Bel Canto Notturno per voci e violoncello a Montclair e a Manhattan

Two of our best Bel Canto singers, Amalia Crevani and Emily Hughes, will join me and cellist Matt Zucker to present a one-hour program, “Bel Canto Notturno,” in Montclair on Sept. 4 and in Manhattan on Oct. 1. See below for ticketing information, and meanwhile read on for a little info if you’re curious.

When we read “Nocturne,” we think of Chopin, but Chopin borrowed the title from a genre forgotten today, the chamber duet for two voices in close harmony. It was a staple of domestic music-making in the era when music at home had to be supplied by musicians in the home. Several generations of composers gave it some of their best inspirations. Virtuosity, melody, expression, and sheer fun are the hallmarks. These "Notturni" were mostly circulated in manuscript in Italy (which was late in the transition to engraved sheet music), and there are thousands of examples in libraries up and down the peninsula. As publishing picked up steam elsewhere, they were issued by the hundreds in Vienna, Paris, London, New York, St. Petersburg, and wherever else Bel Canto had put down roots. Practically every Italian composer contributed to this thriving market, so there are countless gorgeous pieces awaiting revival. But you have to seek them out. We have a special affection for the Notturno here at Teatro Nuovo: Duets in close harmony are both delightful to the ear and a big test of Bel Canto skill. You have to be really on top of everything your voice is doing to match it in the moment with what another is doing. That's one of many reasons they were so popular in an age when someone in every family was learning to sing!

I hope to see you there, and meanwhile please stand by for more updates from Teatro Nuovo. We’re currently busy assembling the summer 2027 team, sifting through hundreds of applications for our training program, and we will have titles and principal casts to announce soon! BEL CANTO NOTTURNO Friday, September 4, 6:00pm ~ 7:00pm Montclair Public Library 50 S Fullerton Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042 Free admission. Registration required. Thursday, October 1, 1:15pm ~ 2:00pm Midtown Concerts, St. Malachy’s Church 239 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10019 Free admission. Also available online via Youtube live stream. Support Teatro Nuovo to help opera’s future. No gift is too small or too large! DONATE Teatro Nuovo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law. Teatro Nuovo’s 2026 Program is supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. 27/08 Comunicato Stampa Info: www.teatronuovo.org bellaunavitaalloperablogspot.com