George London Foundation Recital Series Presents Julie Adams and Emily D'Angelo

To conclude its 23rd season, the George London Foundation Recital Series presents two women who have won George London Awards within the past four years and who are fast making their mark in the opera world. Soprano Julie Adams, a 2015 award winner, and mezzo-soprano Emily D'Angelo, who won her George London Award in 2018, are joined by Ken Noda, piano, at The Morgan Library and Museum on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at 4:00 pm. Violinist David Chan, the concertmaster of the MET Orchestra, joins as guest artist.

The George London Foundation for Singers, named for the great American bass-baritone, has been honoring, supporting, and presenting the finest young American and Canadian opera singers since 1971. The foundation's annual recital series, which celebrated its 20th anniversary with a star-studded gala in 2016, presents pairs of outstanding singers, many of whom were winners of a George London Award, the prize of the foundation's annual vocal competition.

Julie Adams sings "Elsa's Dream" from Wagner's Lohengrin and songs by Grieg and Rachmaninoff, as well as two Strauss songs - "Morgen," and "Beim Schlafengehen" - in arrangements for soprano, violin, and piano, for which she and Ken Noda will be joined by David Chan. Emily D'Angelo performs Schoenberg's Four Songs, Op. 2; selections from Copland's Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson; "Sein wir wieder gut" from Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos; and songs by Rebecca Clarke and Clara Schumann. In addition, David Chan and Ken Noda perform the first movement of Debussy's Violin Sonata in G minor and Massenet's "Méditation" from Thaïs arranged for violin and piano. The singers will also perform a duet to be announced.

The George London Foundation Awards competition is one of the oldest vocal competitions in the United States and Canada, and it offers among the most substantial awards. Through the annual juried competition for outstanding young American and Canadian opera singers (under the age of 35 who must have performed at least one professional engagement), awards are given to the most promising performers: at the 2019 competition, a total of $61,000 was given in the form of five George London Awards of $10,000, and 11 George London Encouragement Awards of $1,000. The recital series began at the Morgan in 1995 in order to give grantees exposure and experience, and, in many cases, a New York debut.

The goal of the London Foundation, the support and nurturing of young singers, was an abiding interest of the great American bass-baritone George London, who devoted a great part of the time and energy of his later years to this purpose.

"Remembering his difficult road to success, George wanted to devise a way to make the road a little easier for future generations of singers," said George London Foundation President Nora London. Initially created under the auspices of the National Opera Institute, the George London Awards program has been administered since 1990 directly by the Foundation as a living legacy to George London's own exceptional talent and generosity. Visit www.georgelondon.org.

Tickets: $55

Call (646) 461-3578, e-mail info@georgelondon.org

Photo Credit: Dario Acosta

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