Rarely does one find a performance that encompasses not only technical genius, but the subtlety and emotion only the greatest artists can achieve.
The audience assembled at Rackham last Friday night experienced the enchantment of soprano Benita Valente and equally moving pianist Cythia Raim - an impressive opener for the 118th University Musical Society season.
From the moment she entered the stage, Valente's animated performance captivated the audience in much the same way as a professional storyteller. The beauty of Valente's voice, along with the talent of Raim, provided a memorable opening of shorter pieces by Schumann and Brahms. But the performance of the world premiere of William Bolcom's "Briefly It Enters" was easily the high point of the concert.
Based on the poems of Jane Kenyon, Bolcom's musical setting highlighted the simplicity of nature featured in the poetry in addition to providing a distinct edge perfectly expressing the underlying feeling of uncertainty and longing present in the poems. Paired with Valente's gift of interpretation, "Briefly it Enters" produced a lasting effect both musically and intellectually.
Much of Kenyon's poetry focuses on ordinary subjects, such as eating breakfast in "Otherwise," taking the dog out for a walk in "The Clearing" or waiting in a parking lot in "The Sick Wife." But the poems change each action into a lucid symbol. It is this symbolism that Bolcom expressed so well in his interpretation, as his music paralleled the expression of Kenyon's poems, capturing the dualities of the simple and universal, the sufferer and the indifferent.
Valente's voice picked up many subtle details of the poetry as expressed by Bolcom's musical setting, and the lyrical beauty interspersed with excited energy seemed to draw the audience into a simpler time and place.
Additionally, Raim's virtuosity as a pianist proved an integral part of the performance. She emulated the feelings expressed by Valente while presenting her own interpretation during her featured moments. Raim provided an excellent backdrop for Valente throughout the concert.
The closing poem of the cycle, "Briefly it Enters, and Briefly Speaks" provided a quiet yet triumphant ending to a piece wrapped in layers of subtlety and unanswered questions. The enthusiastic audience response was a touching tribute to Bolcom and was much deserved. A spectacular performance, the duo of Valente and Raim provided an impressive first display of Bolcom's work.