Coming from the Music City Baroque

Preview: Baroque Crossroads: A Celebration of Italian, German, and French Styles

María Romero Ramos
Directory: Music City Baroque

There is much that can be said about Baroque performance practices. During my attempts at playing Bach during my undergraduate, I came across multiple ways of playing eighth notes; the more widely accepted method, I have been told, is to play them short, as a harpsichord would have plucked its strings, but, I also was instructed by a more Romantic teacher, to slur groupings of eighth notes to create a more legato sound. Surely, there are many more theories on the correct method of playing eighth notes out there. This makes listening to a group of musicians dedicated to playing Baroque music authentically even more of a treat.

Music City Baroque, directed by Maria Romero, is dedicated to performing the most authentic interpretations of Baroque music and engaging in the large range of human experiences conveyed in Baroque music. Music City Baroque is joined by celebrated soprano, Mary Wilson and natural trumpet player, Kathryn Adduci. Mary is well-known for her exciting coloratura passages and interpretations of Baroque repertoire while Kathryn, an Australian native, is both a successful modern and baroque trumpet player.

Kathryn Adduci

This Sunday, Music City Baroque will showcase a variety of styles from different countries in Europe through the music composed by Telemann, Handel, Guerre, and J. S. Bach. It comes as no surprise that all but one composer listed is German. During the Baroque period, German composers often incorporated the styles of other countries into their music. It was common to see French, Italian, and even Polish elements in their works. This was one of the reasons for German music’s wide appeal. Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was one of the most prolific composers of his time. He picked up elements from the countries he visited, some of which you will hear in Sunday’s program. Overture Suite in A Minor (TWV 55:a2) includes an eclectic arrangement of movements: “Air à l’Italienne” or “An Italian Air”, a Passepied which is a common dance in a fast triple meter often employed by the French, and even a Polish Polonaise. Next for your listening pleasure, are four of the Nine Italian Arias composed by our friend George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), the German turned-English composer. You can expect to hear beautiful legato lines and lively melismatic phrases sung by Mary Wilson in this set before we skip across the pond to France to hear female composer Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729). Guerre was a fascinating person and held a unique position as a female composer in the court of King Louis XIV and as the first female in France to publish an opera, Céphale et Procris. Sunday will offer the opportunity to listen to Guerre’s Sonata in G minor; composed for flute and violin, with an extended cello solo. Be on the lookout for a mixture of French and Italian styles. Finally, finishing off the concert strong is a cantata by  J. S. Bach (1685-1750), one of the larger-than-life figures of the Baroque era, complete with demanding solos for soprano and trumpet.

Please join Music City Baroque on Sunday, February 2nd, at 3:30 PM at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville for an afternoon of informed, expressive music-making as they present  Baroque Crossroads: A Celebration of Italian, German, and French Styles. 

'Le Nozze di Figaro' at Vanderbilt

A New Take on an Opera Classic 

This past Thursday night, I had the privilege of seeing Vanderbilt Opera Theatre’s (VOT) production of Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) by composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte. In the standard opera repertoire, Le Nozze di Figaro is one of the most famous, influential, and praised operas in all musical history. Because the opera is a beloved classic, Director Gayle Shaw wanted to create a production with a new spin that was “borderline absurdist, makeshift, rough and ready.”

Melanie Lowe, Ph. D.
Associate Professor of Musicology

Vanderbilt musicologist Dr. Melanie Lowe spoke to the audience before the performance, explaining how this production team saw what they needed, took what they had, and made the rest of it work. This statement related to many aspects including the orchestra, the costumes, and even the performance space. The performance took place in the Rothschild Black Box Theater located on the first floor of Rothschild College on the main campus of the university. Performing in a black box theater with a string quartet and a keyboard created a very intimate atmosphere and viewing experience and truly let us focus on the wonderful music Mozart created.  

While the opera is originally set in late 18th century Spain, the director intended to create a space outside of time, having performers perform with minimal makeup, costumes, and scenery. I loved how the performers wore normal everyday clothes, like jeans and a T-shirt. Each T-shirt worn had a quote directly relating to the character wearing it, which I thought was a nice touch. They also chose to change the Italian recitative to spoken English dialogue to further that modern-day approach. However, they kept the original beloved Italian arias in their entirety. “Figaro” speaks on the abuse of power in the aristocracy, the social inequity resulting from this, and how society and the middle class respond to it. Inspired by Beaumarchais’s 1778 play of the same name, this story truly transcends time and place, and these new visions implemented in VOT’s production worked effectively in the space that they created. 

Gayle Shay, D.M.A.
Director of Vanderbilt Opera Theater

The opera opens with an iconic duet between servant Figaro (Riley Eddins), wearing a “Best Butler Ever” T-shirt and his servant fiancée Susanna (Diana Nalyvaiko), wearing a shirt stating, “This is My Maid Costume.” The two are planning to marry, although their employer, Count Almaviva (Quinn Welder), wishes to sleep with Susanna on her wedding night. He believes it his droit du seigneur (lord’s right); it is this point where the opera begins. The rest of the opera follows the servants trying to outwit the Count and saving Susanna from her ultimate fate. Beginning the opera with Figaro and Susanna in a more casual setting aided in the chemistry, and they felt like a real couple. Figaro’s warm, rich voice paired with Susanna’s lyrical, floaty voice created a great dynamic between the two that shone throughout the entire night.  

Throughout the opera, we meet more characters crucial to the plot including the Count wearing a Count Chocula shirt, his teenage page Cherubino (Paula San Antonio) wearing a yellow beanie, shoes, and knee-high socks, and the Countess (Ava Kuntz) wearing a beautiful pink robe. We also meet opposing characters to Figaro and Susanna including the local Doctor Bartolo (Evan Stuart), his housekeeper Marcellina (Chloe Jalkut), a drunk gardener named Antonio (Ethan Prickett), and the hilarious ascot-wearing music teacher Basilio (Caleb Brock). These performers provided great comedic relief while also representing the unjust views of nobility towards the lower classes. 

The entire cast was incredible, but the highlights of the night were Figaro, Susanna, and Cherubino. In the famous aria Non Più Andrai, Figaro encourages young Cherubino after the Count wishes for him to join the regiment of Seville. In this song, Figaro marches and army crawls on stage all while delivering an incredible vocal performance ending with a gorgeous melisma. Throughout the opera, Figaro’s comical directions included using a ruler as an electric guitar and even hiding behind the violinist pretending to conduct at one point. There were many other instances like this that broke the 4th wall including characters giving high-fives to the front row, walking into the audience, and handing props to audience members. It was an interactive night only made possible by the innovative direction and the black box theatre itself. 

Cast of Le Nozze di Figaro

Susanna was such a joy to watch on stage and captured the loving, youthful, and mischievous spirit the character demands. In Act 3, the duet between Susanna and the Countess, Canzonetta sull’aria, was one of the best musical scenes of the night. Her lighter, melodious voice paired with the Countess’ bigger, warmer voice created a magical moment in the opera as the two plotted to trick the Count. Cherubino was also a standout both in the arias Non so più and Voi che sapete, and embodied the mentality and looks of a teenage boy. The acting paired with her rich mezzo voice and descending lines made every scene with Cherubino entertaining and memorable. 

As the opera began to wrap up, the audience found themselves rooting for Figaro and Susanna in their plans to deceive the Count. After their success, the finale began with every cast member joining together in singing Mozart’s beautiful, timeless music. Stories like “Le Nozze di Figaro” are important now more than ever, and Vanderbilt Opera Theatre’s production certainly shared this beautiful work to a whole new audience and in a whole new light.  

Chicago comes to TPAC

In 2014, when I was a college sophomore, MTSU brought a vanful of music students to sit in the nosebleeds at TPAC’s Jackson Hall, and I saw my first-ever live Broadway musical: Chicago. I loved it: the dark humor and satire, the fantastic music and choreography, the characters and costumes. I’ve been looking forward to this production all season long. The movie adaptation is excellent, but no film can capture the experience of a live production. First written in the 1970’s, this show’s 1996 revival is still continuing, making it the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. The story follows two women who are on trial for murder in 1920’s Chicago, and their competition for celebrity and acquittal in a corrupt justice system and the tabloid press. 

Hilarious and as relevant as ever in today’s culture of true crime obsession, Chicago will be at TPAC’s Jackson Hall January 28-February 2. For tickets and more information, see Chicago | Tennessee Performing Arts Center or Chicago on Tour.

John Alvey, Album Release Show, Nashville Jazz Workshop, Saturday, January 25, 7:30 p.m.

“Loft Glow,” the debut album by Nashville drummer John Alvey.

It isn’t very often that the terms “restrained” and “tactful” signify strong praise for a jazz album, but that’s the overall impression that the aptly-titled “Loft Glow,” released late last August, leaves one with. The debut album as a leader for veteran Nashville drummer John Alvey makes the best possible use of his locally-based sextet on its six tracks, with all three horn players—trombonist Roland Barber, alto player Jovan Quallo, and tenor sax Joel Frahm–finding generous solo time on a generally humble and well-honed but subtly varied mix of post-bop, blues, and ballad selections. Variations in tone, speed, and other dynamics even within the same songs are what drive the best arrangements on the album, amounting to a truly collective, equally participatory enterprise where no single player goes over the top or continually strives to be the dominant voice of the group. The rhythm section consisting of bassist Jacob Jezioro, pianist Matt Endahl, and Alvey himself also finds just the right places to be assertive, usually in transitions between the solos and the heads, and generally is strongest in its connective role, with the bass and drums drawing a strong but shifting platform for the three horns, along  with the pianist’s suggestive framing, quiet solos, and soft comping  guiding the songs. It’s a group enterprise from start to finish, with three original compositions from Alvey, Barber, and Quallo intermingled with carefully selected, less widely covered songs from Benny Golson, Ron Carter, and John Stubblefield. For Saturday’s show, the sextet, with MTSU sax professor Don Aliquo subbing for Frahm, will revisit all the tracks on the album as well as bring its characteristically tight-knit and balanced arrangements to other works.

From Nashville's Contemporary Music Scene:

‘Strings and Spirits’ at Bastion

Maxfield Parrish, ‘The Lantern Bearers’ (1908)

After attending the Strings and Spirits concert on the evening of January 15th at Bastion in downtown Nashville, it became all the clearer to me what misfortune had occurred in arriving late to the venue that night (due to unforeseen circumstances, mind you). With no seats left to seize, I was forced to the back of the bar, drastically distanced from the performers, enough to obscure their faces as well as many aspects of their performance. Yet remarkably, an impact was still made – it was a concert of wonderfully pleasant character, diverse programming, and emotional investment.

  While I had missed much of Britten’s Phantasy Quartet (1932), the evening’s conductor Daniel Krenz’s original work Parrish Blue was certainly not an unwelcome start to the evening. From one composer to another, I applaud not only the ensemble’s performance, but the composer’s grasp on maintaining interest and emotional continuity in this work, namely through his melodies – a true test of compositional prowess in my book. Dedicated to the composer’s wife, Krenz’s string quartet Parrish Blue strives to evoke qualities of artist Maxfield Parrish’s paintings and their bold colors. Only one movement of the quartet was performed, and while we were not enlightened as to which (if any) particular painting it was meant to emulate, it was nonetheless effective in communicating Krenz’s primary concern. Its melodies were sweet in quality, yet delightfully rich in harmonic depth, appearing most readily to me as an homage to the palette of Erich Wolfgang Korngold (particularly the love theme “Marian and Robin” from his score The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)). While the work was certainly a fitting tribute wrought with compassion, it lacked the “bold” quality I came to expect from the description Krenz provided in his program notes. Perhaps listening to the remaining movements someday will provide greater context in this love-struck tableau. 

Bassist Maria Gramelspacher (Photo kenzieleighphotography.com)

I am quick to admit: I was not only taken aback by the third piece in the program, but was rather intrigued to see what a fusion of solo bass and the modern metal genre would entail in Rachael Smith’s Burn it Down (2022). While I was not entirely convinced the evening’s soloist was stark raving mad enough to communicate the concept the composer had so colorfully described in her notes for the piece, it nonetheless looked both fun to play and technically demanding enough to quell the anger of an aggravated double bassist. Although, it is worth mentioning how difficult it was to hear from the back of a humming venue which drowned much of the instrument’s lower frequencies. But from what could be discerned, intense snap pizzicato, tremolo glissandi runs, and some rhythmic grooves were no less enjoyable than a metal guitarist’s interpretation! It was an incredible change of pace to mark the midpoint of the concert and to treat the more thrill-seeking orchestral listeners in attendance (or for the metalheads, like myself)!

I had never heard of Josef Suk or his music prior to this concert, which was all the more surprising to me after reading of the acclaim he was given by his contemporaries. His Serenade for Strings (1892) facilitated his debut into my life that night, and it was no task to see how it is perhaps one of his most famous works. The piece was written as a response to a critique given by Dvořák of his melancholic style of writing, the result of which bore a work of impassioned and heart-warming content – the performers spared no expense in supporting this beautifully, to which they deserve all the kudos! The work having the attention of Brahms is perhaps not surprising. Complex yet uplifting harmonic movement and truly superb lyrical writing of was nearly enough to give the A-list Romantics a run for their money! 

Daniel Krenz directs his Blueprint Ensemble (photo: kenzieleighphotography.com)

The most remarkable moment of the night happened during the piece’s third movement. It was only after the first few measures that an eerie and uncharacteristic silence befell the room, providing enough sonic real estate to let us soak in the deliciously rich and intimate work that was the Adagio. For me, this was incredibly reassuring; in a world where orchestral music finds itself further and further withdrawn from cultural popularity, the once bustling hole-in-the-hall, filled with all walks of life, fell into agreement that it deserved our attention. The third movement, with its gorgeous cello writing, certainly solidified the Serenade as my favorite selection of the night. But what can I say? I am a sucker for crafty orchestration and melodic content (it certainly helps the drinks lull you into a trance)! Unfortunately, with the entrance of the much livelier fourth movement, the energy found its way back into the crowd to overshadow much hope of hearing it in all its final glory. But who am I to complain? Perhaps that’s what good music should do sometimes! 

Strings and Spirits proved itself to be a success, even from the perspective of a tardy, ill-positioned spectator – I truly hope to hear more from the performers and composers that contributed to such an evening! At the end of it all, I only envied the ones with a partner to enjoy it. With the venue’s lavish program, quality spirits, inviting decor, and faux fireplace projected onto the brick wall, it was quite the Romantic way to support the arts that cold, cold evening… 

Ax, Mozart and Ravel at the Schermerhorn

On the snowy second weekend of 2025 the Nashville Symphony offered a concert consisting of two works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Overture to Cosi fan tutte (1790), and the Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466 (1785) performed by the virtuosic and Nashville regular Emanuel “Manny” Ax, as well as Maurice Ravel’s epic Daphnis et Chloé (1912). Although the pairing of these works seems somewhat arbitrary and somewhat off balance, it was a beautiful and virtuosic evening.

Principal Oboist Titus Underwood

When I heard the first big C major chord at the opening of the introduction to the Overture to Cosi, especially as Titus Underwood’s oboe drifted through Laura Turner’s hall, I was thinking about how much it took for the symphony to actually be at this moment. Last year’s annual impact report (of 2023) indicates that the organization employs 83 full-time musicians. These are a diverse group of artists at the very top of their game, performing in an internationally recognized ensemble (14 Grammys Awards!). It is hard to overestimate the amount of positive impact that these wonderful artists and their families have on the Nashville culture simply by living here. And yet, obstacles for the ensemble abound: floods, pandemics, funding fiascos, crazy clarinetists, bankruptcies (does anyone remember the “Nashville Platinum” debacle?), layoffs, those darn birds, and the disfunction at Metro Arts.

As an arts organization, decisions, sometimes ugly decisions, must be made with an eye towards the good of the ensemble and the community. Still, the instrument petting zoos, the community concerts, the chamber concerts, the education and the outreach continue. Even the symphony’s administration, many of them artists themselves, contribute to our city. This is a growing and beautiful city of arts and the Nashville Symphony is a very important part of that movement. That’s what I was dwelling on during Mozart’s sunny C major opening–it takes a kind of optimism akin to high Viennese Classicism to press onward in the face of these obstacles, and in such a wonderful manner, the music continues. As an overture, Cosi isn’t nearly as formally innovative as, for instance, was his overture to Don Giovanni from a couple of years earlier. However, dramatically it (like the opera it comes from) is tremendously cathartic—one of those striking optimistic statements that are often at the center of Mozart’s genius—emotionally, this was the brightest moment of the evening and the orchestra performed wonderfully.

The D minor concerto was written five years earlier than the overture, when Mozart had arrived in Vienna and was quickly making a name for himself. He had integrated himself into the “scene” of Europe’s music city and it’s most progressive and enlightened organization, the Masons. On the night of its premiere, February 11, 1785, Mozart played the solo part and directed the orchestra. That evening, after the concert, he rushed back to his apartment with his father for a quartet party where the great composer Franz Josef Haydn, and Antonio and Bartolomeo Tinti (all Masons) would join him in playing through some of the quartets that Mozart had recently dedicated to Haydn. It was during that evening that Haydn turned to Leopold (Mozart’s father) and proclaimed,

“I tell you before God, and as an honest man, your son is the greatest composer known to me by person and repute, he has taste and what is more the greatest skill in composition.”

It is difficult to know what aspects of Mozart’s work that Haydn was referring to, scholars have debated ad nauseum, but in reference to the Concerto, it is easy to identify the aspects that we like–the symmetry, the way the d minor key (the key of Don Giovanni) is meted out through the movement, or how, to quote Authur Hutchings, “the ritornello organization constantly holds the passion of the D minor concerto in leash.” It is easy to get caught up in the green shoots of romanticism in this piece, but these are always tempered by Mozart’s enduring classicism.

Emanuel Ax (Photo Lisa Marie Mazzucco)

On Thursday, Ukrainian-born virtuoso Emanuel Ax proved himself again to be a world class interpreter of Mozart. His hands, held close, with fingers curved and a gentle expression of concentration on his face, he appropriately placed the music just as close to Bach as it was to Liszt. His sense of classical restraint in the beauty of the melody was well balanced against Guerrero’s long, sweeping lines. No wonder that Beethoven, the composer who lived on the fence between the classical and romantic, loved this piece. The storm in the second movement’s romanze presages Beethoven’s Pastoral, just as the coda in D major is almost heroic. But like the era’s Kabinettskriege, these passions were fiercely controlled by form, convention and expectation.

After the standing ovations, Ax sat back down to the piano for an encore, I think it was a Lieder ohne Worte? But it was beautiful, and after he quickly grabbed concertmaster Peter Otto and hustled off stage—the Ravel is long!

After intermission, Tucker Biddlecombe’s Nashville Symphony Chorus joined the symphony for a rapturous performance of Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé. Biddlecombe’s wordless choir performed with an excellent blend (especially for their huge number—the program lists 50 sopranos alone!), and Guerrero seemed to be in his element with Ravel’s lush impressionist harmonies. The arrival of the pirates and the sound of the wind machine were fun.

When it comes to scale, this is perhaps the largest work that Ravel composed, and the handling of the sheer, dreamy, orchestral colors was remarkable. To be honest though, on a workday, an hour of rich impressionistic harmonies from a huge orchestra just before bedtime is difficult. The supertitles also gave the performance of this “choreographic symphony” an awkward sort of “blow by blow” telling of the narrative. Finally, overall, it felt as though there was very little connection or synergy between the Mozart and the Ravel which left me with the feeling that the evening was just a little off balance. The Nashville Symphony returns on January 24-26 with Julia Wolfe’s Flower Power and Beethoven’s Seventh.

‘Turn It Up’ and ‘Boogieman’ from Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul

Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul on Spotify

When their manager first sent me an email in October, looking for seasonal coverage of their Boogieman,”I thought that Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul were perhaps a little too mainstream for the pages of our distinguished review. I mean, who wants to help a bunch of rich kids from the local Christian private school–they’ve got what they need? Or are they from Utah? (Funk Mormons? mysteries abide). Of course, being the old fool that I am, I was completely wrong—they’ve got what WE NEED. The band is Nashville, but much closer to the Jefferson Street of yore than the Nashvegas that spoils our city’s fine sweet tea. When I was given another chance to cover them this past weekend, I sent Boogieman and Turn it up out to my snowbound writers, asking for a paragraph from each, and below you’ll find their responses. After you read this, I’d suggest you quit dodging those flying barstools over on Broadway and get your ass into some nasty dive like the Tin Roof or the Basement and hear this “funk Spectacle” testify. I wonder if they’d give an old guy a free pass to see them?–Joseph Morgan

Cam Gallagher

Both tracks are everything funk should be, with that classic rhythm section layering of a bass line that lays down the funky groove, a sticky, repetitive guitar part that keeps you hooked, and a killer drum pattern to hold it all together. While Turn It Up is a classic chant-along party track, Boogieman is more thematically sophisticated, with vocals reminiscent of Gary Clark, Jr. and a ripping solo from Gallagher himself. Both tracks feature solid performances by all involved, including a tight horn section that fits right into the groove.–Wyatt Parks

It’s all in the name “The Tasty Soul.” It is “The” Tasty Soul, in that the capitalized definitive article makes it part of the name, a proper noun–this is not just any tasty soul, it is The Tasty Soul. “Tasty,” is powerfully ambiguous. One thinks of pot-smoking Jeff Spicoli’s “tasty waves” or perhaps of the old British slang for “violent, combative, good at fighting…” (see the OED), but I like to combine them, as in “dude, that’s band is quite good and a little dangerous.” Finally, the singular “Soul” is even more powerful in its ambiguity: Is it a reference to the musical genre “soul?” Is it a reference to their collective identity as a band? Is it a reference to the gospel and sacred ancestry of the music they play? Is it a reference to the fact that they may be the last band left with a soul in Nashville?–Eusebius

“Warm keys, soulful winds. Turn it up is a mellow nod to jazz tune staples and modern hitmakers. I especially enjoyed the gradual buildup to the full and powerful ending. Boogieman is a sultry piece that features vocals by Esi. A great accompaniment to the “Turn it up” single.”–Nathan Stone

Cam Gallagher & The Tasty Soul (Photo: CJ Horton)

After listening to the two featured tracks, my feeling is that I’ve heard all the component parts before, whether in 70’s pop-funk party-friendly outfits like the Average White Band, the soul jazz organ riffs of Jimmy Smith, some of the JB Horns’ go-to lines, and even the chill acid jazz grooves of the 80’s that were laid to rest after electronic club music took over in the next decade. The Tasty Soul aren’t mere revivalists or melange-makers, and they never depart from a live, instantly danceable sensibility, as slick as the album production appears to be. They have youth on their side, and we’ll have to see whether this large, layered ensemble will stay together and keep moving forward long enough to move from groove-generators to a distinctive collective voice. –William Levine
With a nod to the traditions of the funk genre and chops for days, on the tracks Turn it Up and Boogieman Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul present a neo-soul infused approach to the kind of horn driven R&B that is simultaneously adventurous and instantly idiomatic. These musicians can flat out play – there is no denying that. The arrangements are clean and collaborative, and while the soloists are given a chance to stretch out, I’m not left feeling like either of these tunes is only a vehicle for a display of individual virtuosity. These two tracks led me to look further into the band’s output, and some personal favorites include tunes like Snickelfritz, Funky Stitches, and Punch FUNK (The Chase). These are infectious grooves that suggest the influence of T.O.P. – and to this listener there aren’t many higher compliments than this! As the band continues to develop its own voice, I’ll be eager to hear new takes on the styles they already play so well. –Brad Baumgartner

Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul (Photo: Caroline Silander)

Turn it Up presents a fun, funky song. With a great brass section, mellow sax solo, and good old electric organ, it’s the perfect mash-up of classic and modern funk. The vocal line’s repetitive call Turn it up evokes “Get Up Offa That Thing” by James Brown. The whole piece is infused with scintillating fresh energy. Boogieman starts with an intro that reminds me of Pink Floyd, complete with synth. The brooding intro is soon transformed into an upbeat, syncopated groove with the entrance of the bass guitar and drums, classic elements of the funk genre of the 70s and 80s. Listen out for a musical breakdown 2/3rds of the way through the piece which includes some creepy surprises well worth hearing. Stay warm! —Sarah Featherston

Peter Pan: Neverland in Nashville

Peter Pan has a more varied origin story than I had imagined. The Scottish author J. M. Barrie told stories of a flying baby to family friends with five boys (for whom he became a co-guardian after the deaths of their parents). This character then appeared in several chapters in his episodic 1902 novel The Little White Bird, this Peter Pan being an infant who flies with fairies in Kensington Gardens. Two years later he wrote the stage play Peter Pan: Or, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up. In 1911, Barrie adapted the story into the novel. The copyrights to the character Peter Pan were later gifted by Barrie to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, the UK’s leading children’s hospital. Since then there have been numerous adaptations: most of us have seen the Disney animation, the odd-but-fun Hook, my personal favorite version from 2003, or one of the many others. While Barrie’s original play is rarely performed, the 1954 Broadway musical adaptation is the most popular live version in the US. Successful on the stage and in later adaptations on television, Peter Pan: The Broadway Musical began its North American tour in 2024 with a rewritten book by Larissa FastHorse, and came to TPAC early this January. 

I won’t give a summary of the plot because it’s so familiar and accessible. The story is strange and violent (which explains its perineal appeal to children), and this adaptation retains the strangeness and violence, with multiple kidnappings, attempted poisonings, sword fights, and a crocodile. There is no dog Nana, which might leave some disappointed, but I can’t blame the show for wanting to avoid the difficulties of a live animal on stage. 

The cast of Peter Pan, photo by Matthew Murphy

I haven’t seen this 1954 Broadway play’s original portrayal of Native Americans, but judging by the Disney animation’s version from the same decade, it probably needed serious improvement. Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse’s updated book certainly avoids racist tropes, and Tiger Lily has some additional lines explaining her people’s presence on the island as a deliberate preservation of their culture, although much detail about their original arrival or future plans isn’t provided, making the addition feel a little underdeveloped. This updated version is set in modern times, which feels unnecessary since most of the play is spent in Neverland. The modernity is also briefly heavy-handed: as the play begins Wendy is trying to record herself doing a viral dance and she mentions becoming an influencer to help pay for medical school. The babysitter watching the kids is screen-obsessed, and while the humor based on her is funny enough, these additions feel tacked-on and ultimately add nothing. Kids don’t need references to screens to empathise with children running away to fly and battle pirates. Wendy’s new ambition of becoming a surgeon changes nothing in her character and ends up only as an aspirational aside: she shows no surprise, only enthusiasm, when Peter needs her help reattaching his shadow, or using fairy dust to fly. These modern additions are only at the beginning of the show, and the rest of the play remains the charming story we’re familiar with.

The music in the show isn’t particularly memorable: imagine your typical 1950’s Broadway music and you’ve got it. But the songs are enjoyable, upbeat, fun, and allow for comic choreography. Captain Hook has multiple villain songs and the show avoids the sin of show-halting ballads. The live music is excellent under conductor Jonathan Marro. Tinker Bell is my favorite part of the music; her voice is played by a twinkling celesta (or the electronic equivalent), which allows for a surprising amount of attitude. The fairy isn’t played by any cast member, but is a tiny bright light which moves around the stage in impressively timed choreography: strung on wires, then whisked from Peter’s hands to Wendy’s, then into a box, and so on. This technical skill looks effortless.

Cody Garcia and the cast of Peter Pan, photo by Matthew Murphy

My only complaint in the special effects is that the crocodile is slightly disappointing. A person in a suit, it only crawls around the stage slowly. Its style doesn’t match the rest of the scenery and looks unfinished and low-budget compared to the high quality of the other costumes.

Another aspect of the staging I really enjoyed is Peter’s shadow. There’s a whole bit during “I Gotta Crow” where his shadow stops doing the correct choreography and dances by itself. Children will find that cleverly done projection to be absolutely magical. The wires for flying are excellent as well: the children are all impressively plausible and graceful as they fly about the stage leaving London for Neverland. The backdrop is a screen, and for part of their flight they turn their backs to us and the screen whooshes through the city as they turn and dive accordingly.

The screen is used well almost the whole time, with realistic or stylized backdrops (depending on whether they’re in London or Neverland), and a few appearances of Peter Pan when he’s darting around the stage, confusing Captain Hook with his vocal mimickry. There is one jarring moment at the end, when for absolutely no reason the moon expands, grows a mouth, moves to the center of the screen, and agrees with what the characters are already saying in a goofy male voice before returning to the sky. This Annoying Orange moment probably intends to capture youthful meme energy, but instead it is obnoxious. 

Peter Pan has historically been played by women on the stage. There are many obvious benefits to this: all the dependability and skill of an adult performer, no sudden growth-spurts or voice changes, and so forth. However, having grown up watching talented child actors in movies, seeing an adult woman pretend to be a prepubescent boy is rather off-putting, even in the unreality of live theater. This production is aware of this and cast Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan. He does a marvelous job. A senior in high school, he has a light frame and his well-designed costume makes him look extra boyish. His voice is excellent and he portrays the character with spirited and perfectly-measured petulant childishness as he gracefully flies around the stage.

Nolan Almeida, Hawa Kamara, photo by Matthew Murphy

Hawa Kamara is a very sweet Wendy, and reminded me how underrated Wendy is as a character: how often do you have a kind, adventurous, responsible protagonist in such a wild story? Kurt Perry is a funny and unthreatening Smee; by the end of the show you’re convinced he joined the pirate crew entirely by accident. Cody Garcia is Mr. Darling/Captain Hook, and plays the role with proper piratical flourish and comedic drama. Wendy’s brothers and the Lost Boys are cute and charming. Everyone sings with talent and skill. The entire cast meshes well and they look like they’re having fun on stage, fulfilling the promise of Peter Pan, which is to be a delightful dramatization of childhood fantasies. 

I attended the Tuesday, January 7th show, and Jackson Hall was packed, families everywhere (most of the performances were almost entirely sold out). The children especially seemed to enjoy it. When Tinker Bell was dying of poison and Peter Pan asked the audience, “Do you believe in fairies?” A little boy a row or two behind me answered “Yes.” With children on stage, a familiar story, magical special effects, and the whole show lasting less than two-and-a-half hours with an intermission, this is the perfect show to introduce children to live theater.

While their run at TPAC is over, you can find more information about the tour at Tour Dates – Peter Pan.

The MCR Interview

Pianist Susan Yang and Her Upcoming Performance with the Nashville Symphony

Music City Review Journalist Brady Hammond speaks with Susan Yang on learning, teaching and playing the piano. Her strategies for practicing and the differences between performing a concerto, in a chamber group and solo recital. In the second half of the interview they discuss her upcoming appearance with the Nashville Symphony for their Second Annual Lunar New Year concert including the history, character and style of the work she is performing, Xian Xinghai’s Yellow River Concerto.

The Amazing Art Expo!

Pokemon, Yu-gi-oh, and Chainsaw Man, Oh My!

The Amazing Art Expo came to the Sheraton Hotel in Nashville on January 3rd-5th. The event featured art from anime, video games, Disney, horror films, Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and more. In the time of AI, The Amazing Art Expo had a statement about the use of AI on the website: “All our art sold on our website and featured at our show was created by human hands and all made in the USA. We do not believe A.I. art is actually art and we stay firm with that decision.”

Chainsaw Man as drawn by Fujimoto (for comparison)
Chainsaw Man’s winning costume.

The Sheraton had a wonderfully large conference room all set up for the event. Filled with tables full of interesting art canvases and prints, there was lots to see. Even more fun were the people in cosplay. If you’re unfamiliar with cosplay, participants wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character from popular culture. I didn’t recognize most of the costumes because I don’t watch enough anime, but there were people with intricate makeup, wigs, and even tails! There was a cosplay contest on the 4th and the 5th and I was able to get there in time to see the winners on the 4th. First place prize went to Chainsaw Man, a character from a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Costumes had to be at least 40% handmade to win, and Chainsaw Man’s costume received cheers and applause.

Nastiya Grushovenko’s Nazgûl adorning the top of a festival poster.

This was a family friendly event where all are welcome. I saw lots of kids dressed up as comic characters and having fun. The vibe itself was very relaxed and friendly, with everyone milling about and looking at the art. Also present were some famous voice actors that have played multiple characters in popular anime: Eric Stuart (Seto Kaiba from Yu-Gi-Oh!), Darren Dunstan (Maximilian Pegasus from Yu-Gi-Oh!), Megan Hollingshead (Nurse Joy in “Pokémon), and Amy Birnbaum (Téa Gardner in Yu-Gi-Oh!). Although the event itself was free, it was $40 for an autograph with these stars.

Nastiya Grushovenko, a self-taught watercolor and oil artist, was there autographing her work and adding paint embellishments to canvases every day of the event. Grushovenko’s paintings have been exhibited in galleries and art shows nationally and internationally. One particularly fun painting of hers is of the Nazgûl from Lord of the Rings sitting around a table playing Dungeons and Dragons and eating pizza. You can check out her art on instagram @nastiya.g.art. The next time this comes to town, note that there’s a $20 VIP experience. You will receive one specialty 12″x16” premium paper print of your choice and have the chance to skip the lines with a one-hour early access to the event including the voice actors, art and artists before the doors open to the general public.

If you love fantasy shows, movies, anime, or games, this is a great way to spend a few hours. If you have a favorite character, you can bet there was at least one original painting/drawing featuring them. Next time they come to Nashville, be sure to check it out!