Masterworks Series features British-American soprano

Kathryn Frady

British-American soprano Kathryn Frady will join the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera tonight for a presentation of Francis Poulenc's "Gloria" during the Barnett & Company Masterworks Series at the Tivoli Theatre.

The CSO will be joined by the CSO chorus, directed by Darrin Hassevoort, and the Southern Adventist University Die Meistersinger and Bel Canto choruses, directed by Genevieve Brown-Kibble. Kayoko Dan will conduct the symphony.

Poulenc's "Gloria" is six movements scored for soprano solo, large orchestra and chorus. One of Poulenc's most celebrated works, it was commissioned by the Koussevitsky Foundation in honor of Sergei Koussevitzky and his wife, Natalia, the namesakes of the foundation.

After a personal tragedy and resulting religious experience, Poulenc returned to Catholicism and began writing sacred works. "Gloria"was written during this emotional time. The third movement contains a dramatic soprano solo.

The concert will also include Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances," an orchestral suite in three movements.

Rachmaninoff composed his "Symphonic Dances" after a long break from composing and a move from Europe to the U.S. The "Dances" proved to be his last composition.

"It should have been called just 'Dances'," Rachmaninoff is said to have told a newspaper reporter, "but I was afraid people would think I had written dance music for jazz orchestra."

To learn more about the two composers and their works, concertgoers are invited to arrive early to attend the Spotlight Talk by William Green, Dean of the School of Music at Lee University and director of the Lee University Chorale. His half-hour talk will begin at 6:45 p.m. in the Tivoli Green Room.

Featured soprano Frady has been widely praised for her "powerful stage presence, and vibrant vocal range" by critics throughout the United States and Europe.

Her performance of Amelia in the world premiere of Larry Delinger's opera "Amelia Lost" was named "Most Memorable Operatic Performance in Knoxville in 2014."

In 2013, Frady made her OperaCarolina debut as Papagena in Jun Kaneko's production of "The Magic Flute," where the critics said, "her voice found no quality wanting."

Other recent highlights include Violetta in "La Traviata" with The Mediterranean Opera Festival, the New York premiere of "Amelia Lost," and Kate in the world premiere of "Sweets by Kate" with Midwest Institute of Opera and Marble City Opera.

For more information: chattanooga symphony.org.