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Known for her inventive programming, Catherine enjoys creating and performing recitals that tell a story,
engage the audience in a new way, and go beyond the "standard" recital format.
Below is a sampling of the programs she has curated and presented in recent years.
The Story of Cinderella tells, as the name suggests, the Cinderella story through art songs, opera excerpts/arias, chants, and a cantata that were selected based on two criteria. The first was that the song had to be written by a female composer. The second criterion was that the content of the song fits somewhere within the Cinderella narrative. This program is divided into three parts: Cinderella’s life through her first encounter with the Fairy Godmother; Cinderella and the Prince interacting at the ball; and Cinderella’s life after the ball.
Magnificat: An Advent Recital features different settings of the Magnificat text (Luke 1:46-55). The program begins with the one of the famous “O” Antiphons - the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer (Vespers) from December 17-23. The majority of the program is a pastiche-like “multi-composer Magnificat” comprised of the soprano solos from eleven different Magnificat settings from the Baroque through the 20th century. The recital concludes with Naji Hakim’s Magnificat for soprano and organ, composed in 2006.
Missa Vocalis is a vocal interpretation of the Ordinary and Propers of the Catholic Mass, with a few additional elements included to round out the Mass program. The Mass Ordinary is presented through Josef Rheinberger’s Missa puerorum for soprano solo. The Propers of the Mass, originally Gregorian chant within the context of an actual Mass, are interpreted here with repertoire from the 11th Century through the present day, utilizing chant, art songs, and oratorio arias. Selections for the Alleluia, Our Father prayer, and a final Amen have been added to allow the program to encompass a more thorough Mass experience.
Living Voices, a program of art songs, arias, and musical theatre selections, showcases music written by living American composers. Catherine is a proponent of performing this type of repertoire. The first iteration of this concept program includes Libby Larsen's Try Me, Good King and the world premiere of Mark Buller's Schlechtesübersetzunglieder.
A Celebration of Women, with texts written by women set to music by women, highlights artistic achievements of female composers and poets. The first iteration of this concept program features a selection of English-language art songs by American women, including Larsen, Smith Moore, Laitman, Hagen, and Hall. All of the chosen texts discuss love, faith, or both in some capacity.