Ramey launches Singer Series superbly

Ramey launches Singer Series superbly

By Ken Keuffel Jr.
The Arizona Daily Star

Samuel Ramey is arguably the best bass in opera today. But the singer, who yesterday launched the Great Singer Series to benefit Arizona Opera, knows American art songs, too.

In fact, pieces by Stephen Foster (1826-1864), Paul Bowles (b. 1910) and Cole Porter (1891-1964) worked as effectively as the more operatic fare and French-language art songs that preceded it.

Warren Jones, Ramey's superb pianist, also enhanced the strong-but-neglected Americana, not just with his fingers, but also with a presence and comedic timing that complemented the singer's.

In Foster's "If You've Only Got A Moustache," for instance, Ramey proclaimed the mustache's power over women. When he let on that a "good friend" had advised him of that, he smiled at Jones who smiled back. Nothing fancy, to be sure, but theatrically effective, which is how art songs must come across.

Magnificent playing, singing and acting made the unforgettable melodies and witty lyrics in Porter numbers "Don't Fence Me In" and "Way Out West" just as fun.

"They Cannot Stop Death," by Bowles, a composer also known for his writings, was based on Bowles' interview with a death-row inmate. It was dark, vivid and frightening music.

Of course, yesterday's program had plenty of opera or operalike examples.

Three selections from Handel oratorios (other than "Messiah," thankfully) provided a gripping beginning to the afternoon's proceedings. In two of them - "Honor and Arms," from "Samson," and "Arm, Arm ye Brave," from "Judas Maccabeus" - Ramey stood and sang like a general inspiring his troops to war.

The French-language fare, some of which was set to non-French composers' music (Verdi and de Falla), went less memorably. "Le Galop" and "La Vague et la cloche," by Henri Duparc (1848-1933) sounded windy and ponderous.

Though Ramey has star and sex appeal galore, yesterday's attendance left about 800 seats empty in a 2,200-seat hall.

David Speers, Arizona Opera's general director, said that the company would "at least break even" and that Ramey's appearances, both here and Phoenix, brings "nothing but prestige."

That said, Arizona Opera may move subsequent Great Singer recitals to sometime between January and March - when, presumably, more opera-going patrons are in town, Speers said.

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Ramey launches Singer Series superbly