In Amorous Pursuit
AUBURN, NY
Whether you’ve been ghosted, tangled in a situationship, or just soft-launching your latest crush, In Amorous Pursuit offers a musical mirror to the modern (and eternal) complexities of love. Join soprano Holly Bewlay and pianist Bonnie Choi for an evening of vocal music that explores love’s beauty, ache, and joy on Friday, September 5 at 7:30 PM at St. Mary’s Church in Auburn.
The evening opens with Purcell’s tender and timeless ode, If Music be the Food of Love and Music for a While, setting the tone for a journey through romantic longing and delight. From Amy Beach’s richly expressive Browning Songs to impassioned works by Grieg, Tosti, and Lehár, the program highlights both beloved and overlooked gems of the Belle Époque.
A special feature includes a set of French songs by Cécile Chaminade, and a selection of Korean art songs and a dazzling operetta aria from Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.
PROGRAM:
If Music be the Food of Love & Music for a While – Henry Purcell
Browning Songs, Op. 44 – Amy Beach
Ich liebe dich – Edvard Grieg
Non t’amo più – Paolo Tosti
Vilia from The Merry Widow – Franz Lehár
Songs by Cécile Chaminade: L’été, Amour d’automne, L’idéal
Korean art songs
Poor Wand’ring One from Pirates of Penzance
This concert is part of the St. Mary’s Chamber Music Series, presenting intimate performances by regional and guest artists in a beautiful and acoustically rich setting. Admission is free; donations are welcome to support future programming.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Ho Eui Holly Bewlay, Korean American soprano, is known for her vivid performances in opera, oratorio, and recital across the U.S. and Europe. She is the co-founder of Tormenta d’Amore, a Baroque chamber ensemble inspired by her early music studies with Paul O’Dette, Martin Pearlman, and Gloria Banditelli. Holly has performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Haven Symphony, and at the Assisi Performing Arts Festival in Italy. Her solo repertoire spans works by Handel, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Pergolesi, and Vivaldi. A sought-after recitalist and educator, she has given masterclasses and lectures at universities in the U.S., South Korea, and Italy. In 2023, she released HOLLY: 24 Italian Songs and Arias, a teaching resource and album now available on Apple Music and Spotify.
Bonnie Choi, pianist, is a Fulbright scholar, researcher, and educator. She is the founder of CécileChaminade.org, a digital humanities project dedicated to promoting the legacy of French composer Cécile Chaminade. Bonnie performs regularly in chamber music series across New York State and is on the music faculty at both Nazareth University and Syracuse University. Her work bridges historical research with live performance, particularly in reviving forgotten women composers of the Romantic era. She is also the founder of the Women in Music Festival at Nazareth University. Bonnie has presented lecture-recitals in China, Switzerland, and the United States, and last year appeared as concerto soloist with the Syracuse Orchestra.
This concert series is made possible with funds from the Auburn Public Theater Regrants program, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Auburn Public Theater.
For more information, contact:
St. Mary’s Church, 15 Clark Street, Auburn, NY |. Phone: (315) 252-7593 }. Email: [email protected] | Website: https://www.stmaryauburn.org/