Memorial Concert for Regina Opera’s Maestro José Alejando “Alex” Guzmán, by Nino Pantano

On the afternoon of Sunday, November 21st at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy of Brooklyn, in Sunset Park Brooklyn, a special memorial tribute to famed conductor José Alejando “Alex” Guzmán (1946-2021) was presented to his longtime fans at the Regina Opera. Selections from Mozart’s Le Nozze Di Figaro and Don Giovanni; Beethoven’s Fidelio, Verdi’s Otello, Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, and Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana were conducted by Maestros Gregory Ortega and Scott Jackson Wiley.

Maestro José Alejando “Alex” Guzmán’s illustrious career spanned over 50 years in the operatic and symphonic repertoires with many orchestras and opera companies. In the program notes, it mentions the highlights of Maestro “Alex’s” career. He conducted the Regina Opera for 35 years and served on its board. He was the music director of the Centre Symphony Orchestra, the Staten Island Philharmonic, the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, the Bronx Symphony Orchestra, the Rockaway Five Towns Symphony Orchestra, and the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra. He was also in much demand as a guest conductor of numerous groups in the tri-state area.

At the Memorial Concert, Maestro Gregory Ortega led the Regina Orchestra and singers in a masterful sampling of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. The lively overture was spirited and full of hi-jinx. Maestro Ortega was an excellent Mozart conductor and it was so nice to break the long fast from the feast of live music at long last. Baritone Robert Garner was superlative as the Count. Christina Rohm was a sparkling Countess. Sarah Moulton Faux’s pure and powerful voice, as Susanna, caressed the ear. Baritone Scott Lefurgy was a droll and comical rich-voiced Figaro. Brian Ballard portrayed Antonio the Gardner, who was perplexed as to who jumped into the Count’s flowerbed. Marcellina was sung by marvelous mezzo-soprano Galina Ivannikova, Basilio was sung by Adam Inyong Goldstein. Gennadiy Vysotskiy, as Bartolo, rounded out the zesty ensemble.

Next came Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio. The overture was conducted by Maestro Scott Jackson Wiley with the verve and spirit of the great composer. The overture set the mood with its big-sounding spirit and the Act One quartet was luminous. Leonore, whose husband, Florestan, has been unjustly imprisoned, poses as a boy to fool the powers that be and save her husband. Marzelline was in the hands of soprano Hayley Kobilinsky. I first heard Ms. Kobelinsky years ago when she was a child and I was overwhelmed with the beauty and quantity of her voice. She still sings with a fullness of tone with an angelic hue and a haunting quality, and I can still hear her uniquely beautiful sound. The Act One quartet “Mir ist so wonderbar?” with Hayley Kobilinsky, Lenore Megan Nielson, Joshua LeRose, and Steven Fredericks as Rocco was a beautiful blend of melodic passion.

The Act Two duet from Beethoven’s Fidelio, “O namenlose Freude!” was sung by Megan Nielson as a fiery Lenore and Peter Hakjoon Kim as Florestan, a fine growing tenor who is quite stentorian. Mr. Kim was a very strong and impressive Scarpia in the past. Peter Hakjoon Kim and Dilara Unsal as Desdemona sang the love duet from Otello by Verdi. Their voices blended lovingly and their final notes were pure heaven. The great Wagnerian tenor Lauritz Melchior sang as a baritone for six years before becoming the greatest Wagnerian tenor in the world and later on in Hollywood films.

The program continued with Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. The Act Two duet “Tu, tu amore? Tu” was magically sung by soprano Dilara Unsal and Sicilian tenor Christopher Trapani, who I recall singing a splendid Manrico in Il Trovatore at the Regina Opera in 2019.

The program closed with Pietro Mascagni’s “Intermezzo” from Cavalleria Rusticana. We were all thrilled by this touching and heartfelt tribute to Maestro Alex Guzmán. Wayne Olsen drew the magnificent drawing of Maestro Guzmán on the program cover.

When Judy and I entered the Hall at Our Lady Perpetual Help (OLPH) a masked woman said, “Hello, Nino.” It was Maestra Eve Queler from Opera Orchestra of New York, a world-famous conductor and her assistant and friend from Bensonhurst, Deborah Surdi. There was a large crowd but we found Francine Garber-Cohen, President and Maestro Guzman’s beloved wife Linda Cantoni. Maestro “Alex” was beloved by colleagues and audiences alike and will be sorely missed. We shall never forget Maestro José Alejandro “Alex” Guzmán whose baton sent us all heaven-bound.

Galina Ivannikova, Dilara Unsal, Maestro Gregory Ortega, Sarah Moulton Faux, Steven Fredericks, Hayley Kobilinsky, Hyong Sik Jo, Peter Hakjoon Kim , Photo by Steven Pisano