5.9.06

And furthermore . . .

I had more thoughts on Friday evening's performance of Die schöne Müllerin than I had space for in the review:

  • Mr. Olsen displayed great power in his high notes, particularly in "Impatience" (no. 7). But this power was always at the service of expression;
  • Both performances imbued the entire work with flexible and dramatic phrasing, including slight, very pregnant pauses. I noticed this especially in "Good Morning" (no. 8);
  • A very light touch from both in "The Miller's Flowers" (no. 9);
  • Desperation grows dramatically in "Jealousy and Pride" (no. 15);
  • The tension between the words and music in "The beloved color" (no. 16) was palpable in the hall;
  • The complete psychological breakdown of the persona in "The loathsome color" (no. 17);
  • The subtle changes in color from both Mr. Olsen and Mr. Fisher to represent the different voices in "The Miller and the Brook" (no. 19); and
  • The clear, open, almost näive sound in "The Brook's Lullaby" (no. 20).

If the music season lives up to this beginning, it's really going to be something to experience.

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