At Vocal Arts, a Young Stand-In Whose Singing Sits Well

By Tim Page
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 28, 2004; Page C14

Jessica Jones is a promising young soprano, and her Sunday afternoon recital at the Terrace Theater had much to commend it.

Indeed, it was positively courageous of Jones to step in and open the 2004-05 Vocal Arts Society season …before what may be Washington's most discriminating audience, with a music professional in every other row.… Jones displayed a healthy, attractive voice (some full-throated fortes were especially winning), interpretive versatility and that precious intangible called charm.

Jones and her pianist, Michael Baitzer, offered a lusty, vigorous performance… Jones basically has the right type of voice for this music [Strauss songs] …I liked her best in "Morgen," which had a sense of fresh, tremulous ecstasy. What an unusual song this is, though -- the "big tune" is finished before the soprano opens her mouth, after which all is afterglow.

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Vocalise-Étude

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)
Zaide, Op. 19, No.1

Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
La dame de Monte-Carlo

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

6 Sånger, Opus 88
Blåsippan
De bägge rosorna
Hvitsippan
Sippan
Törnet
Blommans öde

Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Despite and Still, Op. 41
A Last Song
My Lizard
In the Wilderness
Solitary Hotel
Despite and Still

Richard Strauss (1846-1949)

Waldseligkeit, Op. 49, No. 1
Das Rosenband, Op. 36, No. 1
Schlechtes Wetter, Op.69, No. 5
Morgen, Op. 27, No. 4