News Release
November 2003
(Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)— As part of the Great Artist Series,
the Moravian College Music Institute presents mezzo-soprano Frederica
von Stade in recital on Monday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Foy Concert
Hall, Priscilla Payne Hurd campus. Described by The New York Times
as "one of America's finest artists and singers," Frederica
von Stade remains at the peak of her extraordinary career and continues
to be extolled as one of the music world's most beloved figures.
The von Stade’s recital, which will include holiday-specific
selections, replaces the scheduled concert by soprano Dawn Upshaw that
was recently canceled due to illness. "She is getting better,
but slowly," is how Upshaw’s spokesperson summarized the
state of Dawn’s struggle with a throat ailment that has forced
her to cancel a series of highly anticipated appearances this fall.
Upshaw's laryngeal woes began while on a tour with the Australian Chamber
Orchestra (ACO). She was diagnosed with acute inflammation of the vocal
cords, withdrew from the remainder of the ACO tour and has not performed
since.
Frederica von Stade is in the midst of the third decade on an extraordinary
career and continues to reign as one of the music world's most beloved
figures. Miss von Stade's career has taken her to the stages of the
world's great opera houses and concert halls. In January 2000, the
Metropolitan Opera celebrated the 30th anniversary of her debut with
a new production of The Merry Widow specifically for her.
Well-known through her numerous featured appearances
on "Live
From Lincoln Center" telecasts, and her discography which includes
dozens of recordings ranging from the songs of Canteloube and Debussy
to the operas of Mozart and Rossini, and most recently to the musical
theater works of Rodgers and Hammerstein (The Sound of Music) and Jerome
Kern (Showboat), this renowned star is acclaimed by audiences everywhere.
This event is supported by Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA),
the regional arts funding partnership of the Pennsylvania Council on
the Arts, a state agency. State government funding comes through an
annual appropriation by Pennsylvania's General Assembly and from the
National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. PPA is administered
in this region by the Berks Arts Council.
Additional support has been provided by the Amaranth Foundation, The
Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation, and The Rider-Pool Foundation.
Reserved seating is $45-$55. A celebration reception with von Stade
will held immediately following her performance. Tickets for this event
are $125 and include a regular concert ticket. For tickets or more
information, please call 610-861-1650 or e-mail music@moravian.edu.
This concert is sponsored by The Moravian College Music Alliance and
The Rider-Pool Foundation.
