April 21-27, 2005

artpicks

Enchanted Aprile

opera

In an age of bland operatic Heather Locklears, the American soprano Aprile Millo has dared to adopt the scale and individuality of a Bette Davis or Joan Crawford. The results are not always homogenized or note perfect, but they're always informed by an awareness of pre-CD-era operatic tradition (Millo seems particularly in touch with the broadly phrased legacies of verismo legends Claudia Muzio and Maria Caniglia) and she's never dull to watch or hear. Her pulsing, "red sauce" italianate spinto instrument and interpretive flair made the New York-born, Hollywood-raised diva a leading light of Carnegie Hall's concert format Opera Orchestra of New York: She scored a major triumph this season as Puccini's pistol-packing Girl of the Golden West. If the Met, which treated her as royalty for a decade following her stupendous 1984 debut in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, has gotten stingy with performance dates, her upcoming turns there in Un ballo in maschera (May 3) and Tosca (May 19) will attract an eager following. Meanwhile, the industrious Philadelphia Chamber Music Society has secured her for a rare solo recital, and the soprano will offer arias by Bellini and Verdi, songs by Brahms (for which Michael Tree will join on viola) and Donaudy, plus the final scene from Refice's Cecilia, created for Muzio herself. The excellent pianist Ken Noda will accompany.

Aprile Millo, soprano, with Ken Noda, piano, Thu., April 21, 8 p.m., $10-$24, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce sts., 215-569-8080.

—David Shengold