The Brown University Chorus appeared in top form this weekend, dazzling audiences at Sayles Hall with two feature performances of "Dido and Aeneas" the famous Baroque opera by Henry Purcell.
Kelsey Robbins '10 and Benjamin Hyman '11, a Herald arts and culture editor who was not involved with the editing of this review, did remarkably well as the two leads, yet the show truly belonged to the entire Chorus. Throughout the opera, the group performed together magnificently, all parts in meticulously balanced harmony and concluding with an unforgettable finale.
The program opened with a trio of pieces taken from Stephen Chatman's "There is Sweet Music Here," all rather short but of surprising difficulty.
Accompanied by the outstanding oboist Jason Smoller '09, the chorus commenced with these uplifting selections - surprising those in the audience expecting only the somber tones of Dido's lamenting.
But the mood was short-lived. As "Dido and Aeneas" began, audience members were soon shown what has become commonly associated with opera: personal anguish, crushing irony and tragic death. For this, Robbins was perfectly cast. Her vocal range was impressive in the low, contemplative passages, and the emotive power of her voice wowed audiences.
In the opera's most famous passage, "Dido's Lament," Robbins was particularly stunning, delicately ornamenting the sorrowful melody, yet avoiding the all-too-popular operatic tendency to exaggerate and embellish.
Hyman displayed equal quality as Aeneas, Robbins' counterpart. At first note, he appeared calm and composed, yet the understated power of his voice emerged throughout the opera, leaving the audience awestruck by the end. This refined delivery maintained by both leads was most impressive - neither exaggerated their performance with unnecessary melisma or forced vibrato. The beauty of both Robbins and Hyman was the simple display of natural talent.
Ultimately though, it was the full chorus that stole the performance. The Brown University Chorus excels at creatively presenting a classical repertoire, often a daunting challenge for student ensembles.
With this weekend's production, the group enthralled audiences with ease and naturally captured the actions of the drama, and yet it still managed to impress with a new and innovative approach.
This creativity was exemplified in the second act's "Echo Dance," when a few clever members of the Chorus covertly left the risers and concealed themselves in a nearby stairwell, only to begin repeating the melody from offstage, unseen, to the bewilderment of the audience.
While the 17th-century score calls for an echo-like counterpoint, the chorus's clever staging literally interpreted the title "Echo Dance" to produce an effect that was both humorous and riveting.
The experienced direction of Frederick Jodry contributed immensely to the success of the performance.
He was animated throughout the show, rising and falling with each changing scene, yet conducting with an almost familial connection to his singers.
Under Jodry's direction and with brilliantly cast leads, the chorus' superb presentation of "Dido and Aeneas" this weekend exhibited its ability to perform as an outstanding and skilled ensemble.
