Friday, December 05, 2008

More good news: tenor Lawrence Brownlee's program

Following yesterday's receipt of Murray Perahia's program details, I have the happy news today of what star tenor Lawrence Brownlee will sing for his Spivey Hall debut on Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 8:15 PM -- news made happier still in that the excellent Martin Katz, who performed at Spivey Hall twice last season with David Daniels and Christine Schaefer, will be Mr. Brownlee's pianist.

I
MOZART
Misero, o sogno o son desto?
Concert aria, K.431

II
DUPARC
Chanson triste
Extase
Le manoir de Rosemonde
Soupir
Phidylé

III
ROSSINI
Languir per una bella,
from L’italiana in Algeri

INTERMISSION

IV
LISZT
Three Sonnets by Petrarch
Pace non trovo
Benedetto sia ’l giorno
I’ vidi in terra angelici costumi

V
DONIZETTI
Ah, mes amis, quel jour de fête,
from La Fille du regiment

VI
JOHN CARTER
Cantata (1964)
Prelude
Rondo
Recitative
Air
Toccata

This promises to be a great recital. An elegant Mozart concert aria to open, with an interesting variety of songs. I love the Duparc and Liszt, and I'm eager to hear the Carter Cantata, which I understand combines elements of African-American spirituals and classical forms in an expressive modern style. PLUS...we'll hear two wonderful bel canto opera arias by Rossini and Donizetti, complete with vocal bravura, and not a few high notes! (Check out http://www.youtube.com/ or the New York Times on the web and you'll get the idea.) And perhaps some encores...?

Performing in the company of some very illustrious "big names," Lawrence Brownlee would seem to have taken pride of place at the most recent Richard Tucker Foundation Awards gala, in October. Vivien Schweizter wrote in The New York Times:

Artists supported by the foundation, created in 1975 to assist emerging singers with awards, grants and performance opportunities, include Lawrence Brownlee. This impressive tenor, the recipient of the 2006 Richard Tucker Award, is earning recognition for his prowess in bel canto roles. Here he sang "Languir per una bella" from Rossini's "Italiana in Algeri" with aplomb, easily navigating the coloratura hurdles with a warm, sweet timbre."

So, Atlanta will hear this same aria...in the glorious acoustics of Spivey Hall. Obligatory avviso: programs (but not, I hope, artists) subject to change.

Mr. Brownlee stays busy at major opera houses in Europe, and returns to the Met Opera in May for Rossini's La cenerentola. When not performing hither and yon, he calls Atlanta home, and I'm proud that Atlanta area music-lovers -- and all our loyal vocal recital fans who travel from afar, including Savannah, Florida, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Alabama -- will have a chance to hear him sing in January. In his free pre-concert talk at 7:15 PM, Clayton State University's Dr. Kurt-Alexander Zeller (himself a tenor) will give informative historical and musical insights into the program.

The day after Lawrence Brownlee and Martin Katz perform, Spivey Hall hosts the Southeast Regional Finals of the Metropolian Opera National Council Auditions, on Sunday, January 25 at 2:00 PM. This is traditonally one of the season's most popular and highly-anticipated events. It'll be an exciting weekend for singing.

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