Jacalyn Kreitzer
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Mezzo-soprano Jacalyn Kreitzer is the featured artist at Opera San Luis Obispo's third salon-recital. The recital will be held Sunday, May 6, 5-7pm at Villa Filaree, the Varian Ranch home of Dennis and Sharon Harris Schneider.
Ms. Kreitzer will sing arias by various composers with the theme "Lovers, Villains, Heroes and Scoundrels I Remember." Her program includes a wide-ranging selection, reflecting her extensive experience as a performing artist and her broadly generous taste. Salon guests will hear music from Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, Handel's Xerxes, Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades, Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and other equally varied numbers.
Jacalyn Kreitzer, who lives in Los Osos, began her professional career when she stepped in for ailing soprano Felicity Lott to sing the orchestral transcription of Schoenberg's difficult String Quartet No. 2 in F# minor, with Simon Rattle and the Los Angeles Philharmonic to critical acclaim. She was then engaged with the Metropolitan Opera for four years, and recorded Die Walkure with the Met under the direction of James Levine.
Her distinguished career has taken Ms. Kreitzer to many of the most celebrated opera houses, including the Deutsche Oper Berlin, New York City Opera, Spoleto, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera as well as the Met. Her artist colleagues have included, among others, Matti Salminen, Marti Talvela, Frederica von Stade, Debra Voight, Jessye Norman, Siegfried Jerusalem and Thomas Hampton. She has recorded with several important international labels and has been the recipient of prestigious awards, including the Flagstad Young Wagnerian Singer Award.
Recently this busy artist took time to do an interview for this column.
KB: Your May 6 program is entitled "Lovers, Villains, Heroes and Scoundrels I have known." Of all the possibilities on your program, how or why did you select particular characters?
JK: The Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos is a hero because he learns that "music draws all people of courage together, like angels ‘round a shining throne'. Charlotte singing "Va! Laisse coulermes larmes" from Werther is likewise a heroine, as she suffers for Werther. Delilah from Samson and Delilah is of course a villain for using artifice to find out the source of Samson's power and ultimately defeating the Hebrews. Brangaene of Tristan und Isolde intercedes when her mistress demands she administer a poison to Tristan and Isolde, and she gives them a love potion instead, thereby setting in motion the critical action of the story.
KB: What are 1-2 favorite operatic roles you have sung? What about these roles makes them special for you?
JK: Brangaene in Tristan und Isolde is my all-time favorite. The compelling, sparkling
chromaticism, the depth and beauty of Wagner's music, the psychological nature of the entire
opera, the complexity of the characters all contribute to my love of this role. In addition, my
teacher Herta Glaz was Brangaene to Lauritz Melchior's Tristan and Kirsten Flagstad's Isolde. I
was fortunate enough to have several leading conductors and composers at my lessons,
such as Erich Leinsdorf, Erich Korngold, and Arnold Schoenberg. I was heir to a wonderful
artistic legacy. Tristan is one of the most powerful of all operas and had a profound influence on composers
such as Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler. I think this opera was a catalyst for the direction that
classical music took in the 20th century.
KB: During the 19th century salons were particularly important venues for music. Aristocrats and
intellectuals were more apt to hear Chopin, for example, at a salon than on the public
stage. What do you find particularly attractive about a salon recital?
JK: Singing for smaller groups of people is, hands down, much more exciting, compelling,
rewarding and difficult than any other venue or audience size. I can look directly into the faces
of the people and directly engage them with my eyes. They can feel and see and hear every
nuance, every effort, every breath. I must make it look and feel effortless, for the salon audience
can examine every detail of the performance.
My world class accompanist, Susan Davies, will be a joy to watch and listen to. We have
performed together over 25 years, and I have always said she is an "orchestra." Her command of
the piano and her ability to coax full throated sound and dynamics from the piano are most
exciting.
KB: At intermission on your program there will be a presentation of young artists. Tell us about
that.
JK: Brian Asher Alhadeff, artistic director of Opera San Luis Obispo, and I have auditioned
many of our young singers in the area, and for each salon we choose two or three to sing arias.
For this show I have chosen three of my students – freshman biochemistry major and Bass-
Baritone Ryan Hicken, senior music major Scott Nelson, and senior music major Claire
MacKenzie. Ryan will sing "O Isis und Osiris" from Mozart's The Magic Flute; Scott, an aria
from Auber's La Muette de Portici; and Claire, "Che faro senza Euridice" from Gluck's Orfeo
ed Euridice.
KB: In addition to your distinguished performing career you have a superior reputation as a
teacher. I know you emphasize health of the voice as well as singing techniques. How,
specifically, does good vocal health contribute a singer's career?
JK: The body is the voice, and the voice is the body. The voice is a dynamic wind instrument
and operates on air pressure, vibration and resonance. If the body isn't whole and healthy –
physically, emotionally and mentally -- one cannot sing well. I am a holistic voice teacher. As
life is many times a series of problems which can cause imbalance, I try to help students
find balance and equipoise.
KB: What final word would you like to leave our readers?
JK: Most of all, we must watch and listen to keep classical music alive and strong as the ultimate art form.
Tickets to Ms. Kreitzer recital may be purchased by calling 805.541.5369 or visiting Opera SLO. Admission is $75.00 per person; seating is limited. Directions will be mailed with tickets.
