Vocal Recital: Highway I, U.S.A
William Grant Still’s Highway I, U.S.A. premiered in 1963. Though his eight operas were often neglected during his lifetime, Still—frequently referred to as the “Dean of African-American composers”—maintained an enduring fascination with the genre. In Highway I, U.S.A., Still blends Romanticism with the blues to create a lyrical, expressive portrait of one family’s fraught pursuit of the American dream. Join four of our voice and opera students as they perform the work of this key figure of American music.
Meet Our Faculty
Master opera coach Lisa Keller has served on the music staffs of Opera Philadelphia, Opera Colorado, New Jersey Opera Theater, Wexford Festival Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Santa Fe Opera. She was principal pianist for the Philadelphia Orchestra’s recent performances of Salome; workshops of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain; and, with Opera Philadelphia, the world premieres of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD and Breaking the Waves. She joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 2004.