Now in its 16th season, she and her determined musicians have made believers out of numbers of folks who’d never previously given such a topic a moment’s thought.
And then came Alenka Banco, who saw the beauty in an older, somewhat run-down Catholic church that had been closed due to economics after faithfully serving its parishioners for 83 years. Now, ten years later, it has been re-born as Josaphat Arts Hall, which houses a gallery, a performing arts space, and provides a splendid graceful setting for banquets and parties.
Sunday afternoon, a good-sized audience participated in the first performance in the renovated space as Apollo’s Fire presented seven talented musicians in Pluckfest II. The sub-title Old World meets New was perhaps more appropriate than one could originally have guessed, as the music was mostly Spanish and mostly composed during the 1600s.
Most ecclesiastical spaces are shaped like a shoe box, with the stage area at the narrow end. For this performance, however, it was turned sideways, with a small raised platform stage placed mid-way along one long side, and the audience stretched out in front of it, and then perpendicular at the narrow end.
From my seat near the mid-point (almost exactly in the middle) I found the acoustics to be simply incredible. Spoken words were easily heard and understood, with no echo or boominess. The soft-voiced acoustic Baroque instruments were easily heard and discernible from their mates, with no muddiness. Soprano Nell Snaidas (who sings like an angel, anyway) was able to be heard regardless of the range of notes she was singing, or the hushed notes, either. Her high, clear voice easily floated through the vaulted space overhead, again with no echo whatsoever.
Knowing that Apollo’s Fire plans an opera Dido and Aeneas in this space next January 30 through February 3, I found myself wondering where they’ll place the stage for this event. For sure, I’ll be there to see and hear for myself. Enough of the day-dreams, back to the music.
Most of the instruments employed in Pluckfest are, well, plucked, or maybe slightly thumped or shaken in the case of some of the percussion used. Sensuous in its own way, it’s not quite the provocative style of Spanish music of two centuries later. It is invigorating and refreshing, however, along with humorous and occasionally sentimental. The words tend to be mostly poems about unrequited love, but then, a goodly number of poems are just that.
In addition to the above-mentioned Nell Snaidas and Jeannette Sorrell, the performers were all marvelous and involved in their presentations. Maxine Eilander, Spanish harp and her husband, Stephen Stubbs, director and guitar, Grant Herreid, guitar & vilhuela & tenor soloist, as well, Jennifer Roig-Francoli, violin and Rex Benincasa, percussion, took their turns in the spotlight or as accompanists, as the music demanded. A wide variety of ensembles may be arranged from six instrumentalists, and I believe we were treated to all of them. Mr. Benincasa had the most varied selection of choices, ranging from various drums to tamborines and shakers. Plus castanets, of course! He also used his hands at times, or fingers as drumsticks. It was a fascinatingly diverse assemblage.
To mention just two of the selections is hardly fair to the rest, but time and space can’t accommodate everything. One highlight that featured Mr. Herried and Ms. Snaidas was about a woman so in love she willingly broke all ten commandments, then fainted at the feet of the priest hearing her confession. This was La Zarabanda, by Luiz de Briçeño. The other was an early ‘blues’ (according to Mr. Stubbs, who introduced it) or Cumbées by Santiago de Murcia, who lived from c.1682 to c.1737.
It may have been cold and rainy outdoors on Sunday afternoon, but inside Josaphat Arts Hall, it was warm and sunny and languid. Tapas and Sangria followed the performance.
Next for Apollo’s Fire is the Messiah by Handel, to be presented December 9 through 14. For tickets call 3200012 or visit http://www.apollosfire.org.
For information about Josaphat Arts Hall, visit http://www.josaphatartshall.com.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com
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