Levitating with clever ideas, Opera Project won us over in April with a cabaret version of Bach’s saucy Coffee Cantata, performed by three singers and a trio of instrumentalists in the intimate (i.e., small) space of the Mariposa Coffee Cafe. Happily packed into the darkened interior, we joined a standing-room-only crowd for a master class in opera made relevant. A salon, an edgy live performance for invited friends. The delightfully staged story of a woman hooked on the new coffee fad, might have been 1900 era Vienna. Except perhaps for Sheila Willey, in tattoos and tank top, rattling off the joys of her new caffeine habit while we in the audience sipped designer espresso drinks.
Her long-suffering dad, Edward Tavalin, made his case heroically, but was no match for his sassy daughter. Willey’s incredible acting skills allowed her to disappear into her role, as she sang fast and furious arpeggios and trills all the while serving coffee, clearing tables and transforming herself from UCSC Opera program director into a petulant rebel high on caffeine. Narrating the action was Opera Project co-founder Lori Schulman, while Shannon D’Antonio’s violin, Kristin Garbeff’s cello and music director Daniel Goldsmith’s keyboard kept the Bach track shimmering. Andrea Hart of Cabrillo Stage handled the stage direction brilliantly. It was an incredible amount of delicious singing, espresso and fun.
Next up for Opera Project is The Juliet Letters, at MJA Vineyards, taking sophisticated music out of the big halls and to where people like to hang out. It’s one night only—June 13 at 7pm—and $20 gets you a genre-defying song cycle by Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet, plus a glass of wine, stationery and a pen. The theme is the truth we tell in written letters. Marea Ensemble features Shannon D’Antonio, Samantha Bounkeua, Rebecca Dulatre Corbin, Kristin Garbeff and the uncanny soprano vocals of Opera Project co-founder Schulman—who will also be performing with Santa Cruz Shakespeare this season as the Stepmother/Granny in Into the Woods. Tickets on eventbrite.com.
Still planning to seduce our senses with a concert of shamelessly gorgeous music, the restless musicians of Espressivo offer a trio of passionate pieces: Arthur Honegger’s Pastorale d’ été, Georges Bizet’s Symphony in C and, joined by soprano Emily Sinclair, Hector Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été. If your French allows, you’ll get that these works are about sexy summer affairs. Perfect timing. This weekend of Espressivo concerts features guest conductor Daniel Henriks. (And the magic flute of Lars Johannesson.) The concerts are at 7pm on Sunday, June 8 at Peace United Church, Santa Cruz, and 7pm on Saturday, June 7 at First Presbyterian Church of Monterey. espressorch.org
Busy music director Henriks takes the baton on June 13 and June 14 to lead i Cantori di Carmel through Songs of Destiny, a program of Impressionist works by Brahms, Vaughan Williams, Debussy, Ravel and Boulanger. After 40 years, the large choral/orchestral ensemble is enjoying ambitious programming under Henriks, who took the directorship in 2021. Trained at Juilliard, the German-born former opera singer now calls Carmel home. “I was used to working with professional musicians in Europe and so I was pleasantly surprised at the high level of training of the i Cantori singers. They are dedicated and willing to tackle complex music.” The charismatic Henriks incorporates the sort of vocal training he practiced in Europe as part of i Cantori rehearsals. “And the more ambitious the work we program, the more we have attracted highly trained singers.”
Henriks’ energy is infectious. He believes that there’s plenty of audience in the Monterey Bay area to go around. “Each group is unique. Espressivo is a small chamber group of professional musicians, and i Cantori is a large choral group preparing symphonic works, often rarely performed repertoire. We are building a close-knit network among our best musicians. Everybody’s contributing to the cultural fabric of our region.” Come hear why, at the i Cantori di Carmel season finale at 7:30pm on Saturday, June 14 at the UCSC Recital Hall and 7:30pm on Friday, June 13 at Sunset Center in Carmel. Tickets and info: icantori.org.
Virtuoso guitarist Peppino D’Agostino brings his blazing acoustic guitar back to Santa Cruz for a concert of Italian music on Saturday, June 14 at 6pm. Expect a program of vintage Mediterranean and flamenco influences, as well as original compositions created by D’Agostino for his signature Seagull guitar. D’Agostino knows how to engage with his audience with predictable charm and guitar chops. The atmospheric Wind River Studios in the Santa Cruz Mountains offers exactly the right intimate venue. Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com.
Maestro Daniel Stewart takes the podium on Saturday, June 7 for the Santa Cruz Symphony’s soaring season finale showcasing a pulse-raising pops concert of music by favorite all-American composer John Williams. Yes, you can thrill to music from Star Wars (hum along quietly), E.T., Hook and more. The Symphony Pops Concert starts at 7:30pm, get there at 5 for live music, dancing and food trucks. santacruzsymphony.org.
Best Soirée of Summer: that would be the New Music Works Avant Garden Party, returning to the Live Oak Lagoon (2888 Sandy Lane, Santa Cruz) once again, on Sunday June 8, 2-6pm. The sybaritic setting offers exciting musicales, including AZA’s music from Morocco and North Africa, Singing Wood Marimba Ensemble, the vintage Mediterranean music of Sasupake, Bill Walker’s smokin’ slide guitar and Stan Poplin’s eclectic jazz idioms on double bass. India Joze will whip up a superb al fresco buffet. No-host wine and beer bar. Gorgeous setting, great music, a benefit event to wrap up this year’s fab NMW Season. Find the link to tickets at newmusicworks.org.
