The Travelled Road
Ravello, 2021
8/10
The operatic composer Evan Mack holds an esteemed body of work, and here his progressive and bold vision is fleshed out thanks to John Arida’s skilled piano, Jameson Platte’s subtle cello and Megan Marino’s glowing mezzo-soprano.
“A Little More Perfect” starts the listen with Arida’s warm keys as Marino’s flawless, expressive pipes immediately draw us in to the mesmerizing storytelling, and “Three Reflections Of Sister Dorothy” unfolds across 3 movements of powerful, stirring song craft.
In the middle, the lengthy “Preach Sister, Preach” showcases various text quotes by well known names including Tiny Fey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Ann Landers, among many others, as the landscape gets bouncy, playful and even tense as the atmosphere changes with each minute.
Approaching the end, “The Secret Ocean” finds a dreamy place to reside with flowing keys and text by Mark Jarman, and “The Road And The End” exits the listen with Platte’s fluent cello leaving a strong impression on a very creative finish.
An extremely ambitious project that you’ll want to revisit again and again, Mack’s storytelling and strong attention to detail again proves just why he’s considered one of the most exciting minds in today’s opera scene.
Travels well with: Rosśa Crean- The Priestess Of Morphine; Carl Vollrath- Transit Voices