Mezzo Soprano Christa Durand

OPERA GEMS IN COZY SEBASTOPOL THEATER

It was indeed a huge loss to the Sebastopol theatrical community when Main Stage West folded several years ago, not being able to survive the financial ravages of the COVID pandemic. Likewise, when a few years previously the beloved People’s Music closed its doors after decades of being the musical heart of West County, providing lessons and retail to music lovers, a big musical hole was left in downtown Sebastopol.

But there may be a sea change coming, with the 2023 arrival of Music To My Ears, the popular and successful Cotati music school, as the new tenant of the Crawford Building at 104 North Main Street.

MTME’s owners/entrepreneurs Christa Durand and husband Evan Bowers have high hopes for the future of the venue, envisioning a hybrid of Main Stage and People’s Music, providing performances of all types, along with establishing the Sebastopol branch of MTME with music lessons, although a retail music store is not in the current plans. But who knows, Time will tell. The funky charm of the tiny theater at street level, with office-teaching rooms upstairs, is a community theater maven’s dream space. But parking is a daunting task on weekend nights, so suggestions would be welcomed.

As to performances, it is developing and they are open to proposals as to how the space can be used. Right now, since Ms. Durand is a classical soprano in her own right, she can draw from her circle of local colleagues to join her performing arias and duets in a casual recital series entitled “Opera Gems”. I was in attendance February 9 for one such evening, and the next one will take place April 5th.

The performance of arias and duets, some familiar and some more obscure, was casual and well received. The theater seats 60 and it looked about half full. Acoustics are surprisingly good. Ms. Durand is a warm, engaging and well-spoken host. She explained succinctly, in clear and relatable language, what the arias and duets (all sung in their original languages) were about. This was appreciated since the printed program listed only the songs and singers. On future programs, without using up more paper, perhaps links could be provided for more information about the singers and repertoire, for ease in pre- or post-concert googling.

The evening’s pianist was Spencer Blank, who embellished the piano reduction accompaniments mightily and with entertaining gusto, making the modest electric keyboard roar in supporting the singers.

Joining Ms. Durand onstage were sopranos DeAnne Reeder, Jillian Wagoner, Morgan Harrington and Jill Morgan Brenner, mezzo-soprano Patrice Kirkish, and the lone tenor Mark Kratz. They were all in their respective vocal elements, singing mostly lesser-known operatic “gems” with vocal confidence and convincing acting. Mr. Kratz was particularly impressive with Handel’s “Where ere you walk” and Puccini’s “Recondita armonia” from Tosca, with a beautiful bright timbre and rock solid old-school Italian technique.

Also a standout was Ms. Wagoner’s sensitive offering of the aria “Sombre Forêt” (Dark Forest) from Rossini’s serious opera William Tell, source of the famous overture we know affectionately as the Lone Ranger theme. Known almost exclusively for his comic operas, Rossini also penned a few serious pieces, and this lovely aria is an example of bel canto at its best.

It was a treat to hear Ms. Harrington perform the vampy but little known “Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss” (literally “My lips, they kiss so hot!”) from the Lehar operetta Giuditta. Famed in the U.S. only for his Merry Widow, it’s just one of his several classic operettas which are regularly performed in the German speaking countries but not here.

Ms. Morgan Brenner is a true dramatic soprano and she dispatched Elsa’s Traum from Wagner’s Lohengrin with ease.

Ms. Reeder and Ms. Kirkish opened the recital with a completely unfamiliar, well-prepared and entertaining duet by Saint-Saëns entitled “El Desdichado” (The Unfortunate), sung in Spanish. Ms. Durand and Ms. Harrington closed the program with a lovely rendition one of the most famous duets of all time, “The Flower Duet” from Delibes’ opera Lakmé.

Music to My Ears brings music lessons and musical theater back to Sebastopol.