By Michael Tierra
A small highly select gathering were fortunate enough to enjoy an evening of Art Song masterfully rendered by San Francisco opera baritone, Eugene Villanueva and pianist John Churchwell.
Beginning with the collection of Schubert’s songs, Der Wanderer, Auf dem Wasser zu singen, Abendstern and Auf der Bruch, both singer and pianist brought us into the reality that Schubert is truly one of the greatest musical geniuses of human artistic achievement. With his effortless, silvery voice, Eugene Villanueva enhanced the performance with a subtle theatrical declamation that made every musical moment interesting, transporting and significant.
I would be remiss not to mention the artful tapestries John Churchwell wove into the musical fabric. With this instrument under his hands, Churchwell exquisitely captured the essence of swirling clouds, rippling brooks, rustling leaves and trudges on cold, snowy slopes. In fact, I have never heard the now legendary Yamaha CFX sound better even when played by the expert soloists that Distinguished Artists has presented in recent years.
Villanueva’s richly sonorous voice was sheer perfection with a technical ability to explore the seeming infinite range of tone colors needed to hold the enraptured attention of an audience for an entire recital. One is reminded of the mid-20th century legendary collaboration between baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and his “Unashamed Accompanist” of renown, Gerald Moore.
Similarly, Villanueva and Churchwell performed with remarkable unity throughout, as if in single breaths of heartfelt beauty and emotion.
Just as we could only dream of having attended one of those distinguished concerts then, Santa Cruz’ plethora of singers and opera buffs must have had their heads elsewhere to have missed this recital offering a whole higher dimension of what it means to be a singer and an accompanist, oh, forgive me, “collaborative pianist.”
The performance included Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel, a collection of Italian favorites by Tosti, and an American Folk set by Steven Mark Kohn. Altogether, it was an evening of captivating stories – stories of love, loneliness, nature, triumph and jubilation – set to exceptional music, magnificently performed. Had the billing read Pavarotti or Carreras (were it at all possible), the place would have been packed. Villanueva and Churchwell’s talent, notwithstanding, was no less equivalent. Already at the top of their game, their careers are surely destined for greatness.
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The Distinguished Artists Concert & Lecture Series will next present the dynamic and electrifying Zofo Duet (Twenty Finger Orchestra) at Cabrillo College on March 21.