Over the past fifteen years, I can't even count how many times I've seen James Levine conduct, both at the Met and the Boston Symphony. But, for all those performances, I've never had the chance to experience one of his rehearsals, from which he has gained a well-earned reputation as both an exacting technician (with orchestras), and a gentle – but prodding – father figure (with singers.)
So, when I heard Levine would be leading a master class of young singers at Zankel Hall this past Tuesday (part of Marilyn Horne's annual The Song Continues… series), I jumped at the chance to see him in action. Levine – who's had a fair amount of experience coaching young singers as director of the Tanglewood Music Center – sat at a folding table stage left, one of his ubiquitous blue towels draped over the red tablecloth. He wore a blue polo and white tennis shoes, hunching awkwardly in his chair. Frequently, he would spontaneously air conduct, at noone in particular.
Each of the singers I saw, who ranged in age from 21 to 24, performed their own hand-picked selections, accompanied by one of two up-and-coming pianists (Lio Kuokman and Adam Nielsen.) True to his rep, Levine was warm and encouraging, but persistent in his pursuit of what he wanted. (He must have said, "There's one other little thing…" at least two dozen times.) But, once Levine got what he was looking for, noone applauded louder than he.
Levine was deftly creative in his instruction, the happy byproduct of some 40 years spent coaching the world's greatest singers. For mezzo-soprano Julia Dawson, he closed the piano lid and tilted it away from the audience to compensate for her "pretty" but relatively thin voice. When he felt the soprano Lori Guilbeau was muting her delivery of an Andre Previn song, he had her speak the text aloud, in the same slow meter in which she sang. And, when he told mezzo-soprano Cecilia Hall she wasn't being direct in her performance of a Mahler song, he had her translate the text from memory.
Some other Levine pearls:
- "Opera is wonderful, but songs are the most sensational literature there is."
- "It's just one notch too…thoughtful."
- "The most important feature of this form of singing is your point of view."
- "Don't lose the joy of choosing a song for its poem, rather than the other way around."
The last singer I heard was Paul Scholten, a baritone currently pursuing his A.D. at the University of Cincinnati – which happens to be Levine's hometown. After a shaky start and some reassuring advice from Levine, Scholten sang Schubert's Erlkönig: a dark, gothic poem by Goethe about a child who rides horseback with his father, only to perish after being attacked by an invisible "Erl King." Scholten nailed it, eliciting the loudest applause of the night. It also won Levine's highest praise:
"Stunning! That was really real."
I’d love to hear a really good live performance of Erlkönig… that’s some haunting stuff. “Mein Vater, mein Vater!”
I’d love to hear a really good live performance of Erlkönig… that’s some haunting stuff. “Mein Vater, mein Vater!”
I’d love to hear a really good live performance of Erlkönig… that’s some haunting stuff. “Mein Vater, mein Vater!”
I’d love to hear a really good live performance of Erlkönig… that’s some haunting stuff. “Mein Vater, mein Vater!”
I’d love to hear a really good live performance of Erlkönig… that’s some haunting stuff. “Mein Vater, mein Vater!”
I’d love to hear a really good live performance of Erlkönig… that’s some haunting stuff. “Mein Vater, mein Vater!”
Beautifully written article – it was an enjoyable read.
Beautifully written article – it was an enjoyable read.
Beautifully written article – it was an enjoyable read.
Beautifully written article – it was an enjoyable read.
Beautifully written article – it was an enjoyable read.
Beautifully written article – it was an enjoyable read.