Author: Sarah Flocken
On Thursday, March 4, renowned mezzo-soprano opera star Frederica Von Stade appeared in Occidental’s own Thorne Hall on the only Los Angeles stop of her farewell tour. The evening’s performance was scored by Von Stade’s vibrant, semi-autobiographical song selection. Her performance was cheered on by a responsive audience of students, faculty, alumni, and residents of the surrounding Oxy community, for whom the opera star gave two encores. In addition, four Oxy music students were chosen to participate in a master class with Von Stade the following day. Both events were open to the public as well as the Occidental community.
Von Stade, known as “Flicka” to her most ardent fans, has been hailed by The New York Times as “one of America’s finest artists and singers.” She began her opera career in 1970 with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Since then, she has appeared in every prominent American opera company, including the San Francisco Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Los Angeles Opera.
She has also made lauded appearances on the European stages, including performances with the Royal Opera Covent Garden in London, Teatro alla Scalla, and the Paris Opera. Her wide range of leading-lady roles includes Mignon in Ambroise Thomas’ “Mignon,” Marguerite in Berioz’s “La damnation de Faust,” and heroines of Rossini masterpieces such as “La cenerentola” and “Il barbiere di Siviglia.”
For her Thorne Hall performance, Von Stade compiled an eclectic program. She chose arias from her most well-known leading roles, in addition to some of her personal favorites, and even a few original pieces composed by her friend and accompanist, Jake Heggie. Her selection was arranged in an autobiographical fashion; “Tout Gai! (Greek Songs)” by Maurice Ravel was chosen to evoke a portion of her childhood spent in Greece, while “Voyage a Paris Hotel” by Francis Poulec drew the audience into some of her experience as a young adult in Paris.
Von Stade’s comedic sensibilities and timing punctuated each song’s story, and stood out alongside her vocal talents during Thursday’s show. Her presentation was anything but wooden, and her facial expressions, gestures, and tongue-in-cheek dramatic movements across the stage during her songs often elicited laughter from the audience. The songs most appreciated and applauded by the audience were “Lob des hohen Verstands” from “Des Knaben Wunderhorn” by Gustav Mahler, and her second encore performance of an aria from Jacques Offenbach’s “Tales of Hoffmann.” Her delivery, timing, and expression broke the language barrier; audience members didn’t have to speak German in order to appreciate the humorous story of an ass being consulted for advice, or a drunken woman singing about love.
In addition to her gracious appearance as featured performer, Von Stade offered her teaching services to the music department. Mezzo-sopranos Lily Orcutt (sophomore), Reba Buhr (senior) and Carrie Wade (senior), and soprano Allison Enari (senior) were chosen to participate in an intimate master class with Von Stade the day after her performance. Each student sang an aria for Von Stade, and received critique and further instruction on their pieces. Allison Enari stated that the workshop was “great, a really valuable educational experience.” Von Stade’s general advice to Enari, among others, was to breathe more, relax into the pieces, and to sing softer throughout, in order to preserve the voice. Enari took Von Stade’s advice to heart, and said that “it was an honor to sing for her.”
Both events were a success, and Oxy was lucky to host this opera legend on her only Los Angeles stop of her final U.S. tour. A nearly packed house at the Thorne hall performance, as well as the enthusiastic response from the master-class participants, revealed the Oxy community’s passion for an art form which is often underappreciated. Students, faculty, the Oxy community, opera fans and music novices alike were able to appreciate the talents and experience of Frederica Von Stade.
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