Singing Beautifully: The Roots and Fruits of Bel Canto Style
with Jack Swanson and Katherine Henly
Rachelle Jonck and Derrick Goff, pianists
Guild Hall and Bel Canto Boot Camp’s new Resident Artist Series kicks off with tenor Jack Swanson and soprano Katherine Henly, and BCBC’s Rachelle Jonck and Derrick Goff at the piano in a program of opera, film, musical theater, and song.
The recital features a solid dose of bel canto classics, including excerpts from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Don Pasquale, as well as songs by Rossini and Bellini. Gilbert and Sullivan afford us a stroll through bel canto in English with excerpts from their much beloved Pirates of Penzance. We explore the use of the classically trained voice in music from the 40s and 50s – we visit American opera (Kurt Weill’s Street Scene), music theater (Kiss Me, Kate and My Fair Lady) and cinema (The Toast of New Orleans).
With a wide range of repertoire, this program is sure to please lovers of coloratura and crooning alike, while emphasizing the application of the bel canto style of singing in various genres – encouraging us all to tune our ears to the finesse and power of the unamplified voice which the Italians aptly call “beautiful singing.”
ABOUT GUILD HALL & BEL CANTO BOOT CAMP RESIDENT ARTIST SERIES
The Guild Hall & Bel Canto Boot Camp Resident Artist Series is a collaboration between the Learning + Public Engagement department at Guild Hall of East Hampton and Bel Canto Boot Camp. With the shared values of creative authenticity, artistic development, and community engagement, the Series supports an emerging generation of opera singers. By providing individualized training from Bel Canto Boot Camp mentors and masterclasses with international artists, the series aims to support a new generation of emerging opera singers and to increase awareness and appreciation of the unamplified voice.
The 2022 Season will include intimate recitals with tenor Jack Swanson, a program of scenes and arias in collaboration with Cape Town Opera South Africa, and baritenor Michael Spyres in concert, featuring his favorite bel canto arias and songs. He invites Resident Artists who will be in training at Guild Hall to join him in operatic ensembles giving our audiences the opportunity to see the stars of today and tomorrow in performance together.
COVID-19 Protocol: All guests over the age of 12 must provide proof of full vaccination.










