The Opera Tattler

* Notes *

Continuing the celebration of composer Avro Pärt’s 90th birthday, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (pictured, photograph by Kaupo Kikkas) and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra performed his works at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall yesterday evening. Led by Tõnu Kaljuste, these vocal pieces in a more intimate space were striking.

Maestro Kaljuste did not quite get the same dynamic contrasts as Järvi the night before, but did hold the silences at the ends of the pieces well. Pärt’s music can be austere and almost strident and yet has a calm meditative quality as well. Kaljuste did have the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra sounding energetic and cohesive without overwhelming the singers. The orchestra had one piece alone, Für Lennart in memoriam, a solemn work that was played beautifully.

It was great to hear the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir again, as the group sang Adam’s Lament and Credo the previous evening. The voices blended nicely, the singers were able to sound delicate and ethereal when needed but also powerful and robust. The Magnificat particularly highlighted the choir, as it is a cappella, and the singers were clear and lovely.

The main vocal soloist, soprano Maria Listra, has an icy, pristine sound that floated over both chorus and orchestra. She was impressive in L’abbé Agathon, a narrative piece that tells of the St. Agathon and his meeting with a leper. She stood with the choir for the Stabat Mater and definitely sang with the other singers while still standing out as a soloist.

* Tattling *

The subway can certainly be heard in Zankel, but was not too distracting. The audience seemed comprised of many Estonians, and I enjoyed hearing them speak their lilting, Finnic language. For the most part everyone seemed well-behaved, I only observed one couple in the center of Row H whisper quietly to each other.

My seat was not with my companion, and apparently the mobile phone of the woman in Row P Seat 20 rang at the end of L’abbé Agathon but she did not return for the second half of the show.