Past Seasons

2004-2005

In 2004-2005 we continue our survey of the Complete Songs of Francis Poulenc.

All concerts are at the Boston Conservatory. General Admission $12, free to Boston Conservatory Community, students & seniors $5

Concert One: From the Sacred to the Profane, Sunday, October 24 at 4pm
Seully Hall at Boston Conservatory

Presenting Poulenc's fearless combination of wit and devout faith with the bawdy Chansons Gaillardes and the reflective La Fraicheur et le Feu.   Program also includes Barber's Hermit Songs and Robert Beaser's Seven Deadly Sins, celebrating the duality between the wretched and the righteous. Featured Artists: Jesse Clark, baritone; Alison D'Amato, piano; Shiela Kibbe, piano; Joe Dan Harper, tenor & Sarah Pelletier, soprano

Concert Two: The Beginnings of Surrealism, Sunday, January 16 at 4pm
Seully Hall at Boston Conservatory  

Poulenc's settings of the surrealist poet Paul Eluard are masterpieces of his ouevre. Eluard was influenced by the great American poet Walt Whitman, who has been a favorite poet for song composers across the nations. This program includes Poulenc's Tel Jour Tel Nuit, and other settings of Whitman and German surrealist poet Paul Celan, an admirer of Eluard's poetry. Featured Artists: Charles Blandy, tenor; Debra Rentz-Moore, mezzo-soprano; Linda Osborn-Blaschke, piano & Kayo Iwama, piano.  

Concert Three: Painting and Song, Sunday, May 8 at 4 pm
Seully Hall at Boston Conservatory

Friendships between composers, painters, and poets have inspired great works of art and innovation in our time. Our final program includes Poulenc's Le Travail du Peintre, Britten's Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, and Wolf's Michelangelo-Lieder, which brilliantly illustrate the cross-references between the arts. This concert also kicks off our own innovative alliance with the San Francisco Song Festival with the east coast premiere of their composers' competition winning new work. Featured Artists: Jesse Clark, baritone; Alison D'Amato, piano; Shiela Kibbe, piano; Joe Dan Harper, tenor & Sarah Pelletier, soprano

2004-2005 Artists: Aaron Engebreth, baritone; Alison D'Amato, piano; Joe Dan Harper, tenor; Anne Kissel Harper, piano; Jesse Clark, baritone; Sarah Pelletier, soprano; Shiela Kibbe, piano; Charles Blandy, tenor; Debra Rentz, mezzo-soprano; Linda Osborn-Blaschke, piano; Caprice Corona, soprano; Karl Paulnack, piano; Sumner Thompson, baritone; Lynne McMurtry, mezzo-soprano; Kayo Iwama, piano.