Monteverdi at the La Catedral

The University of Panama Baroque Choir and Orchestra got some reinforcements from abroad recently, for a pair of concerts featuring selections from Claudio Monteverdi’s 1610 hit, “Vespers of the Blessed Virgin.” Mostly conducting and sometimes playing the cello was visitor Reinmar Seidler, while the other special additions were Robert Asprinio on the many-stringed, long-necked theorobo (a 17th century variation on the lute), soprano Ellen Santaniello and tenor Ian Honeyman. I caught their August 16th performance at the Catedral Metropolitano in the Casco Viejo.

The venue is beautiful, the sort of place where the Counter-Reformation classic was intended to be performed as popular entertainment and religious inspiration for the Catholic masses. It wouldn’t make a good recording studio, however. In the background were the sounds of babies crying, kids playing, adults driving and all the usual activities of a crowded urban neighborhood for which the cathedral serves as the local church. At one point the music had to be put on hold for the city trash collectors to be done using the compactor on the back of their garbage truck.

Moreover, a miscue or two would argue against publishing a recording of this performance in its entirety.

But let me not pick at nits. There were no nits. This was anything but a lousy concert.

This was a pretty good national ensemble, reinforced with some notable international talent, raising itself up toward world class status.

The most outstanding of the night’s performers, tenor Ian Honeyman, showed the Panamanian chamber music scene where and how far it needs to go. He sang some solos, a number of duets with Luís Enrique Casal (whose brilliant viola recital at Florida State was reviewed in the last issue), and at some points these two were joined by Elizabeth Leigh in “three tenors” mode. Now I don’t think that Luciano Pavarotti et al exceed Honeyman other than in the fame and fortune departments. He’s that good. Casal and Leigh are also good, but not in that world class --- at least not yet.

Among the choir’s six sopranos, three sang solos, duets or trios --- special guest Ellen Santaniello and regulars Moisés Castillo and Liobana Gómez Raboteaux. If Santaniello is world class, then judging from the night’s performance, so is Castillo. He’s at or close to her level, and that’s a sign of how far the Panamanian scene has come.

All told, this night of music was good news for Panamanian chamber music fans. We have some good national talent, these musicians are bringing in some excellent intenational talent in order to raise their own performances to a higher level, and it’s working rather well.

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Monteverdi
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Baroque night at the cathedral