Verdi:  Sul fil d’un soffio etesio

Verdi: Sul fil d’un soffio etesio

This famous aria from Verdi’s Falstaff encapsulates everything about spring: Breezes, flowers, Fairies, love and dancing in the moonlight. I am also a huge fan of Lisette Oropesa’s voice—this aria is worth listening to for her breath control alone. Thank you for...
Francis Poulenc:  L’une d’avril

Francis Poulenc: L’une d’avril

L’une d’avril (April Moon) is the very last song French composer, Francis Poulenc, ever wrote from his song cycle, La courte paille (The Short Straw). The song voices the concern of parents for the violence of the modern world. He composed the work in 1960 during the...
Richard Strauss:  Frülingsstimmen

Richard Strauss: Frülingsstimmen

What would a Spring themed Song of the Day be without Frülingsstimmen (Voices of Spring)? In my mind, Strauss’ zippy waltz conjures a rainy NYC day during morning rush hour when the sidewalks are congested with oversized umbrellas and your goal is to maneuver past...
Queen:  I Want To Break Free

Queen: I Want To Break Free

Maybe because I am a Sagittarius and have an incessant yearning to escape life, avoid 9-5 jobs, and live my best creative life by doing my own thing that I picked Queen’s 1984 hit, “I want to break free”. I have a very distinct memory of me in high school, blaring...