Two of opera’s brightest stars took to the virtual stage with programs that feature works by Weill as part of LA Opera’s Signature Recital Series. Performed without an audience at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in the Los Angeles Music Center, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and pianist Jeremy Frank presented an all-Weill concert of Graham’s favorite works by the composer. “The music of Kurt Weill has such a variety of mood, expression, and story!,” Graham enthused to the KWF. “The journey through this music is varied and fascinating, with some familiar tunes, as well as some lesser-known ones, all through the lens of an early 20th-century setting.” Graham’s recital is currently available for streaming worldwide through 1 July.
“Kurt Weill was one of those composers who could balance dichotomies in a way that was biting and brilliant,” said soprano Julia Bullock, fresh from last year’s stunning Tiny Desk concert which featured Weill’s “Wie lange noch?”. Bullock and pianist Laura Poe will present additional Weill selections streamed from the Konzerthaus Blaibach in Germany starting on 21 May through 1 July. “Weill’s music and the stories he told always spoke to the times he was living,” said Bullock. “But what makes them classics and timeless is that they continue to speak to us in this moment.”
For tickets to the Signature Recital Series, click here.