Opera Inside Out

By David Schechter and Robert Mitchell

This book is about more than opera. Its certainly about opera, yes, but it is filled with anecdotal stories of Rev. Mitchells opera-singing days, from back-stage/on-stage incidents, to stories of singers, teachers, conductors, impressarios and more. OPERA INSIDE OUT also features detailed descriptions of seven well-known operas of the 40+ roles that Rev. Mitchell performed, including cast descriptions, story synopsis and in-depth analysis of plots, music, and background.

Opera enthusiasts will learn things they didnt know. Opera students will get help in preparing roles. Opera teachers will find in-depth help for their students. Theater lovers will immerse themselves in back-stage shenanigans. Opera aficionados will be amazed at David Schecters in-depth analyses. Aspiring artists will share an experience that inspires.

The following is a sample story from the book:

The only vocal challenge in the role of Fenton [Verdis FALSTAFF] is the aria, Dal labro il canto estasiato vola (From my lips my ecstatic song is winging) at the beginning of Act 3, Scene 1. It is very slow with long legato lines requiring considerable breath control. It also has a very high tessitura, adding to the difficulty. (Fenton is a role I stopped singing later in my career because of the taxing tessitura.)

There is a long orchestral introduction to that scene. Maestro Amato used this languorous music to drop a scrim of the large oak tree in place, which dominates center stage. Actually, it was done in two sections. The trunk came up from below the stage and the branches dropped from above and they met halfway. It took perhaps two to three seconds to accomplish. The magical effect was that the tree appeared to grow before your very eyes. It had such a stunning effect on the audience that they invariably applauded, and one could hear even from backstage murmurs of approval and astonishment.

From the audience the sound of the tree coming together was a sort of woo-oo-sh! But standing a few feet away from it nervously awaiting my only solo scene in the entire opera, it sounded more like a crash. The first time I heard it I nearly jumped out of my skin. Instinctively I raised my arms to cover my head thinking a set was about to drop on me. But no such thing happened. Once the tree is in place it was quiet except for the intro music. I am supposed to enter in a dreamy state.

Yeah, right! My heart was still jumping from the fright. Relax, Robert. Calm down! Its OK. They applauded they didnt laugh so it must be OK. Relax, already! Think dreamy. Think Nanetta. Yeah, thats it, think Nanetta! Nanetta!
Well, here goes

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 23, 2007
• ISBN: 9781465321046

David Schechter

Rev. Mitchell grew up in a music-loving family. His mother encouraged her brood to join her around the piano for holiday songs. At 14 Bob, inspired by Mario Lanza, decided to sing opera. He eventually graduated from the Mannes College of Music in NYC, where he met the soprano of his life, Joan, whom he married in 1962. Persistently advised, “You’re not ready,” he took a temporary job with Scholastic, Inc. which lasted 30 years. During this period he sang over 40 opera roles – at night. After Scholastic the couple became pastors. They now live in the

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Copyright © 2007 by Robert Mitchell with David Schechter.

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Contents

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO

(Die Entfuehrung aus dem Serail)

AÏDA

AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS

LA BOHEME

CARMEN

FALSTAFF

LA TRAVIATA

BARINORS

SINGER STORIES

CONCLUSION

EPILOG

APPENDIX

CORRESPONDENCE, General and Aida

CORRESPONDENCE ON LA TRAVIATA

GLOSSARY

PREFACE

I sang as a lead tenor with the Amato Opera Company on the Bowery

in New York City from 1974 to 1991. I learned many roles there. My experience with Maestro Tony Amato, founder and Director of the company, enabled me to sing with quite a number of opera groups in the greater NYC area. I shall always be grateful to Maestro Amato for the opportunity he gave me.

One night toward the end of my Amato career I was singing a rehearsal of Verdi’s early opera, I Due Foscari. I had just come down from the stage in the darkened little theater and was walking up the center aisle to get something to drink in the back when I felt a hand on my arm.

Bob, I have something I must tell you, said a voice to my right.

At first I was apprehensive. My brain began racing, trying to remember what I may have said that might have offended someone. As I came back to the present, I became aware that the speaker was a soprano whose name I did not know. She was singing in a different cast from mine. (It embarrasses me when someone knows my name and I don’t know theirs.) It was Tony’s practice to cast a number of singers in each part. His rule was that all casts come to all rehearsals to watch and learn the staging from one another.

She continued, "I was at a party last night with a bunch of singers from Amato, and we got to talking about those Amato singers who had made the big time, like Neil Shicoff, Mignon Dunn, Walter MacNeil, and others. Then we got to talking about those who should have made it, and the first name on everybody’s lips was yours."

I stood there, dumbfounded. Holding back tears, I mumbled something like, Wow! I’m overwhelmed. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I am deeply moved . . .

This book is somewhat of an attempt to make up for a glorious career that never happened. It’s an opportunity for me to relive those precious days when I was doing the thing I loved most in my life: using the gifts God gave me to sing opera. Writing this book enables me to record these memories before they fade completely.

I hope you will enjoy exploring the world of opera from the inside, as it were, as seen through the eyes of this old tenor.

Rev. Robert P. Mitchell

Fall, 2006

§§§

INTRODUCTION

Why another book on opera?

This one promises to be different! The contributors to this book come to their subject from unique perspectives. Neither is a professional opera critic. Neither is a professional opera historian. Neither is a famous opera singer. Neither is a composer, conductor, or opera coach. (These are the more traditional opera pundits.)

Rather, one is a pastor and former opera tenor, and the other is an opera aficionado.

I, the Reverend Robert P. Mitchell, am three times retired, most recently from the Marbletown Reformed Church in the picturesque Hudson Valley of New York State where my wife, Joan, and I served for seven years as co-pastors. Before that I retired from Scholastic, Inc., an educational publisher, having been a marketing manager for nearly 30 years. In the mid-eighties I retired from the Hebrew Tabernacle Synagogue in NYC, where I was the tenor in the quartet for over 20 years. I continued to sing the High Holidays into the nineties.

I earned my undergraduate degree in voice and opera from the Mannes College of Music in NYC. During the thirty-year period of my Scholastic career I sang some forty opera roles in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area. My repertory was what most tenors from Caruso to Carreras sang—and some roles they never dreamt of. Among my teachers were: French baritone Martial Singher, Russian soprano Mme. Olga Ryss, City Opera bass-baritone Emile Renan, noted dramatic tenor Giovanni Consiglio, and Met and City Opera baritone Richard Fredericks.

I am writing this book to offer an insider’s view of what it’s like to sing opera, and to share with you some of the multifaceted demands required to prepare an opera role. Perhaps more than that, to share some reminiscences from these operatic experiences, sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, sometimes not much related to the opera itself, drawing the reader into a world not encountered by casual opera-goers.

§§§

While working by day for Scholastic I sang opera at night, moonlighting, one might say. In 1976 I met David Schechter, a computer systems consultant engaged by Scholastic. We quickly became fast friends, and he came to many of my performances.

We lost touch with each other for many years, but through the Internet we reestablished our friendship from afar. I asked him to help me with this book. His credentials are not what some would expect for an opera expert. He is a retired computer engineer and systems specialist. He has a degree in Political Science, is a sports enthusiast and an opera fan. Some combination!

Dave became an opera fanatic (his word) on February 2, 1950 when, two weeks before his 14th birthday, he first attended the Metropolitan Opera—as a standee—at a towering performance of RIGOLETTO, featuring Leonard Warren, Erna Berger and Richard Tucker under the direction of Jonel Perlea. From that moment forward he was hooked on opera.

Dave has taken courses on opera and has read much of the literature about opera. He seems to have remembered it all. It’s astounding what he can call forth from the top of his head! His only musical credentials have been as a reluctant 4-year old violinist and a high school cellist. Now he attends live performances in Chicago with his wife and granddaughter. At home he listens to his extensive collection of LPs, audiocassettes and CD’s, a host of which he has shared with me down through the years.

In addition to his consulting role for this book he pens some sections as well. Another contribution is to provide oversight for the entire work. I find his comments and insights helpful in better understanding the historical and musical connections both within and outside opera.

Dave and I do not always agree, so I have included some of our dialog under an Appendix called, Correspondence. For those interested in delving into some of the more esoteric issues, that section will provide some insight and a little fireworks along the way.

There are also two sections not about specific operas. The first is called Barinors, a term I coined for singers whose voices go beyond the normal tenor or baritone boundaries of singing roles. The other is entitled Singer Stories. Through the years I occasionally brushed elbows with internationally known singers, conductors and coaches. I tell those stories for your enlightenment and entertainment. They all happened. Are they true? They are, at least as I remember them.

There is also a glossary of musical and operatic terms for readers not familiar with our lingo.

I have arranged the book by opera, at least in the first section. My focus is to tell stories that take you inside opera to see the struggles, challenges, and joys of aspiring young artists. You will hear about preparing tenor roles, what vocal teachers, coaches, and conductors do, and about some of my fellow singers.

Welcome to the inside of my world of opera!

§§§

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost I want to acknowledge and thank my collaborator, David Schechter, not only for his contribution to this book, but his inspiration as well. Originally I intended the book to be his work mainly, with my stories to liven things up a bit. But as we progressed, and when we decided to abandon the discography that we had undertaken, he nudged me ever so patiently into the forefront until the book was more about me and my experiences than his great knowledge and wisdom. I like to think his work has not been sacrificed in the change of focus.

David was my number one fan during my performing days. He came to more of my performances than anyone except my wife, Joan. He also recorded some performances (e.g., see the chapter on La Traviata.) When I was down, he always found unusual, but meaningful ways of cheering me up, such as that found on the last page of the Falstaff chapter.

I want to thank my son Randy and his fiancée, Marlena, for their encouragement. They took the trouble to read parts of the book as they were being produced and affirm that what I was doing was both well done and worthwhile. Thanks, guys!

Also thanks to my wonderful wife of 44 years, Joan, who had to put up with a lot from me down through the years, and whose sharp eye and keen wisdom provided the final editing for this book. She also kept me singing despite those frequent battles with discouragement when I wanted to toss in the towel.

§§§

Reverend Robert P. Mitchell

Tenor

OPERATIC REPERTOIRE

Auber    FRA DIAVOLO    Lorenzo

Bellini    NORMA    Pollione

Bizet    CARMEN   Don José

Cimarosa    THE SECRET MARRIAGE    Paolino

Cornelius    BARBER OF BAGDAD    The Cadi

Donizetti    L’ELISIR D’AMORE    Nemorino

Floyd, Carlise    SUSANNAH    Sam

Gounod    FAUST    Faust

   ROMEO ET JULLIETTE    Romeo

Haydn    DECEIT OUTWITTED    Filippo

Herbert    NAUGHTY MARIETTA    Dick Warrington

Lehar    THE MERRY WIDOW    Camille

Leoncavallo    I PAGLIACCI    Canio

      Beppe

Mascagni    CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA    Turiddu

Massenet    MANON    Des Grieux

   WERTHER    Werther

Menotti    AMAHL & THE NIGHT VISITORS    Kaspar

Mozart    ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO   Belmonte

      Pedrillo

   LA CLEMENZA DI TITO    Tito

   MAGIC FLUTE    Tamino

      First Priest

   DON GIOVANNI    Don Ottavio

Offenbach    TALES OF HOFFMANN    Hoffmann

Puccini    IL TABARRO    Tinca

   LA BOHEME    Rodolfo

   MADAMA BUTTERFLY    Pinkerton

   TOSCA    Cavaradossi

Rimsky-Korsakov    SNOW MAIDEN    Tsar Berendey

Strauss    DIE FLEDERMAUS    Alfredo

Vaughan-Williams    MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR    Caius

Verdi    OBERTO    Riccardo

   I DUE FOSCARI    Jacopo Foscari

   RIGOLETTO    Duke of Mantua

   LA TRAVIATA    Alfredo

   IL TROVATORE    Manrico

   UN BALLO IN MASCHERA    Gustavo

   AIDA    Radames

   FALSTAFF    Fenton

Ward    CRUCIBLE    Rev. Parris

THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO

(Die Entfuehrung aus dem Serail)

Opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with German libretto by C. F. Bretzner

The opera was composed in 1781-1782.

First performed in Hoftheater in Vienna, July 12, 1782,

with Mozart conducting.

ABDUCTION, the Story in Summary

Synopsis

Place: the Pasha’s country palace in Turkey. Time: Mid 16th Century.

Constanza has been kidnapped along with Blonde and Pedrillo by pirates at sea who promptly sold them to the Pasha Selim. He tries to win Constanza’s affections despite the fact that a man of his power would not need to do so. Osmin similarly tries to woo Blonde. In the meantime, Pedrillo has worked himself into the good graces of the pasha by becoming his gardener.

Belmonte arrives searching for his beloved Constanza. He fortuitously encounters Pedrillo in the gardens outside the palace. Pedrillo explains their situation. Belmonte crafts a plan of escape. He has a boat waiting for them to leave at midnight. With Pedrillo’s dauntless intercession, the Pasha hires Belmonte as an Italian architect. Pedrillo tricks Osmin, their principal obstacle, to drink some wine containing a sleeping potion. Alas, the wine is not completely successful and Osmin, though dazed, discovers them trying to escape (they make too much noise). All four of them are captured and taken before the Pasha.

Belmonte pleads for them and announces to the Pasha that he is the son of the Commandant of Oran. Selim is mortified. This is the very man who caused him much personal misfortune. Now he can avenge himself on this man’s son. But, surprisingly to all, the Pasha decides to act like the beneficent potentate that he is, and repays the ill done to him with generosity. He releases his four prisoners, much to the dismay of Osmin, and all sing his glory.

ABDUCTION, reflections by R. P. Mitchell

I refer to this opera by its English title because that is the only language in which I have performed it. It is also the only opera in which I have sung both tenor roles in full productions at different times in my career. What follows, I forewarn the reader looking for insight into the opera, are reflections of a very personal nature.

My first encounter with the opera was with the Ruffino Opera Company, run by a soprano by the name of Marguerite Ruffino. This would have been in the latter sixties, after my Mannes days, or perhaps early seventies, before I began my long career with the Amato Opera Company in 1974.

I have almost no recollection of the Ruffino experience other than that we rehearsed and performed it in a theater on the west side of Washington Square in NYC. The sets and costumes were minimal, and we had piano accompaniment. I have no paper trail (programs, pictures, or even notes in the score) to indicate what transpired in that production.

I sang Belmonte with yet another company, and my memory of that is also rather hazy. No paper trail here either. However, I do remember two members of my cast. Gloria Johnson sang Blonde and Tony Tamburello sang Osmin. Both these singers were part of a small clique of students and friends of Mme Olga Ryss, the grand dame with whom we all studied singing at that time.

Gloria was a roommate of Florette Blank, a dramatic soprano who was also a student of Mme Ryss. Florette became a singing teacher herself from her (and Gloria’s) apartment in the Ansonia Hotel. My wife Joan and I both studied with Florette for quite a number of years during the time we studied with Mme Ryss.

My only recollection of that production is the parties we had. Tony was a stitch both on and off stage. I shall never forget his impromptu party singing of Sparafucile’s music in the scene in which Rigoletto hires him to kill the Duke. At the end of that duet he sings his name several times, the last note of which is a low F. Tony was demonstrating how, like many tenors in the case of their high notes, basses hate singing an ‘ee’ vowel on their low notes. That vowel tends to pinch the sound.

Tony had a unique suggestion. Instead of singing, Spa-ra-fu-cil . . . ., sing Fu-cil-spa-ra . . ., thus getting a lush ah sound on the low F.

Gloria always reminded me of a young Renée Fleming. Ms. Fleming sang as a coloratura in her early days at City Opera. I remember seeing her sing Glitter and Be Gay from Candide on television. It was a tour-de-force not to be forgotten. Later Gloria learned the aria and performed it. In fact, I still have a tape of it. I can never think of Gloria without thinking of the young Renée Fleming. Gloria was a spectacular coloratura herself. She later married, had lots of babies as far as I know, and I presume gave up singing. What a loss to the world of music!

§§§

So much for memories!

As to how to perform Belmonte: a singer needs to understand that Mozart cannot be sung as though singing Verdi or Puccini. It is much more instrumental and must be approached with precision and attention to detail. There is considerable coloratura for the tenor in this role as well, making it comparable to Donizetti and Rossini operas.

The acting too must be studied in the period. Naturalistic or method acting is inappropriate. (That came later with verismo opera.) There is a style that must be learned. Belmonte is a nobleman and must be played with a certain dignity and bearing. The music itself contains that feeling.

My opera score of Abduction has a few, sparse notes concerning the staging, most of which are lost on me today. Years later I learned to draw detailed diagrams and fill the score with copious notes on the action. But, alas, I cannot reconstruct what we did in these early productions of Abduction.

§§§

Fast forward to 1988. At that time I was privileged to sing Pedrillo with the Bronx Opera Company under the direction of Maestro Michael Spierman. We had a special English translation that was given to us in loose-leaf form, which, of course, contained all my notes on the production. When my wife and I moved to Pennsylvania in November 2005 I threw that score away along with many others. We simply had no space for all our books and music. I selected for disposal those scores that I knew I would never perform again, so why save all that music? At the moment of that fateful decision I did not connect to the fact that I might want to write about those experiences! Oi-veh!

The role of Pedrillo for the most part does not tax a tenor vocally, although the aria, On to Battle (Frisch zum Kampfe) is a bit of a challenge. It lies quite high, featuring a plethora of high-A’s. It has tricky entrances and has an instrumental rather than vocal line. For one who prefers the soaring lines of Puccini, this is not fun. It requires a great deal of musical discipline to learn the aria accurately and to memorize it thoroughly enough not to be thrown by the lively stage directions. But we had lots of fun with this opera nonetheless—before the clouds set in.

My Belmonte, the late tenor Richard Schuller, was a good friend and became my vocal teacher for a time before he died of AIDS.

It was through my singing at the Hebrew Tabernacle Synagogue in upper Manhattan that I first met Rick Schuller. His partner was Gerald Morton, who at that time was the organist of the synagogue. Gerald was both coach and accompanist for me, and I was studying voice with Rick during this time. Below I reprint an essay about Gerald that contains a story about Rick that happened during a rehearsal for this ABDUCTION production. This is a piece I wrote for an organization that has come to be known as Room for All. It was founded in the Reformed Church in America¹ (but not sanctioned by it) to help, support, and advocate for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals.

GERRY

During the 30-some years that I sang at the Hebrew Tabernacle Synagogue in New York City, organists came and went.

Gerald Morton was one such organist, who happened to love opera.

To those of you who were not part of the NYC church music scene of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, that Gerry happened to like opera might strike you as particularly unremarkable. Now understand, there were organists² who were also aspiring opera coaches and conductors, but Gerald was not one of them. So far as I know he was not trained in opera; rather, self-taught.

Gerald was a graduate of the Oberlin College of Music and was very well trained as an organist in the field of religious music. Indeed, one of the reasons Cantor Fred Herman at the Hebrew Tabernacle hired him was that he was also the organist at Holy Trinity Church in Newark, NJ, a large and prestigious Episcopal cathedral. For Cantor Herman, anybody who