Liberty City Arts Presents - Letters and Specters

Liberty City Arts Presents – Letters and Specters

Liberty City Arts

Music, Opera

Letters and Specters: Music of Memory and Longing
An evening exploring love, loss, and the supernatural through two song cycles. Kevin Puts' The Brightness of Light brings O'Keeffe and Stieglitz's letters to life, while Michael McAndrew's world premiere Ghostly Sentiments traces our relationship with ghosts.
The Program
The Brightness of Light by Kevin Puts
This compelling song cycle brings to life the intimate love letters exchanged between painter Georgia O'Keeffe and photographer Alfred Stieglitz. The multimedia performance weaves together music and visual art, with Stieglitz's evocative photographs projected during the baritone solos and O'Keeffe's iconic paintings illuminating the soprano's vocal moments. The 45-minute cycle captures the passionate correspondence between these two artistic giants, bringing their words to life through Puts' sophisticated musical language while surrounding the audience with the very artworks that defined their creative partnership. This unique fusion of song, photography, and painting creates an immersive experience that celebrates both the intimate relationship and the artistic legacy of O'Keeffe and Stieglitz.
Ghostly Sentiments by Michael McAndrew (World Premiere)
This haunting six-movement song cycle weaves together poetry by Jean Blewett, Duncan Campbell Scott, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, Sara Teasdale, Walter de la Mare, and Elizabeth Jennings to create a deeply evocative journey through our relationship with the supernatural. The cycle traces an almost circular path through human experience—beginning with childhood fears of ghosts lurking in bedroom shadows, evolving into adult longing for spectral companionship, and ultimately arriving at mature reflection on the ghosts we leave behind in our own lives.
From Blewett's vivid childhood terrors in "The Ghosts of Night" to Jennings' poignant examination of the haunting power of our own omissions and regrets, the work explores how our percepti

Details

Run Time: 100 mins

Ticket Price: $20

Venue: Northern Liberties Community Center

Dates: September 12, 2025 - September 13, 2025

Buy Tickets

September 12, 2025 7.30pm

700 N 3rd St

General Admission: $20

September 13, 2025 7.30pm

700 N 3rd St

General Admission: $20

About the Artist

Hailed for her "sparkling upper register and clear vocal tone, " soprano Rachael Long has captivated audiences from intimate venues to major concert halls. Recent performances include Pamina (The Magic Flute) and Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi) with Art City Opera. This season she returns to Philadelphia Fringe Festival for Kevin Puts' The Brightness of Light and debuts as Della (The Gift of the Magi) with Delaware Valley Opera. She resides in Philadelphia.
Praised for his "spinning instrument" and "strong baritone, " Philadelphia-based baritone Zachary Angus is fast rising in the US opera scene. This marks his second Fringe appearance. Recent highlights include world premieres of David Winkler's Rossini Perduto and Daniel Asia's The Tin Angel, plus his role debut as Enrico Ashton (Lucia di Lammermoor). He has appeared with Bohème Opera NJ, Opera Festival Chicago, and Indianapolis Opera.
Benjamin D'Annibale is a pianist and early keyboardist based in Philadelphia. He holds an M.M. in Harpsichord from University of Music Freiburg, Germany, and a B.M. in Piano Performance from Temple University, studying with Vladimir Feltsman, Charles Abramovic, and Dr. Robert Hill. He has concertized in Philadelphia, Germany, and France, and serves as music director at Schwarzwald Lutheran Church.
Soprano Sara Tillett recently performed as Young Artist with Liberty City Arts in Philadelphia. Her operatic roles include Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), and Despina (Così fan tutte). Her concert work features world premieres including Michael McAndrew's Ghostly Sentiments (2025). A NATS competition winner, she holds degrees from Mannes, SUNY Binghamton, and Dickinson College.
Michael N. McAndrew serves as Instructor of Collaborative Piano at Lamar University and performs with DuoMotive. As a composer hailed as "harmonically gorgeous, " his works have been premiered by the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and Momenta Quartet.

Accessibility & Content Considerations

Open captioning

Contact the Fringe Festival Box Office for up to date accessibility information.

This event is appropriate for all ages

Fog/Smoke Effects

Covid-19 Safety policy

This event does not require masks to be worn