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Nicholas Phan at Mandel Hall

Nicholas Phan at Mandel Hall
By M.L. Rantala, Classical Music Critic
Hyde Park Herald
January 28, 2009

The Regents Park Discovery Concert, generously supported by Regents Park, is University of Chicago Presents' opportunity to showcase young, usually unknown musicians who show great promise. This year, as has happened so often since the annual concert was instituted, saw a marvelous performance from someone who deserves to be heard again.

Nicholas Phan is an American tenor of great interpretive skills and incredible likeability. While I found his opening piece, Handel's "Enjoy the sweet Elysian grove" a little mannered, his sensitive approach to the same composer's "Where'er you walk" had me hooked.
He nestled himself into a quartet of Fauré songs, "Le plus doux chemin" displaying admirable diction and offering subtle shades of color along with striking contrasts.

Phan expertly navigated Schumann's "Liederkreis," starting with his deceptively simple approach to "Mogens steh' ich auf und frage" ("Every morning I wake and ask"). He was supremely gentle in "leb wandelto unter den B5umen" ("I wandered among the trees"), positively ghostly in "Lieb Liebchen" ("Dear Sweetheart") and unapoloo,etica.Ily bold in "Mit Myten und Rosen" ("With myrtle and roses").

His sensitivity to text was particularly notable in Benjamin Britten's "Winter Words," set to the poetry of Thomas Hardy. "At dayclose in November" was well shaped and Phan captured the mystery of "Midnight on the Great Western." The broken phrasing of "The little old table" beautifully highlighted the creakiness of that fascinating piece of old furniture, and "The choirmaster's burial" was simply lovely.

Phan's direct and simple approach to Purcell songs was charming, closing the recital with a meltingly beautiful rendition of "Evening Hymn."

The encores were great, too. opening with a risky version of Nicely-Nicely's confessional "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" from "Guys and Dolls." He closed with an unfamiliar folksong. When early on he forgot the lyrics, he laughed at himself with aplomb and started again, making his way through it perfectly,

Phan was expertly accompanied by pianist Myra Huang. She offered clear articulation and helped to create just the right moods, from her rocking like a cradle in "Schöne Wiege meiner Leiden" ("Pretty cradle of my sorrows") to the train's clickety-clack in the Britten.

Adding to the great evening was the fine commentary before the recital given by professor Philip Gossett.

Nicholas Phan is a young talent worth watching. Those in the disappointingly sparse house last Friday know this wonderful secret.