Golda Schultz Sings Gershwin and Bernstein at the Proms

"While Golda Schultz was the undisputed focus of last night's BBC Prom, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, with Robin Ticciati on the podium (fresh from Glyndebourne), made its presence strongly felt. The evening opened with the Proms premiere of Franz Schreker's Chamber Symphony and concluded with Stravinsky's dazzling Firebird Suite, a showpiece that leaves no room for weakness in the orchestra. Franz Schreker's Chamber Symphony (1916) is a single-movement work written for 24 instruments, including three keyboards (harmonium, celesta and piano)."

"The piece unfolds as a continuous arc, balancing lyrical passages with intricate counterpoint and dense harmonies. While influenced by Mahler and Debussy, it showcases Schreker's distinctive voice. Some of the subtleties of the score were inevitably lost in the vastness of the Royal Albert Hall, and the reduced instrumentation led to a somewhat restricted dynamic range. Even so, there were magical moments, not least an ethereal flute solo that hung delicately in the air."

"Orchestrated by Russell Warner, the number gained colour and weight, though at times the fuller sound risked overpowering Schultz's vocals. She followed with Kurt Weill's Youkali, a tango-habanera that played perfectly to her mellifluous tone, showcasing both her expansive dynamic range and her seamless transition from middle to upper register."

Golda Schultz headlined the BBC Prom with a program of songs and operatic excerpts, backed by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Robin Ticciati. The evening opened with the Proms premiere of Franz Schreker's Chamber Symphony and ended with Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. Schreker's single-movement work for 24 instruments balances lyricism, counterpoint, and dense harmonies, though subtleties were sometimes lost in the Royal Albert Hall and reduced scoring limited dynamic range; an ethereal flute solo stood out. Schultz opened with Gershwin's By Strauss, performed Youkali and Summertime with poise, and received strong audience favor.

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