Certificate Recital: Allyssa Noone, Voice

By Allyssa Noone

Neun deutsche Arien
Handel composed “Neun deutsche Arien” (Nine German Arias) around 1725. The
music is set to Barthold Heinrich Brockes’ collection of poems Irdisches vergnügen
in Gott (Earthly Delight in God), which was published in 1721. “Süser Blumen” and
“Flammende Rose” express adoration of God’s creation. Upon gazing at beautiful
flowers, one is filled with awe for the excellence of the Creator. While “Flammende
Rose” celebrates how the flowers’ beauty must indicate the existence of the divine,
“Süser Blumen” meditates solemnly on the impermanence of earthly beauty.

Zeffiretti Lusinghieri
Mozart’s opera Idomeneo premiered in 1781 and tells the story of the king of Crete
who must sacrifice his son, Idamante, in exchange for Neptune’s mercy in a storm
at sea. Idamante is in love with Ilia, the daughter of the Trojan king. “Zeffiretti
lusinghieri” opens act three, and Ilia asks the wind to carry a message of her love to
Idamante. Soaring melismas illustrate the gentle breezes, though Ilia’s loving
profession is fraught with sorrow.

Dans Un Bois Solitaire
During Mozart’s visit to the Mannheim court, he became friends with the Wendling
family. He composed two French ariettes for the daughter, Elisabeth Augusta, who
likely selected this text by Antoine Houdart de la Motte. He chose a modified da
capo rather than a strophic form, allowing each stanza to take on a distinct
personality and color. The story completes with a return of the original cantabile
melody, which juxtaposes the rapid modulations and intensity of the previous
section.

Bester Jüngling
Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario) is a comic singspiel written for
entry into a 1786 musical competition hosted by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. It
parodies the vanity of singers, and the character Mme Silberklang sings the rondo,
“Bester Jüngling,” to display her talents. The coloratura passage at the end is a
dramatic finish to an aria that is perhaps more about showing off than it is about
love.

Ma Rendi Pur Contento
“Ma Rendi Pur Contento” is one of 15 songs in Bellini’s “Composizioni da Camera”
for voice and piano. They were likely composed in the 1820s but remained
unpublished until 1935, a century after Bellini’s death. The text was written by Pietro
Metastasio, who was an important librettist of opera seria. The poetry expresses a
selfless and empathetic love that immerses one in the interests of another.

La Pastorella dell’Alpi
Though Rossini is most notable for operas such as The Barber of Seville, he also
contributed distinctive yet underperformed solo pieces. This song is part of
Rossini’s “Les soirées musicales,” a collection of 12 songs written between 1830-
1835. These pieces were performed in Rossini’s private salon, an intimate setting for
sharing chamber music. The vocal line is reminiscent of a yodel, which further
colors the tale of the alpine shepherdess. She entices traveling men with her basket
of fresh fruit, and the playful melody and accompaniment accentuate her flirtatious
intentions.

Eterno Amore e Fè
In addition to being a prominent opera composer, Donizetti wrote a number of
pieces for voice and piano. The poetry expresses ultimate devotion, though this
sentiment can be interpreted with varying levels of sincerity. The text is repeated
many times, and the music gives each iteration a new reason for declaration. This
piece is characteristic of 19th century Bel Canto style, which highlights and
prioritizes the beauty of the voice above all else.

2 Songs, Op. 100
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Amy Beach was a well-respected
American composer and pianist. Though her work was largely forgotten after her
death, it has experienced a revival over the past few decades. While the music of
“A Mirage” expresses its colorful texts by creating a distinct, brooding mood, “Stella
Viatoris” uses word painting and shifting tonality to illustrate the images expressed
in the poetry.

Allyssa Noone
Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, soprano Allyssa Noone built her classical foundation studying voice
with Margaret Kelly Cook. She currently studies under Martha Elliott at Princeton University, where she majors
in Neuroscience with certificates in Music Performance and Engineering Biology. Most often singing lyric
coloratura repertoire, she is a member of the Princeton University Opera Scenes club directed by David Kellett.
Allyssa’s roles in Princeton University Music Department operas include Second Woman in Purcell’s Dido and
Aeneas as well as L’Eternitá and Furia 2 in a virtual production of Cavalli’s Calisto. In addition, Allyssa has
performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the Princeton University Glee Club, Ashley Hall’s
Red Choir, and the 2016 National Girls Choir. She is also a volunteer for Trenton Arts at Princeton, where she
coaches the Trenton Youth Singers in ensemble and private lessons. Allyssa has earned honors such as the
Charleston Symphony Orchestra League Scholarship and the Frene Haynes Scholarship for talent in the arts.
She has also been offered a number of music merit awards, including the Wake Forest Presidential Scholarship
in Music as well as scholarships from the University of Richmond and Belmont University. Recently, Allyssa
refined “Zeffiretti Lusinghieri” in a masterclass with tenor William Burden. This spring, she will sing Griletta in
Hyden’s Der Apotheker, a 19th century translation of his earlier Lo Speziale. Allyssa plans to continue singing
after graduation, with the hope of attending a graduate program in classical voice performance.

Martin Néron
Martin Néron is on the faculty at WCC. He is the artistic director of the Vocalis Consort, an ensemble
which strives to showcase overlooked vocal works. He designed and managed Canto Latino CyberChallenge
in 2021, an international competition which features and promotes vocal repertoire from Latin America. Martin
has held residencies at WSU Pullman, SUNY Potsdam, UK Lexington,Tennessee TU, and Fundación Armonía
(Ecuador), and gave masterclasses and lectures at Butler University, OSU Columbus, TCNJ, Hunter College,
NATS, Arte Lirico, and Universidad Central del Ecuador. He was on the faculty at the Taos Opera Institute
(2019-2021), and Vice-President of the Joy in Singing Foundation (2017-2019). He is co-founder, co-artistic
director, and Vice-President of the newly incorporated Federation of the Art Song. Praised as “an attentive
partner” (Opera News), Martin has collaborated on several recordings of art songs. His scholarly work is
featured in the Journal of Singing and Leyerle Publications. He holds degrees from the MSM (DMA), WCC
(MM), and U de M (BM).

Sea Yoon
Born in South Korea and raised in New Jersey, Sea started her violin studies at age 8. Sea is an alumni of
Juilliard Pre-College, studying under Shirley Givens and Naoko Tanaka. She has also taken master classes with
Aaron Rosand at the Summit Music Festival and Jacqueline Ross at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama
before coming to Princeton. As a soloist, she has won several competitions and performed in venues including
Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, and Milton Court Concert Hall. Sea is currently a senior in the History
Department at Princeton University with a certificate in Art and Archaeology. At Princeton, Sea is currently
studying under the violin faculty Nancy Wilson.

Katherine Cappola
Katie is a senior in the Molecular Biology department from Haverford, PA. At Princeton, she enjoys playing
cello with various campus ensembles. She is currently co-president of the Princeton University Orchestra, a
volunteer coach for the Trenton Youth Orchestra, and a member of La Vie en Cello, Princeton’s student-run
cello ensemble. She also loves the outdoors, and she serves as an Outdoor Action Leader Trainer. Katie has
known Ally since the very beginning of their first year at Princeton. She is excited to collaborate with Ally in a
musical context, and she is so proud of her hard work on this recital!