Incredibly, the last time I was in the Krannert Center’s cavernous Foellinger Great Hall, one of the great treasures of our university, was March 2020, almost a year ago. The last day before the pandemic fully took hold, I was on that familiar stage performing Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, “Babi Yar,” with the Men’s Glee Club, non-treble voices of Oratorio Society and Chamber Singers, soloist Ricardo Herrera, and the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra led by Donald Schleicher. This was also the last time I performed with a large ensemble for a large audience, and even the last time I have been in a room with that many people for any purpose. This performance took on particular weight when we found that we would not perform the piece at Carnegie Hall and that this would be our last chance to communicate Shoshtakovich’s fiercely relevant political message. The performance was life-affirming in every sense, and its memory still thrills when I think about its eternal temporal place on the edge of a pre-pandemic era. The next time I entered this hall was February 18th, 2021, and the experience was uniquely powerful. I am singing in Lyric Theatre @ Illinois and the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra’s concert production of excerpts from Samuel Barber’s Vanessa, led by conductor Todd Craven and music director Mike McAndrew. I have loved spending time with the quirky but elegant score, preparing it on my own over the break, and putting it together with Mike and my vocal colleagues. The 13-piece reduced orchestra began rehearsals this week, and the singers were invited to observe before joining them next week. It was amazing being in the hall, witnessing live music in a space that has been starving for it. The orchestra’s diligence in preparing Barber’s daunting score inspired me and provided plenty to look forward to as we put the project together over the next two weeks. Hearing my aria played by the orchestra was particularly exciting, and seeing Todd and Mike work with so much passion was uplifting. I am so happy that Lyric Theatre and UISO are putting this project together, and returning to this hall to sing with the orchestra will be a highlight of my final year at UIUC.
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