Casual Good Friday

Paul Goodwin has a vision, and it was clearly apparent in his interpretation of J.S. Bach's Passion According to St. John at Carmel's Sunset Center. It is a brave new era for the Carmel Bach Festival. What is not clear is the durability of this approach for central coast audiences. There is a lot to like about what Goodwin had done with this venerable warhorse, but there are a lot of negatives as well.

One big positive is that Goodwin's non-traditional approach is generating a lot of discussion. People are actually thinking about what they are seeing and hearing and debating the merits. The memories of this concert will not soon fade away. People were engaged (and some even enraged!), which is a nice change from the passive experience that can often rob a concert of any passion or meaning.

Goodwin chose to present the Passion in a semi-staged format. This was a stroke of brilliance. The St. John Passion is brimming with dramatic elements both textually and musically, and the addition of the staging enhanced that greatly. It was much easier to keep track of the characters and their functions.

The work opened with the performers milling about on stage and in the audience. Goodwin himself was seated with the violins and chatting with them until he abruptly stood up and gave the downbeat. Unfortunately, this surprise caused a twitter to run through the audience, which is really not the right emotion for this work. Anybody who knows the St. John would have been a little unnerved at this point, as only of few of the chorale members were on stage. However, they all had made it to their positions by the time of their first emphatic "Herr!" This "call to worship" was quite effective.

The physical set up was quite different from what we are used to seeing. The orchestra was to the left, at an angle facing the conductor. The chorale was to the right, similarly canted toward center stage. In the middle was an empty area that allowed for action and interaction of the different characters. The most notable of these was the Evangelist, sung and acted superbly by Rufus Mueller. Mueller has done the St. John this way several times, and it was evident that he was clearly at ease with the format. He would sing from almost any part of the stage, and you were never sure where he was going to pop up next. This really helped keep people paying attention to the narrative.

Bach's passions have a very particular structure to them. There is the narrative of the story of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus that is sung by the Evangelist and the various characters of the story. One of these characters is the crowd, which is sung by the chorale (and here I am using the term to refer to the professional choral singers directed by the ever impressive Andrew Megill around which the Carmel Bach Festival focuses). The crowd can change personas, at times representing the disciples, the crowd of onlookers and even the Roman soldiers casting lots for Jesus' garments. Soloist David Newman handled the part of Jesus with aplomb.

Then we have the solo arias which are accompanied normally by a handful of instruments which function as commentary on the action. Lastly, there is the congregation. Of course, we do not have a congregation in a concert setting, so that function was taken by the Youth Chorus (ably prepared once again by John Koza). They sang the "chorales" (and here I mean what were in effect the hymn tunes that Bach's congregation would be familiar with). This is the part of Bach's structure that allows for participation by the spectators and involves them personally in the story.

This often is lost in a traditional performance, but Goodwin's inspired move to place the Youth Chorus in the balcony put the audience in the center of everything. This made us feel much more a part of the performance than passively watching a wall of singers on the stage. The surround sound effect was truly wonderful.

However, the execution of the staging was often problematic. First of all, Goodwin had everyone in casual street dress. I presume this is to get rid of a perceived wall of formality to allow the audience to feel more a part of the proceedings. Unfortunately, this did not work particularly well. Everything looked sloppy, and this was a major distraction. Goodwin himself was one of the sloppiest, with his shirt tails hanging out. Frankly, his appearance was a contributor to the mirth described at the opening of the piece. Costumes are important. True, tuxedos and evening gowns would not have worked for the staging. Nevertheless, there is a middle ground. Sloppy dress leads to sloppy performance, and there were many times that came through. It felt disrespectful. Perhaps a more uniform approach would have worked better. Something like dark pants with turtlenecks. Anything would have been better by the embarrassing array of shorts, capris, checkered shirts and the such like that we were subjected to.

Another problem was the staging of the chorale singers. They clearly had been given very little direction, and so their actions and intensity dramatic focus were haphazard and uneven. Don't get me wrong. These singers are true professionals and have an incredible sound. They could have easily made it work given some guidance. It was very disappointing to see them like this.

Goodwin does not seem to understand the acoustics of Sunset Center. The placement and movement of the soloists for dramatic effect resulted in them spending much time in acoustically unfavorable locations. The balance was not good. One major exception was tenor Matthew Anderson, a former member of the chorale. His voice rang out gloriously at all times, and was one of the high points of the concert.

The only one of the main soloists who was retained from prior seasons was soprano Kendra Colton. Interestingly enough, the format actually benefited her performance, as the movement around the stage softened her physical presence. Both of her arias were delightful. Unfortunately, the other two soloists did little more than to remind us how good Sanford Sylvan and Sally Anne Russell are. Baritone Alexander Dobson has a pleasant voice, but it does not have the ring, emotion or intensity that Carmel audiences have become accustomed to at the Festival. The same goes for countertenor Daniel Taylor. His performance was completely forgettable. This is not a criticism of using the countertenor voice for these arias. There are many outstanding countertenors in the world. Taylor and Dobson sang serviceably, just not inspiringly. In fact, any of the chorale members in those voice ranges could have done as well (if not better) as the featured soloists.

Balance was not particularly good between the instrumentalists and the singers as well. The opening chorus was marred by the modern oboe cutting through the texture and overwhelming the sound. Roger Cole is a wonderful player, but the instrument is very loud by its nature and in the leaner sound world of Baroque music it can be problematic. Again, much of the balance problem is likely secondary to the placement of the various performers on the stage.

Goodwin played an interesting emotional card by having two of the chorales performed completely unaccompanied. This is not particularly stylistic, as continuo would have been de rigeur for these pieces. However, the purity of the sound of the human voices without adornment or support was very effective, and was to me the most moving part of the afternoon.

Audience members had different reactions. Some walked out while some were extremely moved. The performers themselves indicated that they were emotionally affected by the presentation. This makes sense, as they would have to actively engage their emotions as part of the acting experience. I was not moved emotionally, though I did enjoy myself. All in all, a mixed bag, and not in my opinion worth the price of admission. It will be interesting to see where Goodwin goes from here.

Grove Bistro

Shnarley's in Pacific Grove is gone, and rising from the ashes is the Grove Bistro on Lighthouse Avenue. Wikipedia currently describes a Bistro as "a type of small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in an unpretentious setting," and further goes on to suggest the word comes from a Russian word meaning "quick." The original fast food establishment, perhaps?

In any event, Grove Bistro certainly is small, but very nicely appointed. There are around half a dozen small, high tables with very comfortable, elegant barstool style seats that are just perfect for a romantic encounter. A faux fireplace to provide respite from the all-too-common PG fog is a focal point in the bistro, surrounded by a few fauteuilles and some low tables, perfect for sitting back with a good book while sipping a glass of wine. The place really has the look and feel of a wine bar.

To that end, the wine list was still in its infancy when we stopped by for a light dinner, with only a couple of wineries represented and a limited selection within those. However, the bistro had just opened, and was not yet fully functional. In fact, the "large plate" menu was not yet being served, though it should be by now. The wines we were offered were of very nice quality, though the price tag by the glass was on the high side, with nothing below $11 on the evening in question.

The prices on the small plates were very reasonable, and the portions positively large by small plate standards. There is a nice selection of taste treats, including olives and eggplant. We opted for the cheese plate (half size - $9) which included gruyere, brie and sharp cheddar as well as some thickly sliced salami, walnuts, sliced apple and craisins (a tasty melding of cranberries and raisins). Although the selections were not particularly esoteric, they were of excellent quality and provided contrasting tastes and textures that complemented each other perfectly.

We also gave the hummus a try ($6), and were pleasantly surprised. At Grove Bistro they add a layer of basil infused olive oil from Seattle, which puts a nice edge on an old friend. The accompanying pita slices were warm and tender, and there were enough of them to get us through all the hummus.

Dessert was de rigeur that evening, and we had a surprisingly different chocolate hazelnut crunch cake. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we ordered a second glass of wine just to keep on sitting there and talking. The wait staff was extremely good, constantly attentive from afar, ready to respond to one's slightest need without being overbearing.

A trip to the bathroom involves traversing the kitchen in its entirety, and I am delighted to say it was spotless. The kitchen, that is. For that matter, the bathroom was immaculate as well.

The big plates should be being offered by this time. They only had a few listed on the menu - four or five at most. Frankly, I'd rather have a small selection of quality offerings than a huge list of things to choose from. I am hopeful that Grove Bistro will be able to maintain its quality and presence in a town that has had a recent upsurge in business failures.

Highly recommended!

Cantinetta Luca

It's official. Carmel now has more Italian restaurants than Italy. One of the newest is Cantinetta Luca, located next to the little park on Dolores between Ocean and 7th. It occupies the space most notably filled by Toots Lagoon for many years, and before that, Golden West Pancake House. That old use accounts for the narrowness of the restaurant, but the current occupants use the space very wisely, so it does not feel cramped. There are a variety of seating options, from bar stool style chairs at high tables and some bench seating along the wall in the bar area to standard tables in the back room.

The ambiance is quite delightful, and the bar area gets a lot of light. There were quite a few local business people there the day we had lunch, which speaks well for the establishment. I wish I could say that we had a good experience, but that was unfortunately not the case. This was largely due to the service, which was very poor. The wait staff seemed pretty clueless. It took 15 minutes to get our coffee, and it was long gone before anyone came around to ask if we wanted a refill. In fact, I had to flag two different waiters down to this end. On the brighter side, the coffee itself was very good and reasonably priced.

The pre-meal bread was fresh, warm and delicious. It was served with a tapenade that was bursting with flavor. Olive oil was served on request, and it was of very good quality, with a bit of a bite.

We ordered a simple lunch that was perhaps a bit too simple. The panini looked quite interesting on the menu, but the ham and cheese one we ordered came without any side dish, garnish or adornment whatsoever. It looked pretty lonely on the large plate. It was very tasty, with a nice quality ham, fontina cheese and an herbed spread. The bread was very good quality, though a bit thick for my personal taste, which I know is unusual. Still, it would have been nice to have some sort of vegetable matter on the sandwich, whether lettuce, tomato or even onion.

Be aware that the sandwich is listed in Italian on the menu as "prosciutto cotto." This translates literally as "cooked prosciutto" which simply means regular ham. Do not confuse it with the "prosciutto" (technically "prosciutto crudo") that appears on the appetizer menu which is cured from the raw meat rather than cooked.

One of the more attractive aspects of Cantinetta Luca is the selection of artisan prepared meats, or in Italian, salume. You can see them hanging behind glass in a separate room just behind the bar. We did not have the opportunity to give them a try on this occasion, but they certainly looked tempting. The menu only lists them as an appetizer. I would have liked the opportunity to have them in panini form. To be fair, I didn't ask if that was possible.

Our minestrone soup was quite delicious, and brimming with fresh ingredients. Nevertheless, being lukewarm it did not have the appeal it might have had otherwise. I suspect this was also a result of the inexperience of the wait staff, having it ladled into the bowl before the other orders were ready and letting it sit. There was a problem with the way our table was cleared as well, but I do not wish to belabor the point. Fortunately, the problems we encountered can be easily remedied, and it is certainly possible that our experience was a fluke.

The menu is quite interesting, and in the evenings they are rumored to serve bistecca fiorentina, the large grilled steaks made famous in Florence. I am looking forward to giving Luca a try at dinner time to see how they compare with the real thing.

Camerata Singers

The Camerata Singers of Monterey County presented their annual December concert "Radiant Light" this past weekend at St. Paul's Episcopal in Salinas and Cathedral San Carlos in Monterey. Director John Koza displayed his gift for programming once again using the theme of light to tie in such diverse concepts as the star of Bethlehem and the Feast of Lights. It was a treat to hear traditional Chanukah songs in with the traditional Christmas mix.

The concert never lagged for even a minute, as Koza deftly constructed the program in a way as to provide variety of texture, style and content. Choral concerts can easily become tiresome, but this is rarely a problem for the Camerata Singers. The concert opened with the haunting strains of Egil Hovland's "The Glory of the Father,"which begins appropriately with the text from the John's gospel "The word was made flesh." The piece itself begins sparely, with the women alone on a primeval sounding open fifth. As it progresses, the other voices gradually enter and fill out the harmonies in a glorious fashion, as if the composer were describing creation itself.

This was immediately followed by a contrasting pair of settings of "Hodie Christus natus est" ("Christ is born today".) The first was the well known double chorus setting by the late Renaissance composer Giovanni Gabrieli, which was sung with joy and clarity by the group. Koza managed to provide the antiphonal effect without having the singers change position, which was a welcome relief from the practice of many choruses.

The tone of the concert did an about face with Javier Busto's setting of the same text. Full of exotic harmonies and Latin dance rhythms with a tambourine accompaniment, the piece was bursting with excitement and energy, and the singers gave a spirited performance.

The next set featured the carols "Away in a Manger" and "Un flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle." Although the text of the former was familiar, the tune and setting were quite unusual, again featuring open and gentle modern harmonies against a charming melody. The middle section was very effective with the men providing a soft pedal effect in imitation of the lowing of the cows at the manger. Stephen Hatfield, the arranger of the French noel used the familiar tune, but incorporated a lush, flowing texture that sounded almost like a string section.

The set ended with a Chinese carol called "Pengyou, Ting!" or "Listen, friend to this good news!" The pentatonic melody evoked visions of the far east, and the singers changed their sound from mellow to reedy to communicate the different character of the piece, which was most effective.

The highlight of the concert followed. Donald Kendrick's gorgeous setting of the "Magnificat" for women's voices starts with chant and gradually builds, adding intensity through the addition of vocal lines, simple but interesting harmonies and rhythmic figures. The blend of the Camerata women was absolutely beautiful, and it was obvious that they were singing from their hearts. It was truly a moving experience.

This segued seamlessly into one of Anton Bruckner's settings of "Ave Maria." At first it seemed as if it was only to be the women again, but then the men came in and grounded us once again. It was a wonderful contrast. Being Bruckner, the piece was full of dynamic extremes, ranging from the very soft to the very loud in true Romantic form, and the singers made the most of it. Koza again provided contrast to end the set with the quiet and lovely "O lux beatissima" ("O most blessed light") by Howard Helvey.

Just as we were starting to get lulled into complacency with heavenly music, Koza brought us back to earth with the rousing 16th century Spanish carols "E la don don" and "Riu, riu, chiu." These pieces featured percussion, hand clapping and individual solo verses sung by an assortment of the men in alternation with surprisingly complex but energetic refrains. The enthusiasm of the Camerata Singers was infectious, and more than one person in the audience was tapping feet and swaying along to the music.

The first half ended with a delightful setting of "O come, all ye faithful" by Jackson Berkey. Yes, it was the tune we all know and have heard a thousand times, but the arranger put in a number of twists and surprises that gave the work a fresh hearing.

The second half opened with a set called "The Light of Heaven" featuring two chorales by J.S. Bach and an anthem by Olaf Christiansen. Koza led the group directly from "Brich an" ("Break forth thou beauteous heavenly light") to "Wie schoen leuchtet" ("How brightly shines the morning star") and finishing with "Light everlasting." The German diction in the Bach was quite good, and every word was distinct.

The next set featured soprano Julia Turner as soloist in the spiritual "Behold the star" by William Dawson. Ms. Turner has a strong, vibrant voice, and she easily filled the church with her breathtaking rendition. Koza followed this relatively simple setting with the most complex work of the evening, Jonathan Dove's "The Three Kings." This piece was mysterious and dense, with rays of light shining out here and there. It was by far the most "modern" work of the evening, and the singers managed the difficult harmonies with aplomb.

Koza changed the mood once again with the next set. As Chanukah had just begun, he selected three popular songs for the Feast of Lights. "S'vivon" and "Y'mei Chanukah" were both sung in Hebrew, and "Ocho Kandelikas" was sung in Ladino, which was the Yiddish equivalent for the Sephardic Jews in Spain. That last song was the hit of the evening with the audience, as three of the singers stepped forward to strum along on guitars while the percussionist, Kristen Thompson played the castanets. Even Koza himself looked like he was going to start dancing off the podium to the invigorating beat of the party song.

The concert ended with a more subdued feel, with Cesar Carrillo's setting of "Silent Night" in Spanish called "Noche de Paz," a sweet, simple piece "In silent night" and finally the traditional singing of the first verse of "Silent Night" with the audience and performers joining together.

All in all, the concert was rich and varied, and the technical and musical achievement of the Camerata Singers was very high indeed. More importantly, though, the singers had clearly internalized the meaning of the music, and were able to communicate the spirit of it with their demeanor and stage presence. It was truly magical.