Library Concert Series: Immortal Love Songs of Opera and Broadway

The Sunday afternoon concert series returned to the last week with a romantic performance of Immortal Love Songs of Opera and Broadway's most beloved duets and arias presented by Capitol Heights Lyric Opera. 

It featured superb mezzo-soprano Frances Devine and Capitol Heights' artistic director and international bass-baritone Richard Cassell.

The showcase began with two selections from Rossini's The Barber of Seville, followed by pieces from Mozart's Don Giovanni, about Don Juan, one of opera's most legendary seducers.

The audience was captivated by "La ci darm la mano," which chronicled the moment of the notorious libertine, Don Juan's, greatest triumph as he effortlessly stole away a peasant girl on her wedding day.

Cassell assued, before portraying the title character, "I've never really done that."

The pair segued into another selection from the aforementioned Mozart masterpiece, the famous Catalogue Aria, "Madamina, il catalogo e questo." Cassell and Devine regaled the audience with the tale of the rake's astonishing "little black book," which according to Cassell, consisted of "1001 conquests in Seville alone."

"If I Loved You" was presented next, from the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, Carousel, about another pickup artist who was on the prowl for a sweet, innocent girl with an eye for bad boys. This led into Rodgers and Hammerstein's equally great musical, Oklahoma, about the need to be discreet while being in love in a small town.

Standouts in the overall stellar set were "Habanera," "Toreador Song" and "Seguidilla" from Bizet's Carmen, one of the most popular operas in the world. During this portion of the performance, the glamorous, raven-haired Devine got to turn the tables, in a remarkable transformation, from preyed upon naif to predatory femme fatale as the free spirited and irresistible Carmen. She strutted in a crimson satin dress, slit up the side, enticing the roguishly charming Cassell to obey her every whim.

The two had undeniable chemistry as they entranced the audience further with the delightfully diabolical duet "In Sleep He Sang to Me," from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Cassell said this selection proved that "a seducer doesn't have to rely on charm — just black magic."  In this powerful number, the mysterious masked man lured the young chorus girl Christine to the dark side with a haunting melody, and a promise of her place in the spotlight.

The selection "Do You Love Me" from Bock's Fiddler on the Roof asked the eternal question: What is love?  It also paid homage to the simple ways that a couple shows their enduring affection for one another during a lifetime spent together.

A spellbinding encore from Mozart's opera The Magic Flute ended the passionate performance, like any good seduction, leaving the audience wanting more.

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