Music

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Spanish soprano's performance provides treat from Thompson

By: Gwenda Nemerofsky

Posted: 02/1/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

Rewrite the tour books. Thompson, Man. is more than just the Hub of the North, known for nickel mining, extreme winters and wilderness. It is also the home of accomplished Spanish soprano Maria Luz Alvarez, who travelled south to charm a full house at Saturday's Virtuosi Series concert.

This treasure from Thompson has a voice as fresh as a spring blossom, with an honest clarity that pulls the listener in. Couple that with her personable demeanour and you've got yourself a winner.

Alvarez curated the love-themed program of Spanish music, and giving lengthy, albeit interesting introductions to each work. Accompanied by the WSO Baroque String Quartet (Gwen Hoebig and Darryl Strain, violin, Daniel Scholz, viola and Yuri Hooker, cello) and Max Fleischman, harpsichord/piano, she introduced her astounding voice to us in Iribarren's Prosigue Acorde Lyra. The self-possessed Alvarez sang with total confidence and ease, full of exciting expressiveness that demonstrated dramatic finesse. Her ornaments fluttered with graceful lightness.

The ensemble reproduced authentic baroque style, playing in a measured, sedate manner. A few untidy violin passages and occasional discrepancies in tuning were eventually righted.

The musicians excelled in Turina's 1942 miniature piano trio, Circulo. This charismatic musical diary of a single day describes dawn, midday and dusk. Imbued with Spanish flavour, including flamenco and even a little jazz, it proved delightful, as Hooker and Hoebig opened with supreme meditative passages and Fleischman added stylish flourish. The audience issued an audible sigh at the end of this atmospheric nugget.

Winnipeg guitarist Ryszard Tyborowski joined Alvarez for two touching songs by José Marin. O cómo pasan los años was the definitive Spanish ode, with the duo poignantly performing charming turns of musical phrase. They gave a delicate reading to the offbeat rhythms and distinct period harmonies of Ojos, pues me dedeñáis.

Manuel de Falla's Siete Canciones Populaires closed the evening with the exotic. Alvarez gave Seguidilla a passionate interpretation, with Tyborowksi mastering intricately frenetic passages. Fleischman's sensitive feather-light touch in Asturianas was the perfect foil for Alvarez's soft, prayer-like vocals. Stately, she sang proudly in Jota, Fleischman emoting a fantasy-like sensibility. Nana was the softest, gentlest lullaby, with sustained violin overtones evoking otherworldliness. Polo was unabashed flamenco, accented and aggressive. Alvarez held nothing back, singing full throttle, commanding, exotic and ending with flair.

Alvarez is a talent to be reckoned with -- her career now on the radar screen of Winnipeg music lovers, who will no doubt throng to hear her in her upcoming performances in the city.

gwenda.nemerofsky@shaw.ca

The Passions of Spain

Virtuosi Concerts & WSO Baroque String Quartet

Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall

January 30 Attendance: 216

Four and a half stars out of five

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 1, 2010 D2

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