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Home , Harry Theyard, Lili Chookasian, Marisa Galvany, Samuel Ramey

SHEPHERD SCHOOL OF MUSIC

DUMAS ARTIST SERIES presents Lili Chookasian, Armen Boyajian, piano

Friday, September 9, 1983 8:00 p.m. in Hamman Hall PROGRAM

I Aria from Judas Maccabaeus "Father of Heav'n" Georg Friedrich Handel~ 3. Feast of the dedication at Jerusalem after Judas and his followers (1685-1759)T had recovered and restored the sanctuary.

Recitative and Aria from "Awake Saturnia-Iris Hence Away" The goddess Juno expresses her fury as she orders Saturnia to destroy Semele. This is t;,. lJ 7 considered the first full length in English.

II

" Die Mainacht" (May Night) Johannes Brahms The moonlight shines like silver through the trees, the nightingale (1833-189V t?, sings her song, but a tear dims my eye as I wonder, "Where are you?" ~ ! l

"Von ewiger Liebe" (Eternal Love) The evening is dark . A lad walking with his beloved talks with her sadly and J / t,;& passionately: if the world makes you suffer for your love for me, let us part. I shall leave you and never see you again . But the maiden answers: Our love can neve! be destroyed. Iron and steel may dissolve, but our love will last forever.

"Allerseelen" (All Souls' Day) Place on the table the fragant flowers and let us speak again of love. (1864-1949) Once a year is free to the dead. Come to my heart so I can have you as once in May. /J, OZ- "Morgen" (Tomorrow) Tomorrow the sun will shine on us again. We shall look into each others eyes and upon us will descend the muted silence of happiness.

"Standchen" (Serenade) Come quietly my love. Awaken no one. With steps as gentle as elves, slip into the moonlit night.

III

Aria from Lucrezia Borgia "Brindisi" This opera is notable for the "trouser role" - Maffia Orsini. (1797-1848) It was a favorite with nineteenth century mezzos, including Mme. Ernestine '1 , / 3 Schumann-Heink who made a famous recording of the Brindisi.

Photographing and sound recording are prohibited. We further request that audible paging devices not be used during the performance. Paging arrangements may be made with the ushers. INTERMISSION

IV. "Les Berceaux" (The Cradles) Gabriel-Urbain Faure As the large ships are rocked by the surge, the hands of (1845-1924) women also rock the cradle. ~ ,.'':"c.., "Apres un Reve" (After a Dream) "'2 ~ S "-- In slumber charmed by your image, I call on you. Give me back your illusions. - Return, oh mysterious night.

"Fleur Jetee" (Windblown Flower) As the will of the wind like a cut flower perishes - so love perishes.

V

Three Old American Songs: Aaron Copland ' • "A Long Time Ago" (A ballad) (b. 1900) \:~ t "Simple Gifts" (A song of the Shaker religious sect) iz.. ,"At the River" (Hymn tune)

VI

"Dzirani Dzar" (Apricot Tree) Gomidas A despairing lover tells the apricot tree not to bear fruit, nor sway in the breeze, for his heart is heavy with sorrow. z ;; S

"Agana Groong'' (The Crane) Servantsdiantz Crane, whence do you come? Welcome is your song. Crane, have you no w.,rd from home? . I · • I

"Yar Nazani" (Genteel Girl) Alan Hovhaness I went to the bazaar and traded a goat for a saz (mandolin) ('. ~ r, (b. 1911) so I might serenade my sweetheart.

"Mi Lahr" (Do Not Cry) Melikian Do not cry my love, your sorrow will pass. --;;,?

"Khunjooykee Yerk" (Festival Song) Aram Khatchaturian Praise we 's Red Wine, whoever drinks of it will be I .. I (b. 1903) much sweeter. ti!-

THIS CONCERT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A GENEROUS GRANT ,,,- FROM ELVA KALB DUMAS -.!! ,,1 Ii' g;;, /: Z 7 'i' 2: 44-' BIOGRAPHIES LILI CHOOKASIAN, a native of and contralto, is a frequent guest artist with all of the major of the and in many of the most renowned European Festivals including Bayreuth and Salzburg. Since her debut in 1960 with in Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky, she has established herself in both the standard and contemporary repertoires. Her Metropolitan Opera debut was as La Cierca in in 1962, and her subsequent roles there have included Erda, Azucena, Amneris, Ulrica, all three roles in II Trittico on the same evening, and Bagbick in the highly acclaimed production of Weill's Mahagonny in the 1979-80 season; added the Witch in Hansel and Gretel to her repertoire there in the 1980-81 Season during which she again sang Ulrica and Begbick. During 1980-81 she sang with Arkansas Opera, the Innkeeper in the 's Boris and was soloist with the Cleveland . Highlights of the 1981-82 Season included the new productions of Stravinsky's Rossignol and Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman at the Metropolitan Opera in addition to more Witches in Hansel; Tchaikovsky's Iolanta with the National Symphony under Rostropovich at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall; Beethoven's Choral Fantasy with Ozawa and the Boston Symphony which was later telecast over the PBS-TV Network; Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Dallas Symphony; and Cavalleria Rusticana with Toledo Opera, the Verdi in Washington, DC; and ' s Symphony No. 2 with the Utah Symphony which was also recorded. During the summer of 1982, Miss Chookasian sang the complete Trittico with and La Gioconda in Bogota, Columbia. In addition to more performances of Hoffman at the Metropolitan Opera in 1982-83, she sings Erda in the Dallas Opera's Rheingold and Pique Dame with the Baltimore Symphony under Comissiona. Her recent orchestral engagements have included appearances with the Boston Symphony under Ozawa, Rostropovich and Tippett, the under Maazel and Davis, the Dallas Symphony under Mata, the St. Louis Symphony under Semkow and at the summer Festivals of Ravinia and Blossom. Miss Chookasian records for CBS Masterworks, RCA, Decca and MGM Records.

ARMEN BOYAJIAN is one of the foremost vocal coaches in the world of music today. He has come to this position through a variety of talents as a pianist, accompanist, and conductor. After a short period of study at Juilliard, he went on to receive a teaching degree from Montclair State College in New Jersey. He made his professional debut in 1954 performing the Khatchaturian Piano Concerto with The North Jersey Philharmonic. He continued his studies with the noted pianist, Grace Castagnetta, and subsequently performed the Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto, and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. During this time, he was avidly attending performances at the Metropolitan , and worked as an accompanist with the major vocal studios in . This led to a recital tour with the young . In 1958, feeling the need to create a proving ground for talented young singers, he founded an opera workshop in the form of The Paterson Lyric Opera Theatre. During its 15 year existence, this workshop became an important stepping stone to international careers for such artists as , , , Gwynn Cornell, , Theodore Lambrinos, Rod MacWherter, June Fiske and many others . It also added immeasurably to Boyajian 'sown abilities as an operatic conductor, and, even more important, his growing knowledge of the human voice and its natural projection. As he developed further as a vocal coach and teacher, his services were sought by many of the leading artists of the Metropolitan and New York City . Today, in addition to his heavy teaching schedule of his two studios in New York and New Jersey, he continues to serve as the piano accompanist to many of these famous artists on their international recital tours. He also pursues his love of the piano literature through his Concerto Series which he began in 1979. On these concerts he performs a marathon of three concerti in one evening, creating interesting combinations of the standard and unusual cercerto repertoire.