Mediterranean Nights -- Apollo’s Fire @St. Paul’s Church 10/31/09

Languid nights follow torrid days among the Mediterranean countries. Languid does not necessarily mean quiet and peaceful, however, if Jeannette Sorrell knows of what she speaks. Or writes. Based on past experiences, it’s a pretty safe bet she knows exactly whereof she speaks. Try music. Music that is sultry, passionate, sensual, earthy – and for the observer – pure fun!

Oh! Mustn’t forget dance. Especially not when the dancer is Steve Player, with a few special whirls by triple-threat Nell Snaidas, whose primary function was as expressive soprano, but also no slouch on Baroque guitar, which happens to be Mr. Player’s instrument when he isn’t dancing.

Ms. Sorrell also brought a quartet of core players from her Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra—Johanna Novom, violin; René Schiffer, cello; Grant Herreid, lute & guitar (plus a stalwart tenor voice); and Rex Benincasa, percussion. Ms. Sorrell was mostly at the harpsichord, but there were a couple of forays on tambourine.

The other guest artist was stately violinist Veronika Skuplik, who entered the barely-lit sanctuary from the rear playing a mostly-unaccompanied lament, beautifully setting the scene. Once near the front of the space, the other instruments joined in.

Although the names of the various 17th century Italian and Spanish composers would no doubt roll trippingly off the tongue if one were at all familiar with them, I readily confess I am not, although I certainly am enamored of their music. It doesn’t help the poor reviewer all that much when Ms. Sorrell announces that “everything is improvised, including the order of the program.” In that instance, one can but sit back and enjoy. That I could do. And did.

There were groups of exotic and exquisite dances: ciacona (chaconnes); passecaille (passacaglias) and folias (folias.) Mr. Player demonstrated his astonishing footwork, as well as his affinity for his Baroque guitar. Mr. Benincasa provided a wide variety of percussion accompaniment, including bells around his ankles for one passacaglia, while he played the castanets with his hands.

Mr. Herreid arranged the Romance Beijo for Ms. Snaidas, who draped a scarlet shawl around her head as she sang plaintively and most expressively about a woman who was rather more involved with the Ten Commandments than she should have been. In another song she was adamant “I want no more love!” But to see/hear her is to love her, so I don’t think that will work.

A wild fandango was the final piece printed in the program. This was really a Baroque Jam Session, with everyone participating, after Mr. Player and Ms. Sorrell entertained us with a ‘duel’. Ms. Sorrell insisted that the fandango was meant for the harpsichord, while Mr. Player asserted that it was most fitting for the guitar. Some very fancy fingerwork ensued, which of course, enticed Mr. Schiffer into the act, as well.

But wait! There was one more selection. Mr. Player came up the center aisle playing a somewhat unchurchlike selection. (I’m guessing that from the look on his face.) As he approached the stage at the front of the sanctuary, Ms. Sorrell emerged from back stage carrying a huge onion in one hand and an unsliced round bread in the other. She dropped the onion, which rolled down the aisle, but was quickly rescued and thrown back up by a patron in the front row. Mr. Player made a nifty catch before passing the onion back to Ms. Sorrell, who promptly heaved the bread down the center aisle in what would certainly have been a strike in a bowling competition.

There is one more performance of Mediterranean Nights, tomorrow (Thursday) at Federated Church, 76 Bell St., Chagrin Falls. The program begins at 7:30. For tickets or other information, visit the website:http://www.apollosfire.org or call 216.320.0012.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an e-book, but perhaps will be in print next year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!

By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there's always been the writing. I can't imagine my life without it.