Coming up in Philly music: Making historic letters sing

Tom Purdom
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In
1 minute read
Lyric Fest finds the music in letters by people like Abigail Adams. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Lyric Fest finds the music in letters by people like Abigail Adams. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

How would a letter from Abraham Lincoln sound set to music? How about the letter physicist Richard Feynman wrote to his first wife shortly after she died? The Lyric Fest song series ends its season with a program devoted to musical settings of letters by penners that include Abigail Adams, Amelia Earhart, Edgar Allan Poe, and children who write letters to Santa. Ten of the songs will be premieres, specially commissioned by Lyric Fest, by composers who will discuss their work at the concert. The concert will also premiere the winner of Lyric Fest’s young composer competition, Isabella Ness, whose song sets to music a letter by Vincent van Gogh describing the colors of the Mediterranean. Lyric Fest has been coming up with unusual programs for over ten years and they’ve delivered an unbroken series of festivals, just like their name promises.

Lyric Fest will present Sincerely Yours… Letters Set to Music on Saturday, April 2 at 8pm at Haverford College and Sunday April 3 at 3pm at Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce Street (with a 2pm composer talk preceding the performance). Tickets are $20 in advance online and $25 at the door. Special student tickets are $5 cash at the door with ID.

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