St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 29, 2023

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out.

Mark Nadler

The Blue Strawberry presents presents  Mark Nadler: Cole Porter After Dark on Friday, June 2, at 7:30 pm. “Cole Porter did most of his writing after the sun went down — usually in the very small hours of the morning. Internationally acclaimed, multi-award winning singer, pianist, tap dancer and comedian Mark Nadler takes you deep into the heart and psyche of one of the greatest song writers of all time. “Night and Day”, “You’re The Top” and “Begin the Beguine” are just a few of the timeless hits in this tuneful celebration of wit and passion.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents presents Stephanie Faulders in  Tunes Through Time: An Evening of Show Tunes and Classics on Tuesday, May 30, at 6:30 pm. “Enjoy a relaxing evening of show tunes and classic jazz and pop standards from Rogers and Hammerstein to Ahrens and Flaherty with mezzo soprano Stephanie Faulders. Stephanie is a local performer who has been featured in productions in St. Louis and in the metro east. Some of her favorite credits include “The Sound of Music,” “All Shook Up,” and “The Pajama Game.” She was most recently seen as Rose Smith in "Meet Me in St. Louis."” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Cherokee Street Theatre Company presents The Clash of the Titans Live Parody through June 17th. “Perseus must prove his worth to his daddy, foil his step-mom, complete  heroic tests, battle Medusa and the KRAKEN to save the Princess Andromeda live on stage Cherokee Street Theater style.” Performances take place through June 1st at Upstairs at The Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee, and June 9 through 17 at the Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information: www.cherokeestreettheatercompany.com.

Circus Flora presents Undercover June 1 through 25. “This summer, Circus Flora enters the daring world of espionage! With nods to beloved spy stories throughout the years, Undercover introduces the world’s top double agent who faces an archvillain obsessed with world domination. Our spy has plenty of helpful allies – but the villain has a team, too. Will good overcome bad . . . and how? Aerialists, acrobats, contortionists, and comedians will craft this thrilling story, which will captivate your whole family!” Performances take place at The Big Top on Washington next to Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: circusflora.org.

Circus Harmony presents Swashbuckle! Saturdays at 3 and 7 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through June 3rd. “Circus Harm!ony is back with their annual, full length, ticketed show. This year, it is an epic adventure with somersaulting, sword fighting, and circus.  The show features all-new acts co-created with Circus Harmony’s sensational staff and talented students. Swashbuckle! features a Pirate Queen, a sea witch, and a real parrot all after the same treasure. The show is presented in the circus ring at City Museum that Circus Harmony calls home. Acts include unicycling, contortion, minitrampoline, wire-walking and much more. Circus Harmony performs at the City Museum downtown. For more information: circusharmony.org

Clayton Community Theatre presents Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Nile Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, May 25 – June 4.  “Love, money, meddling, politics, betrayal, and violence are all on the itinerary in this international whodunit romp, Murder on the Nile, by master of mystery Agatha Christie. Heiress Kay Mostyn and her new husband, Simon, relish having it all: youth, good looks and wealth. They embark on their grand honeymoon journey down the Nile River for a euphoric start to their new life together. But things quickly become very complicated, and nothing is quite as it seems. ” Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Rd. For more information: www.placeseveryone.org

ERA Theatre presents The Brechtfast Club Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, June 1-10. “The Brechtfast Club is ERA’s theatrical adaptation of the classic movie The Breakfast Club in the style of Bertolt Brecht! In the late 1980’s in the village of Shermer, East Germany, the five members of the worst-performing Stasi firm in the country and their boss work on a Saturday to try to reach their political dissident quota. Just when their ability to uncover secret intelligence seems hopeless, a special radio attachment expands their listening network all the way to the United States. What the Stasi hear, or what they think they hear, might not only pull them out of their slump but also put an end to Gorbachev's Perestroika nonsense.” Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: eratheatre.org.  

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present Death of a Blackheart through August 26. "Ahoy matey! Join us for an exciting evening of murder, mystery and pirates at the best comedy dinner theater show in town. Don your favorite pirate gear and escape to the high seas for an adventure fraught with peril! What part will you play in this hilarious show full of fair maidens, lost boys, rival pirates and wenches? Whichever character you acquire, beware of that famous pirate Captain Jack Blackheart! Aye, he's a scurvy seadog if my eye ever seed one! Gee, I hope no one kills him off!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Just One Look
Photo: The Midnight Company

The Midnight Company presents Just One Look by Joe Hanrahan, starring Kelly Howe as Linda Ronstadt, on Wednesday May 10th at 7:30 pm. “Linda Ronstadt ruled the pop charts and filled stadiums in the 70’s and 80’s. The reigning rock goddess of her era, she later took on light opera - Gilbert and Sullivan on Broadway - and The Great American Songbook with Nelson Riddle. Her involvement in social issues accelerated during her relationship with California Governor Jerry Brown, then running for President. But for Linda, it was always a search for the next great song. Kelly Howe will portray Linda Ronstadt and sing her sensational songs.” Performances continue on selected Wednesdays through August 30 at The Blue Strawberry, 356 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

New Jewish Theatre presents Emily Mann’s Gloria: A Life Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, June 1-18 “Gloria: A Life explores the iconic feminist's legacy. Decades after Gloria Steinem began raising her voice for equality and championing the voices of others, her vision is as urgent as ever. This play embodies Steinem's philosophy that conversation is a catalyst for change as it celebrates one of the most inspiring women of our time.” Performances take place at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com/arts-ideas/new-jewish-theatre.

New Line Theatre presents Sondheim’s musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, June 1 through 24. “To close New Line's 31st season, Sondheim and comic playwright and screenwriter Burt Shevelove take the classical Roman comedies of Plautus, mash them up with American vaudeville, and the result is one of the great musical farces of all time, every bit as smart and subversive as Sondheim’s later shows. In 1962, this show satirized America’s hang-ups about sex at the beginning of the Sexual Revolution; today, the show bumps up against lots of complicated questions we’ve all been asking lately, about sex, gender, and more.” Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.newlinetheatre.com.

Treemonisha
Photo: Eric Woolsey

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha through June 24. “Sometimes out of the deepest tragedy springs the greatest hope. Embark on a life-affirming journey of love and creativity in Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha, re-imagined with two new acts by composer Damien Sneed and librettist Karen Chilton. As Joplin celebrates his wedding to his new bride, Freddie Alexander, he is inspired to write a masterpiece — with Freddie as his muse. His heroine will be called Treemonisha, and she will lead her community into a bright and bountiful future of education, opportunity, and prosperity.” Performances are sung in English with projected English supertitles and take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University Campus. For more information: opera-stl.org

Tosca
Photo: Eric Woolsey

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Puccini’s Tosca opening on Saturday, May 25, at 7:30 pm and running through June 25. “The year is 1800. Rome is caught in the middle of a war between Napoleon and the Austrian empire, and republican sympathizers are on the run from the police. Spying, double-crossing, and torture have become the order of the day. Tosca would do anything to protect her lover, the painter Cavaradossi — a fact that the lustful police chief Scarpia is all too ready to exploit. When Cavaradossi is accused of harboring political prisoners, Scarpia asks Tosca to make an unthinkable decision. Little does he know how fiercely she will fight to protect herself and those she loves. ” Performances are sung in English with projected English supertitles and take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University Campus. For more information: opera-stl.org

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart’s comedy Così fan tutte opening on Sunday, June 4, at 7:30 pm and running through June 25. “Love makes fools of us all. Guglielmo and Ferrando naively insist that their girlfriends Fiordiligi and Dorabella could never fall for other men, and the two women believe that their suitors are the hottest catches in town. But when the jaded Don Alfonso and housemaid Despina team up to prove the young couples wrong, things are primed for an epic battle of the sexes. Set to some of Mozart’s most beautiful music, Così fan tutte embraces the line between romantic comedy and social satire.” Performances are sung in English with projected English supertitles and take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University Campus. For more information: opera-stl.org.

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presents the comedy Twelfth Night Tuesdays through Sundays at 8 pm May 31 through June 25. “Often regarded as Shakespeare’s greatest comedy, Twelfth Night is bursting with romance, music and high times. The tale of Viola and her shipwrecked twin brother – separated and finding their way in a strange new world – this year’s Shakespeare in the Park sets them in glamorous, celebrity-filled Miami. In a world of appearances, not everyone is who they seem, but love is love in this glorious Latin-inflected story of longing and reinvention.” Performances take place nightly at 8 pm except for Mondays at Shakespeare Glenn next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. For more information: stlshakes.org.

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Aida June 2 through July2. “A timeless love story for the ages, Disney’s AIDA tells the tale of the transcendent love triangle between Aida, a Nubian princess stolen from her country; Amneris, an Egyptian princess; and Radames, the soldier they both love. Set in a time of great turmoil in ancient Egypt, this story of forbidden love has thrilled audiences for over twenty years. Wrapped in an electric Tony and Grammy Award-Winning score by Elton John and Tim Rice, AIDA is both a stunning musical theatre experience, and an uplifting story of faith, duty, and redemption.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: stagesstlouis.org.

The Brass Menagerie

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis presents  Amy Jo Jackson's Bistro Award-winning cabaret show The Brass Menagerie Wednesday and Thursday, May 31 and June 1, at 7:30 pm. Described as a campy romp through the women of Tennessee Williams, The Brass Menagerie answers the musical question: what would it be like to hear Blanche DuBois, Maggie the Cat, or the Wingfield ladies sing through their plays.   The Wednesday performance is a gala fund raiser for the Williams Festival. Performances both nights take place athe Curtain Call Lounge at the Fabulous Fox in Grand Center.  For more information: twstl.org.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's Events Calendar To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck at kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

St. Louis Theatre Calendar for the week of May 16, 2023

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out.

Eubie!
Photo by Phillip Hamer

The Black Rep presents the musical revue Eubie!  through May 21.  “Eubie! is a musical revue from the 1970s that taught Broadway audiences about Eubie Blake, a groundbreaking American musician and composer of the early 1900s. Blake helped break down racial barriers with his 1921 musical, Shuffle Along - the first Broadway musical written, directed by, and starring Black Americans. The show helped shape American musical theater as we know it today.” Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.theblackrep.org

The Blue Strawberry presents Jim Caruso's Cast Party on the Road Wednesday and Thursday, May 17 and 18, at 7 pm. "Every Monday at New York's legendary Birdland, Jim Caruso hosts Cast Party, fusing Broadway glitz and sharp wit into what has become the worldwide gold standard of Open Mic nights. It is the ultimate spot to mix and mingle with show folk and the people who love them. With Billy Stritch at the piano, Cast Party is a hilariously impromptu variety show/open mic where showbiz superstars and up-and-comers deliver jaw-dropping musical performances and razzle-dazzle. You just never know WHO will show up! Interested open mic participants should email bluestrawberrystl at gmail dot com. Performance slots are very limited. Buying a ticket to the show does not guarantee a performance slot. You may come to the show and sign up to perform. A few slots will be reserved for those coming to the door.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Ken Haller

The Cabaret Project and The Blue Strawberry present Singers Open Mic night on Tuesday, May 16, from 7 to 9:30 pm. "Ken Haller is your host this month, with pianist and music director Carol Schmidt. If you plan to sing bring sheet music or a chart in your own key, and perform your favorite Broadway, pop, or jazz tunes. Medium/up-tempo songs are encouraged but not required. Or you can just relax, have a drink and dinner or a snack, and enjoy the music. No admission or cover, but there is always a tip jar! All proceeds go to The Cabaret Project, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to promoting, developing, and sustaining the art cabaret in St. Louis." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: thecabaretproject.org

Ali Stroker

The Cabaret Project and Jazz St. Louis present Ali Stroker Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30, May 17 and 18. ‘Ali Stroker won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as 'Ado Annie' in the Broadway revival of Oklahoma! She made history as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway in Deaf West’s acclaimed 2015 revival of Spring Awakening. She starred in 12 episodes of The Glee Project, culminating in a guest role on Fox's Glee.  Her recent TV credits include:  CBS' Blue Bloods, Netflix’s Ozark, and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. She recently co-wrote a novel, The Chance to Fly, which was released by Abrams Books. She’s performed her cabaret act at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, New York’s Town Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall. Her mission to improve the lives of others through the arts, disabled or not, is captured in her motto: “Turning Your Limitations Into Your Opportunities.”’ Performances take place at Jazz St. Louis, 3536 Washington Avenue in Grand Center. For more information: thecabaretproject.org

Circus Harmony presents Swashbuckle! Saturdays at 3 and 7 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through June 3rd. “Circus Harm!ony is back with their annual, full length, ticketed show. This year, it is an epic adventure with somersaulting, sword fighting, and circus.  The show features all-new acts co-created with Circus Harmony’s sensational staff and talented students. Swashbuckle! features a Pirate Queen, a sea witch, and a real parrot all after the same treasure. The show is presented in the circus ring at City Museum that Circus Harmony calls home. Acts include unicycling, contortion, minitrampoline, wire-walking and much more. Circus Harmony performs at the City Museum downtown. For more information: circusharmony.org

Jesus Christ Superstar
Photo by Evan Zimmerman

The Fabulous Fox presents the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar May 9 through 21. “Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the classic musical The Sound of Music through May 21. “This final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide. The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral decision.” Performances take place at the Robert Reim Theatre in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: ktg-onstage.org

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha opening on Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 pm and running through June 24. “Sometimes out of the deepest tragedy springs the greatest hope. Embark on a life-affirming journey of love and creativity in Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha, re-imagined with two new acts by composer Damien Sneed and librettist Karen Chilton. As Joplin celebrates his wedding to his new bride, Freddie Alexander, he is inspired to write a masterpiece — with Freddie as his muse. His heroine will be called Treemonisha, and she will lead her community into a bright and bountiful future of education, opportunity, and prosperity.” Performances are sung in English with projected English supertitles and take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University Campus. For more information: opera-stl.org

KTK Productions presents the musical Sister Act Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through May 21. “When lively lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier sees her mobster beau, Curtis, commit murder, she is relocated for her protection. Set up in the guise of a nun in a California convent, Deloris proceeds to upend the quiet lives of the resident sisters. In an effort to keep her out of trouble, they assign Deloris to the convent's choir, an ensemble that she soon turns into a vibrant and soulful act that gains widespread attention.” Performances take place at the Saint John The Baptist Gymnasium, 4200 Delor Street in south St. Louis. For more information: http://kurtainkall.org

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present Death of a Blackheart through August 26. "Ahoy matey! Join us for an exciting evening of murder, mystery and pirates at the best comedy dinner theater show in town. Don your favorite pirate gear and escape to the high seas for an adventure fraught with peril! What part will you play in this hilarious show full of fair maidens, lost boys, rival pirates and wenches? Whichever character you acquire, beware of that famous pirate Captain Jack Blackheart! Aye, he's a scurvy seadog if my eye ever seed one! Gee, I hope no one kills him off!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Photo: Joey Rumpell

The Midnight Company presents the one-actor show The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by Celeste Lecesne through May 20. “Joe Hanrahan, Midnight’s Artistic Director, portrays a detective and other characters in a small New Jersey town as he unravels the story of THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY. Pelkey is a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant fourteen-year-old boy who has gone missing.  A luminous force of nature whose magic is only truly felt once he is gone, Leonard becomes an unexpected inspiration as the town’s citizens question how they live, who they love, and what they leave behind.  Alicen Moser directs. The New York Times said ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS “…leaves you beaming with joy…a superlative solo show."   And The New York Post called the show “…moving…intimate and affectionate, about the difference one person can make-and perhaps, with any luck, one show.” Performances take place at The Blue Strawberry, 356 N. Boyle. For more information: www.midnightcompany.com

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the one-act mysteries The Devil's Jewel Box and An End to his Havering by David Hawley on Tuesday May 16 at 6:30 pm. The reading takes place upstairs at Big Daddy’s in Soulard. For more information, visit the St. Louis Writers' Group Facebook page.

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis presents Something Spoken, a series of radio plays by Tennessee Williams, Saturdays at 4 pm through May 20. This Saturday the play is Sunburst. The plays are broadcast on Classic 107.3. For more information: twstl.org.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's Events Calendar To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck at kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Symphony Review: A spectacular "Damnation of Faust" caps the SLSO season

This past Friday and Saturday (May 5 and 6), Music Director Stéphane Denève and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) closed out the season with the 1846 opera/oratorio hybrid “La damnation de Faust” (“The Damnation of Faust”) by Hector Berlioz (1803–1869).

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

Curtain calls for "Damnation of Faust"

Originally planned for March 2020, this Romantic blockbuster was cancelled due to SARS-Cov-2. It was worth the wait. Friday night’s performance sent Faust to hell while sending the audience to paradise with a combination of power, precision, and sheer sonic overload. The massive orchestra (around 85 by my count), adult chorus, children’s chorus, and four soloists filled the Powell Hall stage as well as the aisle between the stage and first row of seats. There were offstage instrumentalists and even a quintet from the St. Children’s Choirs in the dress circle singing the roles of heavenly spirits.

Berlioz, lover of grand gestures that he was, would surely have adored this performance. Everyone in our party certainly did, along with the rest of the large crowd.

Michael Spyres
Photo courtesy SLSO

After the encomiums I bestowed on the SLSO for “Le sacre du Printemps” last week, my well of superlatives might be running dry. Even so, I need to draw from it once again if I am to adequately describe the sheer magnificence of what we saw last Friday.

Let’s start with the orchestra, which once again, displayed their mastery of a score that the SLSO has not performed in over 24 years—not surprising, given the massive personnel demands. Bold, rich strings, powerful brass and percussion, heavenly woodwinds—the SLSO musicians delivered it all throughout the work’s more than two-and-a-half hour length (nearly three hours if you include intermission)..

The Brobdingnagian scope of the thing didn’t mean there weren’t exquisite solo and small ensemble moments, however. The ones that stood out in my mind included Principal Viola Beth Guterman Chu’s duet with soprano Isabel Leonard’s Marguerite in the “King of Thule” song, Cally Banham’s romantic English horn solo in Scene XV as Marguerite longs for the return of the fickle Faust, the flutes and piccolos chirping merrily along the Elbe in the bucolic Scene VII, and the trio of piccolos “gaily tripping, lightly skipping” in the “Minuet of the Wills-o’-the-Wisp” in Scene XII.

Isabel Leonard
Photo courtesy SLSO

Speaking of soloists, the four singers were equally impressive in their own right. Three of the four singers were the same ones originally engaged for the 2020 performance and all four were completely on point musically, with clear and powerful voices. I didn’t find the acting of all four equally convincing but that feels like a minor quibble overall.

Michael Spyres was the very image of a tormented and narcissistic Faust, lamenting his lost youth and seemingly afflicted by a serious case of anhedonia. The character’s relentless self-indulgence—possibly a mirror of the composer’s own—could be tiresome in the hands of a singer less fully engaged with the text, but Spyres made him sympathetic. Faust’s heedless self-destruction works dramatically only if there is some sense of a tragic fall. Spyres gave us that fall and did so in a voice of truly impressive range. The program lists Spyres as a tenor and Faust is, in fact, a tenor role. But Spyres himself identifies as a “baritenor”—a tenor with powerful lower octave. That gave his character an impressive sense of vocal weight.

Bass John Relyea’s Méphistophélès was a perfect personification of evil. Cynical, callous, filled with sadistic glee at the damage he’s causing, this Méphistophélès was as fascinating as he was repugnant. A veteran of the operatic stage, Relyea’s resume includes classic villains like Sparafucile in “Rigoletto” and the Grand Inquisitor in “Don Carlos” as well as Méphistophélès, so it’s no surprise that his performance was a fine mix of stentorian singing and sneering malevolence.

John Relyea
Photo courtesy SLSO

Soprano Isabel Leonard was Marguerite, the painfully naïve target of Faust’s lust. Leonard sang with passion and conviction, but seemed to connect with the audience and her character only intermittently, spending most of her time looking at the score. When she shifted her focus from the score to the audience and the role—as she did in the “Romance” in Scene XV and the “King of Thule” song in Scene XI—her Marguerite became positively radiant.

Bass Patrick Guetti’s cameo as the drunken student Brander was the evening’s surprise scene stealer. A replacement for 2020’s Anthony Clark Evans, Guetti was the epitome of swaggering irreverence, gleefully singing of a rat whose high life in the kitchen comes to an abrupt end. His was the most fully theatrical performance of the evening and a clear audience favorite.

Let us now praise the SLSO Chorus (under guest director Patrick Dupré Quigley) and the SLSO Children’s Choirs (led by artistic director Barbara Berner). “The Damnation of Faust” relies heavily on the adult chorus. The adults appear in the majority of the scenes, playing everything from dancing peasants to raucous demons singing in an invented “satanic” language that reads like a mix of French, German, and Medieval English. The children are added in the final scene portraying esprits célestes welcoming Marguerite to le ciel. The singing of both groups was consistently clear, potent, and dramatically varied. Whoever finally succeeds Amy Kaiser (who retired at the end of the last season) will find themselves leading as fine a collection of choristers as you will find anywhere.

Patrick Guetti
Photo courtesy SLSO

At the helm of this musical and dramatic spectacle, Maestro Denève displayed his characteristic ability to clarify the most intimate of musical moments while delivering a massive emotional wallop when the Berlioz calls for it. The final two scenes, with their contrast between the wild excesses of hell and the otherworldly serenity of heaven, were in many ways a distillation of everything that was so outstanding about this performance.

To paraphrase a line from “Porgy and Bess,” it took a long pull to get there but we finally anchored in the Promised Land.

Next at Powell Hall: Damon Gupton conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in the Ludwig Göransson soundtrack for “Marvel Studio’s Black Panther” to accompany a showing of the film on the big screen. Performances are Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 and 7 pm, May 12 and 13. On Sunday, May 14 at 3 pm Stephanie Childress conducts the SLSO Youth Orchestra in their season finale with music of Wagner, Debussy, and Dvořák. After that, Powell closes down for two years for extensive renovation and expansion. Post-season events continue at the Stifel Theatre downtown, which is also where many of next season’s concerts will take place.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 8, 2023

To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck [at] kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

The Black Rep presents the musical revue Eubie!  through May 21.  “Eubie! is a musical revue from the 1970s that taught Broadway audiences about Eubie Blake, a groundbreaking American musician and composer of the early 1900s. Blake helped break down racial barriers with his 1921 musical, Shuffle Along - the first Broadway musical written, directed by, and starring Black Americans. The show helped shape American musical theater as we know it today.” Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.theblackrep.org

The Blue Strawberry presents  Christian the Magician and ventriloquist Mike Coleman on Monday, May 8, at 7 pm. "Christian the Magician’s magic is like a rock opera! It combines exciting background music with great magic and Christian’s unique brand of comedy. Christian was the resident magician at the City Museum for 15 years, where he performed thousands of shows for thousands of families from around the world. Mike Coleman is a master comedy ventriloquist. Amazingly, his dummy can also sing! Mike has performed at the VP Fair, Six Flags, and many fairs and festivals." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Samantha Pauly

The Blue Strawberry presents Samantha Pauly from the original Broadway cast of Six: The Musical on Thursday and Friday, May 11 and 12, at 7:30 pm. “Best known for originating the role of Katherine Howard in Broadway’s SIX the Musical, and her captivating performance of Eva Peron in Jamie Lloyd’s critically acclaimed revival of Evita on London’s West End, Samantha has carefully crafted an evening that reflects the last few years of her life.  Join her as she sings you through some career highlights, major life changes, and all the fun stuff in between.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University Musical Theatre Class of 2023 Senior Cabarets on Saturday, May 13, at 5 pm. The performance, which will also be available via live video stream, takes place at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Circus Harmony presents Swashbuckle! Saturdays at 3 and 7 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through June 3rd. “Circus Harm!ony is back with their annual, full length, ticketed show. This year, it is an epic adventure with somersaulting, sword fighting, and circus.  The show features all-new acts co-created with Circus Harmony’s sensational staff and talented students. Swashbuckle! features a Pirate Queen, a sea witch, and a real parrot all after the same treasure. The show is presented in the circus ring at City Museum that Circus Harmony calls home. Acts include unicycling, contortion, minitrampoline, wire-walking and much more. Circus Harmony performs at the City Museum downtown. For more information: circusharmony.org

Jesus Christ Superstar
Photo by Evan Zimmerman

The Fabulous Fox presents the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar May 9 through 21. “Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com

First Run Theatre presents its 20th Birthday Fundraiser and Celebration on Monday, May 8, at 6 pm. The event includes an open wine and beer bar, hors  d'oeuvres, live music, and short selections of scenes from our the plays Crab Cakes by Joan Lipkin of St. Louis, MO and Forgive Thyself by John Busser of Avon, OH. The event takes place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: firstruntheatre.org

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the classic musical The Sound of Music May 12 through 21. “This final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide. The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral decision.” Performances take place at the Robert Reim Theatre in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: ktg-onstage.org

KTK Productions presents the musical Sister Act Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, May 12 through 21. “When lively lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier sees her mobster beau, Curtis, commit murder, she is relocated for her protection. Set up in the guise of a nun in a California convent, Deloris proceeds to upend the quiet lives of the resident sisters. In an effort to keep her out of trouble, they assign Deloris to the convent's choir, an ensemble that she soon turns into a vibrant and soulful act that gains widespread attention.” Performances take place at the Saint John The Baptist Gymnasium, 4200 Delor Street in south St. Louis. For more information: http://kurtainkall.org

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present Death of a Blackheart May 12 through August 26. "Ahoy matey! Join us for an exciting evening of murder, mystery and pirates at the best comedy dinner theater show in town. Don your favorite pirate gear and escape to the high seas for an adventure fraught with peril! What part will you play in this hilarious show full of fair maidens, lost boys, rival pirates and wenches? Whichever character you acquire, beware of that famous pirate Captain Jack Blackheart! Aye, he's a scurvy seadog if my eye ever seed one! Gee, I hope no one kills him off!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

The Midnight Company presents the one-actor show The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by Celeste Lecesne through May 20. “Joe Hanrahan, Midnight’s Artistic Director, portrays a detective and other characters in a small New Jersey town as he unravels the story of THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY. Pelkey is a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant fourteen-year-old boy who has gone missing.  A luminous force of nature whose magic is only truly felt once he is gone, Leonard becomes an unexpected inspiration as the town’s citizens question how they live, who they love, and what they leave behind.  Alicen Moser directs. The New York Times said ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS “…leaves you beaming with joy…a superlative solo show."   And The New York Post called the show “…moving…intimate and affectionate, about the difference one person can make-and perhaps, with any luck, one show.” Performances take place at The Blue Strawberry, 356 N. Boyle. For more information: www.midnightcompany.com

Just One Look
Photo: The Midnight Company

The Midnight Company presents Just One Look by Joe Hanrahan, starring Kelly Howe as Linda Ronstadt, on Wednesday May 10th at 7:30 pm. “Linda Ronstadt ruled the pop charts and filled stadiums in the 70’s and 80’s. The reigning rock goddess of her era, she later took on light opera - Gilbert and Sullivan on Broadway - and The Great American Songbook with Nelson Riddle. Her involvement in social issues accelerated during her relationship with California Governor Jerry Brown, then running for President. But for Linda, it was always a search for the next great song. Kelly Howe will portray Linda Ronstadt and sing her sensational songs.” Performances take place at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Opera Theatre presents The Road to Freedom on Friday, May 12, at 7:30 pm. “Join Opera Theatre for a special celebration of Black excellence and the 61st anniversary of the Freedom Riders...a story that affirms all that is possible when people from different backgrounds come together. This concert is curated by award-winning artist Damien Sneed who has worked with such luminaries as Aretha Franklin, Jessye Norman, Stevie Wonder, and many more. He is also the composer behind the new performing edition of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha, which makes its debut May 20.” The concert takes place at Third Baptist Church in Grand Center. Admission is free but reservations are recommended. For more information: opera-stl.org

Gruesome Playground Injuries
Photo: Phillip Hamer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Rajiv Joseph’s Gruesome Playground Injuries through May 13. “Doug and Kayleen meet as eight-year-olds in the school infirmary. (He tried to ride his bike off the roof. She has a stomachache that her mother blames on “bad thoughts.”) Their lives intersect for the next three decades as they return to each other, alternately revealing and concealing their injuries — both physical and psychological — as they struggle with attraction, vulnerability,  and love.” Performances take place on the main stage at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: www.repstl.org.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’s Imaginary Theatre Company presents James and the Giant Peach and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane on a double bill on Saturday, May 13, at 11 am. James and the Giant Peach will also be performed by itself on Thursday, May 11, at 6:30 pm and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane on Saturday, May 13, at 1:30 pm.  Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: www.repstl.org

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis presents Something Spoken, a series of radio plays by Tennessee Williams, Saturdays at 4 pm through May 20. The plays are Case of the Crushed Petunias on May 13, and Sunburst on May 20. The plays are broadcast on Classic 107.3. For more information: twstl.org.

The Seven-Year Itch

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy The Seven-Year Itch through May 13. “In the midst of a summer heat wave, New Yorker Richard Sherman ships his wife, Helen, and their son off to Maine for vacation. Left alone to work back in Manhattan, Richard encounters a gorgeous blonde model who has moved into the apartment upstairs, and becomes immediately infatuated. While pondering infidelity, Richard dreams of his beautiful new neighbor -- but will his fantasies about her become a reality?” Performances take place at the Guild theatre at 517 Theatre Lane, at the corner of Newport and Summit in Webster Groves. For more information: theatreguildwg.org

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's Events Calendar.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Symphony Preview: The devil made me do it

The one and only work on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) program this weekend (May 5 and 6) was described by Maestro Stéphane Denève in a 2019 interview as "almost psychedelic. It's extremely evocative and it's so powerful and it's very difficult." That remarkable work is the unusual (if not unique) 1846 opera/oratorio hybrid "The Damnation of Faust" ("La damnation de Faust"), by Hector Berlioz.

[Preview the music with the SLSO's Spotify playlist.]

Originally planned for March, 2020, the performance of this Romantic blockbuster was cancelled around 48 hours in advance, along with the rest of the SLSO season, because of the dramatic rise in COVID-19 infections. Now, finally, we'll get to see it—and with the same singers we would have heard three years ago.

Berlioz in 1832
Painting by Émile Signol

If you're the sort of person who reads these previews and attends the symphony on even an occasional basis, you probably don't need me to tell you who Faust was. The legend of the elderly scholar who sells his soul to Mephistopheles in return for youth, vitality, and greater knowledge goes back at least as far as the late 16th century. It might have even been inspired by an actual early 16th-century alchemist named Johann Georg Faust. I say "might" because at this chronological distance, legend and history start to merge, like far-away objects on the highway.

What intrigued Berlioz, in any case, was neither history nor legend but rather Goethe's 1808 two-part "Faust: A Tragedy" in an 1827 French translation by Gerard de Nerval. In his "Memoirs," Berlioz wrote that "this marvellous book [sic] fascinated me from the first. I could not put it down. I read it incessantly, at meals, in the theatre, in the street" (although not, one hopes, at busy intersections).

Berlioz was not alone in his fascination with the Faust legend in general and Goethe's version in particular. Romantic-era composers could not get enough of it, and the list of concert and operatic works based on it reads like a veritable "murderers' row" of the greats and near-greats of the 19th and early 20th centuries: Gounod, Liszt, Schumann, Verdi, Wagner, Sarasate, Mahler—you name it, they did it.

The depth of Berlioz's obsession can be seen in the fact that his Op. 1 (that is, his first published work) was "Huit scènes de Faust" ("Eight Scenes from Faust")—a work Berlioz later found so unsatisfactory that he collected as many copies as he could find and burned them. It was, however, a futile gesture, since it had already been published. If you're curious as to what it sounds like, there's a recording by the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal under Charles Dutoit on Spotify. The composer would later incorporate this material into "Damnation."

One aspect of the Faust story seems to have had a particular fascination for Berlioz: Faust's pursuit/stalking of Marguerite, his seduction and abandonment of her, and his eventual damnation as a result. To some extent, that might have been simply part of the hothouse atmosphere of Romanticism, but it's also a bit reminiscent of the composer's real-life stalking of British Shakespearean actress Harriet Smithson nearly two decades earlier. That resulted in the creation of the "Symphonie Fantastique," followed by a disastrous marriage that left Smithson's life and finances in ruins. The fact that the marriage ended just a few years before the premiere of "The Damnation of Faust" can't really be seen as coincidence, in my view.

The arguably sordid sources of its inspiration not withstanding, "The Damnation of Faust" is a gripping mashup of symphony, oratorio, and opera. It calls for a huge orchestra—around 100 players will be on the Powell Hall stage—and makes sometimes extreme demands on the musicians. Add in the adult chorus, the children's chorus, and the soloists, and you have forces that are massive even by Berlioz standards.

Berlioz originally called it an "opéra de concert" but finally settled on the designation "légende dramatique," and while it has occasionally been staged, it's mostly heard in a concert setting, as it will be this weekend. It is, in any case, a reminder that for Berlioz, as Hugh MacDonald writes in Grove Online, "there existed rigid categories of neither form nor medium. Opera, cantata, song, and symphony all merge imperceptibly one into another and overlap constantly. The important criterion is the matching of means to expressive ends."

Ultimately, "The Damnation of Faust" is a masterful piece of musical storytelling that requires little introduction. That said, if you want to familiarize yourself with the work in advance, there are plenty of resources on line. Mr. Munro's notes have a detailed summary of the story and there's a complete live, semi-staged performance on YouTube conducted by Jonas Kaufmann with José van Dam as Faust. Thanks to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, there's even a downloadable version of the original French text with a line-by-line English translation. And, of course, there's the 2019 recording by Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra on the SLSOs Spotify playlist.

You won't need a printed translation at Powell Hall this weekend, of course, because the translation will be projected on a screen above the stage.

The SLSO Chorus
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Maestro Denève assembled an all-star cast for "The Damnation of Faust". The title role will be sung by American-born tenor Michael Spyres, who has recorded the part with the Strasbourg Philharmonic under John Nelson. Marguerite, the object of his lust, will be mezzo Isabel Leonard, who sang Ravel's "Shéhérazade" with the New York Philharmonic just before the pandemic shutdown. She has performed at the Metropolitan Opera and also on "Sesame Street."

Bass John Relya will be the cynically sinister Méphistophélès. A veteran of the opera stage and recital hall, the list of conductors he has worked with reads like a current "who's who" of international luminaries. The head shot on his web page even looks a bit wicked.

Completing the cast is baritone Anthony Clark Evans in the cameo role Brander, a student who sings a somewhat crass song in Scene 6 about a rat whose high life in the kitchen comes to an abrupt end:

Certain rat, dans une cuisine
Etabli, comme un vrai frater,
S'y traitait si bien que sa mine
Eût fait envie au gros Luther.
Mais un beau jour le pauvre diable,
Empoisonné sauta dehors
Aussi triste, aussi misérable
Que s'il eût eu l'amour au corps.

Which roughly translates as:

A rat once in a kitchen
Set itself up like a real monk,
And did itself so well that the sight of it
Would have moved the fat Luther to envy.
But one fine day the poor devil,
Ate poison, and leaped out
Just as wretched and frantic
As if it had been [in] heat.

This motivates Méphistophélès to reply with one of the more famous numbers from "Damnation," " Une puce gentille" ("A charming flea"), about a flea who rises above his station with rather more success than the poor rat.

But I digress.

The Essentials: Stéphane Denève conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Children's Choirs, and vocal soloists on Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday at 8 pm, May 5 and 6, in "The Damnation of Faust." It should run around two hours and fifteen minutes, plus intermission. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. The Saturday performance will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

This will be the last live performance in Powell Hall until after extensive expansion and renovation is completed in 2025. Meanwhile the SLSO's 2023/2024 season will take place at multiple venues in St. Louis.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Symphony Review: The SLSO rocks out with Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring"

Back in the spring of 2020, Music Director Stéphane Denève and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) planned a season closer that included the score of a ballet that literally caused a riot at its 1913 premiere, “Le Sacre du Printemps” by Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971). Unfortunately, COVID-19 shut the season down in March and we never got to hear the orchestra’s much-anticipated performance of that remarkable score.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

Until this past weekend (Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30), that is. Coming at the end of a concert that had already brought us pristine renditions of the colorful tone poem “Apu” by Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972) and the valedictory Piano Concerto No. 3 by Béla Bartók (1881–1945), “Sacre” was an exhilarating, pulse-pounding thrill ride. It not only delivered the big, ear-shattering climaxes, but it also honored the many intimate orchestral details that can get overlooked in performances that place too much emphasis on the more “rock and roll” moments of Stravinsky’s provocative big band blowout.

Stéphane Denève and the SLSO
"Sacre du Printemps" curtain call

I have always thought that a good “Sacre” ought to sound like it could go completely off the rails at any moment. The composer baked that into the score with crashing dissonances, frequent changes in the number of beats per bar, and unusual instrumental sonorities (like forcing the bassoon up to the top of its register in the opening measures). In the same manner as a properly executed “mad” scene in the theatre, “Sacre” should create the illusion that total chaos lurks around the corner while always being completely under control. By that standard, Saturday night’s performance wasn’t just good, it was legendary.

Principal Bassoon Andrew Cuneo handled that tough opening solo line expertly, setting the stage for a series of virtuoso performances by all the members of the orchestra. The eight (!) horns were in wonderful form, with special props to Tod Bowermaster and Victoria Knudtson doubling on Wagner tubas; ditto for Andrea Kaplan on the alto flute. They were working with instruments that, I expect, they rarely have to play and doing so expertly. Stravinsky’s score demands a lot from the players and got it from both the regular orchestra members and the additional musicians hired for this event.

Denève has a knack for taking familiar music and making it sound brand new, bringing out sonic details that are not always clear in other performances, making creative use of silence as a musical element, and generally shining new light on corners of the music that are sometimes in darkness—or (to push the simile to the breaking point) at least in dim light. His Beethoven Ninth in 2020 was an excellent example. So was this “Sacre.” It packed a powerful punch, but (to mix metaphors) did so in a velvet glove.

But then, the whole evening was immensely satisfying. It began with a scintillating run through Frank’s fanciful “Apu” which, like “Sacre,” is based in folk traditions. Unlike “Sacre,” it describes a mischievous spirit (the titular Apu) rather than a savage sacrifice. It delights rather than stuns, enchanting the ear with unusual orchestral combinations and a wide assortment of percussion instruments. There’s a particularly challenging passage for the marimba and xylophone in the final movement that was fun to watch as well as hear as Alan Stewart and Kevin Ritenauer jumped back and forth between instruments and occasionally played nearly on top of each other. The flutes and other wind instruments were kept quite busy as well, a nod by the composer to the dominance of that instrumental family in the folk music of Andean Perú.

The first half of the program concluded with the Bartók concerto. Like Frank, the Hungarian composer/pianist made extensive use of folk material and is cited by her as a primary source of inspiration.

L-R: Stéphane Denève, Piotr Anderszewski

Soloist Piotr Anderszewski was once dubbed “amusician of both power and sensitivity” in a New Yorker review of a recital of the works of Bach, a composer Anderszewski has recorded extensively. Saturday night he fully lived up to that description, dancing through the first and third movements with style and grace while bringing a hymn-like serenity to the second. That he and the orchestra did this despite a bizarre vocal outburst from an audience member down on the first floor is a tribute to their extraordinary concentration on the music.  His style was fluid, his sound both translucent and powerful.

When Stéphane Denève made his SLSO debut back in 2003 his soloist for Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major was Piotr Anderszewski. “The give and take between Denève and soloist Piotr Anderszewski was lovely to behold,” I wrote at the time [https://www.waxwingwebs.com/thedoge/slso030919.html], “and the resulting performance a solid display of teamwork among soloist, conductor and orchestra.” Nearly two decades later it’s clear that (to paraphrase Mr. Shakespeare) age cannot wither nor custom stale their solid partnership.

One of those Bach recordings I referred to above, by the way, was a 2002 Erato disc of Partitas 1, 3, and 6. Anderszewski gave us a sample of that as an encore: the “Sarabande” BWV 825. The simple elegance and subtle voicing of the performance was a perfect counterpart to the Allegro vivace finale of the Bartók concerto. It was also appropriate, given that Bartók once said that Bach “showed us the transcendent significance of counterpoint.”

Many SLSO concerts have threads of connectivity running through them. This one, perhaps, had more than most.

Next at Powell Hall: Stéphane Denève returns for the season finale, conducting the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus in another major piece of unfinished business from 2020, the 1846 "légende dramatique" by Hector Berlioz, "La damnation de Faust.” The soloists will be the same team originally slotted for 2020: soprano Isabel Leonard as Marguerite, tenor Michael Spyres as Faust, and bass John Relyea as Méphistophélès. Performances are Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday at 8 pm, May 5 and 6.

The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3. It will also be the last SLSO performance in Powell until renovation is completed in 2025.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.