Music Reviews : Sherrill Milnes in Return to Ambassador

Returning to Ambassador Auditorium after a five-year absence--his last two local recitals having been at UCLA--Sherrill Milnes pleased a large crowd of voice-fanciers in a generous and varied recital program Sunday night.

Assisted by his longtime, and model musical partner, pianist Jon Spong, Milnes again created an atmosphere of cordial, personable and detailed music-making. And he was in strong voice.

At this point in his history, the American baritone may tend to repeat himself, repertory-wise. On this program, arias from “Hamlet” and “Henri VIII,” a group of songs by Santoliquido and all three of his encores were reminders of former appearances here. Yet, Milnes’ followers seem to prefer those arias and songs they have heard before. They certainly exhibited loud approval of this agenda, and its handsome performance.

Despite some heroic vocal climaxes in the evening, for one listener, the memorable parts occurred in the English-language portions. Three Irish Airs as arranged by Ianthe Dalway emerged perfectly engrossing and poignant in their simplicity; Milnes’ unaffected performance of Somervell’s “Kingdom by the Sea” became an object-lesson in legato singing, as well as a touching re-creation of Poe’s poem.

Still, there was no lack of bravura in this program. The opening group of arias by Handel, Marcello and Gretry offered classical lines and strong high notes. Four Schubert songs, though sung in keys lower than optimally effective for the listener, made their points deftly.

And the closing arias, sung full-out, heartily and with splendid control, justified the encores: Don Giovanni’s Champagne Aria; Britten’s “Oliver Cromwell,” with pianist and singer trading places (as they often do at this point); Celius Dougherty’s arrangement of “Shenandoah.”