In spite of the competition, the crowd in the Spanos theater was a respectable size. As Jackie said at the end, it was mostly a "captive audience": their students "were required to come". Of course they aren't actually forced, but it's always good for the grade. And because there are large numbers of students at faculty recitals and at concerts of student groups, it had the Cal Poly flavor. Whistles, shouts, enthusiastic applause, standing ovation. I love that.
The enthusiasm was warranted, though. Jackie Kreitzer is one hell of a singer, and Susan Davies knows little competition in accompaniment - not to mention solo piano. The pieces were varied, beautiful, and well-presented. A familiar figure on the world music scene, Jackie is comfortable and poised on the stage, and she took the time to say a few words about each of the pieces, illuminating them for us and sharing with us her warm personality. Of course my favorite was the Alexander Nevsky aria. It was the aria I remember most from that piece, and was accompanied perfectly by scenes from the film. Extraordinary. I felt enveloped in its beauty and sadness, its sad beauty, which I have loved since the first day I heard it. Oh Prokofiev...what can I say...
