Posted by: ldonaldson
on Oct 13, 2011
Is it Opera??
More than a few of you have called to ask this about our Fall Benefit Concert featuring mezzo soprano Frederica von Stade.
So, is it opera?
Not according to Frederica. There will be operatic elements, but Frederica's repertoire will more closely resemble an intimate classical recital. "It will be My Life in Song," she said when we posed the question to her. "I will be singing excerpts from Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking, an aria from Werther, and a special song by John Musto titled, 'Litany,' which is based on Langston Hughes' poem 'Shadow of the Blues.' "
When asked why she chose to lend her talents in support of Bread & Roses, Frederica warmly responded by saying:
"People who are suffering, who are down and out, who are living in poverty, don't know that they are loved. Bread & Roses is about healing and helping them. We remind them that they are God's special creatures, even when the world tells them they're not."