Each January the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with a performance.
This year – in celebration of Mozart’s 262nd birthday – the BPO selected exerts from a few of his Operas.
In a concert titled “Mozart’s Operatic Favourites”, the BPO Performed pieces from “The Marriage of Figaro”, “Don Giovanni”, and Cosi fan tutte”.
Guest conductor Andrew Bisantz led a smaller ensemble of the BPO that included a harpsichord. Joining the BPO performing the lyrics written by Lorenzo DePonte were soprano Rebecca Farley, mezzo soprano Kara Dugan, tenor David Margulis, baritone Jonathan Bryan, and bass baritone Leo Radosauljevic.
With the performance singing only a few songs from each of the operas, Julie Newell served as the narrator to help the audience follow the story lines and to offer a little background on the three compositions that were written between 1786 and 1790.
The Orchestra was set back on the stage to provide a space for a few stage props and some room for the singers to move around as they performed. An illusion of a stage setting was provided using lighting and light filters.
In a concert that lasted over two hours, the BPO and guest singers performed “Overture”, “Voi Che Sapete”, “Cosa Sento”, “Non piu Andrai”, “Hai gia vinta la causa!…Vedro mentr’io sospiro”, and “E Susanna non vien!…Dove Sono” from The Marriage of Figaro; the “Overture”, “Madamina”, “Don Ottavio son morta!…Or Sai Che L’onore”, “Dalla Sua Pace”, and “Fin ch’han dal vino” from “Don Giovanni; and the “Overture”, “La mia Dorabella capace non e”, “Ah, Guarda Sorella”, “Soave sia il vento”, “Ah, scostati!…Smanie implacabile”, and “Fra gli amplessi” from “Cosi fan tutte”. The concert concluded with the “Finale from Act 4” of “The Marriage of Figaro”.
In a break from the norm of performing symphonic instrumental works, it was a pleasant performance of music from a few of Mozart’s operatic works.