Jeffrey Middleton & Raguel Gabriel: SCHWANENGESANG
by Franz Schubert

Live from Merkin Hall NYC
June 12, 2021 at 8Pm. Live Streamed

JOIN EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/518139139355066/

RTG Productions Presents:
Franz Schubert’s Schwanengesang

Trinidadian tenor Raguel Gabriel, and American pianist Jeffrey Middleton, join forces for a virtual, multi-camera livestreamed performance of Schubert’s beloved and unforgettable Schwanengesang, from the concert stage of Merkin Hall in New York City via kaufmanmusiccenter.org on Saturday June 12th at 8 pm. A musical journey searing with a myriad of emotions, Schubert’s final set of songs will be performed in the order as published after his death. Highlights include the famous ‘Standchen’, the turbulent ‘Aufenthalt’ and the bone-chilling masterpiece, ‘Der Doppelganger’.

The program is hosted by Raguel Gabriel and Emilotte Persson.

PROGRAM

Franz Schubert’s Schwanengesang

Liebesbotschaft
Kriegers Ahnung
Frühlingssehnsucht
Ständchen
Aufenthalt
In der Ferne
Abschied
Der Atlas
Ihr Bild
Das Fischermädchen
Die Stadt
Am Meer
Der Doppelgänger
Die Taubenpost

ABOUT SCHWANENGESANG

Schwanengesang is Schubert’s last set of songs written just before his death in 1828 and published posthumously in 1829. The collection, to this day, is considered to be among the greatest and most moving of all his works. The poems set to music by Schubert were written by German poets Ludwig Rellstab, Heinrich Heine and Johann Gabriel Seidl. It is Schubert’s only song set featuring poems written by more than one poet. Despite this, the pieces are connected with an ever present theme of desire with poignant explorations of the human experience, love, lust, heartbreak and resignation.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Raguel Gabriel is a Trinidadian classically trained singer and actor. He studied for many years in his homeland at The Key Academy of Music and Alfred Wallace’s School of Music. His desire for further training in acting took him to LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) and then the Stella Adler Studio of Acting (NYC) where he graduated from the three year professional conservatory. Operatic roles performed on stage include Tamino in Die Zauberflote (Mozart), Hoffmann in Les contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach), Alfred in Die Fledermaus (Strauss II) and Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas (Purcell). He also interpreted musical theatre roles including Tony in West Side Story and Marius in Les Miserables. NYC acting credits include Antonio in The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare), Sorin in The Seagull (Chekov) and the title role in Othello (Shakespeare). He continues to forge a very unique path expressing himself passionately in the areas of both drama and music, as actor and singer. Raguel is currently based in the United States.

Dr. Jeffrey Middleton is an American pianist and musician based in New York City. A graduate of The Juilliard School and Yale School of Music, his varied career includes solo and chamber music performances, vocal coaching, accompanying and teaching. Middleton’s debut recital in 1995 was at the Weill Hall at the prestigious Carnegie Hall where he was presented by Artists International Inc. Career highlights include his critically acclaimed recordings of Book II of Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier (One Soul Records) and ‘Cathay’ a recording of solo piano pieces composed by Joseph Fennimore for Albany Records. Further collaborations with Fennimore include 23 Romances for Piano (2015) and From My Window (2018) also on Albany Records. He has toured Taiwan, Switzerland and South Africa among other countries. In June 2021 Middleton received the Mae L. Wien Faculty Award for distinguished service from the School of American Ballet, from where he is about to retire after thirty six years on the Music Faculty.

Read the Profile in Arts Interview with Jeffrey Middleton HERE