By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO — Russian-born Susana Poretzky, an outstanding mezzo soprano, who sang in Israel for many years, was the soloist with the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra (TICO) at its January 30 concert at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. I have heard Poretzky on several occasions and was thrilled by her rendition of Mahler’s Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer) under the baton of TICO’s Artistic Director, David Amos.
The concert opened with the familiar Poet and Peasant Overture by Franz von Suppe. The Symphony No. 104 in D Major by Franz Josef Haydn completed the first half of the program. The orchestra gave a pleasing performance of this noble work. Particularly noteworthy were solos in the horn and the bassoon. There was good ensemble throughout. The Finale might have benefitted by more spirit, but the orchestra was fully engaged as they played with sincerity and commitment.
The Mahler work came after intermission. The lyrics, written by the composer, are about unrequited love. The movements are: When My Sweetheart Is Married, I Went this Morning over the Field, I Have a Gleaming Knife, The Two Blue Eyes of My Beloved. Mahler wrote this in 1884-85 after falling in love with a soprano in Kassel, Germany while conducting there.
He revised it several times and it was not published until 1897.
He uses several of the melodies from this song cycle in his Symphony No. 1. The theme of the second song is the theme of the first movement, and the last verse of the final song is heard near the end of the third movement, the funeral march.
Although these songs are sung more frequently by baritones, it is often sung by mezzo sopranos, and Poretzky performed the work with focused voice and deep emotion.
The hit of the evening, however, was her encore, the “Habanera” from Carmen, which she tossed off with dramatic fervor and coquettish zeal. As one of her fans commented, “She IS Carmen!”
The next concerts by TICO on April 7 and 10 will feature Cantor Larry Kornit and the East County Mormon Chorale in a world premiere of Unetane Tokef for Cantor, Choir and Orchestra by John Luther.
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Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com