Performances by IYDV tenor Issachah Savage at both the Merola Opera Program’s Schwabacher Summer Concert in July and the Grande Finale in August have drawn great critical acclaim. The faculty at the IYDV is thrilled for Issachah’s success and looks forward to his Houston Opera debut as Radames in their production of Aida alongside Dolora Zajick’s Amneris.
Dramatic tenor Issachah Savage proved a tremendous, heroic Lohengrin. The line of his gorgeous voice in “Mein lieber Schwann” was seamless, the energy unflagging. Having previously thrilled the loyal Merola audience with his Otello in the Schwabacher Summer Concert, it is easy to imagine Savage, who also has a delightful comic sensibility, following in the footsteps of Domingo and Botha
Tenor Issachah Savage made a thrilling Lohengrin, bringing grace and ardor to “Mein lieber Schwann” from Wagner’s opera
Issachah Savage brought the house down with his personal best for all his impressive appearances this summer: “Mein lieber Schwann” from “Lohengrin” was heldentenor par excellence – trumpetlike, clear, open-throated, powerful.
For the other shoe to drop, the audience had to wait all the way until the end of the evening, when tenor Issachah Savage gave a phenomenal glimpse of his abilities as Otello in the final scene from Verdi’s opera. Merola is supposed to be a training program, yet here was a vocal showing as sure-footed and commanding as anything you might encounter on a professional stage.From his opening notes – impeccably shaded and coiled with repressed fury – to the opera’s final explosion of grief and shame, Savage sang with a combination of power and finesse that is rare to observe. The only disappointment was that we didn’t get to hear more from him – though that will surely be corrected soon.