Lawrence Brownlee in Concert (NATS 2024)

LAWRENCE BROWNLEE IN CONCERT

JUNE 29, 2024 | 8 P.M.

TENNESSEE THEATRE

These past years have been a trial, both for humanity as a whole, and the African-American population here in the United States. But through all these many challenges we have faced, I have also seen moments of strength, inspiration, hope, and great beauty. It is those themes of uplift, elevation, and rebirth that we have tried to focus on with this new project Rising, taking poems from the giants of the Harlem Renaissance, and working with some of today’s most talented African-American composers, to create something that speaks not just to our struggles, but to our triumphs.

— Lawrence Brownlee

LAWRENCE BROWNLEE, tenor

KEVIN J. MILLER, piano ~ PROGRAM ~

ROBERT OWENS Desire

Dream

Juliet Man

From Desire, op. 13

JEREMIAH EVANS April Song

Lost Illusions

Southern Mansion

ROBERT OWENS In time of silver rain

Fulfillment

Night Song

Silence

Carolina Cabin

Songs

Sleep

From Silver Rain, op. 11

MARGARET BONDS Poeme d’Automne

Winter Moon

Young Love in Spring

Summer Storm

From Songs of the Seasons ~ PAUSE ~

JASMINE BARNES Peace Invocation

BRANDON SPENCER I Know My Soul

CARLOS SIMON Vocalise III

DAMIEN SNEED Beauty That Is Never Old The Gift to Sing

SHAWN E. OKPEBHOLO Romance

JOEL THOMPSON Supplication My People

Lawrence Brownlee is a leading figure in opera, both as a singer on the world’s top stages, and as a voice for activism and diversity in the industry. He has been hailed as “an international star in the bel canto operatic repertory” (The New York Times), “one of the world’s leading bel canto stars” (The Guardian), and “one of the most in-demand opera singers in the world today” (NPR).

Brownlee’s 2023–24 season included Opera Rara’s Donizetti Song Project, where he joined pianist Carlos Rizzi at Wigmore Hall for a recital and recording of Donizetti’s rarely-performed repertoire, in addition to a gala concert at the 2023 George Enescu International Festival and duo recital with Levy Sekgapane at Grand Théâtre Genève. Brownlee also traveled to Wiener Staatsoper to perform as Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia ahead of his role as Tonio in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s La Fille Du Regiment. In December, Brownlee joined the Wiener Konzerthaus for their 2023 Christmas in Vienna Gala before reuniting with Michael Spyres for the Game of Tenors concert in Bratislava. Brownlee began 2024 with recital engagements at the Dallas Opera and the La Jolla Music Society, before bringing his acclaimed Rising program to San Francisco Performances in February 2024 and the Concertgebouw in June 2024. Brownlee also returned to Teatro alla Scala as Ernesto in Don Pasquale before ending his season as Don Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola at the Bayerische Staatsoper.

Lawrence Brownlee and Kevin Miller appear by arrangement with IMG Artists.

7 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 imgartists.com

American pianist and collaborator Kevin J. Miller is acclaimed for his dynamically artful performances. Recent collaborations include recitals with international tenor Lawrence Brownlee at Carnegie Hall and Houston Grand Opera, countertenor John Holiday at the Kennedy Center and The Barbican in London, Joseph Calleja and Nadine Sierra at the Supreme Court of the United States, as well as an appearance with Calleja on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. Miller prepared soprano Jessye Norman for performances of Laura Karpman’s production of Ask Your Mama, which was performed at Carnegie Hall. He also collaborated with the acclaimed countertenor, David Daniels, in a recital at the Glimmerglass Festival. He can be heard on piano on the recording “Been in da Storm So Long,” which features baritone Kenneth Overton. This New York native has been on the fast track to success since his days as a student at the Boys Choir of Harlem. Beginning his musical studies at the age of eight, Miller was a featured soprano soloist— most notably in Vivaldi’s Gloria and Lake George Opera Association’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream While a student at the Boys Choir of Harlem, he studied piano with the late conductor and pianist Warren Wilson. It was also during these years that Miller began his work as an accompanist, having accompanied the choir on its tours of Europe, Israel, Austria, and Japan. Miller studied at the Mannes College of Music, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in piano. He continued his studies at the University of Michigan School of Music where he received both a Master of Music degree and the artist diploma in collaborative piano under the tutelage of Martin Katz. In addition to his formal studies, Miller has been a participant in some of the country’s most prestigious festivals and young artist apprenticeships that include The Tanglewood Institute of Music, Aspen Summer Music Festival, The Cleveland Art Song Festival, San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program, Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program and the Glimmerglass Festival. Upon completion of his apprenticeship at Glimmerglass, he was invited to serve as a vocal coach at the Glimmerglass Festival.

A special thank you to the Tennessee Theatre for hosting tonight’s concert.

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

~ GRAND ~

~ GOLD ~

~ ADDITIONAL ~

About the National Association of Teachers of Singing

Founded in 1944, National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) is the largest professional association of teachers of singing in the world with more than 7,000 members in North America and more than 35 countries across the world. Whether working in independent studios, community schools, elementary and secondary schools, higher education, or in the medical field, NATS members represent the diversity of today’s music landscape, teaching in all vocal styles. Learn more at NATS.org

Find NATS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @OfficialNATS

#OfficialNATS H #NATSKnoxville2024 H NATS.org H #NATSinKnox

PROGRAM TEXTS

ROBERT OWENS

Desire

Desire to us was like a double death, desire to us was like a double death, Swift dying of our mingled breath, evaporation of an unknown strange perfume between us quickly in a naked room.

Dream

Last night I dreamt this most strange dream an everywhere I saw— What did not seem could ever be: you were not there with me!

Awake, I turned and touched you asleep, face to the wall. I said how dreams can lie! But you were not there at all!

Juliet

There are wonder and pain and terror, and sick and silly songs of sorrow, And the marrow of the bone of life smeared across her mouth.

The road from Verona to Mantova is dusty with the drought.

Man

I was a boy then I did not understand I thought that friendship lay in the grip of hand to hand I thought that love must be her body close to mine I thought that drunkenness was real in wine.

But I was a boy then, I didn’t understand the things a young lad learns so soon, when he’s a man, a man, a man.

JEREMIAH EVANS

April Song

Let the rain kiss you

Let the rain beat up on your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep song on our rooftop at night

And I love the rain

Lost Illusions

Oh, for the veils of my far away youth, Shielding my heart from the blaze of the truth,

Why did I stray from their shelter and grow Into the sadness that follows— to know!

Impotent atom with desolate gaze,

Threading the tumult of hazardour ways— Oh for the veils, for the veils of my youth, Veils that hung low o’er the blaze of the truth!

Southern Mansion

Poplars are standing there still as death

And ghosts of dead men

Meet their ladies walking two by two beneath the shade

And standing on the marble steps.

There is a sound of music echoing

Through the open door

And in the fields there is another sound tinkling in the cotton:

Chains of bondmen dragging the ground.

The years go by with an iron clank,

A hand is on the gate,

A dry leaf trembles on the wall, Ghosts are walking.

They have broken roses down And poplars stand there still as death.

ROBERT OWENS

In time of silver rain

In time of silver rain the earth puts forth new life again; Green grasses grow and flowers lift their heads, and overall the plains the wonder spreads of life, of life, of life.

In time of silver rain,

The butterflies lift silk on wings to catch a rainbow cry; And trees put forth new leaves to sing in joy beneath the sky.

As down the roadway passing boys and girls go singing too,

in time of silver rain when spring and life are new.

Fulfillment

The earth meaning like the sky meaning was fulfilled. We got up and went to the river, touched silver water, laughed and bathed in the sunshine

Day became a bright ball of light for us to play with sunset a yellow curtain, night a velvet screen, the moon, like an old grandmother blessed us with a kiss and sleep took us both in laughing, laughing, laughing.

Night Song

In the dark before tall moon came, little short dusk was walking along. In the dark before the tall moon came, little short dusk was singing a song. In the dark before the tall moon came, a lady named day fainted away in the dark.

Silence

I catch the pattern of your silence before you speak. I do not need to hear a word. In your silence ev’ry tone I seek is heard.

Carolina Cabin

Hmm hmm hmm hmm

There’s hanging moss and holly and tall, straight pine about this little cabin in the wood.

Inside a crackling fire, warm red wine, and youth and life and laughter that is good.

Outside the world is gloomy, the winds of winter cold, as down the road a wondering poet must roam.

But here there’s peace and laughter and love’old story told where two people make a home. hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm

Songs

I sat there singing her songs in the dark. She said, I do not understand the words. I said, there are no words.

Sleep

When the lips and the body are done she seeks your hand, touches it, and sleep comes without wonder and without dreams.

When the lips and the body are done.

MARGARET BONDS—“Songs of the Seasons”

Poeme d’Automne

The autumn leaves

Are Too heavy with color.

The slender trees

On the vulcan road

Are dressed in scarlet and gold

Like young courtesans

Waiting, Waiting, for their lovers.

But soon

The winter wind

Will strip their bodies bare

And then

The sharp, sleet-stung caresses of the cold

Will be their only Love.

Winter

Moon

How thin and sharp is the moon tonight!

How thin and sharp and ghostly white

Is the slim curved crook of the moon tonight!

How thin and sharp is the moon tonight!

Young Love in Spring

When the March winds roar like a lion,

And the last little snowflakes drift down

From a half dreary, half happy April sky, and then lovely May rolls around,

And I walk with you down a country lane,

We know that spring has come again, spring has come again.

When the rising sun laughs at the dawn, and the scent of the soil’s warm and sweet,

And the little green sprouts peep out of the earth and grow upward, the sunshine to greet,

And we find a violet beside the way,

We know that the spring has come to stay, spring has come our way.

When I look at you in the haze of the twilight’s lingering glow,

In the half dusky, half starry evening sky, where sweet scented winds gently blow,

And our dreams, like birds heading homeward, soar,

We know that the spring has come once more, spring has come once more.

Summer Storm

Thunder, July thunder,

And the wonder of lightning in the sky,

And a sudden gale that shakes the blossoms down in perfumed splendor to the grassy ground.

Thunder, July thunder,

And the wonder in my heart that I have found you, wonderful you, beneath the blossoms gay, in the perfumed splendor of a July day.

With the wonder of summer lightning in the sky, and a sudden gale that shakes the blossoms down

Like confetti in your hair, like confetti on the ground, Perfumed confetti drifting down on the sweet and wonderful summer earth, the sweet, sweet summer earth.

There pillowed on the grass in the orchard’s shade,

I kissed you, and kissed you, and kissed you, And kissed you till a sudden gale shook the blossoms down,

Confetti in your hair, confetti on the ground, And then the rain, the soft sweet rain, came down. We run down the road in the dust of July, We are happy for the rain, clean and cool from on high, In the dust, hand in hand, in the dust of July, Hand in hand, you and I, you and I, in July. Thunder, Thunder, in my heart, The wonder of love, thunder, wonder in our eyes: the wonder of being in love, We two, the wonder of being in love with you.

JASMINE BARNES

Peace

Peace, on a thousand hills and dales. Peace, Peace in the hearts of men

While kindliness reclaims the soil, Where bitterness, Where bitterness has been.

Peace, Peace, Peace

The night of strife is drifting past, The storm of shell has ceased. Disrupted is the cordon fell, Sweet charity released.

Peace, Peace, Peace, Peace Forth from the shadow, swift We come Wrought in the flame together. All men as one beneath the sun

In brotherhood forever (ooh) Peace (ooh)

Invocation

Ancestral Spirit, hidden from my sight

By modern Time’s unnumbered work and ways

On which in awe and wonderment I gaze, Where hid’st thou in the deepness of the night?

What evil powers thy healing presence blight?

Thou Who from out the dark and dust didst raise. The Ethiop standard in the curtained days. Before the white God said: let there be light!

Ancestral Spirit hidden from my sight

By modern Time’s unnumbered works and ways

On which in awe and wonderment I gaze.

Bring ancient music to my modern heart

Bring ancient music to my modern heart,

Ancestral Spirit hidden from my sight, Ancestral Spirit

hidden from my sight

Let fall the lights upon my sable face, That once gleamed on the Ethiopian’s art; Lift me to thee out of this alien place, So I maybe thine exiled counterpart,

The worthy singer of my world and race, The worthy singer of my world and race.

Ancestral Spirit, Ancestral Spirit.

BRANDON SPENCER

I Know My Soul

I plucked my soul out of its secret place, And held it to the mirror of my eye.

To see it like a start across the sky, A shining body quivering in space

A spark of passion shining on my face. And I explored it to determine why This awful key to my infinity

Conspires to rob me of sweet joy and grace. And if the sign may not be fully read, If I can comprehend, but not control, I need not gloom my days with futile dread. Because I see a part and not the whole.

Contemplating the strange, I’m comforted by this narcotic thought:

I know my soul!

DAMIEN SNEED

Beauty That Is Never Old

When buffeted and beaten by life’s storms, When by the bitter cares of life oppressed, I want no surer haven than your arms, I want no sweeter heaven than your breast. When over my life’s way there falls the blight Of sun-less days, and nights of starless skies; Enough for me, the calm and steadfast light That softly shines within your loving eyes.

The world for me, and all the world can hold Is circled by your arms; for me there lies, Within the lights and shadows of your eyes, The only beauty that is never old.

The Gift to Sing

Sometimes the mist overhangs my path, And blackening clouds about me cling; But, oh, I have a magic way

To turn the gloom to cheerful day —

I softly sing. And if the way grows darker still, Shadowed by Sorrows somber wing, With glad defiance in my throat, I pierce the darkness with a note, And sing, and sing I brood not over the broken past, Nor dread whatever time may bring; No nights are dark, no days are long, While in my heart there swells a song, And I can sing

SHAWN E. OKPEBHOLO

Romance

Ah…ooo...ooo...ah…mmm..ooo…ooo…mmm…

To clasp you now and feel notes of close pressed, Scented and warm against my beating breast; To whisper soft and quivering your name, And drink the passion burning, burning in your frame; To lie at full length, taut, with cheek to cheek, And tease your mouth with kisses mmm…till you speak Love words, mad words, dream words, sweet, sweet oh, sweet words, senseless words, Love words, mad words, dream words, sweet words, senseless words, Melodious like notes of mating birds; To hear you ask if I shall love always, And myself answer: Till the end of days; To feel your easeful sigh of happiness When on your trembling lips I murmur: Yes; It is so sweet. So so sweet, so sweet, so sweet, so so sweet

We know it is not true. What matters it? The night must shed her dew. We know it is not true, but it is sweet It is sweet ooo… it’s sweet The poem with this music is complete.

JOEL THOMPSON

Supplication

I am so tired and weary, So tired of the endless fight, So weary of waiting the dawn And finding endless night. That I ask but rest and quiet —

Rest for days that are gone, And quiet for the little space That I must journey on.

My

People

Dream-singers, Story-tellers, Dancers, Loud laughters in the hands of Fate — My People... Dishwashers, Elevator-boys, Ladies’ maids, Crap-shooters, My People... Cooks, Waiters, Jazzers, My People... Nurses, nurses of babies, Loaders, loaders of ships, Rounders, My People... Number writers, Comedians in vaudeville And bandmen in circuses — Dream singers all, –My People. Storytellers all –My People , and dancers –God! What dancers! Singers –God! What singers! Singers and dancers, Dancers and laughers. Laughers? Yes, Laughers! Laughers... Hahahahahahahaha HA! HA! HA! hahah… Laughers… Ha... HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! Hahaha

Dream-singers, Story-tellers, Dancers, dancers, dancers, And Loud mouthed laughers in the hands… Loud mouthed laughers in the hands of Fate– My People!