Backstage at AVA--

singer responds to coach and Verdi role

by Michael Caruso

Giuseppe Verdi-unquestionably the greatest of all Italian opera composers and, perhaps, even the greatest opera composer of them all-died in Milan on January 27, 1901. Having composed 28 full operas, he was the most revered Italian musician of his time.

During the years since his death just short of his 88th birthday, Verdi's reputation initially went into critical, though never popular, eclipse. Recently, however, there has come about a more thorough re-evaluation of his genius to capture in his operas the essence of the human condition and to communicate his understanding of the trials and tribulations we are all forced to endure with unequalled dramatic power and musical expressivity. 

The centenary of his death has brought about countless new productions of his well loved and even less well known works, numerous albums (including CDs featuring three of the world's leading young tenors: Andrea Bocelli, Roberto Alagna and Jose Cura), and many recital programs. Philadelphia's own Academy of Vocal Arts will be joining the celebration with "An Homage to Verdi," set for Friday, January 26, and Saturday, January 27, at 8 p.m., in its Warden Theater, located at 1920 Spruce Street in center city Philadelphia.

It's a bountiful roster of arias and duets from many different Verdi operas such as "Don Carlo," "Falstaff," "Attila," "La forza del destino," "Ernani," "I Lombardi" and "Aida." The featured singers will include some of AVA's most seasoned students-those about to graduate and go on to professional careers in all the world's opera houses-so this concert may be one of the last remaining opportunities to hear some of these budding talents. All are being coached and will be accompanied by Danielle Orlando.

The role of an operatic coach involves far more than giving a few hints here and there in rehearsal and accompanying a singer in performance. To get a feel for just how much effort is involved, I sat in during a coaching session Orlando gave soprano Othalie Graham, who will be singing Aida's duet with the Egyptian Princess Amneris in "Aida." Aida, unbeknownst to everyone in Egypt, is actually an Ethiopian princess, herself, and has fallen in love with the Egyptian General Radames, who (naturally since, regardless of locale, this is an Italian opera, after all) is betrothed to Amneris, who suspects Aida's love for Radames and has set out to trick Aida into a confession of her illicit love. Suffice it to say that this duet is a dramatically charged piece of vocalism that requires a thorough comprehension of each character's motivation based on a total understanding of the Italian text of the libretto.

Graham hails from Canada, where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology. "I didn't start studying voice until about three years ago," she told me. If it weren't for her obvious sincerity, one would find that assertion almost impossible to believe considering the power and beauty of her voice. But then again, a magnificent voice really is a gift from God. 

When I asked Graham why she had come to AVA, she simply replied, "Well, I had heard that this was the best place to learn how to become an opera singer, so I auditioned-and they accepted me!" Graham is currently studying with Patricia Misslin.
When Orlando arrived for the session, the two immediately got to work. I've often wondered if vocal coaches, themselves, have fine voices. Well, it turns out that Orlando has a beautiful, throaty alto voice with flawless pitch and immaculate Italian diction-and a complete command over every nuance, both verbal and musical, of this particular duet. 

She coached Graham with a perfect balance between sensitivity and authority, insisting that her young singer think for herself regarding both the emotional and theatrical requirements of this particular moment in the drama as well as the vocalistic technical demands of the music that, when all is said and done, must be sung efficaciously. It was thrilling for me, a teacher as well as a writer, to see and hear Graham's acting and singing improve moment by moment.

Tickets for "An Homage to Verdi" are $12 for the general public, $10 for seniors and students. Call 215-735-1685.  

Like to draw?

by Ruth R. Russell

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, at 26th Street and the Parkway, is again inviting kids and their parents to come and draw in the galleries on Sundays, January 21 and 28, from noon to 2:30 p.m. This is one in a series of free programs for families, and an artist will be on hand to provide materials and assistance. In addition, an Explorer's Tour will be given for children ages 6-12 and their parents on the 21st at 11:30 a.m. and at 2:30 p.m. Theme of the session is "Sculpture All Around" and (free) tickets are required. For information, call the museum at 215-684-7605 or visit the website at www.philamuseum.org.

John Flynn concert

The Children's Park of Chestnut Hill is hosting a John Flynn concert on Sunday, January 21, at 2 p.m., at the Water Tower Recreation Center, Hartwell Lane and Ardleigh St., Chestnut Hill. This appearance by the popular entertainer will benefit the playground, located next to the John Story Jenks School at the corner of Germantown and Southampton Avenues. Tickets will be available at the door. To learn more, call Lori Quintavalle at 215-242-1716. 
Shorts in winter

A collection of new and award-winning short films for kids will be shown at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., on Saturdays, January 27 and February 3, at 2 p.m. These movies have been selected from the Chicago and New York International Children's Film Festivals and are not available on video. Youngsters who come in shorts will compete for prizes for "most outrageous." This program is the third in a series at the Prince. For tickets and information, call the theater at 215-569-9700.

Mum's the word

Mum Puppetteatre will present award-winning puppeteer Luman Coad and the Coad Canada Puppets in two plays, Mr. Whipple's Whims and The Box? A Show of Feelings at Mum's recently renovated theatre at 115 Arch St., in Old City, from Thursday, January 25, to Sunday, February 11. Public performances will be at noon and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays; all seats are $10 ; groups of 10 or more pay $7. There special rates for school groups which may arrange to come during the week by appointment. Call the box office at 215-925-8686.

Dance for young kids

"Creative Dance for the 6 & Under Set" is offered at Moving Arts of Mt. Airy (MaMa) for children age six and younger, starting this week and running for 10 weeks. Kids will learn basic dance movements and how to integrate ballet, modern and yoga in an imaginative environment. Scarves, percussion instruments and bean bags are used by youngsters to create rhythm and the teacher, Jeanette Hough, a competitive roller skater at 8, studied ballet at the Rock School and modern dance at Temple University. Her class is given under the auspices of the Mt. Airy Learning Tree. For address, fees, location and other information, call MALT at 215-843-6333. 

To have a program considered for this column, contact the Public Record or e-mail Ruth Russell at ruth@phillyrecord.com

  

by Len Lear

In 1908 a Philadelphian named George Wells started the George L. Wells Meat Company at 402 N. Second St. It was an era when deliveries were made by horse-drawn carriages through refuse-dotted streets. Nothing glamorous, to put it mildly.
Wells' clients were almost all large institutions like the Philadelphia Protestant Home and the Baptist Institute because there were barely enough upscale restaurants in the city to count on a duck's webbed foot. Wells had a trusted salesman and an office manager, Joe Lagerman and Alan Moyer, respectively, who later became his partners until Wells died in 1936 while on a world cruise.

In 1949 the sons of Lagerman and Moyer took over the business and then sold it in 1965 to an entrepreneur named Ed Orr, who sold it to an employee, Jim Conboy, in 1970. Jim seemed ill-equipped to run any business. He had graduated from John Bartram High School in 1958 and then took a job as an apprentice meat cutter at Wells. This is a job many young men would find extremely boring, but Conboy not only tolerated the drudgery; he loved it. Jim's hard work, passion for the job and animated attitude earned him one raise and promotion after another until 1970, when he actually purchased the company. Jim did not have an MBA from the Wharton School, but he does have a doctoral degree from the school of hard knocks. "I've done every single job here myself," explained Jim, "so I know exactly what each employee (there are more than 100) has to do and what their problems are."

As it turned out, the early '70s were the playoffs and World Series for Wells because they coincided perfectly with the much-chronicled Philadelphia Restaurant Renaissance. Up until the 1950s and '60s, Philadelphia had a national reputation as a culinary log cabin; anything more sophisticated than meat loaf and crab imperial was considered avant garde. 

But in the early 1970s, led by pioneers Georges Perrier and Steve Poses, center city Philadelphia became a veritable hothouse of culinary invention, with creative restaurant concepts popping up like daffodils in May. "This was great for us," said Conboy. "After our original property was condemned by the city, which took it over by eminent domain, we moved to 14 S. Front St. in 1972 and were there until 1978. We were surrounded by new restaurants like La Truffe, Winston's, Bank Street 5 and Monk 5, and they all started to buy from us. Our very first restaurant client was the Melrose Diner, and they are still with us to this day."

In 1970 restaurants were a diet cracker-sized portion of Wells' business, but today "white tablecloth" restaurants constitute a majority of the clients. Many of the classiest, most high-profile center city restaurants such as Le Bec Fin, Brasserie Perrier, Susanna Foo and the Saloon buy their meats from Wells.

One detail about which Wells is fanatical is taking the temperature of every part of every refrigerated truck that delivers meat to the plant at 982 N. Delaware Ave. These trucks have their temperature monitored more frequently than a patient in a hospital emergency room. "We have returned whole truckloads of beef," insisted Conboy, "if the temperature was not right in every part of the truck."

Wells is also part of the Certified Angus Beef system in which government inspectors choose the best meat, which is then given a special certification. Restaurants that serve Certified Angus Beef may advertise the fact on their menus, and butcher shops that sell the beef are specially licensed and may sell no other kind. Certified Angus Beef is lean, high in marbling, very tender, aged at least three weeks, very tasty and very expensive.

"But it's not expensive if you eat sensible portions," said Conboy. "The average steak an American eats for dinner runs between 13 and 16 ounces, although you'd never eat that much fish or chicken at one meal. Three or four ounces is a good-sized serving of beef. And three ounces of cooked lean beef contains 73 milligrams of cholesterol, which is less than the same quantity of roast chicken, fried chicken, pork, shrimp or cheddar cheese. And the beef contains a lot more of several vitamins and minerals than baked chicken without skin."

If you're curious about where any restaurant gets its beef, call it up and ask. And Wells also sells its products directly to the consumer. For more information, call 215-627-3903.

A Capital idea

The number of elegant steakhouses in center city Philadelphia will increase by one on Monday, January 29, when the Capital Grille opens its doors at 1338 Chestnut St. The Capital Grille, which operates 12 other restaurants in the United States, will seat about 240 diners, offer a wide variety of tender cuts of dry-aged beef and feature a wine list with more than 300 selections. Executive chef Ed Doherty was formerly top toque at Valley Green Inn in Chestnut Hill and La Campagne in Cherry Hill, NJ. For more information, call 215-545-9588 or visit the Capital Grille website at www.thecapitalgrille.com. 
  

Mingus Band

The Mingus Big Band, an acclaimed jazz ensemble, will perform on Saturday, January 27, at 8 p.m., at Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts' Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St. This concert is part of the PENN Presents series. Tickets are $25, $20 and $1 5 and there are discounts available for seniors, students, groups and Penn faculty, staff and alumni. Call 21 5-898-3900 for tickets.