Bass-baritone Eric Owens and soprano Susanna Phillips will sing a program of favorite Schubert songs in a special Mother's Day concert at Symphony Center in Chicago.
This program on Sunday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m. is a rare opportunity to hear these two world-class singers in recital. They will be joined by pianist Myra Huang and Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians Daniel Gingrich, acting principal horn, and John Bruce Yeh, assistant principal clarinet.
Their program includes the masterpieces "An die Musik" (To Music), "Gretchen am Spinnrade" (Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel), and "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen" (The Shepherd on the Rock), known for its delightful interplay between clarinet and soprano.
The program also features a rare Schubert song that includes horn, "Auf dem Strom" (On the River), in the version for baritone, horn and piano.
Schubert's desire for a balance of beauty and emotional power in these songs was inspired by the German romantic poets Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Heinrich Heine and Wilhelm Muller, who contributed the texts to several of the songs on this program.
Alabama-born soprano Susanna Phillips is making her Symphony Center recital debut at this concert. She made her debut with the CSO in Mozart's Mass in C Minor in 2008, the same year she also made her Metropolitan Opera debut. Here she is in recital, singing Mendelssohn's "Auf Flugeln des Gesanges":
Eric Owens will return to Symphony Center this fall as a soloist in five performances of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, led by CSO Music Director Riccardo Muti. He is also scheduled to sing his first Wotan in Lyric Opera's Ring Cycle in 2016.
This program is the final concert of the Symphony Center Presents Schubert Song series. It is inspired by the CSO's season-long exploration of Schubert's full range of work. More information about this program is available at cso.org.
Tesori Restaurant in Chicago is presenting a Mother's Day special for Symphony Center patrons. The restaurant will offer a complimentary Bellini or Mimosa cocktail to those who present their May 11 concert ticket during their meal. In addition, Tesori is offering a special Mother's Day brunch menu. Reservations can be made at tesorichicago.com.
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