David Geffen Hall-Lincoln Center/ Thursday April 23rd, 2026: Richard Strauss (1864-1949) “Metamorphosen” (1945) and Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) “La voix humaine, Lyric tragedy in one act” (1958) after a play by Cocteau (1927-28).
Welcome back friends!
Yay!
Welcome this week, once again, to the rich, vibrant, and inspiring, emotional world of classical music, performed by the New York Philharmonic.
Yay!
And last night, this terrific, unique, incredibly original live and filmed concert, was beautifully conducted, in her New York Philharmonic debut, with great energy, versatility, and charisma, by the wonderfully alive, Canadian soprano and conductor, and Grammy award winning musician, the dazzling, Barbara Hannigan.
Yay!
And interestingly, these 2 composers, wrote the works like many, at a time of harsh turmoil (WWII for Strauss and more personal turmoil for Cocteau, who wrote the play in 1928, and Poulenc, who in 1958, put it to music).
Wow.
And both Cocteau and Poulenc identified with the main protagonist of the play, a woman who tries to communicate on the telephone with her lover of 5 years, on the eve of their final separation.
Wow.
And both pieces written 10 years apart, to me describe well the isolation that this turmoil creates for these 2 composers.
Wow.
1)”Metamorphosen” (1945) by Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
What inspired Strauss’ writing was WWII air raids that affected him profoundly. In Munich the National theater called the Court theater in its early years, was destroyed in 1943. Then in 1945, it is the Vienna Opera that burns down, on the eve of his writing of “Metamorphosen”.
Wow.
And ladies and gentlemen, the nostalgia, sorrow and sadness of this piece, is just heart wrenching yet gorgeous, and truly beautiful.
Yay!
2)”La Voix Humaine”, Lyric tragedy in one act (1958) by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
With this piece, lead, sung while being filmed, on stage, by Barbara Hannigan, the audience was all ears.
Wow and yay!
Probably the most original performance of the year given by the NY Philharmonic this season, the literary libretto by Cocteau in itself, is already music to any French or francophile concert goer.
Yay!
Barbara Hannigan’s diction and acting chops were beyond unbelievable, she should definitely also consider a career at the Comedie Francaise.
Wow and yay!
And Poulenc’s music as always was incredibly inspired, intimate almost religious in nature, just mind blowing.
So, to sum up my feelings, about the “Strauss and Poulenc” concert admired last week, in great company: what original, unusual, gorgeous, classical pieces, and how beautifully conducted and performed by Hannigan, to remind us, to me, at least, that turmoil can sometimes inspire the most heart wrenching and dazzling works.
Yay!
Bravo!
Just awesome.
Until next time friends.
Soft…
Fluttering…
Sunny…
Joyful…
Happy…
Loving…
Eternal butterflies…