Monteverdi: “Stellar Performance”
Aston Magna’s opening weekend of Monteverdi’s music brought a cascade of accolades for the ensemble and for soloists Dominique LaBelle, William Hite and Frank Kelley!
Enjoy the recap as delivered by the Boston Globe and the Boston Musical Intelligencer, as you plan your next Aston Magna evening, June 25-27, with the music of Marin Marais, Baroque dancing and much more.
In his review of the Brandeis performance, Boston Globe critic Matthew Guerrieri wrote commended tenors William Hite and Frank Kelley and of soprano Labelle, he wrote, “as [she] went from steely vocal brightness to a fine, controlled intimacy, the love letter of the title became a concurrent present-day ritual of vulnerability and poise.” Then, “the action movie/Sunday school lesson prompted a lavish display of Monteverdi’s dramatic expertise: quick-cut rhythms and harmonies, the score unleashing its effects with suddenness and force.” [read more]
In the Boston Musical Intelligencer, critic Cashman Kerr Prince wrote, “Dominique Labelle, joined by Hite, Kelley, and Stepner (singing this time, not playing violin), completed this first half with Lamento delle ninfa, in a thrilling performance that brought tears to the eyes. Devoted readers will know I have praised Labelle in the past and this review is no exception: her powerful and emotive voice with its clear upper register and delightfully dusky lower, found perfect expression in this stellar performance.” [read more]
Photo: Boston Musical Intelligencer Staff