Joyce, (I have met her a couple of
times; she is so down-to-earth and genuine I just have to call her by
her given name) was in her element; she was home and thus gave a
heart felt performance that was more an event and a happening than a
straight concert recital. Those attending the sold out “Drama
Queens” concert at the Folly Theatre are richer for it. Joyce was
accompanied (a word that diminishes the contribution of this stellar
group of musicians founded in 1979 in Amsterdam) by Il Complesso
Baroocco, led by Russian violinist Dmitry Sinkovsky. The ensemble's
founder Alan Curtis and Joyce have embarked on a project to resurrect
long forgotten but once popular baroque operas. This concert (one of
just three stops in the US) is a culmination of the effort, along
with the eponymous album recently released on Virgin Classics.
“Why do we adore these queens of the
drama?” Joyce writes in the program notes. “The answer for me
lies at the heart of why we love opera: we yearn to open hidden doors
to the richest, most complex, utterly human and profoundly moving
emotions that we may not be able to access when left to our own
devices. The crazy plots and extreme circumstances of the operatic
universe give us permission to to unleash our often too idle
imaginations.” I rarely quote so much from the notes, but this
short paragraph so perfectly sums up our experience upon entering the
world of the operatic “Drama Queens”. Arias from composers both
dear (Handel, Monteverdi) and obscure (Cesti, Porta) feature such
grand Queens as Cleopatra and Orontea, Queens of Egypt; Rossane,
Princess of Persia and Ottavia, Princess of Rome were interspersed
with instrumental interludes by Scarlatti, Vivaldi and Handel.
Highlights: "Disprezzata regina"
from Claudio Monteverdi's "L'Incoronazione di Poppea" of
1643, a virtuoso aria where the Queen of Rome Ottavia spits out her
jealously and bitter betrayal followed seamlessly by Giacomelli's
“Sposa, son disprezzata”, the wife, Irene Princess Of Tresbisond,
who is cheated and abused by the husband she loves. Then there was
Cleopatra's aria "Piangerò la sorte mia" from "Julius
Caesar." by Handel This aria was probably the most familiar to
the audience received a most sympathetic performance. Joyce's runs and
trills were perfectly clear and florid but never, never overwrought.
Then in contrast was the obscure Giovanni Porta's “Madre, dileta,
abbracciami” from his 1738 opera “Ifgenia in Aulide”. Ifgenia's
heart and breath-taking aria “Mother, dearest, embrace me, I will
never see you again” was grief and bitter resignation personified.
Not a dry eye in the house.
Dmitry Sinkovsky, directing the
ensemble from the violin, was beyond exemplary. He let the diva have
her way yet he and his incredible ensemble were her equal partner. In
the instrumental interludes (a couple of Scarlatti sinfonias and
Handel’s passacaglia from “Radamisto”) Joyce sat among the
ensemble, as if the Queen were enjoying her Consort of Instruments.
Joyce let Il Complesso Barocco have the stage to themselves for an
insanely vituosic performance of Vivaldi’s violin concerto “Per
Pisendel”. Sinkovsky solo work almost (?? yes, probably) equaled
Joyce' mind boggling virtuosity with his loosened pony tail and bow
almost invisible in their flight. I closed my eyes and thought of
Paganini.
Joyce and the ensemble treated the
ecstatic audience to several encores, most notably the Orlandini “Col
versar, barbaro!” from Berenice, Joyce milking the low, guttural
“Barbaro” with her bronze lower range. After Joyce quipped “did
you hear his (Sinkovsky's) hoedown in that last piece?” he then
accompanied her final encore laced with the open strings of a
Kentucky fiddler, bringing both Joyce and the audience to laughing
tears.
It was that kind of evening.
Addendum: and the red Viviane Westwood gown was the 3rd star of the evening.
Addendum: and the red Viviane Westwood gown was the 3rd star of the evening.
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