Faculty Artist Series: Colin Johnson, Bass-Baritone

Pealer Recital Hall, PAC

FSU’s Department of Music Presents Dr. Colin Johnson in a Faculty Artist Series Concert

Frostburg State University’s Department of Music will present bass-baritone Dr. Colin Johnson in a Faculty Artist Series Concert, “A Life in Dreams,” on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 3 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall of FSU’s Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center. He will be accompanied by pianist Dr. Jay DeWire. The concert will be livestreamed; the link will be posted at www.frostburg.edu/concerts.

The program for “A Life in Dreams,” a music exploration holding on to a vision that once was, will include “Miei rampolli femminini” from “La Cenerentola” by Giaochino Rossini; “Wohl denk ich oft an mein vergangenes Leben,” “Alles endet, was entsteht” and “Fühlt meine Seele das ersehnte Licht” from “Drei Gedichte von Michelangelo” by Hugo Wolf; and “Brighter Than Bright,” “Ah, Herté Mine,” “Credo,” “Pleasures,” “Impossibilities,” “A Frog in the Frost,” “My Expected Heaven,” “Immortality” and “From Italy” from “Your John Keats” by Debra Lynn.

“La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo” (“Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant”) is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Rossini that was first performed in 1817. In this variation of the fairy tale, the wicked stepmother is replaced by a stepfather, Don Magnifico. The noted aria, “Miei rampolli femminini” is performed by Don Magnifico in Act 1.

Wolf wrote “Drei Gedichte von Michelangelo” in 1897, when his health was failing, so in a sense they are his own “letzte Lieder.” In “Wohl denk ich oft an mein vergangenes Leben,” the poet compares past to present, Now, he’s praised by the world, but fame has come at a price. The last line ruses with a Wolfian flourish, but laced with bitterness. A slow, penitential introduction leads into “Alles endet, was entstehet.” The meaning of the song is that if one phase draws to an end, life goes on. The text Wolf uses in “Fühlt meine Seele das ersehnte Licht” refers to earthly love. As the vocal part ends, the piano part continues, suggesting a kind of afterglow.

“Your John Keats” (2017) is a nine-movement song cycle for baritone with piano that includes letter excerpts from English Romantic poet John Keats to Fanny Brawne (his fiancée) throughout their two-year relationship, during which Keats became ill with tuberculosis and was sent to Rome (for the warmer climate) where he died. “Brighter Than Bright” conveys the apprehensive passion of new love. “Ah Herté Mine” explores the mysterious fragility of “deep” love. “Credo” is a passacaglia (a slow tune written over a repeating bass figure). “Pleasures” begins and ends with a lilting expression of utter joy and delight. The turbulent movement “Impossibilities” describes the symptoms Keats experienced when first falling ill. “A Frog in a Frost” has a charming presentation, but the undercurrent reflects Keats’ physically weakened state after becoming ill. Much of the melodic material in “My Expected Heaven” is borrowed from the mating call of a male robin. The vertical piano chords on each beat represent bars on a birdcage (the illness holding Keats captive, and separating him from Fanny). “Immortality” expresses Keats’ fury and frustration with the inability to will himself toward better health. “From Italy” opens and closes with a low descending piano figure, a ritornello of sorts representing Keats’ body shutting down.

Johnson serves as a lecturer in voice at York College of Pennsylvania and FSU. In addition, he gives private voice lessons in a variety of genres, including classical and contemporary commercial music. As a performer, he has been heard in many opera houses and theatres across the country as well as in Germany and Italy. His research interests include applying motor learning strategies to the singing voice studio as well as vocal tract acoustics. Johnson has presented research on motor learning feedback in the singing voice studio at the Voice Symposium in Philadelphia and at the Pan American Vocology Symposium. He also is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Pan American Vocology Association.

For more information, contact FSU’s Department of Music at 301-687-4109.

Music, Performance, Recital