Nationally acclaimed Skylark Vocal Ensemble presents an immersive concert interspersing songs from the American Civil War, including the Battle Hymn of the Republic, with Francis Poulenc's challenging and rarely performed Figure Humaine.
Figure Humaine is one of the greatest works ever composed for an unaccompanied choir. Inspired by the resistance poems of the surrealist Paul Éluard, Poulenc secretly wrote and rehearsed the piece in 1943 in occupied France.
Clear Voices in the Dark juxtaposes the profound technical difficulty of Figure Humaine with the universal simplicity of hymns from the American Civil War. Performed together, these anthems are a stunning exploration of the realities of war and the power of music to ward off despair during humanity’s darkest hours.
Review
"Awe-inspiring, spot-on performance which gave these songs renewed meaning and life... I was held absolutely spellbound... I only wish I had time to hear the concert twice... this world-class group is not to be missed" — The Boston Musical Intelligencer
A premiere a cappella vocal ensemble of leading American vocal soloists, Skylark's music has been described as:
"Sublimely beautiful"—Opera Obsession
"[Skylark’s voices] sway you softly into calm and then all but throw you across the room with sheer harmonic force" —
"Music for Writers," Thought Catalog
Venue
FIAF, Florence Gould Hall
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022
Program Sponsors: Air France and Delta Air Lines, American Society of the French Legion of Honor, Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Edmond de Rothschild Foundations, Engie, French American Cultural Exchange (FACE), Florence Gould Foundation, Hermès Foundation within the framework of the New Settings Program, Howard Gilman Foundation, Institut français, JCDecaux, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), Office de Tourisme de Boulogne-Billancourt, and Pommery
