Chamber Series — The Russian-French Connection

Allison Voth, Chamber Series Director

In this vivid and eclectic program, Cantata Singers explores the fascinating musical crosscurrents between Russia and France at the turn of the 20th century—two cultures that inspired and challenged one another through war, exile, revolution, and reinvention.

Anchored by the ever-inventive voice of Igor Stravinsky, this recital features a striking array of songs by Russian and French composers who blurred national and stylistic boundaries. From Tchaikovsky’s lush Six Mélodies to Berlioz’s dreamy Les nuits d’été, Mussorgsky’s chilling Songs and Dances of Death, and Ibert’s poignant Chansons de Don Quichotte, the program traverses themes of memory, myth, mortality, and the avant-garde.

This chamber recital is presented in honor of Les Noces, Stravinsky’s groundbreaking choral work featured on Cantata Singers’ spring mainstage—an audacious fusion of Russian folk music and Parisian modernism. Come experience the intimate echoes of that larger world here.

Featuring:
Erica Brookhyser, mezzo-soprano
Adrian Cho, baritone
James Liu, baritone
Ryan Mewhorter, baritone
Kay Patterson, soprano
Danielle Pribyl, soprano
Felicity Salmon, soprano
Jennifer Webb, mezzo-soprano