Whitman in Song travels up the Hudson

Walt Whitman This evening we will be performing our Walt Whitman in Song program in a special presentation for The Rockefeller Brothers Fund at Pocantico, the estate of John D. Rockefeller and home of Kykuit. We will be adding a new song to the program, premiering tonight - Gilda Lyons's "Old Walt", an a cappella piece for trio commissioned by AOP.

Walt Whitman in Song at Pocantico Greg Trupiano, Walt Whitman Project, emcee Kelly Horsted, music director and keyboard Donna Smith, soprano Adrienne Danrich, soprano Matt Curran, bass

I C&V composers settings of Whitman texts: “the silvery round moon” - Ray Lustig; (Donna) “When lilacs last by the dooryard bloomed” - Jack Perla (Adrienne) Wallabout Martyrs - Gilda Lyons, (Adrienne) “O Me! O Life!” - Clint Borzoni (Matt) “Old Walt” (Langston Hughs text) Gilda Lyons (Trio)

II Other composers with texts about or related to Whitman themes: Aids Quilt song, deBlasio; Whitman text (Matt) Star Spangled Banner with unpublished words by Whitman (Donna) Hymn – “ My Days are Swiftly gliding by” Whitman weaves into “Speciman Days” (Donna)

III Other song texts with themes related to Whitman themes: “Lady of the Harbor” - Lee Hoiby (Adrienne) “Black Max,” Bill Bolcom (Matt) “Jewel Song” from Gounod’s FAUST (Adrienne) Duet from Mozart’s GIOVANNI (Adrienne and Matt)

AOP organizational news, Whitman in SongThe American Opera ProjectAdrienne Danrich, AOP premieres, Clint Borzoni, Donna Smith, Jack Perla, Kelly Horsted, Lee Hoiby, Matt Curran, Ray Lustig, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Walt Whitman, Walt Whitman Project, William BolcomComment