May Festival opens with "The Seasons"

Because of the late end to Friday's concert, this review may not have made your edition (Note: I'm having trouble this weekend posting to blogger, so sorry for the delay):

"Come, gracious Spring, gift of Heaven, come."

That chorus from Haydn's "The Seasons" was a fitting opening to the 86th May Festival Friday night in Music Hall. With James Conlon on the podium, all of the festival traditions were in place, from May pole dancers to flower girls. Although it was a lengthy evening, the rewards of hearing Haydn’s last oratorio were many – among them, a superb trio of soloists.

Not as well-known as "The Creation," "The Seasons" has had just six other outings in the past century at the May Festival. Its four parts (one for each season) are vivid musical depictions, including a storm and a hunting scene. Although Haydn complained about the libretto – inspired by a poem of James Thomson – it offered him ample opportunity for sometimes humorous text painting, such as croaking frogs and a wonderful "Hound Dog Aria."

Rustic in character, the oratorio unfolded through three characters: Simon, a farmer (baritone Brian Mulligan); his daughter Hanne (soprano Ellie Dehn) and her suitor, Lukas (tenor John Aler). Together, the soloists formed an ideally balanced ensemble.

In her festival debut, Dehn, who is still in her twenties, performed magnificently, projecting a sparkling, light-as-honey voice. She brought freshness of character and radiant expression to her arias.

One of the standouts was her love duet with Aler. The tenor, a longtime festival favorite, delivered his usual stylish performance all evening, navigating the runs and leaps of his "Wanderer" aria with agility.

Mulligan, also making his debut, was another vocal discovery, possessing a marvelously firm baritone and superb diction. One of his many fine moments was the "Hound Dog Aria."

With the May Festival Chorus arrayed behind a reduced Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Conlon took a genial view – perhaps a bit too much so in the first half. "Summer," in particular, lacked life and atmosphere. After intermission, things enlivened noticeably.

The chorus shone in its hymns of praise (and drinking choruses, too) gaining energy and precision as the evening progressed. The "Hunting Chorus," with its horn obbligato, was one of the evening's treats, and the final choral fugue was energized and cleanly articulated.

The orchestra performed well and provided colorful touches wonderfully. Conlon was superb at capturing details, such as misty opening to "Summer" and the bleakness of "Winter."

The performance was also the inauguration of new surtitles projecting text translations above the stage.

The May Festival presents Verdi’s "Il Trovatore," 8 p.m. today in Music Hall. 513-381-3300 or www.mayfestival.com.

If you were there, how did you like the surtitles?