT IS PALPABLE AND REAL, AND OFFERS COMFORT WHEN NEEDED.
Interview with Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano by Jenny Ingersoll:
Jeanny (Chou) Schwartz, born in Hong Kong, revealed her gift for singing at an early age. She graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and toured Thailand, Malaysia and Australia to perform the opera excerpt Fast Forward Figaro. Jeanny has performed as an alto solo in concerts including Handel’s Semele, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Bach’s Magnificat in D Major, Saint Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio, and Vivaldi’s Gloria. Over the years she has also performed in operas and musical productions of Turandot, Die Zauberflöte, Suor Angelica, Aida, A Viennese Celebration, The Barber of Seville, L’Elisir D’Amore and Quilters. She sang Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, The Tour Guide in Orphee aux Enfer and Cherubino in Fast-Forward Figaro. In 2008, Jeanny married Jeffrey Schwartz, an American Recording Engineer. They now reside in Ronkonkoma, New York.
1) How did you initially discover music and get interested in it?
I'm interested in music ever since I was 3 years old. I remember telling my mom that I love conducting to the songs with two hands waving in the air that I heard on TV and commercial. And I said to her "There are beats to the song, can you feel it? It's so cool!" Then I would even sing along any songs that I heard, no matter it's on radio, TV, so as songs that I learned from kindergarten.
Both my parents play instruments. My dad plays all kinds of Chinese instruments including Dizi, Erhu, Xiao, Pipa etc. My mom plays accordion. Guess I had my parents' musical gene in me. My mom also said since I was a baby, I felt asleep peacefully once I heard the music tape that she put on in the tape recorder.
I didn't get to learn piano and singing till my teenage years. I remember those days I would sit in front of the piano for more than 3 hours everyday after school till I had to stop for homework. I could play a sonata or sing songs for a few hours and my mom was my favorite audience at home. She would tell me from the kitchen "I like that song you just played/sang. Can you play/sing again?" At a younger age, I was always envy of my friends who could play piano. I frequently asked them to show me songs on the piano and I would memorize their hand shape and fingering, then go home to practice on my mini 2-octave Casio keyboard that my dad got me. Though the keyboard was really small, I loved it very much coz I could make music with it, and of course, to sing along while I played.
2) Describe what it was like to tour Thailand, Malaysia and Australia to perform the excerpt Fast Forward Figaro.
The experience of touring Thailand, Malaysia and Australia was phenomenal! We performed the excerpt/opera scene of Fast Forward Figaro (based on the story of Marriage of Figaro) in contemporary costume with English dialogue in different venue, including hotel ballrooms, concert halls, outdoor stage and at local school and University of Darwin. Audience in Darwin was ultra friendly. The professor of the music department of University of Darwin became the grill master and made us some Australian Bar-be right after our performance. The outdoor performance was another unforgettable one. Audience came with food baskets and blankets, sat under the sunset, watched the opera scene in the park. The bright lights on the stage attracted uncountable kinds of insects. They were all flying around as we were on stage. All singers tried very hard to avoid breathing with mouth wide open as we all worried about sucking down a bug...that would not be good!
3) You seem to have mainly performed and studied in Hong Kong and New York. Are there any major differences in the discipline or performance style?
Bel canto singers in Hong Kong emphasize on diction and expression. We build up our repertoire and vocal technique by singing and performing lots of English art songs, German Lieder, French Chanson, cantatas, oratorios, then develop the ability to sing arias and to be involved in major opera productions. That way you can protect your voice by not overusing/overworking if you try to sing heavily or big arias at a younger age or initial stage of vocal training.
In my humble opinion, audience and singers in the U.S. may seek a bit more on volume. To me, I would agree with my teacher Ms Katusha Tsui-Fraser at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, whom greatly stressed on the importance of diction, expression and musicianship. When a singer sings no matter an art song or an aria, as an audience myself, I would enjoy and appreciate the performer, if he or she carries through the message and the emotion of the song or aria through the content (lyrics with clear diction so we understand) and expression (if you truly feel the song and make the audience feel it too), but not just by volume. I believe all professional singers have beautiful voices, but then you will wonder why some catch your attention during the performance and some don't. In another word, volume may be the difference between Hong Kong singers and American singers.
4) Do you have a favorite composer or Opera?
My favorite composers are Debussy (impressionist), Beethoven (late classical, early romantic), Schumann (romantic), Chopin (romantic) and Faure (romantic). My favorite operas are Carmen, Turandot, Aida and Il barbiere di Siviglia.
5) What is your dream role?
My dream role...it will have to be Carmen.
6) Where do you hope to see yourself in 5 years?
I hope to host a few vocal recitals in both Hong Kong and the U.S. Be involved in cantata and oratorio solo performances and possibly engaged in some opera scene productions.
Thank you very much and appreciate for your interview.
Jennifer Amadeo Ingersoll | jingersoll@post.harvard.edu
Jeanny Schwartz sings in the Northport Chorale. Special note:
the Northport Chorale will be holding auditions for their 30th Anniversary of singing for the Northport Community on Wed. Sept. 5, and 12 in the choir room in the Northport High School, 7PM. For more info contact Pearl Skelaney 631-239-6736 or Su Ronneberger at 631-754-3144 or visit our web at www. northportchorale.org. All voices are needed.
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We're having a party!
October 14. 2012, Sunday at 4:00
St. Paul's Methodist Church in Northport
Details to follow. Want to be a part of the planning?
Contact Maddalena at maddalen@optonline.net |
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Coming in September:  |
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