Promises of Salvation for Cervantes

The last subscription program of the OFM, in line with the spirit of Lent, brought us Bach and Mozart, the poetic narration of Christ's Resurrection, though without the Bible or evangelists, and the plea for eternal light in the 'Requiem', a contrast between the heaven of salvation and the rigors of the Last Judgment. The suitability of this combination could be debated, but where most might agree is that the 'Easter Oratorio', which was the Bach piece that opened the program, would have benefited from a more sober staging, a lighter orchestra, and a smaller choir. With numerous forces, it is easy for the clarity of the polyphony to blur and the timings to slightly falter. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that everyone made a tremendous effort to competently erect the Bachian temple.

Instrumentally, the trumpets shone (the epitome of Glory since Dante envisioned Paradise in his 'Comedy'), the tireless continuo section, and especially the solo flutist, Frederik Ghijselink, who skillfully and precisely crafted the 'Adagio' following the introductory 'Symphony' and blended, as the concertante instrument that Bach always interweaves with the voice in the arias, with soprano Génesis Moreno in the beautiful "Seele, deine Spezereien" [Oh, soul, your spices]. The voice of the Venezuelan, perhaps not as suited to oratorio repertoire as to operatic, has undeniable quality, warmth, and communicative power. The Uruguayan mezzo-soprano Carolina Rotela defended her "Saget, saget mir geschwinde" [Tell me, tell me quickly] with concertante oboe (Pedro Cusac) and sang with a taste very suited to her role. However, the tenor from Almería, Juan de Dios Mateos, was clouded by some pitch deviations in his "Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer" [Sweet shall be my sorrow in death], precisely one of those moments where Bach's instrumental writing for the voice, a fiber of the polyphony, is apparent and where the clarity of the combinatorial structure benefits from less orchestral weight. The Colombian bass Cristian Díaz, after a somewhat hesitant start, performed with increasing security, warmth, and depth as the concert progressed.

Instrumentally, the trumpets and solo flutist, Frederik Ghijselink, who skillfully crafted the 'Adagio' and blended with soprano Génesis Moreno, shone.

I believe, however, that everyone found their most suitable place in Mozart's 'Requiem', as the vocal ensembles sounded more cohesive (in the 'Tuba mirum' – very well the trombone of José Miguel Luna – in the 'Recordare' or the 'Benedictus'), the density of the orchestra did not verge on cloying, and the vibrant tapestry of the choir was proportionate.

Master José María Moreno, who conducted the entirety with skill and expressive efficacy, cannot be blamed for what is a regular complaint among artists (both occasional and permanent): the impossibility of centralizing all rehearsals in the same venue as the concert and, therefore, having to suffer – he, the musicians, the soloists, the choir – spatial fluctuations that ultimately lead to oscillations in timing, dissolutions of blend, and uncertainties of intention, accidents that make the first delivery of each subscription evening more of a transition towards the second – more secure, more rehearsed, more acclimated to the performance habitat – than the full culmination of a week of rehearsals.

The Málaga Opera Choir again demonstrated its quality, a group in which the driving forces, it seems to me, pass through a string of very agile sopranos in response, bold in their ascents, and a fibrous band of tenors. All this and the good work of their director, Pablo Guzmán, keep them as a safe bet to tackle any natural challenge that comes their way.