Bringing professional prestige and cultured experience, Friday, Nov. 2, Dr. Joseph Wigget, Musical Director of Opera Workshop and currently a Professor in the Music Department at California State University, Stanislaus gave an emotional opera performance for the likes of musical enthusiasts of the Central Valley. 

Accompanying the singing juggernaut was established pianist Dr. Benjamin Boren who is currently the Coordinator of Keyboard Studies at California State University, Stanislaus.

The first half of the performance consisted of love tales sung only in Italian. The first set of ballads were composed by Henri Duparc. Songs like “Phydyle” and “Extase” translate into somber anecdotes of someone who has been waiting a lifetime and has yet to be reunited with the one they are eternally devoted to. The following Italian Opera pieces continued along the theme of melancholy heartbreak.

After  intermission, the direction of the performance took a shift with all of the remaining songs performed in English. One piece in particular was derived from the Langston Hughes poem, “Shadow of the Blues.” This piece depicted Hughes’ historically renowned themes of racial segregation and the impediment of civil rights.

A seasoned veteran of the Arts, Dr. Wigget elicited his theatrical mastery in his performances. During William Bolcom’s “Surprise” composition, Wigget unexpectedly threw confetti in the air bringing an element of surprise and comedy.  During Bolcom’s “Over the Piano” Dr. Wigget leaned over the piano and made nonverbal gestures to the pianist.  

The second to last piece in the recital, Dr Wigget and Dr. Boren collaborated to perform the “Buddy’s Blues” a paradoxical song describing an individual’s emotional rollercoaster. The bluesy tune had a hint of absurd humor but still remained entertaining for the audience.

In an ironic twist the duo ended the recital with an encore of an Italian rendition of “God Bless America” 

As a newcomer to opera performances I appreciated both the wealth of talent displayed and the use of theatrical antics. The duo kept the performance both professional yet entertaining. Those pursuing music at CSU Stanislaus certainly have an impressive staff at their fingertips. 

Dr. Joseph Wigget has been a member of the Julliard Opera Center, the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists and the Prague Mozart Academy. He has performed over three dozen operatic roles and brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the studio and the stage.

Dr. Benjamin Boren is described as a pianist with ‘an impressive blend of musicality and panache,” says Fanfare Magazine. His debut CD, “Benjamin Boren Plays Carl Vine,” was released in 2011 by Enharmonic Records receiving critical acclaim.
Tickets for upcoming performances like these are available at www.csustan.edu/soa.