Baritone William Warfield is renowned for his performances as Porgy in Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess and numerous other stage productions, Hollywood films, and television programs, as well as as prominent figure amongst African American artists during the Civil Rights era. In honor of the legendary singer's birthday, we'll hear him perform one of the great aria's from Porgy and Bess, as well as the world-premiere recording of the Old American Songs—written for Warfield by Aaron Copland, with the composer on the piano.
As it is also the birthday of choreographer George Balanchine, we'll enjoy music from two of his great dance works—Stravinsky's Orpheus and Richard Rodgers "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"—and rounding out our trio of birthday celebrations, will be a tribute to French composer and one of the most vital, compelling and distinctive musical voices of our time, Henri Dutilleux, in the form his remarkable Timbres, espace, mouvement: La nuit étoilée, inspired by Van Gogh's painting The Starry Night, and capturing through music that extraordinary canvas in all its magic and mystery.
You can hear Foley Schuler's musical selections—and stories behind the music—every weekday afternoon from 1 until 4 on Blue Lake Public Radio.
