Certificate Recital: Lana Utley, Voice

Ah! chi mi dice mai

“Ah! chi mi dice mai” is an aria sung by character Donna Elvira in Act I of the timeless opera, Don Giovanni, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The plot revolves around the notorious womanizer Don Giovanni (Don Juan), a charismatic nobleman who seduces women with impunity and shows no remorse for his actions. Donna Elvira makes her first appearance in the opera singing this aria, which describes her abandonment by a former lover, and her desire for revenge against him. She soon runs into Don Giovanni, recognizes him as the former lover, and spends the rest of the first act thwarting Don Giovanni’s subsequent attempts at seduction and warning others of his treachery. This aria holds special significance for me as it was the first aria I ever performed, making it a fitting choice to commence my senior recital.

Les roses d’Ispahan

One of Fauré’s most-loved and most-performed songs, “Les roses d’Ispahan,” beautifully captures the essence of the Persian city with its lush rose gardens and romantic allure. The poet behind the evocative verses, Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle, was a prominent figure of the French Parnassian movement, known for his vivid imagery and exotic themes. Rosa ‘Ispahan’, also known as ‘Rose d’Ispahan’ and ‘Pompon des Princes’, is a clear pink, half-open kind of Damask rose, a type of garden rose introduced from the Middle East to Europe during 13th century. Fauré’s composition captures the essence of the Persian city of Ispahan, famed for its fragrant rose gardens. With graceful melodies and rich harmonies, Fauré paints a vivid sonic landscape that mirrors the lush imagery of the poet’s verses. “Roses d’Ispahan” unfolds like a delicate bloom, each note infused with the intoxicating scent of roses and the whispered secrets of love. Through this enchanting song, Fauré showcases his mastery of melody and his ability to evoke profound emotion with elegance and subtlety.

En sourdine

“En sourdine” envelops readers in a serene twilight atmosphere, where profound silence reigns and the gentle rustle of the wind stirs the grass, creating a tranquil stillness. Within this tranquil setting, the poet, Paul Verlaine, intimately shares the private world of two lovers, using personal language such as “our love,” “our souls,” and “our hearts” to convey their deep connection. As the poem progresses, the fusion of the lovers’ emotions with nature becomes evident, vividly depicted through natural imagery that evokes the sensation of viewing an exquisite painting. From the tall branches casting shadows to the drowsy trees and the soothing breath of the wind, each detail paints a rich tableau of the lovers’ surroundings. Yet, the poem’s tone gradually shifts from the muted optimism of daylight to the somber despair of evening, mirrored by the nightfall and the nightingale’s melancholic song. In this piece, Fauré adorns the tranquil setting with a subtle but significant element: a gentle breeze, portrayed through the flowing motion in the accompaniment.

Chanson d’amour

“Chanson d’amour” is a poignant and tender song composed by Gabriel Fauré, setting to music the evocative poetry of Paul-Armand Silvestre. Through Fauré’s exquisite melody and delicate harmonies, the song captures the essence of romantic longing and emotional intimacy. Translating to “Love Song”, this piece expresses feelings of romantic love. Silvestre’s verses, infused with imagery of love’s eternal yearning, provide the perfect lyrical backdrop for Fauré’s musical expression. “Chanson d’amour” unfolds like a heartfelt confession, each note resonating with the depth of the poet’s sentiments.

Selections from Mörike-Lieder

The “Mörike Lieder” by Hugo Wolf stand as a pinnacle of German art song repertoire. Comprising 53 settings of poems by the 19th-century poet Eduard Mörike, these songs represent a profound musical fusion of poetry and music. Wolf’s deep admiration for Mörike’s poetry shines through in each composition, as he skillfully captures the essence of the text through his rich and expressive musical language. In the “Mörike Lieder,” Wolf masterfully explores a wide range of emotions and themes, from the simplicity of nature to the complexities of human experience. Through his sensitive musical settings, he brings Mörike’s vivid imagery and poignant narratives to life, creating a deeply evocative and immersive listening experience.

One of Hugo Wolf’s most popular songs, “Verborgenheit” is atypical of the composer’s style and tells a story of withdrawal and seclusion. The melody unfolds with a delicate grace, mirroring the delicate interplay between the singer’s inner thoughts and the natural surroundings. Yet, beneath the surface tranquility lies a yearning for connection and understanding, as the protagonist grapples with feelings of isolation and the desire for communion with the world.

Wolf’s musical interpretation of Eduard Mörike’s poem, “Im Frühling”, encapsulates the essence of the text- a story of the experience of Spring. The piano’s opening notes establish the song’s atmosphere, delicately suggesting the gentle warmth of a spring morning. Throughout the piece, Wolf employs a range of techniques to convey the poem’s diverse array of emotions. Moments of tenderness and sweetness intertwine with passages of intense passion, mirroring the poem’s nuanced emotional landscape. The music ebbs and flows, mirroring the rhythms of life itself.

“Elfenlied” tells the story of an elf. As the night watchman’s calls echo through the stillness, an elf stirs from his slumber, startled by the cry of “Elfe!” He ponders whether he is being beckoned and decides to explore the night. Enticed by the sight of a wall adorned with flickering fireflies, he imagines it to be a grand wedding feast, an event he finds himself drawn to attend. However, his enthusiasm leads him to stumble over the unforgiving cobblestones. Despite his clumsiness, the elf exudes an undeniable charm, capturing the attention of those around him. With a mischievous glint in his eye, the composer, Wolf, sets the scene with a lively scherzo, dancing playfully in the high registers.

The piece, “Storchenbotschaft”, charmingly recounts a shepherd’s encounter with two storks, eventually realizing they signify the birth of twins. Through delicate melodies and nuanced harmonies, Wolf captures the shepherd’s emotional journey from confusion to understanding, mirroring Mörike’s pastoral imagery. With its whimsical narrative and lyrical expression, “Storchenbotschaft” stands as a testament to Wolf’s ability to translate poetic beauty into musical form, inviting listeners into a world where nature and human experience intertwine harmoniously.

O mio babbino caro

“O Mio Babbino Caro” is widely known among opera enthusiasts as one of the most beloved soprano arias. Composed by the renowned Italian musician Giacomo Puccini, the aria is featured in his 1918 work “Gianni Schicchi.” This comedic one-act opera, which stands as Puccini’s sole venture into comedy, draws inspiration from Dante’s masterpiece “The Divine Comedy.” Set in 13thcentury Florence, Italy, the opera recounts the tale of Gianni Schicchi, offering a delightful narrative infused with Puccini’s signature musical brilliance. The opera follows the cunning Gianni Schicchi as he helps a wealthy family maneuver through a tangled inheritance dispute. The aria is sung by Lauretta, Schicchi’s daughter, who pleads with her father to allow her to marry her beloved Rinuccio. Amidst the chaos of the inheritance plot, “O Mio Babbino Caro” serves as a poignant moment of emotional honesty, as Lauretta expresses her longing for love and happiness. The aria’s simple yet heartfelt melody and touching lyrics have made it a beloved staple of the soprano repertoire, captivating audiences with its tender beauty and emotional resonance.

Trois Poèmes de Louise de Vilmorin and Selections from Fiançailles pour rire

French composer, Francis Poulenc, is renowned for composing music based on the works of lesser-known poets. He famously set three of Louise de Vilmorin’s poems to music in “Trois Poèmes de Vilmorin” and six of her poems to music in “Fiançailles pour rire“. Vilmorin’s distinctive writing style adds an intriguing dimension to the compositions, and Poulenc’s method of setting the text vividly brings out the enigmatic qualities of her poems. Their collaboration resulted in a charming and captivating work of art.

In the “Trois Poèmes de Louise de Vilmorin”, there emerges a potential portrayal of the poet herself: a person captivated by the spontaneity of desire, embracing a carefree attitude, and consistently diving headlong into love despite its evident risks. In “Le Garçon de Liège,” Vilmorin copes with her “ennui” through encounters with a boy from Liège, who eludes capture and drifts in and out of her life. The song features a plan on words intended by the authoress: “de Liège”, meaning either “from the town in Belgium” or “made of cork”.

The second song,”Au-delà”, depicts Vilmorin’s relationship with desire, which she views casually as a game of pleasure that concludes with a sigh; she values a partner who brings laughter. In the lyrics of this song, “eau-de-vie” can also be reference to the French name for various distilled spirits such as brandy.

In the cycle’s concluding song, “Aux Officiers de la Garde Blanche,” Vilmorin implores the White Guard to shield her from an overwhelming attraction, expressing, “Spare me the torment of pain/ Of loving him more one day than I do today.” Collectively, the Trois Poèmes de Louise de Vilmorin illuminate the poet’s ambivalence toward intimacy, as she wryly maintains a distance from others as a form of self-preservation.

In “Fiançailles pour rire”, with heartfelt sincerity, Vilmorin and Poulenc crafted “Dans l’herbe,” the second piece of the cycle, a poignant lament. The sorrowful narrator is a woman who has lost her lover to a solitary death. The setting unfolds entirely within the internal landscape of the speaker’s emotions and imagination. The poem emerges from her hollow and vulnerable state, as if she is in a daze. The minimalist presentation of the poem contributes to the creation of a mood characterized by profound, gaping sorrow.

In “Il Vole,” the third song in the cycle, the speaker, a woman deeply in love with an unreliable and absent lover who is also a thief, struggles with conflicting emotions in her apartment overlooking the town square. Despite being aware of her lover’s questionable character, she longs for his return and hopes for reciprocation of her love. The poem, triggered by a particular sunset, articulates her inner turmoil as she grapples with the tension between her rationality and her passionate desire for him.

Cinco canciones populares argentinas

“Cinco canciones populares argentinas” are a set of five songs for voice and piano written in 1943 by Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera. Each song from this cycle takes its text from a traditional Argentinean tune: “Chacarera,” “Triste,” “Zamba,” “Arrorró,” and “Gato,” respectively. Like composers before him such as Bach, Brahms, and Bartók, Ginastera emphasizes local color through simple melodies, Latin rhythms, and modern harmonic practices. These pieces demand virtuosity from the pianist while allowing the singer to express emotion through a restrained vocal line.

Originating from the heart of the central pampas and the northern Argentine interior, “Chacarera” derives its name from “chacra,” meaning “farm.” This lively music and dance form holds deep cultural significance, with variations found in popular dance traditions in Uruguay and Bolivia as well. Typically performed by one or two couples, the chacarera is characterized by its rapid pace and triple meter. The dance commences with the rhythmic beating of feet against the ground, accompanied by the strumming of introductory bars on the guitar. This dynamic combination of percussive footwork and melodic guitar accompaniment sets the energetic tone for the dance, inviting participants and spectators alike to immerse themselves in its spirited rhythms and joyful expressions of movement.

“Triste,” although directly translating to “sad” or “sorrowful,” in the context of this song, serves as an indication of its genre rather than describing its emotional content. Within this song cycle, “Triste” represents a nostalgic song centered on themes of unrequited love. Originating from the Andean yaraví of the Kechua Indians, this song type has manifested in various forms across South American lyrical traditions. During the nineteenth century, payadores in the pampa region popularized the triste, characterized by a slow guitar introduction, a melodicrecitative style with minimal accompaniment, and the incorporation of lamenting sighs such as “Ah” or “Ay.” Despite its lack of a fixed structure, the triste embodies a deeply emotive and evocative quality, capturing the essence of melancholy and longing within its musical framework.

“Zamba,” despite having a name similar to Brazilian samba, is an elegant dance originating from Peru in the eighteenth century, unrelated to its Brazilian counterpart. This dance form, often performed with scarves, has become an integral part of Argentine rural festivities. Ginastera’s rendition of the zamba enriches its rhythmic sway with syncopated accompaniment, enhancing the dance’s characteristic charm. In this piece, Ginastera reflects the bimodal nature of Argentine folk music and adds depth to the composition.

The arrorró is a traditional lullaby whose origins have become obscure over the centuries. In Ginastera’s collection of five songs, “Arrorró” stands out as the sole piece where he preserves the original text, rhythm, and melody without alteration. By preserving the integrity of the source material, Ginastera honors the rich heritage of the arrorró while infusing it with his own artistic interpretation.

The final song in this cycle is “Gato”. The gato, known as the “cat dance,” traces its roots back to the early South American colonies, where it evolved from the Spanish romanza. While initially popular in Chile, Mexico, and Peru, the gato reached its peak popularity in rural and urban areas of Argentina during the late eighteenth to late nineteenth centuries. Ginastera’s interpretation of the gato largely adheres to its traditional six-part structure. It begins with a piano introduction, followed by two sections of text, an interlude (which repeats the introduction), and another two sections of text. Throughout, lively zapateo interludes punctuate the dance, adding vigor and rhythmic intensity to the composition.

First and foremost, I would like to thank Barbara Rearick, my dedicated voice coach, for the past four years. Barbara’s unwavering support, kindness, and belief in my abilities have been instrumental not only in shaping my singing but also in empowering me to thrive in my academic and personal endeavors at Princeton. Her guidance and encouragement have been a constant source of inspiration, fostering my growth both as a musician and as an individual. Barbara’s generous spirit and unwavering dedication have left an indelible mark on my journey, and I am immensely thankful for her profound influence. Beyond honing my vocal skills, Barbara’s mentorship has instilled in me a deep sense of confidence, resilience, and passion for music that will undoubtedly resonate throughout my future endeavors. Her unwavering commitment to my success has been a guiding light, and I am honored to have had the privilege of learning from such an extraordinary teacher and mentor. Thank you, Barbara, for your unwavering belief in me and for being one of the most supportive and inspiring individuals during my time at Princeton.

To Charlie Ku, my accompanist, who has devoted an incredible amount of time and effort to our rehearsals. Over the past month and a half, Charlie has shown remarkable patience and dedication, working tirelessly to help me prepare for our performance. Charlie, your exceptional musical talent and unwavering support have been invaluable to me, and I am deeply grateful for your contributions to our collaboration. It has been a privilege to work with you, and I am truly appreciative of everything you have done to make our performances a success.

To Ronald Cappon, who has been an invaluable mentor and coach. His guidance, support, and insightful advice have significantly deepened my connection to music. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside him, as well as with Charlie, whose exceptional talent and collaborative spirit have enriched our performances. Thank you, Ron, for your unwavering support and commitment to my musical development.

To my family, Mom, Dad, and Maliah, thank you for always believing in me and my talents. I am beyond grateful for your never-ending support. I love you all so much! To my friends, thank you all for coming to watch me perform and being here to support me on such an important day!

Thank you, friends and family, for coming out to watch!