LIVE @ THE 415 Summer Salon Series (Livestream)
CHRISTINE AMON, mezzo-soprano & KEVIN BYLSMA, PIANO
Unbewegte laue Luft: Songs of Love, Romance, and Seduction
Sunday, JuLy 18th @ 4:15 PM EST
Ann Arbor Festival of Song regulars Christine Amon and Kevin Bylsma return to KCH for a virtual, miniature “Song Fest” filled with touching French and German art song selections, along with a few of their cabaret and musical theatre favorites. Tune in for a program featuring works from Brahms, Clara Schumann, Debussy, Poulenc, and Strauss; as well as 20th and 21st century cabaret and musical theatre pieces from Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, and Jeff Blumenkrantz. This recital, consisting of songs from Brahms to Berlin, captures the various aspects of summer love.
Praised for her “sweet, powerful voice”, Grand Rapids, MI native Christine Amon is a versatile mezzo-soprano excelling in opera, musical theater, and art song. Last season, she made company debuts as Erika in Samuel Barber’s Vanessa with Toledo Opera, and as Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel with Union Avenue Opera of St. Louis. Recent engagements also include the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Louisiane and Opera Memphis, Gretchen in The Student Prince with Opera Grand Rapids, and Edith in The Pirates of Penzance with Nashville Opera.
An Opera Memphis favorite, Ms. Amon has appeared in recent seasons as the wife in The Music Shop, and Pitti-Sing in Ned Canty’s production of The Mikado. She also created the role of Mich in Mich and the Moon (music by Jack Perla; libretto by Jerre Dye) in the premiere of The Ghosts of Crosstown. In 2012, Christine was a finalist in the prestigious Lotte Lenya Competition hosted by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. In addition, she’s been awarded first place in the The Beethoven Club of Memphis Young Artist Competition, Opera Grand Rapids Collegiate Vocal Competition, and the Dr. Marjorie Conrad Art Song Competition.
With more than three decades’ experience as a vocal coach, collaborative pianist, conductor, and organist, Kevin J. Bylsma is a musician of impressive depth and ability, well known for his work in opera, art song, and oratorio. A longtime member of the Toledo Opera staff, Mr. Bylsma is currently the Head of Music Preparation and Chorus Master. He was formerly Music Director of the Department of Community Programs for the Michigan Opera Theatre and vocal coach, accompanist, and chorus master for OPERA! Lenawee. In recitals and master classes he has collaborated with the great American singers Samuel Ramey, Diane Soviero, Marilyn Horne, Dawn Upshaw, Michelle De Young, Irina Mishura, Katherine Lewek, and Jennifer Rowley. He is the Co-founder and Artistic Director of the Ann Arbor Festival of Song, and, for the past twenty-six years, he has served the historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit as Associate Organist and Choirmaster.
