The American mezzo-soprano died of most cancers in 2006 on the age of 52. Her recordings are nonetheless being reissued. The newest is a fantastically remastered model of an album referred to as Handel Arias.
Transcript
TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. FRESH AIR’s classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz has typically spoke concerning the American mezzo soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson who died 20 years in the past at 52. A brand new launch of a remastered recording of her singing Handel arias reminded Lloyd, to his embarrassment, that the very first time he heard her, he wasn’t positive how particular she was.
(SOUNDBITE OF LORRAINE HUNT LIEBERSON, ET. AL SONG, “THEODORA, HWV 68: ARIA: ‘AS WITH ROSY STEPS THE MORN’ (2025 REMASTERED)”)
LLOYD SCHWARTZ, BYLINE: Critics do not at all times get it proper. The primary time I heard a soprano named Lorraine Hunt, again in 1984, she was not but married to composer Peter Lieberson. She performed a featured position in an early Mozart opera. I had identified her earlier than solely as a violist within the orchestra of Boston’s Emmanuel Church. My critic colleagues had been completely knocked out by her. However whereas I used to be impressed by her wealthy, sonorous voice, I believed her phrasing was a bit stiff and with out a lot character. I did not maintain that opinion for lengthy.
A 12 months later, she was within the landmark Peter Sellars’ manufacturing of Handel’s “Julius Caesar.” She performed the son of Pompey, whom Caesar has beheaded. The 2 arias of rage that Hunt sang are among the many most memorable arias Handel ever wrote, however I would by no means heard them sung with such torment and such rage. She was hair-raising. And till she died at solely 52, on the peak of her profession, she by no means did not be hair-raising, whether or not in comedy or tragedy, in Bach, Handel or Mozart or as a number of the nice operatic heroines – a fierce however tragic Carmen and Berlioz’s noble and tragic Queen Dido, to the blowsy, but poignant Myrtle Wilson on this planet premiere of John Harbison’s “The Nice Gatsby,” the position of her Met debut.
Close to the top of her life, she was singing her husband Peter Lieberson’s haunting Neruda Songs composed for her. She appeared to absorb and discover each facet of a job and a rating. Her recordings are nonetheless being reissued. The newest is a fantastically remastered model of an album referred to as “Handel Arias,” primarily arias from one of many composer’s final oratorios, “Theodora,” his solely dramatic work set in early Christian instances, and in his lifetime, one in all his greatest flops. Hunt Lieberson sings the position of the Christian martyr Theodora’s solicitous good friend, Irene, who has a few of Handel’s most religious music.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THEODORA, HWV 68: ARIA: ‘AS WITH ROSY STEPS THE MORN’ (2025 REMASTERED)”)
LORRAINE HUNT LIEBERSON: (Singing) As with rosy steps, the morn advancing drives the shades of evening. So from virtuous toils well-borne, increase thou our hopes of infinite gentle – increase thou our hopes of infinite gentle
SCHWARTZ: This album additionally contains one in all Handel’s most well-known arias – “Ombra Mai Fu” – by no means was shade so pricey – certainly the best love track ever written to a tree.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SERSE, HWV 40: ARIA: ‘OMBRA MAI FU’ (2025 REMASTERED)”)
HUNT LIEBERSON: (Singing in Italian).
SCHWARTZ: I used to be fortunate to have the ability to hear Lorraine Hunt Lieberson in individual. It is tragic that she was with us for such a short while, but she’s nearly as miraculous on this recording as she was on stage.
MOSLEY: Lloyd Schwartz reviewed a newly remastered album of “Handel Arias” sung by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, accompanied by Harry Bicket and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Lloyd’s new guide of poems known as “Artur Schnabel and Joseph Szigeti Play Mozart At The Frick Assortment – April 4, 1948 – And Different Poems.”
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(SOUNDBITE OF JAMES CARTER’S “AVALON”)
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(SOUNDBITE OF JAMES CARTER’S “AVALON”)
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