Gary Gruber reviews

Definitive Performance of Brahms Violin Concerto

2010-02-05T14:43:00.000-08:00

Marin Symphony Feb 2, 2010
Mozart Requiem
Brahms Violin Concerto
Marin Symphony Chorus-Stephen McKersie Chorus Master
Marin Symphony
Alasdair Neale Conductor
Vadim Gluzman, Violin
Marin Center Veteran Memorial Auditorium

It is very rare that one attends a concert and hears a definitive performance of a musical warhorse. Such was true of the Brahms Violin Concerto with Vadim Gluzman and Alasdair Neale with the Marin Symphony on February 2 at the Marin Center Veteran Memorial Auditorium. Of all the performances of the Violin Concerto I have heard (including Heifetz, Milstein, Oistrakh, and a host of other great and seasoned violinists) Gluzman’s was the most elegant. This great work was meticulously performed with such a beautiful and captivating execution, I was literally on the edge of my seat with his cadenza and climactic moments of the concerto. The collaboration with Alisdair Neale was uncanny, as both violinist and conductor and orchestra were perfectly in sync,something that is not that very usual. Gluzman’s tone was exceptional and it somewhat reminded me of the beautiful tone of Erica Morini whose Brahms’ I heard more than 30 years ago. Hopefully a recording of this magnificent rendition will be recorded so many more listeners will be afforded the experience of such a definitive and captivating performance.
The first half of the concert was devoted to the Mozart Requiem, superbly performed by the Marin Symphony Chorus (Stephen McKersie , Chorus Master) and the Marin Symphony with Alasdair Neale. The Requiem is a powerful yet introspective work and it was executed with the grandeur that the work deserves.
All in all this concert was a truly memorable event. I wish that a follow-up for a future concert with the Marin Symphony would be Gluzman playing the Beethoven Concerto and the Marin Chorus singing the Berlioz Requiem.

Intriguing Performances by New Century Chamber Orchestra

2009-09-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

New Century Chamber Orchestra-September 13, 2009-Osher Marin JCC, San Rafael, California

An old warhorse Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exibition was the signature work performed by the New Century Chamber Orchestra at Osher Marin JCC on Sunday Sept. 13. There are many versions of this colorful musical tour de force with different transcriptions to boot – the original piano version, the three orchestral versions (Ravel’s being most popular), guitar, string quartet and organ versions to name a few. The one chosen and played by the NCCO for string orchestra with piano and percussion, is perhaps the most dramatic and descriptive one. The NCCO brings out the pictures by Hartmann with vivid musical color. The ensemble performs each musical picture eloquently and truly elicits the intent of artist Hartmann’s paintings and the composer Mussorgsky’s musical depiction of them. Hopefully, the NCCO will record this performance. It was a musical journey not to be missed.

The works in the first half of the concert were the Bach Chaconne and the Bach Violin Concerto in D Minor performed impeccably by Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg, NCCO’s new musical director and seasoned and well known international violin soloist. All in all, this concert was a highly rewarding musical experience for both the musical aficionado and novice.

Driving Miss Daisy-Ross Valley Players-July 11 to August 17-2008

2008-07-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

Driving Miss Daisy - A Play by Alfred Uhry

When I first saw the movie, Driving Miss Daisy, I was taken by how well the actors portrayed their roles (Morgan Freeman as Hoke, Dan Aykroyd as Boolie and Jessica Tandy as Daisy). However, there was something missing in the movie version. The viewer didn’t get the feeling of intimacy with the players—specifically one felt that although the acting was impeccable, the actors in the movie were indeed acting their roles and somehow that prevented the viewer to empathize with the characters.
I realized thus that for this type of work to be effective, it should be in “live-real time” format and not in the detached movie version.
With top notch and careful direction and acting by Cris Cassell, Hoke played by Berton Bruno, Daisy by Anne Ripley, and Boolie by Alex Shafer we can identify and feel a compassion for each of the players.
Interestingly enough, the authentic dialects and personas of the players are almost identical to those of the actors in the movie. However, Hoke (Berton Bruno) in the play was far more convincing and more humble that Morgan Freeman in the movie. Miss Daisy (Anne Ripley) in the play was more realistic and down-to-earth than Jessica Tandy in the movie. And Alex Shafer (Boolie) in the play was more personable and not as superficial as Dan Aykroyd in the movie.
If you had already seen the movie version, by all means you are in a treat with the play. If you see the play first, it would be better to savor those images of the characters as they are in the play and there would be no need to see the movie other than for a pure intellectual or comparative exercise.

Ross Valley Playhouse www.rossvalleyplayers.com

As an afternote, for many who will be curious about the music in the play:

As Sound Designer for the Ross Valley Players’ production of “Driving Miss Daisy,” Billie Cox of Ross selected the various songs for the musical scene transitions featured in the play.

“Since the play moves from 1948 to the 70's pieces were chosen to evoke the period of each scene, create the right mood and, if possible make a humorous or serious comment in addition to the practical business of covering scene and costume changes,” said Cox.

Below is a chronological list of most of the music featured in “Driving Miss Daisy” :

After the Ball
Sittin' in the Sun -Louis Armstrong
Hard Times - Mavis Staples
Ain't She Sweet -Eddie Cantor
Free Eats - Count Basie
Cross Over the Bridge - Patti Page
Wide Open Spaces - Arthur Godfrey
Volga Boat Song - Paul Robeson
Speech on prejudice - Martin Luther King
Instrumentals -Ry Cooder
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
Nice Work - Ella Fitzgerald
Psalm 19
_A_ You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song) - Jo Stafford & Gordon Macrae
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
Swing Down - Golden Gate Quartet
Feels Like Home - Bonnie Raitt
Old Friends - Lacy J Dalton
(Love Is Like A) Heatwave - Martha And The Vandellas
Freedom Train - Sweet Honey In The Rock
Cab Driver - Mills Brothers

In addition:
”Walk In” music was cuts from the late 40's when the play begins.
“Intermission Music” brought us chronologically from 1956 to 1964

Brooklyn Boy-Ross Valley Players- May 9-June 15

2008-05-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn Boy- A Play by Donald Marguilies

If you have ever been nostalgic for the place where you grew up and the people you had known, this play is for you. I was very attracted to this play as a “Brooklynite," but even though it is set initially in Brooklyn, in a primarily Jewish neighborhood, it is universal enough to take place anywhere and revolve around any culture.
This bittersweet journey is about an author, Eric Weiss, turned successful (a Hollywood movie is being made from his latest book) and who has never had his father’s real acknowledgment and recognition, even on his father’s deathbed. Eric tries to revive the relationship with his alienated wife, in vain , and cannot re-establish his childhood friendship. He also alienates himself from his Jewish faith. The latitude of emotions is huge—from extremely hilarious moments to very sad ones. The play has a wonderful and gratifying ending.
The reason why the rendition of this play is so realistic and engrossing is primarily because the actors do not seem like they are acting. In fact their characters are so real you can truly identify with so many aspects of them. This is largely due to the brilliance of the director Phoebe Moyer and her tremendous compatibility and coordination with the actors who are extremely convincing in their roles as a result.
This is a play that should not be missed.

Written by Donald Margulies, a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Directed by Phoebe Moyer.
Cast: Matthew Lai as Eric Weiss, the author; Safiya Arnaout as Melanie Fine, the Hollywood agent; Timothy Beagley as Ira Zimmer, the old classmate, Jerry Jacob as Eric’s father, Manny Weiss ,Robin Steeves as Eric’s wife Nina, Joseph Rende as the Actor Tyler Shaw and Allison Porto Yale as one of Eric’s enthusiasts,Alison.

May 9- June 15, Ross Valley Playhouse www.rossvalleyplayers.com

Heroes-Ross Valley Players-Nov 9-Dec 16

2007-11-10T16:22:00.000-08:00

James Dunn, a veteran of forty six years in directing and teaching theater arts was greatly moved by a play he had seen in London called “Heroes”; thus, he was determined to direct the premiere of the play in the San Francisco Bay Area for the Ross Valley Players. Only three actors comprise the play, crafting a performance which is engrossing on many levels. Russell Lessig (Philippe), Alex Ross (Henn) and Wood Lockhart (Gustave) are three veterans of World War I living in an old soldiers’ home outside Paris in 1959. Each have a burning desire to escape from their confines both physically and mentally. There is a wonderful mixture of some very unexpected and striking humor, compassion and longing, which makes this play so powerful and poignant. In fact, it is one of the few seemingly simple plays with only one set that generates a much bigger picture and describes an interaction of three people who are quite different, but humanly have the same universal needs and desires. A great rendition of a play which will last a lifetime in your memory and even create a positive impact on your life.

Ross Valley Players, Nov 9-Dec 16, 2007- 415-456-9555 or visit http://www.rossvalleyplayers.com

Fully Committed-Ross Valley Players

2007-07-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Fully Committed - a prizewinning play by Becky Mode

Fully Committed is presented by the Ross Valley Players (Ross, California), and they are now in their 78th Season. The group has been known to offer a wide array of plays superbly performed in authentic settings and in a non-plastic theater (The Barn Theater) which provides for hightened ambience. This play has only one character and the play represents one of the most extraordinary feats a single actor can undertake with respect to performing, timing, and changing of 39 characters who have strikingly different personalities and cultural backgrounds. And we have all come across and can all identify with these characters. In the end we get a heartwarming feeing and it reminds us of what we’ve all gone through in life at some time or another. The play is about an aspiring actor reluctantly supporting himself by working in a trendy restaurant in New York's upper east side having to take constant phone call reservations (as well as dealing with calls to and from the chef, other workers, his father, brother, and competitive friend). This is not just a hilarious play-it is also a crafted study of a very unselfish, caring and accommodating person who is confronted with an array of so many different personalities, cultures and needs of other people. It is actually a universal play which is based on the psychology of humanity in all its forms grabbing the audience with sparkling humor and compassion. Directed by Argo Thompson who no doubt gives the actor the room and license to be creative, is apparent in the two different actors alternating in performances of the play. Fully Committed a one-man play that you crave to see interpreted many times with different actors. I am still in awe of how an actor can portray so many different characters and continually be able to resort back to his own base character. Both Dan Saski and Justin Scheuer are seasoned actors and they give strikingly different but engrossing renditions of Sam in the play. Dan gives a more direct and polished performance of Sam but don’t let that make you think that Justin’s rendition is poorer—with Justin we identify that Sam is quite real and as a result you see his frailty and human shortcomings blossom with greater latitude. It is interesting to note that although the characters are the same, many of the cultures and accents are different when played by the different actors. Dan is more consistent in his delivery but Justin renders more hilarious episodes with his own character as well as with the others. In any event, both renditions are well worth seeing and the uninterrupted 90 minutes goes by very fast and surprisingly even faster the second time around when Justin plays the role of Sam. It should be noted that this one man show is pulled off so eloquently because of the meticulous assistance of the sound (with precisely timed phone rings) and light operators (creating just the right changes of colors) Rusty Taylor and Megan O’Hefferman.
In short this is a one-man play requiring a tremendous amount of talent and actor timing and it is executed by both actors with engrossing and eloquent performances.
The next performances with Dan are from 8/9-812 and 8/16-8/19
and with Justin from 8/2-8/5. Try to catch both performances and you will be in for a real treat!

Visit www.rossvalleyplayers.com for more details, schedule and location or call 415-456-9555.
Sunday, July 29, 2007