The Opera Tattler

* Notes * 
Soprano Tracy Dahl and pianist Mark Morash gave a small private recital to benefit the Merola Opera Program last night at Metropolitan Club in San Francisco. Apparently both were Merolini in the eighties, and both now train young singers and pianists themselves at the program. The evening started with an alternate aria for Le Nozze di Figaro followed by a Mozart song in French. They continued with song, performing Mahler's "Liebst du um Schönheit," Strauss' "Amor" and "Ich wollt ein Sträußlein binden," Debussy's "Pantomime" and "Clair de Lune," and Lee Hoiby's "The Serpent." The encore was "Je suis Titania" from Thomas' Mignon.

Dahl was brilliant in this intimate setting, every nuance conveyed the meaning of the text clearly and directly. After introducing the German Lieder, she launched into the Mahler, but stopped and apologized, explaining she would begin again with the correct words. This was perfectly disarming, and she sang beautifully throughout, her voice is so bright and flexible. Her delivery of "The Serpent" was especially delightful, as was the final number of the night, which she ended in the middle of the room.

* Tattling *
Everyone was very well-behaved. There were a lot of sounds from the street below, but Morash spoke through the worst of it, when some sirens wailed down Sutter.