Wheelock Whitney to Perform Recital of Early 20th Century Romantic Love Songs at Opera House

Wheelock Whitney

Wheelock Whitney

(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Les chemins de l’amour, a program of romantic love songs featuring works in French, Italian, German and English, will be performed by Wheelock Whitney, baritone, accompanied by Edward Cremo on piano at the Hudson Opera House on Saturday, April 12, 2014, at 7pm.

Les chemins de l’amour takes its title from the valse chantee of that name written in 1940 by Francis Poulenc for the celebrated actress and singer Yvonne Printemps. The theme of the program is romantic love in its many shapes and guises, featuring works ranging from classical art songs to pieces from the musical theatre, most of them dating from the first half of the 20th century. In addition to Poulenc, composers include Erik Satie, Reynaldo Hahn, Marc Blitzstein and Noel Coward; also, the little-known Joseph Kosma, whose settings of the poems of Jacques Prevert are full of charm and surprises.

Wheelock Whitney studies voice with Jane Olian in New York City, and has worked with numerous distinguished coaches and pianists, including Graham Johnson, Margo Garrett and Pierre Vallet. He attended the prestigious SongFest program in Los Angeles in 2012 and 2013, and has recently sung several recitals in the Hudson Valley. He is a specialist in art song, particularly the French melodie and German Lied. An art historian by training, Whitney published a book on the French Romantic painter Theodore Gericault in 1997 entitled Gericault in Italy (Yale University Press) as well as numerous scholarly articles and exhibition catalogue entries. In 2003 his collection of 50 late 18th and early 19th century paintings was promised to the Metropolitan Museum, where much of it is presently on view. A committed environmentalist with a special love for the Hudson Valley, he has served on the board of Scenic Hudson, Inc., and the Scenic Hudson Land Trust since 1990. Whitney lives in Rhinebeck.

Edward Cremo is a composer and occasional collaborative pianist. He devotes himself to composing, arranging, music editing and teaching. His compositions include a collection of songs for voice and piano, works for piano solo, chamber works, works for chamber orchestra and a work for symphony orchestra. His string quartet was premiered by members of the London Bach Orchestra and his commissioned works Sound Logic and Requiescat were given their respective premieres by the Premiere Ensemble, also of London. Along with his family and a few like-minded individuals, Mr. Cremo is dedicated to furthering the mission of The Cooperage Project, a small not-for-profit organization founded in 2012 in Honesdale, Penn., whose mission is to cultivate social conscience and foster civic engagement in order to build a strong and vibrant community.

 

 

 

 

 

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