Concert Reviews

[kenjari]

This past Wednesday, I went to see Ailey. They are really great dancers, and the program was pretty good.

Suite Otis - choreography by George Faison, music by Otis Redding
This short piece was fun and flirty, and quite enjoyable to watch, However, it was too light to make much of a lasting impression.

Masekela Language - choreography by Alvin Ailey, music by Hugh Masakela
This fascinating piece was more theatrical than Suite Otis. Choreographed to the music of South African trumpeter Hugh Masakela, it dealt with the violence and oppression of life under apartheid. The piece had a really evocative set representing a beer-house. The dance consisted of a series of dramatic solos, duet, and ensemble sections in which the dancers interacted in ways charged with sexuality, sexuality, and defiance. This piece had a more definite through-line. Even though I wasn't completely blown away by it, I was nonetheless very absorbed by it.

Revelations - choreographed by Alvin Ailey, to traditional gospel music
This is Ailey's most famous and most beloved piece, and it is fully deserving of its renown and veneration. It's really wonderful. Ailey uses props in a way that is not cheesy or gimmicky, and beautifully combines technical feats with elegant simplicity. My favorite sections were the gorgeous duet "Fix Me Jesus", the trio "Wade in the Water", and the amazing solo "I Wanna Be Ready".




On Friday night, I went to The Boston Cecilia's all-Brahms concert. It was, as usual, wonderful. I really love Brahms, and the group did a terrific job. It was also especially lovely to hear Krista River in the Alto Rhapsody, and singing six lieder. I was quite impressed with the opening motet O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf! - it was a nigh-perfect combination of Renaissance-style polyphony and late-Romantic melody and harmony. The Alto Rhapsody was a really interesting piece. It is mostly a mezzo solo, with the mens' chorus joining only in the final stanza. I almost wish they had joined in sooner, but that would have robbed the piece of a lot of its power.
I've become a real fan of the Boston Cecilia over the past couple of years. Not only are they very good, they also have really interesting programming. They do a wonderful mix of classic repertoire and contemporary music, and even when they do the greats, they don't just stick to the popular standards of classical choral music.
I'm especially excited about their next season. As I was walking over to the concert, I was thinking how wonderful it would be if they did Brahms' German Requiem, since it's a favorite of mine. So I was really delighted upon perusing the program to find out that they are, in fact, doing that next season. On my birthday, no less.