KENT, CONN.—Alliteratively speaking, May is the month the musical world celebrates Mozart, with organizations such the august Metropolitan Opera historically featuring performances of his operas.
Not to be outdone, the Music in the Nave program at St. Andrew’s Church will perpetuate the tradition by presenting its second annual Mozart in May concert Saturday, May 17, at 3 p.m., featuring highlights from his operas performed by three young, up-and-coming vocalists from around the country.
Soprano Juliet Schlefer, mezzo-soprano Danielle Casós, and baritone Benjamin Powell will sing celebrated arias, duets and trios from “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Don Giovanni,” “Cose Fan Tutte” and “The Magic Flute.”
Accompanying them will be frequent guests of the Music in the Nave series, pianist Margarita Nuller and cellist Adam Grabois.
Schlefer is the 2025 winner of the Musicians Club of Women prize and recently performed in Buenos Aires as soprano soloist in Mendelssohn’s “Elijah.” Casós was Kate Pinkerton in Kentucky Opera’s presentation of “Madama Butterfly,” and Powell sang, danced and played double bass in the national tour of the musical, “Bandstand.”
“Mozart’s greatest achievements were his operas,” said Matthew Harris, chairman of the Music in the Nave program. “This time, we decided to have opera singers doing highlights from them presenting the best of the best of the best.”
“The concert will last about an hour with 45 minutes of music,” Harris said. “The performers won’t be singing in English, but there will be text in the program and the singers will introduce the scenes and tell the audience what they need to know.”
“In the Mozart operas we know and love, the best parts have gone to baritones,” Harris continued. “Figaro, Count Almaviva, Don Giovanni are all baritones, and the list goes on and on. What we really needed for the concert was a baritone and then we could do little moments with the other singers where they can interact in duets and trios.”
Those “little moments” will include the opening scene from the “Marriage of Figaro.” In the scene, set on Susanna and Figaro’s wedding day, Figaro is actively measuring the room where the bridal bed will go, while Susanna is focused on her new bonnet.
“This, I always felt, was the essence of Mozart,” said Harris. “The guy is talking measurements, and the girl is saying, ‘Look at these flowers.’ That is how they will start things off.”
The next piece will feature the “Letter Duet” between the Countess and Susanna, a pivotal moment in Act III. Susannah, the Countess’ maid, has a strong relationship with her mistress and the women share confidences.
“As one is writing, the other echoes back her thoughts, it’s a nice little back and forth,” said Harris.
The third aria from “Figaro” is sung by Cherubino, offering a comic interlude. “Cherubino is a little boy who has the hots for the Countess, of all things,” said Harris. “He sings, ‘I don’t know what I am, or what I’m doing!’
“Then, we move on to Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte and The Magic Flute, which is the most accessible” he continued. “Suffice it to say, we will do three pieces from each. The singers will try to be off book, acting out the little scenes.”
Harris said Music in the Nave is planned for afternoon performances in the hopes that families will bring their children.
Tickets to the event at the 1 North Main St. church are $25 and available on Eventbrite.
