Mezzo-Soprano Kate Aldrich
Hannaford Hall
May 13, 2017
by Christopher Hyde

Mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich strode on stage at Hannaford Hall Saturday night, wearing a spectacular red dress, and proceeded to sing of love, death and suicide.

Germanic weltschmertz was appropriate for a singer who has made “Werther” her own, but the significance of the dress was revealed only in the second half of the concert, when she offered up a gloriously sultry version of the Habanera from “Carmen.” another signature role, which she sang at PORTopera (now Opera Maine) in 2005 and at the Met in 2010.

The contrast exemplified the singer’s extraordinary versatility, from Richard Srauss’ schadenfreude to Leonard Bernstein’s cleverness—in the little-known aria “What a Movie” from, “Trouble in Tahiti” (1952)— and a contemporary art-and-philosophy monolog from “Master Class” by Jake Heggie (2007). Both sketches also revealed her considerable acting talent.

She demonstrated a formidable coloratura in virtuoso arias by Rossini: “Riedi al Soglio” from “Zelmira” and the encore “Una Voce Poco Fa,” from “The Barber of Seville.” One can visualize a Rossini diva begging on her knees for such a display piece from the master. A friend aptly compared Aldrich’s fluidity in these to the elaborate and often improvised ornamentation of Chopin’s piano scores.

While I dearly love Strauss’ compositions on the theme of eros and thanatos, I came to the concert to hear the songs of Berlioz, whose small output in the genre is one of the towering landmarks of classical music. (Perhaps his pathetic portrayal of flowery drowning in “La Mort d’ophelia” influenced Strauss.)

One of my treasured vinyl recordings is the Berlioz song cycle “Les Nuits D’été,” sung by Eleanor Steber. Aldrich’s evocations of “The Captive,” and “Zaide” were its equal in every way. I wish I could hear her sing “L’Isle Inconnue,” the finest musical portrait of sailing ever written.

Speaking of sailing, Maine makes much of its artistic sons and daughters, out of a sort of provincial chauvinism. This is true of Aldrich, who was born in Damariscotta, but she doesn’t need any special dispensation. She might equally well have been born in Paris or Vienna. Her talent transcends borders.

Her accompanist, Martin Perry, born in California, also makes his home in Maine, but is in demand everywhere. HIs work seems to bring out the best in any singer, setting the stage perfectly, without dictating a note. Perry is also a genius at piano solo, to which anyone hearing his performance of the Samuel Barber piano concerto with the PSO can testify.

The Aldrich concert is one of a series of events leading up to Opera Maine’s performance of “La Traviata,” July 26 and 28. The next will be a gala celebration at Westin Portland Harborview on June 8.

Christopher Hyde is a writer and musician who lives in Pownal, He can be reached at [email protected].