German Baritone Quasthoff Resonates in L.A. Debut

It was an unusual concert setup Friday night at Royce Hall: A high platform perhaps 4 feet off the stage floor topped with a chair and a music stand dominated the stage. It signified the appearance of an unusual soloist: German baritone Thomas Quasthoff, making his Los Angeles debut in the final concert of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra season, with a half-program of Bach and Mozart.

Quasthoff, born a thalidomide baby in 1959, sings lieder and oratorio performances around the world; his United States debut took place in Oregon in 1995. His vestigial arms and hands can be momentarily disconcerting when he first comes onstage, but his vocal equipment and artistic achievement make the visual unimportant. He sings beautifully, with a rich and intense voice capable of many colors.

Indeed, it would be less distracting if his performing podium were only 1 foot off the floor; that high platform tends to make him a spectacle rather than just a guest soloist. Nor did Quasthoff’s reception by his LACO colleagues reflect what should have been the dignity and formality of the occasion: an important debut by an accomplished artist. Conductor Jeffrey Kahane, concertmaster Margaret Batjer and the obbligato-solo players Allan Vogel (oboe) and Susan Ranney (double bass) all fawned over him rather patronizingly. All that kissing seemed excessive.

For his part, Quasthoff, a handsome and self-contained man who betrays no self-consciousness, took it all in stride. His bass is light for Bach’s “Ich habe genug” Cantata, yet he savors words and makes the musical experience resonant. In three Mozart arias, concluding with a most charming re-creation of Leporello’s “Madamina” aria from “Don Giovanni,” the singer displayed the breadth of his vocal resources and an abundant word-sensitivity. Conductor and orchestra accompanied him with a deep musical rapport. Quasthoff’s next appearance here should be a full-length recital.

Kahane closed the season with a compelling, quick run-through of Schubert’s “Great” C-major Symphony, indicating both the conductor’s sweeping authority and his control of detail. He might have sought a wider spectrum of dynamics through the slow movement and savored even more the byways of the Scherzo--which grew pushy--yet the total held the listener’s rapt interest.

This program was repeated Saturday night at the Alex Theatre in Glendale.