By Lyn Bronson

Sand City Opera Company! Does that surprise you? Well, It surprised me. Most of us think of Sand City as a venue for large volume discount stores like Costco, Borders and Target, or else for warehouses and auto body shops. If I had received an invitation to the opening of the “Sand City Lawn and Cricket Club,” I couldn’t have been more astonished.

Perhaps we are witnessing the beginning of a mini Renaissance in Sand City. In addition to a pub called the “West End” that was full of patrons on a Saturday night and exuded from the outside a cozy charm, there are several art galleries in warehouse spaces, of which I was completely unaware. Although still a long way from becoming like New York’s Greenwich Village in the 1920s (before it became gentrified), perhaps this is the future direction in which Sand City is going.

Suzka and her “Suzkaworld”

About 60 people showed up on Saturday night at the Suzka Studio and Gallery at 751 Dias Street in Sand City to hear a presentation of songs and arias sung by Alfred Harris and James Grainger, with music provided very ably by pianist Lucy Faridany. Artist Suzka, who like Liberace and Paderewski, goes by one name only, greeted the audience and welcomed us to her colorful studio gallery, which, incidentally, was every bit as interesting as the music presented during the evening. Was she dressed as an arty Bohemian in a paint-spattered smock holding a palette and brush in her left hand? Not at all! She was elegantly turned out and could just as easily have been taken for a hostess greeting you at the front door of her Pebble Beach home. Entering the Suzka Gallery-Studio, our nostrils were not assaulted by the odor of turpentine and linseed oil, but rather caressed by the aroma of coffee to be served after the event with biscotti and pastries.

I remain puzzled by the name, “Sand City Opera Company,” which implies an established company of singers with a repertoire of several productions presented each season. Additionally, opera companies, especially in the more remote regions of the USA, tend to rely on and encourage a steady infusion of younger singers looking for opportunities to gain experience singing a variety of roles.

Despite its name, “Sand City Opera Company,” there was no evidence of an opera company presenting either a complete opera, or selected scenes from operas, and there were no young singers adding an air of freshness to the occasion. What we really witnessed on this occasion was a vocal recital by tenor Alfred Harris and bass James Grainger — both of whom are quite senior in age with voices not exactly in their prime.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of their concert was that this concert, as an event sponsored and promoted by the “Sand City Opera Company,” presented a program that contained hardly any opera — eleven out of fourteen songs we heard performed were romantic songs, not opera arias, and six of these eleven songs were by Francesco Tosti.

James Grainger

Bass James Grainger made a strong impression during the evening singing Aleko’s cavatina, from Rachmaninoff’’s sole opera Aleko. This is an aria we rarely hear, and it received a big romantic presentation on this occasion. Pianist Lucy Faridany had an important role in this aria and played it magnificently.

Barbara Smythe

A surprise guest artist, Barbara Smythe, the radio voice of local opera on Monday nights on KUSP, charmed us with a lively rendition of Victor Herbert’s “I Want to be a Prima Donna.” With so many songs in Italian, it was nice to hear something in English, especially since her diction was so beautifully clear.

Perhaps the most substantial and intriguing offering on the evening’s program was the opening aria from the Berlioz monodrama Lelio, L’onde fremit, l’onde s’agite, sung by Al Harris and narrated by Philip Pierce in English. This was an effective presentation, and it was subtly enhanced by pianist Lucy Faridany’s colorful playing.

Al Harris

Tenor Al Harris gave us a fitting ending to the program with yet another song by Francesco Tosti, Chitarrata abruzzese. He graciously invited the audience to remain after the concert for the reception. He also promised more events to come.

End