Melodies And Masterworks
Tenor Keith Byron Craig performing the famous aria "Nessun Dorma" to rousing applause. Photography by Catrilia Watson
The Prince George’s Philharmonic kicked off its 54th season in a program of operatic showstoppers and orchestral masterworks
By Patrick D. McCoy // @PatrickDMcCoy
Photography by Catrilia Watson
There was a bustling air of excitement at the Bowie Center of the Performing Arts on Saturday evening Oct. 5 as the Prince George’s Philharmonic opened its 54th season.
What was unique about this particular concert was the fact that the ensemble partnered with the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA) to present two stellar operatic soloists in the first half of the program. Soprano Meroë Khalia Adeeb and tenor Keith Byron Craig joined the orchestra in opera arias and duets by Giacomo Puccini.
Before the concert, Prince George’s Suite caught up with Bonita Adeeb, mother of the soprano of the evening. She gushed as she proudly shared that this was her daughter’s [Meroë] first appearance with her ‘hometown’ orchestra. After words of greeting from Board President Susan Pearl and a nod to Philharmonic Founder Rita Souweine present in the audience, the evening of music began, but not before an added bonus of excitement.
L to R: CAAPA Executive Director Terri Allen, Prince George’s Philharmonic Vice-President Blake Lorenz, Meroë Adeeb, Keith Craig, Prince George’s Philharmonic Board President Susan Pearl, CAAPA Chair Pamela Simonson and Board Member Bonita Adeeb. Photography by Catrilia Watson
It was announced that music director Jesus Manuel Berard would not be conducting the evening concert due to a family emergency giving way to assistant conductor Tiffany Lu.
Confidently taking the stage, Lu immediately established her rapport with the orchestra and the listeners took note that they all were in good hands. In keeping with tradition, the opening concert of the season began with “The Star-Spangled Banner” which found members of the audience singing along heartily. The lush orchestral tone poem “Prélude á “L’aprés-midi d’un faune” by Claude Debussy followed. Beginning with a lone wind solo, the glistening of the harp joined then layered with the warm strings of the orchestra. Lu was in full command, bringing all of the sections of the orchestra together as they created a painting of sound. With the plucked strings and the distinct reflective solo of the oboe, the piece was a true tableau of rich, colorful sound.
Next up were the Puccini fireworks of the evening. Tenor Keith Byron Craig began the evening with “E lucevan le stele” from Tosca. Filling the auditorium with glorious sound, Craig set bar for the offerings to follow. Soprano Meroë Khalia Adeeb followed with one of Puccini’s most beloved aria “O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi. With a radiant soprano, Adeeb soared, especially in the high dramatic lines. Craig returned for the show-stopping “Nessun Dorma” from Turnadot. Made particularly popular with modern audiences by the late tenor Luciano Pavarotti, Craig did the work incredible justice as his voice was a true powerhouse, affording him a thunderous ovation from the audience.
Prince George’s Philharmonic Founder Rita Souweine (center) congratulating the guest artists with CAAPA Executive Director Terri Allen and other supporters. Photography by Catrilia Watson.
Next, Adeeb offered the aria “Un bel di” from Madama Butterfly. Long phrases coupled with shimmering high notes were the hallmark of Adeeb’s performance. Together, Craig and Adeeb brought the audience’s brief sojourn to the opera house to an exciting close with the finale to Act I of La Bohéme.
For the second half of the concert, Lu lead the philharmonic in the sensuously dark “Symphony No.4 in E Minor, Op. 98” by Johannes Brahms. Reminiscent of the emotional turmoil that the composer was experiencing when he composed “A German Requiem,” this portion of the program allowed the orchestra to convey a myriad of emotions. From the rising arch within the instrumental forces, the listener was able to feel a sense of emotional turmoil. Whether it was the urgency in the strings or the building momentum in the timpani and lower brass, the work was an exuberant show of skill that held audience attention. Ending with a full, triumphant ending, Lu and the orchestra brought the concert to an exuberant close.
A musical gem in Prince George’s County, the Prince George’s Philharmonic display an excellence with this performance that illuminates exactly why it has thrived as a centerpiece of the region’s cultural experience for 54 seasons.
Patrick D. McCoy is an arts journalist based in the Washington, DC area, with his work appearing in The Washington Post, The Afro-American Newspaper, Early Music America, CBS Washington, Washington Life Magazine, among other publications. INSTAGRAM: PDM06 Twitter @PatrickDMcCoy
