Thursday, May 17 at 8 PM Concert Hall, Society for Ethical Culture 2 West 64th Street Stephen Sondheim and Jake Heggie join Wagner and Verdi in a concert of instrumental works by opera composers, where the absence of words creates marvelous possibilities.
Text guides the musical gesture in opera, dictating forms and content in composition.
Melody and musical shape are in freefall in musical minds accustomed to story and character. This program juxtaposes Wagner and Verdi at their lyrical best with the premiere of an early work by Stephen Sondheim and a new instrumental work by opera's newcomer, Jake Heggie .