March 20, 2003
VITERBO RECITAL/FORUM INCLUDES RENOWNED SOPRANO LINDA MABBS
LA CROSSE, Wis.—The Viterbo University School of Fine Arts, in conjunction with the Music and English Departments, will present a recital and forum on British and American Poets and their influence on 20th Century Vocal Music. The event, April 2-4, features world-renowned American soprano Linda Mabbs.
Mabbs has soloed with the New York City Opera, London Symphony, Hiroshima Symphony, and the Dallas Symphony. She has a broad range of opera, oratorio, recital, and orchestral repertoire that allows her to tackle anything from Haydn to Handel. The Chicago Tribune hailed her "stunning agility and control, purity, and richness of tone" and Opera News called her performances "not only beautifully sung, but intensely acted with passion and pathos."
The events begin Wednesday, April 2, at 12:10 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Recital Hall with a forum discussion, "The Intersection of Poetry and Music" led by Mabbs and Viterbo Music and English faculty members Jerry Benser, Jean Saladino, Apryl Denny, Dick Ruppel, Grant Smith, and Bill Stobb. The forum involves poetry readings by famous British artists including Dickinson, Auden, and Shakespeare. Then, on Thursday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre, a Pre-recital Lecture discussing poets William Shakespeare, W.H. Auden, e.e. cummings, and Emily Dickinson will be led by Viterbo English faculty Apryl Denny, Bill Stobb, Dick Ruppel and Grant Smith. The recital begins at 7:45 p.m. with soprano Mabbs and Viterbo pianist Judy Stafslien. It includes songs by Barber, Argento, Quilter, and Britten. A reception will be held in the Fine Arts Center Lobby after the performance.
Mabbs has sung with conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Sir Neville Marriner, Robert Shaw, and Leonard Slatskin. And, while at the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies in England, she appeared in a recital with Sir Peter Pears. Mabbs and Pears worked together on the production of Britten’s Cabaret Songs.
These events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Daniel Johnson-Wilmot, Viterbo music department, at 608-796-3761.