Faith Esham To Give Free Fundraising Holiday Concert In Hometown

Have a Little Faith This Season: The soprano
performs December 29, 2013

"Grammy Award-winning soprano opera singer Faith Esham will return for a special free concert Dec. 29 at Holy Redeemer Church in Portsmouth, with local artists Dr. Stanley Workman Jr. and Jonathan Burton. Proceeds from the concert will go to Notre Dame schools. Titled, 'Sounds of the Season,' the concert was first organized in 2011 by volunteers Janie Sand and Jan Gerken for the Notre Dame schools, and will return again this year. Workman will perform on the piano while Burton sings a selection of Christmas songs with Esham. Esham was born in Portsmouth and grew up in Vanceburg, Ky. She won a Grammy for her performance in the 1984 film rendition of the Bizet opera Carmen, playing the role of the maiden Micaela, opposite the legendary Placido Domingo as Don Jose. She has also been seen in the TV series 'Live From the Lincoln Center,' and in two made-for-television movies. The Holy Redeemer Choir will also perform. 'It was way beyond my expectations,' Sand said of the 2011 fundraiser concert. 'Most people I’ve talked to said it was truly inspirational. Way beyond what they expected, when Faith came out to sing. Then with Jonathan Burton — the two of them together was a very inspiring moment.' The concert, beginning at 7 p.m. on Dec. 29, is free, but a free-will donation will be collected to benefit the Notre Dame schools." [Source] Watch Faith Esham sing "Caro nome" from the 1988 broadcast of Verdi's Rigoletto performed at New York City Opera:

"Faith Esham has been an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Voice at Westminster Choir College of Rider University since 2000. Professionally she has garnered critical acclaim for her outstanding performances in the leading opera houses of the United States and Europe. Since her successful Metropolitan Opera debut as Marzelline in Fidelio, she has returned to the company to sing Nedda and Mélisande. In the USA, other roles include Mimi with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Pamina in Washington, D.C., Micaela and Juliette in Cincinnati, the heroines in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Manon, and Gilda in Pittsburgh. At the New York City Opera, she performed Manon, Cendrillon, Marguerite, Leila, Baby Doe, Ännchen, Gilda, and Floyd’s Susannah. As Micaela, Ms. Esham appeared opposite Placido Domingo and Julia Migenes in the highly acclaimed Gaumont film, Carmen, which was commercially released worldwide. This project garnered Ms. Esham a Grammy Award as principal soloist and best opera recording in 1984. In Europe, she was fortunate to sing both Cherubino and Marzelline at Italy’s leading opera house, La Scala. Also she sang Micaela at the Vienna State Opera and the Opera de Caracas; Marzelline at the Théâtre Musical de Paris, Cendrillon at Paris’ Chatelet Theatre, Musetta in Cologne and Mélisande in Geneva, as well as other leading roles throughout Europe. The soprano also has been featured in two New York City Opera 'Live from Lincoln Center' broadcasts as Pamina and Gilda. Ms. Esham has the unusual distinction of having appeared as both Susanna and Cherubino in the Peter Hall production of Le Nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne. Her portrayal of Cherubino was preserved on an EMI recording conducted by Bernard Haitink. Other recordings of Ms. Esham include a Charles Griffes’ song collection on Musical Heritage, Villa-Lobos’ Maddelena, along with a Christmas album with the New York Gay Men’s Chorus. Having collaborated with some of the most distinguished conductors of our time in both opera and concert Ms. Esham is also recognized as a gifted recitalist known for her expressivity and musicality. Ms. Esham is a recipient of both the Walter W. Naumberg Award and the Concours International de Chant de Paris." [Source]