Sieden sang Otello “with gloomy introspection and sensitive interaction”
“The concert had begun with the fifth movement of the Brahms Requiem, (Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit), with Ms. Sieden and the orchestra joined by local favorites I Cantori di Carmel, with their chorus master, Sal Ferrantelli, taking charge as guest conductor. Cyndia Sieden gave a finely poised account of the solo line, and the chorus interleaved their commentary with hushed sincerity, and excellent evenness of timbre (notably so in the tenor section).
This addition to the program was supported by Elizabeth Sosic in memory of her late husband Zvonimir, and Board President Lee Rosen linked the names of several other deceased friends of the orchestra to the memorial performance. Also in the first half of the program, Ms. Sieden sang two of Desdemona's arias from Act IV of Verdi's Otello, the Willow Song, and Ave Maria, with gloomy introspection and sensitive interaction with the orchestra, but nothing prepared us for the new heights the performers would reach in the Mahler symphony.
Right from the tinkling bells of the start, the audience could settle down, without making any allowances, to enjoy an hour of relatively happy Mahler, very melodious and dance-like, often folksy. This composer is of the school that believes that if a tune is worth hearing once, it is worth hearing several times (including reappearing in later movements, and in other works), so we soon came to feel we were inhabiting his world. Bragado-Darman seemed completely at home in leading the players through the long first and third movements, balancing structure and momentum. The second movement is the devilish scherzo, with solo violin tuned a whole tone sharp, and with the trio and its rhythmical clarinet trills so good that it has to be heard twice. Finally, in the fourth movement, the soprano joins the orchestra, and here we could appreciate especially Cyndia Sieden's pure upper register, both in smooth legato, and in spikier rhythmical effects. The restful close of this pastoral work is one of the most satisfying in the repertoire, and was perfectly done.”