Kathleen Battle still possesses one of the most loveliest voices in the world. Her recital last night revealed this fact on numerous occasions. Accompanied by pianist Olga Kern, Ms. Battle sang a program of music by Schubert, Lizst and Rachmaninoff. The effect of the first half of the program was dampened by the inappropriate use of flash photography and this unfortuantely took Ms. Battle's focus. I wish that the Carnegie Hall staff would have taken more ownership of correcting the distraction of the photography by announcing its inappropriateness at the onset of the program. To this end, Ms. Battle's discomfort was felt by the audience and blanketed the hall with a tension, felt throughtout the first half of the recital.
To Ms. Battle's defense, she has more than earned the right to sing at her own will. A living treasure, in my opinion she made clear that she would not yield to what may acceptable today, as in the inappropriateness of cameras being flashed in a performance. So many artists simply conform and allow the trends of society to take them wherever, Ms. Battle is not one of those artists, only offering forth her gifts when the element of decorum was obtained.
It was in the songs of Rachmanioff and Lizst after the intermission that Ms. Battle asserted herself and reminded everyone assembled why she is one of the most acclaimed sopranos in the world. Glistening high notes, achingly beautiful pianissimos and seamless phrases were all trademark reasons of why many came to hear the great lady sing.
Closing the recital, Ms. Battle sang three spirtuals, Way Up in Heaven-arr. Hall Johnson, This Little Light of Mine-arr. Hale Smith and Ev'rytime I Feel the Spirit-arr. Hall Johnson. Most noteably, Ms. Battle honored the presence of Juanita Smith, the widow of the composer, Hale Smith who recently passed.
Singing four encores, Ms. Battle sang Witness-arr. Hale Smith dedicated to the victims of the Haiti earthquake, O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi, Swing Low Sweet Chariot and a Russian song by Gretchaninoff.
