Cantabile at the 222 (Marinka Solman photo)

CANTABILE CHARMS IN MIXED 222 GALLERY CONCERT

Healdsburg’s 222 Art Gallery has become one of the North Coast’s most busy concert venues, fielding a large menu of multi theme events, some with cabaret seating, and longtime area violinist Gary McLaughlin produces attractive sporadic classical music programs.

Ukiah based vocal instrumental ensemble Cantabile performed Jan. 13 in the latest Series musical before and audience of 100, splitting a popular program with one half devoted to classical composers, and following intermission a mixture of pop and lesser-known classical composers. I was able to review just the first’s half’s 8 selections.

Cantabile combines soprano Anna Combs-Johnson and mezzo Michele Rivard with intriguing instrumental collaboration from cellist Joe Cohen and pianist Elena Casanova. It’s a beguiling assembly, especially in the difficult “Mira, O Norma” duet from Bellini’s Norma, and the famous “Flower Duet” from Delibes’ opera Lakmé. Acoustics in the non-reverberant room were good if often too bright, and Ms. Casanova’s piano line initially covered the cello until she got her sonic footing. Performances were mostly from score outside of the elegant acting antics of the two singers, especially in “A Guarda Sorella” from the opera Cosi Fan Tutti. Happiness in song prevailed.

Massenet’s “Elégie” from Les Erinnyes showcased Mr. Cohen and Ms. Casanova’s haunting interpretation, followed by “Musetta’s Waltz” from La Bohème and the splendid Evening Prayer (Humperdink’s Hansel & Gretel). This was beguiling and softly focused singing with slight staccato emphasis in the famed back and forth “tap, tap, tap” parley.

The evening’s longest selection was the first movement of Brahms’ G Major Violin Sonata, transposed for the cello and with piano. It was the first time the transcription was heard locally since Joyce’s Geeting transversal long ago in Wells Fargo. Both performers were not at their best here, the piano line tentative and underplayed, and Mr. Cohen unequal to the magisterial music’s virtuoso demands in blurred scales and hesitant intonation.

However, I have always found the D Major key ill-suited to the glory of the music, as the cello register seems deeply mired in bass heavy sound where with the violin the exalted themes take flight. The transcription and the playing never soared. To be complete, I find the same in the transcription for cello of Franck’s grand A Major violin sonata.

Singing in Vivaldi’s Laudamus Te mirrored the composer’s “Gloria,” and Adalgisa’s role in the Norma duet (Ms. Rivard) was especially captivating.

Second part music included works of Lecuona, Clovice Lewis, Steven Marzullo, de Falla, Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Jerry Herman and Zina Goldrich/March Heisler.