Auburn Symphony presents Masterworks III: Drama at the Symphony

Drama at the Symphony. Will it be comedy? Will it be tragedy? With humor, passion and ferocity, the Auburn Symphony's upcoming concert is all things dramatic. The symphony will perform Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier Suite and Ruggero Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" in Masterworks III: Drama at the Symphony. Der Rosenkavalier, or "The Knight of the Rose," is a German comic opera set in Vienna in the 1740s and is about older people falling in love. It premiered in 1911 at Königliches Opernhaus in Dresden, Germany "Pagliacci," or "Clowns," is an Italian opera that premiered in 1892 at Teatro Dal Verme in Milan. It tells the story of Canio, an actor in the theater company commedia dell'arte. During a performance, Canio murders his wife, Nedda, and her lover, Silvio. Very dramatic! Performing the part of Canio will be Salvatore Atti. Liisa Dávila will perform the part of Nedda. Matthew Peterson as Silvio, Robert Balonek as Tonio, and Jonathan Saatman as Beppe. Speaking with three of the five soloists, I learned they all are very dedicated to their art, practicing continuously in preparation for this concert. Atti has performed with the Auburn Symphony for three years. "This is one of my favorite operas since I was a kid," he said. "It's such a real story. Canio isn't particularly a good person, but I believe it's an interesting character to play. It's a typical human story, high drama, the music is beautiful, it is an awesome opera." Atti heard his first opera at a young age and by college knew this is what he wanted to do for a career. His favorite composer is Giuseppe Verdi. "It's the music I like singing the best," he said. "It fits my voice almost always." In 2013, Atti sang at Verdi's bicentennial birthday celebration in Italy. "Then is when I started thinking I can do this," he said. "I had influential people in the opera world where I did that performance give me feedback that music is for me. The Italians really embraced me." As do the people of the Auburn Symphony. "Everybody around the symphony makes you feel at home," he said. "The communication is awesome. I really like Ryan as a conductor as well. He is really fun to work with." Balonek has performed with the Auburn Symphony for three years. "Everybody is kind of the bad guy, but I'm one of the bad guys," he said. "It's fun to sing a character who really has emotions like Tonio does. He tells Nedda he loves her and then he hates her. He's a more complex character with an emotional range." Asked what inspired Balonek to embrace his career in music, he said with a laugh, "I wasn't really good at anything else. My mom was a karaoke DJ when I was growing up so I had access to every genre of music. When I started listening to Sinatra and the Rat Pack, some Italian songs overlapped into opera, and that led me to opera." Balonek's favorite composer is Verdi, saying, "I love and hate Riggoletto. I love doing it, and I don't know how, but after I learned it, it just came to me, like this is what I would do if I were him. It's such a great character to get into. Powerful. Most difficult, but most favorite." And he loves performing with the Auburn Symphony, saying, "They're great. The symphony itself is fantastic, and the players are great. Especially with these kinds of shows, it's one of those things where everyone has to come super prepared. And Ryan is a brilliant conductor. It's fun to see what Ryan brings to the show." Dávila has been performing with the Auburn Symphony for 10 years. "I'm so thrilled because (Nedda is) a character in a role I've wanted to sing for a long time. She is multi-dimensional," Dávila said. "I appreciate how this character is … she has three guys around her and interacts differently. They all try to manipulate her. I feel fortunate growing up in safe situations; Nedda is in an unsafe situation. She is safe with Beppe, but the other characters want something from her and manipulate her. I enjoy finding ways to connect with the different characters around her. Even though her end is tragic, she has one of the most beautiful arias about being free. 'I want to be free as the birds.' " Dávila said she has always had a passion for music. "I studied piano, violin, viola. I found that in singing I can travel somewhere else in the mind and the heart," she said. "I love to bring people along on the journey of a character of a story. It truly is a 'together with the audience.' We get to go on that exploration together." One of Dávila's favorite composers is Giacomo Puccini. "It's undeniable. Every note he writes is perfect," she said, citing "Tosca." "And one of my favorite shows is 'Carmen.' " Dávila's favorite performance of her own is Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Auburn Symphony. "Another highlight has been performing Violetta in 'la Traviata,' " she said. In preparation for this concert, she has been practicing for months. "But in that rehearsal room, all together, is when we start to make magic," she said. "When we get to hold or express. The symphony is very sensitive. Ryan knows how to follow the voice very well. This opera is so filled with passion and tension, and we get to put our stamp on the music. And the members of the Auburn Symphony, staff and of course Ryan are always such a warm- hearted group of people. I feel like I'm at home." For information, visit AuburnSymphony.com or visit the symphony office at 985 Lincoln Way, Suite 102, Auburn; call 530-823-6683; or email AuburnSymphonyOffice@gmail.com. Carol Guild is a writer and editor, a longtime Auburn resident and member of the Leadership Auburn Executive Committee. Reach her at PacificCoastEditor@gmail.com.