Metropolitan Opera Soprano Heidi Grant Murphy Performs Solo Recital

Soprano Heidi Grant Murphy, who sang major roles with the Metropolitan Opera for almost 25 years, returns to theChamber Music Society of Detroit series for a recital with pianist Kevin Murphy Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 3:00 PM. The concert takes place at Oakland University's Varner Recital Hall, located on the Oakland University campus at 2200 N. Squirrel Road in Rochester. The program includes songs and arias by Schumann, Debussy, Strauss, Puccini, Copland and Obradors. Tickets are priced at $30 for adults and $15 for students, and may be purchased by phone at248-855-6070 or online at www.CMSDetroit.org.

A shimmering soprano with enchanting stage presence, Heidi Grant Murphy is in demand internationally for stage roles and guest soloist performances that elevate concerts into memorable musical occasions. Ms. Murphy has appeared with many of the world's finest opera companies and symphony orchestras, notably the Metropolitan Opera, Salzburg Festival, Frankfurt Opera, Netherlands Opera, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Opera National de Paris and Santa Fe Opera. She has been engaged as soloist with the Vienna, New York, Los Angeles and Buffalo Philharmonics; Cleveland, Philadelphia and Minnesota Orchestras; and Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh and San Francisco Symphonies, among others. Ms. Murphy has worked with such esteemed conductors as James Levine, Herbert Blomstedt, Christoph Eschenbach, Kurt Masur, Kent Nagano, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Simon Rattle, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Tilson Thomas, Christoph Von Dohnányi, David Zinman, Bernard Haitink, Pinchas Zukerman and the late Lorin Maazel.

Ms. Murphy's nearly 25-year-long career with the Metropolitan Opera has seen her play such signature roles as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Sister Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Servilia in Clemenza di Tito and Nanetta in Falstaff. European highlights have included the roles of Anne Truelove in the Netherlands Opera production of The Rake's Progress and Celia in Lucio Silla at both the Salzburg Festival and Frankfurt Opera; and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Adina in L'Elisir d'Amor and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier at the Opera Nationale de Paris. Over the course of this illustrious career she has been hailed by The New York Times for her "bright, focused tone and impressive agility" and by Opera News who said her "astonishingly pure tone floats with an otherworldly ease," vocal and technical hallmarks for which she continues to be renowned. She has been a featured guest on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered, A&E's Breakfast with the Arts and BBC Radio 3. She has recorded for Koch International, New World, the New York Philharmonic's private label, Naxos, Arabesque, PS Classics, Delos and Deutsche Grammophon, including several recordings with her long-time collaborator and spouse, Kevin Murphy.

Pianist Kevin Murphy is Director of Coaching and Music Administration for the IU Opera Theater and Professor of Collaborative PIano at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. Previously, Murphy was Director of Music Administration and Casting Advisor at the New York City Opera and Director of Musical Studies at the Opéra National de Paris. Kevin Murphy was the first pianist and vocal coach invited by Maestro James Levine into the prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Program at the Metropolitan Opera and from 1993-2006, was an assistant conductor at the Met. Murphy also performed in Carnegie Hall with James Levine and the Met Chamber ensemble and Met Orchestra, and frequently played chamber music with members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. In addition to his on- and off-stage partnership with soprano Heidi Grant Murphy, Mr. Murphy has collaborated in concert and recital with distinguished artists such as Kathleen Battle, Nathan Gunn, Bryn Terfel, Cecilia Bartoli, Frederica von Stade, Placido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Pinchas Zuckerman.

Program Details

Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano

Kevin Murphy, piano

Schumann: Myrthen Lieder, Op. 25, Selections

Claude Debussy: Quatre Chansons de Jeunesse

Richard Strauss: "Ständchen," "Ich Schwebe," "Morgen," "Schlagende Herzen"

Puccini: "La Canzone di Doretta," from La Rondine

Copland: Old American Songs, Selections

Obradors: Canciones Clásicas Españolas, Selections