Florestan Recital Project: Championing the Art of the Song Recital

Past Seasons & Programs

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.

Hugo Wolf's Italienisches Liederbuch
Friday, November 3, 2006 at 8 p.m.
7:30 p.m. pre-concert talk with Paul Sperry
Concert Room, The Boston Conservatory (8 The Fenway)
(view program)

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. Featuring artists Jesse Clark, baritone; Martha Guth, soprano; Alison d'Amato, piano.

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

Franz Schubert's Winterreise
Friday, January 19, 2007 at 8 p.m.
7:30 preconcert talk with Yonathan Malin
Concert Room, The Boston Conservatory (8 The Fenway)
(view program)

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

Tickets: 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

In collaboration with Emmanuel Music
Johannes Brahms' Romanzen aus die schöne Magelone
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)
(view program)

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. Featuring artists James Maddalena, baritone; Judith Gordon, piano; and Philipp Naegele, narrator.

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

World Premiere Song Cycle
John McDonald's The Creatures Choir
Tuesday, April 13, 2007 at 8 p.m.
7:30 preconcert talk with the composer, John McDonald
Concert Room, The Boston Conservatory (8 The Fenway)
(view program)

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." Featuring artists Jessica Bowers, mezzo soprano and John McDonald, piano.

Tickets: 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
Elena Ruehr's Lullaby-Alleluia
Monday, April 26, 2007 at 7 p.m.
The Community Music Center of Boston (34 Warren Avenue, Boston, MA)
(view program)

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.
Featuring artists Aaron Engebreth, baritone; Amanda Forsythe, soprano; Linda Osborn-Blaschke, piano.

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

Season Extras

Evidence of Things Not Seen
Wednesday, November 1
College Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati
(view program)

Interview at Dickinson College for position of Musical Artists in Residence
(position won, 2007-2010)
Tuesday, April 10
Rubendall Recital Hall at Dickinson College
(view program)

Florestan Recital Project presents a Guest Faculty recital at Songfest
New American Voices
Saturday, June 30
Raitt Hall at Pepperdine University Malibu, CA
(view program)