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Julia Bullock and Davone Tines, both 37, reinvent the old song recital for a new generation

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Julia Bullock and Davone Tines, both 37, reinvent the old song recital for a new generation

As a seasoned music critic who has attended countless recitals and operas over the years, I can confidently say that Julia Bullock and Davóne Tines are two voices that stand out among the crowd. Their recent performances at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills were nothing short of extraordinary.

The traditional Lieder recital, featuring a performer in formal wear standing beside a majestic piano, singing art songs in various tongues without amplification in a spacious concert hall that lacks an intimate atmosphere, clearly required modernization for quite some time. Regrettably, it’s almost vanished from American stages.

However, Julia Bullock and Davóne Tines made their appearances in town not long ago. They each presented a deeply personal and exposing repertoire that was both intensely intimate and theatrically innovative, courageously announcing the rejuvenation of this art form by a new generation.

In simpler terms, Bullock delved deeply into a little-known song series by Olivier Messiaen, which was an hour of both pain and joy filled with complexities related to the European Tristan legend, using text that included Quechua, a native South American language. On the other hand, Tines undertook a deep dive into the remarkable 20th-century figure who was both a singer, actor, and activist – Paul Robeson, from the African American community.

Bullock and Tines are two names that go together well due to shared factors such as age, training from Juilliard, early mentorship under Peter Sellars, and significant debuts during his tenure as music director at the 2016 Ojai Music Festival. On the cusp of turning 30, they exuded a palpable vitality that suggested they were poised to emerge as the prominent vocalists of their generation.

And thus, Sellars drew John Adams’ attention to these items, and they shared the stage in his 2018 opera, “Girls of the Golden West.” Their performance, recorded with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, was launched this year on Nonesuch. Bullock’s debut recital album, “Walking in the Dark,” released late in 2022 on Nonesuch, left the vocal world breathless with its intensity and earned a Grammy. Now, Tines has his first recital album on Nonesuch, titled “Robeson,” another Nonesuch masterpiece and a clear Grammy candidate.

Additionally, Bullock and Tines are part of the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC), a creative group of young talents from various disciplines redefining opera. AMOC’s production “Harawi,” directed by co-founder Zack Winokur, showcases dancers Or Schraiber and Bobbi Jene Smith, as well as pianist Conor Hanick. Although not under AMOC’s banner, the piece “Robeson” was conceptualized by Tines and Winokur, who commissioned it for their new summer festival on Manhattan’s Little Island in June.

Originally, Sandra Bullock was set to debut “Harawi” at the Ojai festival, where she had previously performed as a student in 2011. However, this premiere was canceled when Bullock contracted COVID-19. The performance has since been successful at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and is now scheduled to take place on October 1 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills (in conjunction with Ojai). Previously, it was also staged in Berkeley. In a post-performance panel discussion, Bullock expressed that she has been thinking about this performance for approximately 15 years.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve often pondered over the poignant backstory behind Messiaen’s hour-long cycle. After the tumultuous end of World War II, this French composer, having spent a year as a prisoner of war, returned to find his wife suffering from a mental breakdown and her health deteriorating. This heartrending personal experience significantly influenced his songwriting, as he penned his own lyrics for the compositions.

Following this, he found himself deeply enamored by a talented young pianist and developed an intense fascination with the Tristan legend, where love and death are intricately linked on an existential level. In “Harawi,” he started crafting a novel musical language. This new language was characterized by peculiar rhythm patterns, intensely passionate harmonies, and mysterious bird-like piano melodies, all of which reflected the enchantment of his youthful affection.

However, the performer transcends ordinary boundaries, moving from a familiar realm into a spiritual dimension while still retaining her former self. In essence, she metamorphoses into a new entity within the same existence.

Julia Bullock and Davone Tines, both 37, reinvent the old song recital for a new generation

Bullock embodied all the contradictions of that spirit of love and death, and Hanick, the reality. The dancers — the electric leaping of Schraiber and enveloping movements of Smith — seconded this on a stage that was bare but for a bench and striking lighting. As the dozen songs progressed, Bullock, who is a sensual dancer, absorbed grief and joy, each emotion ever more intense. Each word, whether French or Quechuan, seemed to hold double meaning, so full-bodied was her vocal production. She made “Harawi” into a beauteous yet dark landmark of singing.

For Tines, “Robeson” carries a significant personal touch. However, the arrangement of his 70-minute show, which kicked off the 85th season of the Monday Evening Concert at Colburn School’s Zipper Hall in downtown L.A. last month, felt somewhat unconventional. Instead of a traditional pre- or post-performance conversation, he paused between performing key songs associated with Robeson and engaged Hamza Walker, director of the nonprofit art space The Brick (previously known as LAXArt), in discussing the program’s themes.

The tagline for “Robeson” is actually “Exploring a Blend of Classic Americana, Electro-Gospel and Acid Trip.” Throughout his career, Tines, a singer who seems to hold the world in his hands like no other artist I’ve encountered today, has often been likened to Robeson, who was known for similar comparisons. However, Tines shared that instead of emulating Robeson, his goal has been to break free from the influence of the legendary singer.

Initially, Tines’ act was reminiscent of Robeson, blending “Some Enchanted Evening,” Othello’s concluding soliloquy, and African American spirituals. As he advanced, his performance grew both furious and exuberant. The climax came with “Lift Every Voice,” a powerful crescendo of emotion. “Let it Shine” was an exhilarating experience, akin to a psychedelic journey or perhaps the realization of enlightenment. Reaching that pinnacle, he then found the poise to deliver “Old Man River” as a solemn and inspiring finale, a concluding note of depth after the psychedelic trip.

For an acid trip experience, spiritual guides are essential. In Tines’ case, Khari Lucas, a versatile sound artist and jazz pianist, as well as John Bitoy, served this role. Together, they crafted a fresh sonic universe that represented a new flow of water, enabling Tines to soar beyond Paul Robeson’s influence while still preserving his essence.

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2024-10-09 22:31

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