Von Stade a memorable opener for 2010 chamberfest
By smazey, Classical Ottawa
(Frederica von Stade. Photo by Robert Millard)
It was a bittersweet opening night to the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival July 24: American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, who at 65 is winding down her singing career, sang a goodbye to Ottawa audiences as part of her farewell recital tour.
A large audience turned out to hear von Stade in recital with pianist and composer Jake Heggie at Dominion-Chalmers Church. For her goodbye, Von Stade put together a special recital of songs and arias as a kind of musical autobiography, choosing pieces with strong personal connections to her life and career. She also told stories between selections to introduce the pieces, mixing effortlessly between English and French in her comments.
I have fond memories of hearing von Stade in recital in Toronto in the 1990s, at Roy Thomson Hall and at the intimate recital hall in North York. This is an opera singer who shines at the intimate art form of the recital, with an endearing warmth and down-to-Earth manner that creates an immediate bond with her listeners.
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Tags: Frederica von Stade, Ottawa Chamber Music Festival
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