British invasion at May Festival

The Cincinnati May Festival continued a theme of hope and healing in its second installment Saturday night, featuring Sir Michael Tippett’s oratorio, "A Child of Our Time."

The festival’s director of choruses, Robert Porco, was on the Music Hall podium for this all-English program with the May Festival Chorus, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and four excellent soloists. Two of the program’s three pieces -- by Tippett and Ralph Vaughan Williams -- were new to the May Festival, which may be the reason the hall was only about half-filled. Those who stayed away missed some extraordinary music, as well as some inspired music making.

Writing at the onset of World War II, Tippett was inspired by an incident in which a Polish Jew killed a Nazi, providing an excuse for the Germans to kill and terrorize Jews in what later became known as "Kristallnacht."

But his oratorio also encompasses a more universal human condition, addressing all those who are oppressed or excluded. And to express that universality, Tippett used spirituals -- such as "Steal Away" and "Nobody Knows the Trouble I See" -- in the way that Bach used chorales in his Passions. The composer wrote his own text.

This was a work to showcase the chorus, which projected a warmly expressive quality in the spirituals and sang well through sometimes-complex counterpoint. There was the arresting color of the swirling choral fugue on the words "We are as seed before the wind" (Part I), and the pointed, dark quality of the "Terror Chorus," which told of Nazi retribution.

The four soloists – soprano Cynthia Haymon, mezzo Phyllis Pancella, tenor Rodrick Dixon and baritone Lester Lynch – were excellent storytellers. Haymon’s emotional cadenza leading into "Steal Away" was spellbinding, and the spiritual was beautifully sung by the chorus and soloists.

Porco is not only a gifted choral director (who has added the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus to his resume) but also a fine conductor. His view was solemn and tender. He paced the work effectively, though I would have like a bit more momentum and color in some of the spirituals.

Tippett’s leaner textures in the orchestra evoked chilling desolation, and his jazzy inflections were subtle. One of the joys of the festival so far has been the Cincinnati Symphony, which again turned in a superb performance.

In the first half, Porco led two choral masterpieces by Vaughan Williams. "Serenade to Music," not heard at the May Festival since 1970, was flowing, serene and lushly orchestrated.

The chorus projected a breathtaking color in this glowing performance, and the four soloists again offered expressive contributions. Associate concertmaster Rebecca Culnan added refined playing in the violin solo. The performance ended with Shakespeare’s words, "sweet harmony," and indeed, it was.

Porco’s chorus achieved a beautiful legato line in another choral gem, Vaughan Williams’ "Toward the Unknown Region," an inspired setting from Walt Whitman’s "Leaves of Grass."

The May Festival continues today at the Cathedral Basilica (sold out) and next weekend in Music Hall. Tickets: (513) 381-3300.
E-mail jgelfand @enquirer.com