latest posts
Danny Boy, sung by John Brancy
Steve Blier introduced me to the 19 yr. old John Brancy ( a Juilliard underclassman) about a decade ago. Since then, we’ve helped, and watched “Brancy” (he’s become a one-name star) go from success to success. Most recently, he won a number of prizes in the biggest competition I know of—in Montreal, including the 1st place art song award. I’m amazed, with all the focus on opera, that such a thing even exists.
Dave Frishberg: My Attorney Bernie
Yesterday, I was going on about Dave Frishberg, and mentioned “My Attorney Bernie”. I don’t expect anyone actually looked it up, so I’ll make it easy for y’all. Here’s Dave performing that song on the Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was the host.
Dave Frishberg: I Want To Be A Sideman
Dave Frishberg. Urbane, pianist extraordinaire, a real lyricist, and a musician who gets us other musical cats. Here is “I Want To Be A Sideman”. At NYFOS, we bring in sidemen all the time. Clarinetists, guitarists, percussionists, whatever the music calls for. And playing the piano for singers—well, sometimes you ARE the sideman.
Leonard Bernstein: What’s the Use?
Oh It’s Summer! And time for all of our many summer music festivals! I’m in Santa Fe where they are offering up Candide, Madama Butterfly, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Dr. Atomic, among other goodies. Their production of Candide is closer to Voltaire than the Americanized jokey versions I’ve seen in our country lately.
Monteverdi: Lamento della ninfa
What fun it’s been to host this week and ponder my favorite songs and performances! For my last day, I thought I’d look back to one of my earliest singer memories, one of the first pieces to leave a huge impression on me as a singer, and the first piece that got me hooked on early music. My big solo senior year of high school was Monteverdi’s Lamento della ninfa. There’s so much to love about this piece.
John Harbison: Mirabai Songs
What do you know, I’m finally featuring a non-mezzo! As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, pianist Alden Gatt and I decided to pair John Harbison’s Mirabai Songs with Schumann’s Frauenliebe und leben for our recent Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert. We liked the idea of providing a contrast with the very traditional woman’s role depicted in the Schumann, and we also wanted to feature the words of a woman poet herself (not just the words of a fictional female character).
Robert Schumann: Süsser Freund
I have to feature the work that loomed largest for me this year, Robert Schumann’s iconic Frauenliebe und leben. I finally learned it all and performed it after years of wanting to do so but never finding the time or the right venue to make myself just do it. The right time turned out to be my April recital for Carnegie Hall’s Neighborhood Concerts series which I performed with Alden Gatt, a wonderful pianist and friend of mine.
Joseph Canteloube: Baïlèro
I love that music can have the power to transport you to a place and put you right inside of a memory. There are certain pieces of music that I experienced in such a powerful way the first time I heard them that they bring back an incredibly strong emotional and visceral memory whenever I hear them again. “Baïlèro” from Chants d’Auvergne is one of those pieces.
G. F. Handel: As With Rosy Steps The Morn
With today’s selection I’d like to pay homage to two of my favorite things: a favorite composer and a favorite singer who combine in the most wonderful way on this track.
Carlos Guastavino: Abismo de sed
Today is the day—Song of the Day turns 3! Here’s a look back at our first week of songs from NYFOS’s artistic director Steven Blier. Have a listen to “Abismo de sed,” sung by Teresa Berganza with true cojones.
Gilbert & Sullivan: The Sun Whose Rays
As Song of the Day turns 3 this week, we look back at our first week of songs (beginning June 15, 2015) from NYFOS’s artistic director Steven Blier. Here is Valerie Masterson performing Yum-Yum’s Act II song from The Mikado. It’s a rare bit of footage, not the 1966 movie but an even better 1973 rendition for television.
Rodgers and Hammerstein: June is Bustin’ Out All Over
As Song of the Day turns 3 this week, we look back at our first week of songs from NYFOS’s artistic director Steven Blier. Today, in honor of summer, here’s the iconic Leslie Uggams singing “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” for live television on a day when there was a disaster with the cue-cards.
Schubert: Who is Silvia?
Song of the Day turns 3 this week! Here’s a look back at our first week of songs from NYFOS’s artistic director Steven Blier. Here’s the hit song from Two Gents, “Who Is Sylvia.”
Mozart: Queen of the Night’s Act II aria
Song of the Day turns 3 this week! Here’s a look back at our first week of songs (beginning June 15, 2015) from NYFOS’s artistic director Steven Blier: To kick the venture off with a bang, two renditions of the Queen of the Night’s rage aria (Act II, Mozart’s Magic Flute).
Madison Leonard
Madison Leonard, one of our most recent NYFOS@Caramoor Emerging Artists has had a big year! And now she answers our questions as Artist of the Month for May 2018.