Music Reviews : Mehta Leads Verdi Requiem

When Zubin Mehta first conducted the Verdi Requiem in Los Angeles, John F. Kennedy was President, the Los Angeles Philharmonic gave its winter seasons in Philharmonic Auditorium and the conductor from Bombay was all of 26 1/2 years old. Nevertheless, that performance--in early 1963--was hailed as moving, satisfying, powerfully theatrical and Italianate, in the best sense.

Some things haven’t changed all that much in the ensuing 29 years and two months, as the conductor, assisted by the Philharmonic, the 122 members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and soloists Leona Mitchell, Florence Quivar, Vincenzo la Scola and Roberto Scandiuzzi, showed Thursday night at the Music Center.

Mehta still conducts from memory and of course unerringly, still creates an aura of inevitability in his direct approach to the work, still tends to details with a probing thoroughness.

Not everything that happened on the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion spelled perfection but the thrust and momentum, the religious (there is no other word) intensity of what may be Verdi’s greatest masterpiece came through in every part of the performance. And all those parts were projected to a large and appropriately rapt audience--all three weekend performances are sold out--with the conductor’s commanding but far from tyrannical sense of continuity.

The now 55-year-old Mehta may not have coaxed the most pungent textual results from the Master Chorale; still, the well-drilled, neatly balanced vocal ensemble did achieve a controlled, mellow, awesome loudness at climaxes, and a beautifully gauged pianissimo where required. One wished only for more understandable enunciation of the Italian words, more pointed, buoyant consonants dotting that immense sea of vowels.

Nevertheless, the remembered, handsome, non-strident, blooming tone-quality of this Chorale seems to have been reinstated, after a hiatus.

The orchestra also contributed strongly, though in a few rusty moments--as at the opening of the Offertorium--one was reminded that the ensemble does not perform this work frequently. Among other featured sections, the trumpets distinguished themselves stylishly.

Apparently not in her best voice, Mitchell still produced much beautiful tone through all the many vocal hurdles Verdi provided. Not all of it was achieved without effort, however, and the soprano’s wonted limpidity of sound seldom appeared; at all the test-places in the piece, one was disappointed. If Mitchell was indisposed, she did not share that information with any official Philharmonic source.

Florence Quivar, who has met the mezzo challenges of Verdi’s Requiem here many times, did so this time with even more plangency of tone, dramatic sweep and musical point than before. Her singing of this taxing role seemed fully involved and, consequently, completely realized.

Making his U.S. concert debut, the 33-year-old La Scola revealed a serviceable, pleasant tenor of apparently less than medium size, under nice, if not perfect control. Though Roberto Scandiuzzi reportedly sings bass roles in large centers, what we heard on Thursday night seemed more successful in baritonal heights than at the other end of the range. Nevertheless, the Italian singer showed admirable resonance and point, and colored his words effectively.