Washington Post---Cathedral Choral Society

Joe Banno

No one familiar with Dominick Argento's neo-romantic operas would have been surprised by the warmth and melodic accessibility of his latest liturgical composition, "Evensong: Of Love and Angels," given its world premiere by the Cathedral Choral Society on Sunday. Indeed, the work's centerpiece, "Sermon" -- set to a moving text by the composer himself, and sung with gleaming tone and expressive urgency by soprano Elizabeth Futral -- is an aria that could fit comfortably into a half-dozen of Argento's stage works. What catches the ear most in "Evensong" is the way the octogenarian composer marries his accustomed American brand of lyricism with the British choral tradition, bringing Britten and Vaughan Williams occasionally to mind, and incorporating that fixture of Anglican church services, a boy soprano (Nelson James LePard Reed notably pure-voiced and eloquent here), significantly into the score. J. Reilly Lewis conducted a beautifully prepared, richly communicative performance, and -- following an uncharacteristically murky, soft-centered reading of Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, K. 339, earlier in the program -- the chorus and orchestra were in superb form. If "Evensong" is consistently elegiac in tone, the composer's facility with orchestral color only fleetingly given free rein, that's understandable: The piece was written not only to commemorate Washington National Cathedral's 100th anniversary, but also in memory of Argento's wife, Carolyn, who succumbed to a prolonged illness in 2006. It's hard to imagine a lovelier or more heartfelt memorial.

Long Beach Opera stages "Orpheus" at the pool

Timothy Mangan

...Soprano Elizabeth Futral (Euridice) appeared in a canary yellow sun dress at the life guard station, singing "Orpheus played his pipe/ music, like a cool blue stripe" (the text is by the composer). Body doubles for Orpheus and Euridice wandered around the pool, made eyes, swam, lolled in the boat. Supernumeraries pushed the boat around. A decorated doorway stood across the pond representing the lover's abode, where they drank coffee and entertained friends. Slides of Futral and Palmer on the beach were projected on the far wall, along with supertitles. It was all very artsy. When Euridice died she (the double) was wrapped up in chiffon by hospital staff and then dumped into a watery grave. Futral, in the boat, lit candles and set them afloat, and fog emerged from beneath the bleachers, covering the pool. Lighting designer Dan Weingarten used hand held spots and colored lighting effectively. Gordon, whose "The Grapes of Wrath" will be staged by Opera Pacific next season, is sometimes credited with bridging the operatic and Broadway styles. His style here is tonal and lyrical – widely arching song, mellifluous clarinet and peppery strings and piano. His added-note harmonies can cloy after a time, and he seems to have almost a melodic tic of preparing a vocal leap with a few low notes and then soaring on high. Though moments of "Orpheus and Euridice" are touched by rage and rhythmic energy, it is overall an elegiac and pastoral work, more a remembrance of the myth than an enactment. It proved a cerebrally interesting, and gently stirring, evening of theater. Futral, a star these days, etched her arching lines with unswerving grace and ease, in golden tones and ample breadth. Palmer proved indefatigable and tripped, gamboled, prayed and keened with abandon. The Denali String Quartet, joined by bassist Nick Recuber and pianist Michelle Schumann supported (without a conductor) on a dime...

Transplanted "Elixir" still works its magic

Andrew Druckenbrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Futral's Adina was flighty and feisty, supported by tremendous acting and solid technique. She crafted a natural and believable demeanor, with quick facial expressions, shifts of vocal timbre and mastery of coloratura.

Chicago Lyric opens its 53rd season

F.N. D'Alessio

Chicago Lyric Opens Its 53rd Season By F.N. D'Alessio Associated Press October 1, 2007 CHICAGO (AP) —

Besides firing a well-known soprano and averting a last-minute strike threat, Lyric Opera of Chicago has managed to get its 53rd season off to a promising start with a revival of Verdi's "La Traviata." It proved a personal triumph for soprano Elizabeth Futral, who used her vocal and acting skills to shine some new light into that most familiar of melodic tragedies.

The role of the doomed Violetta Valery demands both the power of a dramatic soprano and — especially in Act I — the agility of a coloratura. Those two qualities don't often reside in the same singer.

But Futral proved she had both. She even made it look easy.

Unlike the typical dramatic soprano who may have to stretch to handle Act I's "Sempre libera," Futral is a natural coloratura who is only now coming down into dramatic roles. She handled that killer aria confidently, and only moments after she had sung the affecting "Ah! fors'e lui" at full power while reclining on a divan.

The North Carolina-born and Louisiana-reared Futral is a graduate of Lyric's Ryan Opera Center, where strong emphasis is placed on acting, and her dramatic ability was on display on opening night. Undoubtedly helped by the fact that she is young enough, beautiful enough and slender enough to look the part of Violetta, Futral created a believable illusion of the dying consumptive courtesan — right down to the sudden bursts of febrile energy typical of TB.

Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja as Violetta's lover Alfredo Germont was vocally effective in a role he has previously sung in Vienna and Los Angeles. Heard here in his Lyric debut, his voice seemed a bit muted at moments early in Act I, but he soon warmed up.

Calleja is not Futral's equal dramatically, but he is a large man, and his size, combined with his aura of robust health, enhanced the illusion of frailty she created. And Calleja was very effective in his rivalry and angry confrontations with Baron Douphol (American baritone Philip Kraus).

The third member in the central tragedy, the elder Germont, was sung by American baritone Mark Delavan, who brought imposing physical presence and was a believable father for Calleja.

The autumn performances of "Traviata" are the last operas at Lyric under the baton of Artistic Director emeritus Bruno Bartoletti, who is returning to his native Florence. Bartoletti has been conducting at Lyric since 1956 and began a 24-year tenure as sole artistic director in 1964.

A Majestic Imperial Chinese Saga Has Its Premiere at the Met

By ANTHONY TOMMASINI (The New York TImes) - December 23, 2006

The agile coloratura soprano Elizabeth Futral made a kittenish and sensual Princess Yueyang.

A Study in Volatile Mixes, Ancient and More Recent

By BERNARD HOLLAND (The New York Times) - September 15, 2006

Elizabeth Futral takes the title role, using her svelte, athletic soprano to good purpose.

A Young Soprano Revisits a Role With an Imposing Legacy

By ANTHONY TOMMASINI (The New York Times) - October 29, 2005

The lovely Ms. Futral returned as Lucia on Thursday night when the Met brought back this production.. Vocally she was in top form.

Let no one underestimate Ms. Futral's achievement in singing the role with such command, vigor and accuracy. In a bright, focused and sizable voice, she spins out streams of florid coloratura roulades and makes embellishments seem natural elaborations of long melodic lines... midrange soft singing was melting.