Caressing the keys, Nakamatsu enthralls

Reviewed by David L. Schriber

When internationally acclaimed 1997 Van Cliburn gold medalist Jon Nakamatsu played here last March with the Binghamton Philharmonic, we decided, if he ever made a return visit, it would be a must-go event. Less than a year later (Feb. 27), Nakamatsu returned to Binghamton University’s Anderson Center to play an entire concert in the Philharmonic’s Chamber Series. It was a consummate example of artist at one with his instrument.  

Former TCO tenor presents wonderful recital at BU

Reviewed by Tony Villecco

Tenor Raul Melo offered an extremely attractive and diverse program of songs and arias last Saturday (Oct. 9) at Binghamton University’s Anderson Center as part of the annual Homecoming/Alumni weekend on campus. Melo, a former Tri-Cites Opera Resident Artist who received training at TCO and BU, has gone on to have an international career on the world’s operatic stages, including the Metropolitan Opera.

John Covelli & Friends: Fantasia with too little sax

Reviewed by Leo Cotnoir

There is no question that John Covelli is a talented pianist, and it is clear that mid-19^th Century Romanticism is his métier. After a somewhat overlong but informative introduction Sunday (Oct. 3) at The Schorr Family Firehouse Stage in Johnson City, Covelli launched into Robert Schumann’s “Fantasia in C Major, Opus 17” with the energy and gusto of a much younger man performing for a jury who would decide his fate. One could not help but hear the connection Covelli feels with the composer through his teacher, who studied with Schumann’s wife, piano virtuosa Clara Schumann. When he ventured into other periods, however, although still technically impressive, Covelli seemed on shakier musical grounds. For my taste his performance of a transcription of Bach’s “Prelude in B minor” had far too much tempo variation as did his reading of Mozart’s “Fantasy in D minor” that at times sounded more like Brahms than Mozart. His performance of Debussy’s “La Cathédrale Engloutie” (“The Sunken Cathedral”) began with the ethereal quality we associate with French Impressionist composers but soon seemed to be grow a bit bombastic. A second piece by Debussy, “Ce qu’a vu le vent d’ouest” (“What the West Wind Saw”), since it calls for a heavy hand to depict the storm wind, was more successful.