This week, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato has a new album out on Erato. In War and Peace features arias by Handel, Purcell, and other baroque composers that deal with, as one might expect, bellicose and pacific themes. Her coloratura and ornamentation are impressive throughout, as is the purity and beauty of her voice. Il Pomo d’Oro, led from the harpsichord by Maxim Emelyanychev, provides supple and stirring accompaniment.
DiDonato is also using the album project as a springboard for conversations about ways to bring peace to our strife-torn world, with the hashtag #TalkPeace as its convergence point.
In addition to reviews of the album, making the rounds on the internet this week are two stirring stories. One, via NPR Music’s Deceptive Cadence, presents DiDonato in interview titled “On Why Art Matters in the Midst of Chaos” (listen via the embed below). The other is her series of inspiring masterclasses at Carnegie Hall (video via Medici.TV below). A consummate artist, skillful teacher, and a peace advocate? What’s not to like?
https://www.npr.org/player/embed/500515350/500728987