The words of early-20th century Argentine poet Alfonsina Storni “have been turned into music by Bryce Dessner, the composer also known as a guitarist with indie rockers The National,” writes Shaun Tandon in Thursday’s (2/15) Agence France-Presse. “The song cycle, written by Dessner for mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, is named after and closes with ‘Voy a Dormir’ (‘I Am Going to Sleep’), Storni’s poignant final poem.… The Orchestra of St. Luke’s is backing O’Connor for the world premiere Thursday at Carnegie Hall in New York, with Robert Spano, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra music director and champion of contemporary fare, conducting…. ‘Voy a Dormir’ is one of a slew of new works at Carnegie Hall, which has set a goal of 125 commissions between 2015 and 2020 to mark the 125th anniversary of one of New York’s most storied music venues. The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, known for its commissions and work with high-profile musicians as well as concerts around New York, said it let Dessner and O’Connor decide the direction of the piece. Calling orchestras ‘vehicles for civic expression,’ Orchestra of St. Luke’s president James Roe said the ensemble’s history was shaped by ‘curiosity about new forms of expression.’ ”
Posted February 16, 2018
