The program begins with three selections from Korngold’s Lieder des Abschieds (Songs of Farewell), a stunning collection exploring the unwilling separation from one’s love. There is a bit of foreshadowing here, as Korngold would have to flee his home a decade later as the Nazis rose in Europe. Finding his new home in Los Angeles, like many other Jewish refugees - including Stravinsky and Schoenberg - he became a film composer, and he won multiple Oscars. The musical language of these songs is rich, dense, dreamy, and powerful - I think you can hear a bit of Korngold’s Hollywood future in them. One of the hallmarks of my voice and artistry is the warmth and richness of my singing, and these songs offer the perfect chance to showcase those qualities.

The next set is a collection of three prayers of sorts, the first two by Black American composers, and the last by Handel, the composer who is most central to my career and whose work speaks perhaps most deeply to me. First is Prayer by Leslie Adams, who sadly passed away last year, followed by Sunset by Florence Price, both of which share a dreamy quality. And then we have O Lord from Handel’s Saul, one of his greatest, and most underrated, masterpieces. Since I first came to singing through prayer, singing these types of works has always spoken very deeply to me.

Third, we have a set of songs by Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann, intertwined together just as their own personal and romantic lives were (much to Robert’s chagrin!). These three songs take us to beautiful dreams, dark and wondrous, then yearning and restless, and finally to a perfect still night in the garden that soon erupts with ardent desire. When I joined the Young Artist program at Houston Grand Opera, one of the first things they suggested for me was a set of songs by Brahms, and so began my deep exploration of German lieder. The first song I fell deeply in love with was Unbewegte laue luft, and it’s an honor to put my own voice to this special song.

To close the first half, we’ll present two pieces from my Jewish heritage. First is one of the first pieces I sang in synagogue back when I was first finding my voice (For Carnegie: At East Midwood Jewish Center in Brooklyn,) I began singing as a Cantor when I was 13 years old, and my favorite piece in the High Holiday service was immediately this powerful
prayer set by Max Janowski, Avinu Malkeinu, as the Cantor pleads with God to rid us of oppression and adversity and inscribe us all in the book of life. Then we have Ravel’s setting of the Kaddish, one of the most central Jewish prayers. Variations of this prayer frame every Jewish service, and one variation of it is the prayer said every day by
mourners. Though he wasn’t Jewish, Ravel truly captured the solemn beauty and sense of holiness of this important prayer, and I can’t think of a more powerful way to end the first half of our evening.

I am deeply honored that leading American composer Jake Heggie has composed a set of three songs for us to premiere on this tour, set to beautiful poetry by the luminary Margaret Atwood. Jake has written a few words about these songs: "Oh Children" is a set of three songs based on nature poetry by the great Canadian writer, Margaret Atwood. The cycle was composed especially for Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen’s debut American recital tour, including tonight’s performance under the auspices of VOCAL ARTS DC, and crafted in response to his love of nature: being immersed in the natural world - feeling connected and restored by the power and beauty of trees, mountains, ocean and skies. I, too, have a great passion for being out in nature and felt moved and inspired by Aryeh’s enthusiasm, as well as his glorious voice, honesty and artistry. However, we are at a precarious time on the planet when much of what we cherish in nature is at risk of vanishing. Margaret offered these three remarkable poems because each contains a warning about the destructive power of human arrogance and interference in the natural world. "Oh Children" was commissioned by the Merola Opera Program and generously underwritten by Bernice Lindstrom, Karen Kubin, and Jennifer Brahm.

To close the program, I am honored to be likely the first Countertenor to sing this cycle of twelve songs written by Robert Schumann in his “year of song,” when he poured out many great works after finally being able to marry Clara Wieck. The poetry by Eichendorff shares many of the dreamy qualities of the poetry set by Korngold in the set we opened tonight’s performance with. This cycle is deeply Romantic - Schumann called it his “most Romantic work ever”- and the energy, mystery, and beauty of the woods appears in all but one of the songs. As someone who finds my own deepest joy and peace on long hikes through the woods, I have always been drawn towards works that live in this world. The relationship between humanity and nature is the narrative through-line of Liederkreis, just as it has been the through-line of this entire program tonight.

It has been an honor to depart into these Romantic works together - this recital debut tonight in this historic, special venue and city is a true dream come true for me, and I am deeply grateful to you for joining us on this journey!