BARD COLLEGE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC AT WETHERSFIELDFeaturing Stephanie Blythe and Kayo Iwama
Join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Bard College Conservatory of Music with a special concert on Saturday, October 18, at the historic Wethersfield Carriage House.
The evening will feature world-renowned mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, one of the most acclaimed voices of her generation, and distinguished pianist Kayo Iwama, known for her artistry and sensitivity as a collaborative musician. Together, they will present songs by their dear friend and acclaimed American composer Alan Louis Smith, all written for and dedicated to Stephanie Blythe.
Don’t miss this unforgettable performance marking two decades of excellence at the Bard Conservatory.
PROGRAMBeautiful Dreamers: Ellis Island Vignettes
BIOS
Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe is one of the most acclaimed opera singers of her generation, known for her versatility across opera, concert, recital, and cabaret stages. Her repertoire spans from Handel to Wagner, German lieder to American song, and she has performed at major venues including the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Covent Garden, and with leading orchestras such as the Boston and Chicago Symphonies, LA Philharmonic, and Concertgebouworkest.
Her operatic roles include Carmen, Dalila, Orfeo, Fricka, Azucena, and Mistress Quickly, as well as roles in contemporary works like Gertrude Stein in 27 and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. She has recently embraced non-traditional casting, performing Gianni Schicchi and Don José.
A recipient of the Richard Tucker Award and Musical America’s Vocalist of the Year, she now directs Bard College’s Graduate Vocal Arts Program.
Kayo Iwama has performed widely with leading singers including Stephanie Blythe, Dawn Upshaw, Rufus Müller, and Joshua Blue, appearing at venues such as Weill Recital Hall, Tanglewood’s Seiji Ozawa Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Praised by The Washington Post for her “unusual skill and sensitivity,” she is a sought-after pianist and collaborator.
She is associate director of the Graduate Vocal Arts Program at Bard Conservatory and a faculty member at the Juilliard School. She has also taught at New England Conservatory and the Tanglewood Music Center, where she coordinated the Vocal Studies Program for over two decades. Iwama has also taught and given master classes across the U.S. and Asia and served as a juror for competitions including Young Concert Artists. This past season, she served as guest artist faculty for the Lindemann Young Artist Program at the Metropolitan Opera.
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