Past Seasons

2006-2007 Season

In its sixth season, Florestan Recital Project delves into the world of German Romanticism, exploring a genre of song which has tempted and challenged performers and audiences for generations: the evening-length song cycle. We invite you to sit back and relish the romance, humor, and dark mystery of these dynamic works.

Alison D'Amato, Aaron Engebreth, Joe Dan Harper, Anne Kissel Harper — Artistic Directors  

Italienisches Liederbuch      Hugo Wolf

Full of passion, teasing, hilarity, and great beauty, these German translations of anonymous Italian love poems weave the lighthearted story of a tempestuous and fickle romance.

Jesse Clark, baritone, Martha Guth, soprano, Alison d'Amato, piano

November 3, 2006 at 8 p.m.
7:30 preconcert talk with Paul Sperry
Concert Room, The Boston Conservatory
8 The Fenway

ticket prices: FREE to The Boston Conservatory Community, General Admission $12, Students and Seniors $5

Winterreise      Franz Schubert

This haunting portrayal of one man's lost love and abandoned hope remains one of Schubert's most compelling compositions. Join us for an intimate and absorbing evening as we embark on this powerful winter journey.

Joe Dan Harper, tenor, Anne Kissel Harper, piano

January 19, 2007 at 8 p.m.
7:30 preconcert talk with Yonathan Malin
Concert Room, The Boston Conservatory
8 The Fenway

ticket prices: FREE to The Boston Conservatory Community, General Admission $12, Students and Seniors $5

repeat performance: Sunday, January 21 at 3:00 p.m.
Goethe Institut-Boston, 170 Beacon Street, Boston
suggested donation $15

Collaborative partnership with Emmanuel Music

Romanzen aus die schöne Magelone      Johannes Brahms

Taken from Ludwig Tieck's romantic novella, The Love Story of the Beautiful Magelone and Count Peter of Provence, these songs chronicle the true love and dangerous adventures of the young dreamer Peter and the beautiful maiden Magelone. This evening will intersperse Brahms' glorious songs with readings from Tieck's narrative in a new English translation created for Florestan by Philip Naegele.

James Maddalena, baritone, Judith Gordon, piano
Philipp Naegele, narrator

Friday, March 2, 2007 at 8 p.m.
7:30 preconcert talk with Emmanuel Music Artistic Director, Craig Smith
Emmanuel Church
15 Newbury Street, Boston

ticket prices: Patrons Preferred Seating $55, General Admission $30, Seniors $23, Students $10

World Premiere Song Cycle

The Creatures Choir      John McDonald

John McDonald's elegant evening length song cycle sets 26 poems by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, in magnificent translations from the French by Rumer Godden. From "The Gnat" to "The Snail" to "The Whale," McDonald's songs and interludes illuminate the "miniscule shy active life of country creatures."

Jessica Bowers, mezzo soprano, John McDonald, piano

April 13, 2007 at 8 p.m.
7:30 preconcert talk with the composer, John McDonald
Concert Room, The Boston Conservatory
8 The Fenway

ticket prices: FREE to The Boston Conservatory Community, General Admission $12, Students and Seniors $5

Presented in conjunction with the New Gallery Concert Series
World Premiere Song Cycle

Lullaby-Alleluia      Elena Ruehr

In conjunction with the New Gallery Concert Series of Boston, we present the world-premiere of a Florestan commission by American composer Elena Ruehr. This innovative song cycle weaves texts from the Latin Catholic Mass together into a children's lullaby celebrating the joys and trials of parenthood. With the use of a digital phrase sampler, two voices develop into fourteen voices in the climax of this daring and personal cycle.

Aaron Engebreth, baritone, Amanda Forsythe, soprano, Linda Osborn-Blaschke, piano

April 26, 2007 at 7 p.m.
The Community Music Center of Boston
34 Warren Avenue, Boston, MA

ticket prices: $10 adults, $5 students, seniors and children (Free for members of the CMCB community)