Angle

Issue date: 9/26/05 Section: Arts and Entertainment

Ms. Cancel with Dr. Craig Ralston [Click to enlarge]

Cancel (l) with Rachael Rigby (c) and Kaitlyn Vacca (r) [Click to enlarge]

Carmen Elisa Cancel performed an enchanting recital program, entitled "Seasons of Life," to a packed audience at Clearwater Christian College on Tuesday, September 13. An accomplished soprano, Cancel showcased a vocal display of artistry, style, and emotion with a variety of songs from slow ballads to humorous escapades.

Cancel's opening song, "Sempre Libera" by Verdi, is from the opera "La Traviata." With Dr. Richard Nichols directing the CCC orchestra, Ms. Cancel delivered a powerful rendition. Then followed "Summertime," a ballad from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess."

Ms. Cancel charmed the CCC audience with a duet medley from Lerner and Leowe's, "My Fair Lady." Dr. Craig Ralston accompanied on the piano and also sang with Ms. Cancel. This beautiful arrangement included the favorite "I Could Have Danced All Night."

The first part of the program included three songs directed toward a "diva" lifestyle: Cancel explained that a "diva" was a woman singer, especially of grand opera, known stereotypically as one who loves, even demands the spotlight. The first of the three was "Art is Calling for Me," from "The Enchantress," written by Victor Herbert about an aspiring diva. "Without a Song," by Vincent Youmans, a ballad about the trials of a diva; and finally, a light-hearted rendition of Teschemacher and Di Capua's "O Sole Mio." Ms. Cancel was joined by sopranos Kaitlyn Vacca and Rachael Rigby, as they each comically fought for the spotlight in this diva triangle.

The second half of the evening was filled with an emotionally deep performance of Puccini's "Quando M'en Vo," from "La Boheme," and Jason Robert Brown's "Stars and the Moon," from "Songs for a New World." The latter, is a humorous song about a woman choosing among the loves of three suitors; the silent suitors were played by Bradley Shick, Luke Perrie and David Barfield. After settling for the man with money, rather than settling for true love, she finds her life unfulfilling and without happiness.

Cancel performed another humorous song, "I Remember It Well," from the musical "Gigi," also written by Lerner and Leowe. Another duet with Ralston, this piece recounts the initial meeting of an older couple, although each has a different recollection of how things happened.

The final song, a spiritual from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel," "You'll Never Walk Alone" gave the essence of the Christian life. No matter what happens in life, if you know Christ as your Savior, "You'll Never Walk Alone." This ended the evening on the perfect "note." No pun intended.

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