Violist-turned-mezzo, singer-turned-diva, diva-who-remained-artist
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson came home today.  Two years ago, after she sang an
unforgettable Ottavia in the San Francisco Opera's "Coronation of Poppea,"
she was due for a pair of recitals in Berkeley, but had to cancel because
of illness.  Today, the cancellation became a mere postponement, and her
concert in Zellerbach Hall another superb musical event to treasure.

She doesn't sound anything like Marilyn Horne or Frederica von Stade or
Cecilia Bartoli, but Hunt Lieberson is in the same category of being a
distinct, no, unique artist, with her own sound and special appeal over
and beyond that of "just" a great singer.  At today's recital, once again,
she presented intelligence, clarity, artistic integrity, and believability
- all built on a magnificent instrument and rock-solid technique.

Hunt Lieberson boldly opened with Handel arias from "Arianna" and
"Ottone," brilliant pieces usually saved for a later spot in a concert.
She continued with three songs by her husband, Peter Lieberson, and an
aria from his opera "Ashoka's Dream" - sharing the applause with the
composer, who was in the audience.  The second half of the concert featured
Schumann's "Frauenliebe und Leben," in a series of flawless, affecting
performances.  A spiritual ("Deep River") and another Handel aria, from
"Theodora," were the encores.

Judith Gordon was the accompanist.  She began as a good, but unexceptional
pianist, neither adding to the performance nor diminishing it, but she
hit her stride in the second part of the concert.  Another important
participant was the audience.  Perhaps because there are few occasions
that would warrant it, audiences seldom get credit for their part in a
successful concert.  (Damning reports about coughs, talk, cell phones are
all too frequent, for good reason.) Today, the Zellerbach audience was a
singer's dream - not only in acknowledging the performance generously and
behaving in a properly adoring manner, but also in being incredibly QUIET.
Bravo!

Hunt Lieberson's Handel is not only impressive and brilliant, but also
gloriously alive and meaningful.  In "As the Lion," from "Arianna," the
culminating "peace and calm" came across more than as a wish - it was a
matter of will, something accomplished.  In the "Ottone" aria, the voice
came from deep within; the mother telling her son:  "I will die with you"
completely convincing, emotionally overwhelming.

The Schumann songs had both the unity of the cycle and the great variety
of the individual songs.  Hunt Lieberson exulted in "He, the most wonderful
of all," and in "I cannot grasp it," sang "Ring on my finger" with a
simplicity that transformed the hall into a small, intimate room.  "Help
me, sisters" rang out with pride and joy, and "Sweet friend" trailed off
beautifully, sound merging with silence (and another bravo to the
audience!).  The concluding song of loss and despair sounded like a prayer,
Hunt Lieberson bringing out a sense of catharsis from sorrow I don't recall
ever hearing in the work before.

Janos Gereben/SF, CA
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