The Opera Tattler

* Notes *
The American Bach Soloists performed four odes for the “royal women of Britannia” yesterday evening in San Francisco. The first two works were from Purcell, and both for Queen Mary, namely Now Does the Glorious Day Appear and Come, ye Sons of Art. Both orchestra and chorus sounded neat and square under Jeffrey Thomas, and the only discernable error was a small squeak of the oboe during the soprano solo in the second piece. The soloists were all pleasant, Aaron Sheehan (tenor) and Clifton Massey (countertenor) were especially expansive and pleasing in sound. Countertenor Jay Carter did a fine job of stepping in at the last moment for an ailing Ian Howell.

The second half of the program consisted of two Händel pieces, the first a Te Deum for Queen Caroline, the second the birthday ode for Queen Anne, Eternal Source of Light Divine. The trumpet was impressively in tune for the Te Deum. The chorus and orchestra were very much together, and never overwhelmed the soloists.

* Tattling *
The audience was quiet. In between the first two pieces the person behind us in Row D politely asked Axel Feldheim to move over one inch so that he could see.