December 11-17, 2003

artpicks

David Adams and Evening of Russian Romances

David Shengold

Opera

As part of AVA's alumni recital series, the fine lyric tenor David Adams returns with a program of American songs (Bernstein and Blitzstein), chansons by the exquisitely gifted Henri Duparc, plus two of Adams' three "specialty composers": Handel and Rossini (Mozart's the third). Adams has won acclaim for a light, agile sound and stylish command in starring roles at New York City Opera.

Four nights later many of the school's current resident artists join pianist and coach Ghenady Meirson in one of the school's wisest innovations, its yearly Evening of Russian Romances. Russian repertory is increasingly important in singers' calendars and a linguistic and stylistic grounding in the splendid "art songs" (romansy in Russian) of Musorgsky, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff -- to name only the three greatest of many champions of the genre -- will hold AVA's grads in good stead. The songs also make for varied, novel and beguiling listening.

Readying for his Met debut in May, bass Burak Bilgili tackles the chilling, characterful "Songs and Dances of Death," one of Musorgsky's masterworks. Eglise Gutierrez needn't worry about diction in Rachmaninoff's beautiful "Vocalise" but it will showcase her fine high C. Baritone Jason Switzer coached his songs (American premieres) with their composer, Vladimir Ryabov. Other fine voices will include Ellie Dehn, Latonia Moore and Keith Miller.

David Adams, Fri., Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m., $20-$25, Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St.; Evening of Russian Romances, Tue., Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m., $20-$25, The Kimmel Center, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-735-1685.

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