From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Monday, October 8, 2001
Camerata, ensemble score aces with 'Acis'
By David DeAngelo
In what will probably turn out to be one of the more important musical performances of the 2001-02 season, the Renaissance and Baroque Society of Pittsburgh presented a stunning performance of Handel's "Acis and Galatea" on Saturday night at Synod Hall in Oakland. Performed by the Pittsburgh Camerata and Chatham Baroque, this was the first concert of Renaissance and Baroque Society's 33rd season. It was an overwhelmingly gratifying evening.
After a dutiful rendition of the national anthem (oddly complete with Baroque accompaniment on baroque instruments), the oratorio began.
Whether one can call "Acis and Galatea" an oratorio or a serenata or a pastoral or a masque is not really the point. When it was written (in the early 18th century, when Handel was still a 35-year-old German composer composing Italian operas in England), such labels were probably not very important. The important thing to note is that the "drama" is played out by characters on the stage, but there are no costumes and no set. In that, it is closer to the English oratorios that Handel would compose decades later.
The almost incomprehensible plot of "Acis and Galatea" is the basic "boy has lost girl, girl pines for boy, girl and boy find each other, are blissfully happy, but then the girl is stalked by a greasy 'thund'ring giant,' who throws a large stone at the boy killing him" story. If there's a lesson in this story it's this: stay away from the greasy thund'ring giants.
The role of Galatea was exquisitely sung by Ellen Hargis, and hers was by far the most beautiful voice on the stage. It was full and strong, and her mini-cadenza near the end of the aria "Hush, ye pretty warbling choir!" was breathtaking.
As Acis, Galatea's love-interest, William Hite had an equally strong voice, even if it was a bit less warm. On the other hand, it shone on the aria "Love in her eyes sits playing," a wonderful love song. Overall, he was more than able to pull off the demanding part.
Once Curtis Streetman, with a jaunty slicked-back swagger, strolled onto the stage, it was obvious that the giant Polyphemus had arrived. One almost expected a waxed mustache or at least a big black cape. His aria "I rage, I rage, I melt, I burn!" was sung in a big full voice that was quite in character for a big lumbering lust-filled giant.
Robert Frankenberry played Damon, the Machiavellian shepherd who meddles in the young lovers' woo. Although his opening aria, "Shepherd, what art thou pursuing," seemed over-pronounced and a bit forced, by the end of the evening, his aria "Consider, fond shepherd" was easily as strong as anything else on stage.
The chorus and orchestra, conducted from the keyboard by Rebecca Rollett, gave a shimmering performance.
The Camerata's greatest strength was in its sense of ensemble. From the first gestures of their opening piece, "O! the pleasure of the plains!" to their ending words in "Galatea, dry thy tears," these singers communicated a full range of emotion.
The orchestra played their hideously difficult period instruments with great ease and musical ability. The string players, despite playing in the shifting temperatures of an early October evening in Pittsburgh, kept well in tune with the woodwind players, whose fingers flew in ways most people couldn't even dream about.
David DeAngelo is a free-lance classical music writer