Baritone Don Sheasley of Princeton will give a concert of romantic art songs written by Westfield resident Dennis Hyams at Princeton’s Unitarian Universalist Congregation Sunday.
By: Daniel Shearer
Opera often is an acquired taste. In fact, Princeton resident Don Sheasley hated opera for most of his life. He considered it "caterwauling" and would even walk out of a room if he heard it on a radio.
"I really couldn’t stand it," says Mr. Sheasley, who taught English at Piscataway High School until he retired in the early ’90s. His resonant speaking voice fills the room as he thoughtfully strokes his gray-flecked beard. "I’ve always sung, but in community situations, musical theater, church choir," he says. "Then, I started working with a fellow who was interested in opera, getting my voice shaped up.
"I got a little interested in opera and eventually got a chance to sing with some opera companies. I was close to 40 before I sang my first note of opera in public."
Broadening his experience in 1978, Mr. Sheasley auditioned for the Princeton University Opera Theater. He was hoping for a small role, but instead landed a baritone part as Sarastro, the father figure in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. More than five years later, he made his Lincoln Center debut with the group during a production of Beethoven’s Fidelio in Manhattan. He also won the New York Vocal Artists Competition in 1996.
On Halloween night this year, he’ll be in Manhattan performing the world premiere of an aria by composer Phil Springer at Merkin Hall, but before then, he’ll deliver at least one performance in his home town. With vocalist Juan Pineda, a recent performer in the musical Miss Saigon on Broadway, and his wife, Valerie Pineda, an international concert and recording artist, Mr. Sheasley will perform "Life Invited Me," a program of romantic art songs by Westfield resident Dennis Hyams. Accompanied by the composer on piano, they will be at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Princeton on May 7.
"Dennis and I have worked together for about 20 years," Mr. Sheasley says. "We were both involved with an opera company in Westfield, The New Jersey Lyric Opera. He was a rehearsal pianist for them when he first moved here from England.
"He is an internationally noted gerontologist, who just recently retired from Merck, the pharmaceutical company. Like many doctors and scientists, he has an interest in music and has an extensive background in composing and performing."
Last year, Mr. Sheasley recorded two of Mr. Hyams’ compositions, both musical settings of poems by English author Thomas Hardy, for his self-released CD, Warm as Autumn Light. Both songs, "The Voice" and "Two Lips," will be part of his upcoming concert.
"Hardy was a realist. Or, let’s say he romanticized pessimism," Mr. Sheasley says. "He was a bit of a dark fellow. But ‘Two Lips,’ it’s a short thing. It talks about the passion of love, and then unfortunately the young woman dies very young. She didn’t known she was going to be kissed through a shroud. Hardy is like that. There’s a darkness to him.
"Dennis’ melodies are lyrical, but the accompaniment has some suggestion of Benjamin Britten, perhaps — the early 20th century writers who were getting away from the more lyrical things. This isn’t that far out there. Dennis writes pleasant songs to sing, and of course, the accompaniment does support the melody."
The concert will also include songs based on poetry by Mary Webb, New Jersey poet Adele De Leeuw and the world premiere of a musical version of "Tract," a poem by Rutherford native and Pulitzer Prize winner William Carlos Williams.
"Williams was one who memorialized the common people," Mr. Sheasley says. "And he, too, was a doctor. Dennis composed this piece — it’s about nine minutes long — a number of years ago. We’ve done it in a private little concert, but this will be the first public performance of it. It’s instructions to a group of townspeople about how to memorialize someone. It’s got kind of a humorous slant to it.
"These poets — I don’t expect people to know much about some of these seemingly obscure people. Not everybody who’s gone through an English lit course would know them, because they’re often not taught. But Carlos Williams, in particular, was quite good."
Baritone Donald Sheasley and vocalists Juan Pineda and Valerie Pineda will perform Life Invited Me, a concert of music by New Jersey composer Dennis Hyams, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, just off Route 206 in Princeton, on May 7 at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $10. For information, call (609) 683-8822.