Betany
Coffland
Mezzo soprano Betany Coffland emerges from Opera San Jose's
residency program as one of its brightest stars
by Michael J. Vaughn |
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With its unique four-year residency program, Opera San Jose offers its patrons a chance to cultivate actual relationships with its singers: perhaps to develop a list of favorites, or even identify that rare performer who has what it takes to make it in the broader world of opera. Since these singers are also steadily improving during those fours years, often these true talents sneak up on you. You might not even remember when it was they first came to your attention. Fortunately, critics have old reviews to jog their memories. The first thing that struck me about mezzo Betany Coffland was the most obvious: pure vocal power. Singing Dorabella in a February 2009 production of Così fan tutte, Coffland paired up with Rebecca Davis's Fiordiligi to make divine ear candy with Mozart's female harmonies. She also delivered an excellent rendition of "Smanie implacabili," Dorabella's hilariously overwrought lamentation. (Coffland later performed the aria in the 2010 Irene Dalis Vocal Competition.) Mental checklist: strong voice, musical wit. The next revelation came in the November 2009 production of Rossini's La Cenerentola, when Coffland took that vocal power and added "lightness, agility, birdsong." She also demonstrated the warmth and charisma a singer needs to "carry" a show. Her performance of the finale, "Non pił mesta," was simply masterful. Add to the list: dexterity, star power. In February 2010, Coffland made her trouser-role debut with the ultimate: Cherubino of Le nozze di Figaro. Here, she illustrated a quality I call the Audience Comfort Quotient. This happens when a patron attends a favorite opera, sees a performer's name on the program, and knows that he can simply sit back and enjoy. "I have already developed the belief," I wrote, "that mezzo Betany Coffland can do no wrong on a stage." She also had the chance to demonstrate a talent for slapstick that was only hinted at in her previous roles. List: audience confidence, physical humor. In February 2011, everything on the list came together with Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia. The physical humor was cast-wide, and Coffland offered an intriguing interpretive choice, playing Rosina much "feistier" than the usual. Feeling that I was beginning to run out of superlatives, I wrote that the performance "should confirm Coffland's genius in the special discipline of bel canto mezzo." As far as next-big-thing predictions go, here's the clincher. Not only does Coffland possess the perfect skills for the Mozartean/Rossinian mezzo - she knows it, and seems fully capable of resisting the Puccini-Verdi temptations that have ruined many a singer before her. Even a rather intriguing venture into a Mendocino Carmen was undertaken with the understanding that she would sing with Betany's voice, and not the usual double-wide Spanish sultry. I had the pleasure of bumping into Betany at this summer's San Francisco Ring Cycle, two Italophiles feeling a little lost in the German bigness. We spent our intermissions chatting about bel canto, Opera San Jose and her upcoming role as Idamante in Idomeneo, and I asked her if we could continue our conversation for the readers of The Opera Critic. How did you first get into singing? I began taking voice lessons at age 12 and when I was 15, I started performing in musicals and plays. That first year, I think I juggled school and performing in five different productions. I was constantly busy with late-night rehearsals. I ended up wearing myself out and even getting mononucleosis. Yet, I loved every minute of it. How did you discover opera? Regarding the Rossinian mezzo repertoire: Did you have an early exposure
to this area of opera, or was it a later discovery? While I was an undergraduate at New England Conservatory, I auditioned for the graduate program's Opera Workshop Class. It was there that I was assigned my first Rossini aria. During that time I was singing some Handel which also can involve a lot of coloratura singing. Even back then, I knew that it was a good fit. However, it wasn't until my second season at Opera San Jose that I was given the chance to sing a full role as a Rossini heroine - Angelina, in La Cenerentola. I loved it, and people began to pay attention. What is it about this area of singing that you enjoy? Part of our job as a singer is making it all look easy. Believe me, it's not. For 30 seconds of Rossini's coloratura you hear on stage, I spend literally hours and hours trying to work that all out. It's amazing to me to think that I have the patience to do that, but ultimately, my voice likes the workout. Finding the body coordination and trust to finally let the voice go is what the audience is waiting to hear. There's something so exquisite in letting go and trusting. Inherently, I believe it's one of the most beautiful things we can do in art and in life. It's extraordinary to think that Rossini brings this out. Is there a difference in the way you approach trouser roles? What's
been your experience with these? While getting my Masters at Juilliard, I sang Miles in Britten's The Turn of the Screw and I covered L'enfant in Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges. I've also sung Cherubino and will be doing Siebel this coming Spring. I'm currently singing Idamante in Opera San Jose's production of Mozart's Idomeneo. I love that the name Idamante literally means "from the heart." He's such a beautiful character caught in the emotional juxtaposition of some major drama. I think ultimately there's something about the timbre of a lyric mezzo-soprano's voice that captures the sentiments of young men who are coming of age. How has Opera San Jose helped your development as an artist? The main thing I take away from Opera San Jose is confidence. Confidence in my singing and performing, confidence in "carrying a show," and confidence in hard work. I've worked with so many different personalities of stage directors, conductors and singers, and it's been important to learn how to be a good colleague to all those personalities. I will leave OSJ as a resident with so many good memories and lifelong friends. You don't seem the type (vocally) for Carmen. What was your strategy
in approaching that role? Also, what was it like performing in Mendocino?
Fortunately, I was able to perform Carmen for a second time at the Mendocino Music Festival last summer. Music Director, Allan Pollack, has something really special going on up there. This glorious coastal town just bustles with energy from the music-making for three weeks during the summer and I had a lovely experience. This festival really is a gem. How far along are you in your OSJ residency? Any plans for your post-OSJ career? What would be the absolute perfect situation for you? The perfect situation? Settling in the Bay Area and working on the West Coast for four months out of the year. Then working regionally in the US or internationally for 4 months (with Joseph coming along for the ride) and the other four months saved for learning new roles. What's the weirdest thing that's happened to you on stage? What's your favorite popular aria and lesser-known aria? What's your absolute favorite role and opera? I note that Idamante is being done by a tenor in the alternate cast.
Are there different versions for each voice type, or is he more of a countertenor?
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Mozart's Idomeneo, with alternate casts, Sept. 10-25 at the California Theatre, 345 South First St., San Jose, California. Tickets are $51-$101. 408/437-4450, www.operasj.org | |
Michael J. Vaughn is the author of the novel Operaville, available with a companion CD by soprano Barbara Divis at amazon.com. He is also a contributing editor to Writer's Digest. | |
Text ©
Michael J. Vaughn Photo © Jon Claybaugh |