meaningful voices

Welcome to episode 8 of svf-8, the music festival for those who stay home to enjoy!
"VOICES In Meaningful Song" was surely meant to please the folk ad gospel fans in the world - surely!
Peter Lake started things off with the happiest version of "Danny Boy" that I've ever heard... and I say, hallelujah!!!
Thank you, dear sir!

Another smiling face was next on the the ticket, that of Giani Canto singing a pastoral...
Oh, my mistake!
No velvet lounging jacket on this particular gent, so the tenor must be Carlton Moe, thinking about being "Under The Greenwood Tree" perhaps, possibly dreaming of a MARVEL movie!
I hear ya loud and clear!
(smile)

Time for a bit of drama, boys, so step aside and let the queen of theatre have the screen, please!
That Liz Lang, she certainly has a flair for such poses -
opera is just about a big enough genre for her style!
Her video of "An de Nacht", with her roaming in the cemetery, was akin to a short movie in an art house.
As always, nicely done!

Sean Christensen's video was in a similar style to that earlier, with cutbacks and overlays, this time with the pianist, Jorge Parodi.
"Bailèro" introduced me to a language I felt that I knew, but I didn't quite.
That was because Occitan is spoken in only a small region in Europe.
And look - I caught him with a smile at the joke he'd played!
Well done, Sparky!

The next four performances were rather staid by comparison, as they were presented in standard concert recital format.
Hey, I'm glad ecstatic that they were presented at all!
I certainly do not expect anyone to be artistic in more than one area,
as I know I am not.
It's taken me almost two months to figure out how to get the sound to work when I'm having a Zoom experience - Ack!
So, kudos to all of the musical

artists for giving us visuals to enjoy
along with the audio!
While I'm thinking about it, kudos to the editors of those videos, too, and for those who have toiled countless hours to string these videos into cohesive hour-long episodes -
truly impressive!
Y'all have crazy mad skills -
as do all of the singers and musicians I've been graced to hear.
Speaking of those... let's!
The first in this grouping is one that's new to me, soprano Amy

Shoremount-Obra.
Like some of the other works tonight, "Zueingnung" had first been a poem, then had been set to music.
I rather liked the notes of gratitude!
(Yes, puns intended!)
Jessica Ann Best took us to church for "Vaga luna", an ardent love song of desire and longing.
What a naughty - albeit, delightful - thing for her to do!
(smile!)
Speaking of delights, how nice to see Jean Carlos Rodriguez so soon!

He graced us with another Spanish song from "Luisa Fernanda" for us, "Luche la fe por el triunfo", a ballad of love from Vidal for Luisa.
This fine baritone, Chad Sonka, finished up the set, providing the song for the "Postcards From Savannah" Bento.
The spiritual, "My Lord, What a Morning", thus served as an aural backdrop for a slide show with pictures of several long-established churches here in Savannah.

I must say, I sat up a bit straighter when I saw the outer visual of this one - and even more so when I saw the words.
"Hey, that's my church!"
Then, a pause... "but that name won't be official until September, when we change from Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church."
(The vote from UMC to allow us to disaffiliate was Saturday afternoon.)
Interesting... very interesting.

Since Maria Zouves had voice and editing duties with this episode, Sherrill Milnes was the one that gave thanks to all at show's end.
As well as commending the sponsors for granting us these nights of song, he expressed his gratitude for us, the audience, wherever we might be in the world.
His final words were an admonition:
"Stay safe".
Yes sir, I will try...
especially as the sadness has stepped a little closer to my family of late.
As Mr. Willie Smith, Jr. would say, "Good Lord willin', I'll 'see' y'all tomorrow."
(smile)