Toronto Symphony Orchestra/Messiah by George Frideric Handel, performed by Jean-Sébastien Vallée, that includes the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Roy Thomson Corridor, runs till Dec. 22. Tickets right here.
Since changing into creative director of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir in 2021, Jean-Sébastien Vallée has excited my curiosity due to his creative programming. Thus, when it was introduced that he can be conducting Messiah for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the query was, would he deliver his auteur model to this hallowed oratorio?
The reply is a powerful sure. The efficiency captivated the viewers, who rewarded Vallée and his forces with a rapturous reception.
A number of the issues Vallée applied weren’t essentially new, whereas others have been a real shock. Nonetheless, taken as an entire material, this efficiency of Messiah felt not solely contemporary, however downright adventurous.
The Normal Format of the Efficiency
The TMChoir was not within the loft, however on bleachers behind the orchestra which allowed for a compressed blast of sound. The 4 soloists have been additionally tucked behind the TSO, which was a really intelligent transfer. That meant that the tenor, who sings solely in the beginning of Half One, might conceal away, as might the soprano, who solely sings on the finish.
This additionally meant that the soloists needed to stroll across the orchestra to come back to the entrance of the stage which actually targeted consideration on them. They’d memorized their components, in order that they weren’t carrying scores. Thus, their our bodies have been free to react to what they have been singing, which made this efficiency semi-operatic – not fairly full bodily expression, however definitely way more than the same old live performance stance.
How they walked in, and walked away after that they had sung additionally mirrored their textual content. They have been characters in a play, with their exits and entrances.
Improvements
My first clue that this was going to be a special Messiah got here with American tenor James Ley after the overture. In his recitative and air, he tossed off unusually florid ornamentation — way more than is customized — however it was designed to emphasise the that means of the phrases. The gradual “Consolation ye” has by no means sounded extra passionate, whereas the sooner “Ev’ry valley” extra thrilling.
That is dangerous enterprise for a staid oratorio. It was as if Vallée had acted as a stage director, overseeing how his singers walked into the set, so to talk, and detailing how the textual content can be rendered. Briefly, this was a efficiency that advised a dramatic story.
Charles Jennens’ libretto sprang to life, and the phrases seemingly exploded with that means. You may clearly see how the textual content had impressed Handel’s music.
And so it continued all through the night, with every soloist including to the drama. Every repeat of the verses, as is customized in Baroque arias, contained new ornamentation for emphasis.
The marvellous TMChoir was simply as detailed within the dynamics of their phrases, significantly how the half singing performed in opposition to one another. They have been additionally so disciplined that they might cease on a dime.
Vallée’s conducting mirrored the identical cautious consideration to how the music labored with the textual content, the place he constructed up rigidity, the place he softened the temper, the place he elongated a pause. Half One had a joyous air, in distinction to the darker Half Two, and the fervent Half Three. Clearly, Vallée is as robust an orchestral conductor as he’s a choral director.
This was a Messiah with a theatrical aptitude, and it was thrilling to expertise.
Then there was the treble — younger William Mar from St. Michael’s Choir College — that’s proper, a treble, which was a Vallée innovation.
The stage door opened, and out he got here in his college uniform. Along with his candy piping voice, he advised us, “There have been shepherds abiding within the discipline”.
India-born soprano Sherezade Panthaki then sang in regards to the arrival of the angel of the Lord, to which Mar advised the shepherds what the angel mentioned, “I deliver you good tidings”, adopted by the recitative which led into the choir’s rousing rendition of “Glory to God within the highest”.
Inserting a treble definitely was a departure, and it labored. Younger Mister Mar was a voice of innocence, reflecting the simplicity of the shepherds. Maybe much more so, the treble voice has an ethereal, different worldly high quality which conveyed “the heav’nly Host”.
The Singers
It is very important observe that Vallée hand-picked the soloists, all of whom have been making their TSO debuts, and every one introduced one thing particular to the storytelling.
The aforementioned Ley was dramatic whereas Panthaki introduced the sweetness. Canadian countertenor Nicholas Burns was reflective, whereas Filipino-American bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca was commanding.
All have been extraordinarily expressive of their supply and, extra importantly, they might negotiate by the demanding ornamentation which Vallée, presumably, had dictated.
Ley has the brilliant clear voice one needs in an early music tenor, however there’s an attention-grabbing trace of darkness. There may be additionally virtually a wildness to his singing, as odd as which will sound, which makes him an thrilling performer. He was essentially the most operatic of the 4, and his bio, not surprisingly, lists an intensive listing of opera performances. I’d like to see Ley in an opera.
Panthaki has a tasty, feathery soprano voice which is blessed with an ease of florid coloratura. For instance, she couldn’t cram yet one more trill into her rendering of “Rejoice enormously” if she tried. Briefly, her spectacular ornamentation appeared completely easy. There isn’t a shrillness in her voice, solely a purity of sound. Her diction was the weakest of the 4, however, by some means, that didn’t matter.
Having a countertenor as a substitute of a mezzo-soprano reminded us of Handel’s personal time, an echo of the previous which was an attention-grabbing selection on the a part of Vallée.
Burns is definitely a serious expertise on the rise. He has a ravishing voice with a refined expressive high quality. There may be an excellent tone all through, and his supply of textual content is considerate.
As a storyteller, he was extra introspective than his colleagues, however he might present ardour when wanted, reminiscent of actually singspiel the phrases, “disgrace and spitting”. When he barked them out, he caught us without warning. General, we would have liked Burns’ restraint in distinction to his extra showy colleagues.
From the very first-time bass-baritone Lagasca opened his mouth, it was a power of nature. Hearty is simply too gentle a phrase to explain his ringing commanding tone. His low notes are in his toes, whereas he additionally displayed a stunning excessive register as effectively. He whipped by “Why do the nations so furiously rage collectively” at whirlwind pace, and when he sang “I’ll shake the heav’ns…”, you knew he meant enterprise.
Lagasca is a really charismatic performer who definitely calls for consideration.
When the 4 soloists are taken collectively, they make a really various assortment of storytellers, and it was these very particular person variations which added to the drama of the textual content.
The Choir and the Orchestra
We are able to’t go away with out applauding the TMChoir who have been merely sensational. What Vallée has carried out with these singers is outstanding – the evenness of tone, their skill to play with sound, the dynamics that infuse their music-making.
We’ve solely to have a look at the refrain “Raise up your heads, O ye gates”. The start has the ladies singing first, after which the boys, and again to the ladies, and so forth. The 2 sides have been completely matched in output — the ladies and the boys have been of the identical energy. It was perfection to the ear.
In one other Vallée-ism, in addition they acquired to carry out a stunning little trill on the finish of “His yoke is simple”.
The choir was merely sensible within the Hallelujah Refrain, giving us the pure pleasure of it, however much more spectacular was the ultimate refrain “Worthy is the Lamb” and the “Amen”.
The construct, the stress, the drama — Vallée led his forces up and up in sound till the ultimate “Amen” rang by the corridor in superb splendour.
There was one different innovation. I’ve by no means observed the timpani that precedes the Hallelujah Refrain, however there they have been, three or 4 loud, commanding drum beats earlier than the choir started to sing. It was like a grand announcement. The timpani additionally gave a loud crash throughout the closing refrain which really made me soar, however it positive added color.
The TSO
As for the TSO, they appeared to be detailed just like the soloists and the choir, and they also produced very attention-grabbing dynamics within the instrumental element of the night. The musicians rose to the event and carried out the calls for Vallée positioned on them with aplomb.
Particular kudos to Affiliate Concertmaster Clare Semes for her lovely violin solo in “If God be for us” and Affiliate Principal Steven Woomert for sounding the trumpet in commanding style.
A phrase to the sensible: this TSO/TMChoir Messiah as envisioned by Vallée is to not be missed.
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Paula Citron is a Toronto-based freelance arts journalist and broadcaster who hosts her personal web site, paulacitron.ca. For over 25 years, she was senior dance author for The Globe and Mail, affiliate editor of Opera Canada journal, arts reviewer for Classical 96.3 FM, and dance previews contributor to Toronto Life journal. She has been a visitor lecturer for varied cultural teams and universities, significantly on the function of the critic/reviewer, and has been a panellist on COC podcasts. Earlier than assuming a full-time journalism profession, Ms. Citron was a member of the drama division of the Claude Watson College for the Arts.
