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This is So Lit Song Lit, where we reimagine the repertoire by introducing less familiar songs through sound clips and lively discussion! Together we’ll be exploring songs by composers that you may or may not have heard of already, showing how they compare to standard works, and giving you a taste of what they sound like. Join us down the rabbit hole as we expand the song canon!
Listen to the latest episode!
Meet your co-host,
Ellen Rissinger
Vocal coach and diction expert Ellen Rissinger spent much of her career working in German opera houses, where, along with her operatic duties, she was also able to explore her love of art song by performing recitals with the singers at the Semperoper in Dresden and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf. She is currently Special Faculty-Opera Coach at Carnegie Mellon University, Founder/Editor of The Diction Police and is co-author of the interactive digital diction books Chantez ! and Sing mal!
Meet your co-host,
Toni Marie Palmertree
Toni Marie Palmertree is an American soprano praised for her “tender, expressive voice” (San Francisco Examiner). Her most recent appearance was in the title role of Luisa Miller, Ms. Palmertree’s house and role debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Chicago Herald wrote, “Palmertree’s artistic approach to this challenging role, thoughtful and professional presentation of her vocal part, and the natural beauty of her voice touched everyone’s heart.”
At the San Francisco Opera, Ms. Palmertree has made numerous leading role debuts, including Nedda (I Pagliacci), Liù (Turandot), and Cio Cio San (Madama Butterfly). This season Ms. Palmertree is excited to make her Metropolitan Opera debut singing The Voice of Heaven in Don Carlo in addition to covering the role of Elisabetta and the title role in Medea.
Next season she makes her Palm Beach Opera debut singing the title role in Madama Butterfly. She also looks forward to another house debut with Hawaii Opera Theater singing Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi.