(from baritone Theo Hoffman. Theo participated as a 2014 Caramoor Vocal Rising Star in our annual residency at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, NY.) Today’s post is a throwback Thursday to our Caramoor concert in 2014, Ports of Call. This song was performed marvelously by Annie Rosen and Steven Blier. I […]
Read More(from baritone Theo Hoffman) Jeff Buckley is the king of the heartbreak ballad. Your breakup playlist isn’t complete without “Grace” or “Lover You Should Have Come Over,” not to mention his absolutely definitive cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” His voice is filled with longing and plangency. His unique vocalism is matched by a similar, tender […]
Read More(from baritone Theo Hoffman) St. Louis Blues – Ella Fitzgerald (originally W.C. Handy) I have some incredible memories with this particular rendition of “St. Louis Blues.” The first person who played this for me was my dear friend, collaborator, room mate, and factotum della città, Lachlan Glen. Ella embodies the perfect balance between incredible precision […]
Read MoreThis week’s Song of the Day posts come from Theo Hoffman. Theo is a young baritone who has appeared in several NYFOS Emerging Artist, NYFOS Next and gala programs over the past couple of years, and we’re sure we’ll hear a lot more from him in the years to come. Thanks, Theo! Familiarity – Punch […]
Read More(from Michael Barrett) The fourth installment of our week-long celebration of Lorraine Hunt Lieberson’s artistry continues with the Mahler Rueckert Lieder. Here is “Liebst du um Schoenheit”. It is the chestnut of the cycle; short, rich, soaring and perfect. Mahler really sets the same phrase four times. The text poses a supposition, followed by a […]
Read More(from Michael Barrett) Lorraine Hunt Lieberson was at the Moab Music Festival in 1997 for an auspicious event. The Grand County High School had just opened their brand new campus. Fortunately, their forward-thinking County Superintendent, Richard Averitt, had consulted with me about the “cafeteria/multi-purpose room they were intending to build. I was able to convince […]
Read More(from Michael Barrett) Lorraine Hunt first came to the Moab Music Festival in 1997. She was fresh off her triumph at the Santa Fe Opera where she had premiered Peter Lieberson’s “Ashoka’s Dream”. She had also, she confided to me, fallen in love with the composer. This was an exciting time for Lorraine. Her career was path was on a […]
Read MoreThe Song of the Day for the week of June 29th comes from NYFOS Associate Artistic Director Michael Barrett: As we roll into the summer Holiday weekend, I recall the many 4th of July performances I’ve conducted over the years. Gershwin, Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Tchaikovsky–great music from the usual suspects. But lately I’ve had a […]
Read Morefrom Steven Blier: To usher in the weekend, Cole Porter’s “Dream Dancing” played by one of my idols, piano legend Bill Evans. He’s partnering Tony Bennett, the Helden-tenor of popular song. There are very few piano-and-voice jazz albums without bass and drums, so it’s especially meaningful (and rare) for me to hear Bill Evans play […]
Read Morefrom Steven Blier: A minority report on the smash Broadway hit “An American in Paris,” which evoked mixed feelings when I saw last night. I was awash in pleasure and emotion for the first twenty-five minutes, literally sobbing to hear that luxurious Gershwin music and see the virtuoso dancing. But then the thread broke: there […]
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