Two celebrated stars of the opera world join forces for a thrilling afternoon of operatic arias and traditional American spirituals.
Radiant mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato showcases her more playful side with SONGPLAY. The lighthearted program mixes Italian Baroque arias with jazz ballads and songs from the Great American Songbook, and features a versatile ensemble of piano, drums, bass and trumpet seamlessly connecting the improvisational spirit of Baroque ornamentation with the free-spirited charm of American popular music. "The perfect 21st-century diva — an effortless combination of glamour, charisma, intelligence, grace and remarkable talent" (The New York Times).
(Photo: Chris Singer)
In Debussy's first and only foray into writing for string quartets, he broke the chamber music mold. With his daring and freeform structure, he created a strikingly modern chamber style all his own.
For more than five decades, The Chieftains have been recognized for reinventing traditional Irish music on a contemporary and international scale. This Grammy Award-winning group has collaborated with everyone from Pavarotti and Van Morrison to Madonna and the Rolling Stones.