Alma Española
Isabel Leonard & Sharon Isbin
BRIDGE 9491

Opera News (Critic’s Choice)

 

ALMA ESPAÑOLA presents GRAMMY Award-winning singer Isabel Leonard and GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin in an all-Spanish recording for voice and guitar, including twelve arrangements by Ms. Isbin in their premiere recordings. Duos by Federico García Lorca, Manuel de Falla, Xavier Montsalvatge, Agustín Lara and Joaquín Rodrigo, with guitar solos by Granados and Tárrega, are heard in performances that evoke the rich and magnificent tradition of Spain. The Philadelphia Inquirer described Leonard & Isbin's performance as “Feasts of beautifully sculpted phrases... glimpses of heaven", and The New York Times referred to the “Soulful depth" of their interpretations. The collaboration of Isabel Leonard and Sharon Isbin brings together one of today's brightest vocal stars, heard on the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, and Paris Opera, with a guitar virtuoso acclaimed as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time."

CD Booklet

 

Reviews:

The entire disc is an excellent display of talent exposing worthy repertoire. Or is it worthy repertoire exposing the talent?” - Opera News (Critic’s Choice)

“Voice and guitar may be a natural combination for the passions and colours of Spanish song, but rarely have they sounded as vivaciously, seductively idomatic on disc as in this collection from Isabel Leonard and guitarist Sharon Isbin.” - BBC Music

“Both musicians seem to share an innate connection that pervades this entire recording like sunlight through a dissipating cloud. An outstanding effort.” - SCENE

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BRIDGE 9491

WBAA interview with Sharon Isbin

Performing Arts Monterey Bay review

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SHARON ISBIN – 2017-18 SEASON

2017

OCTOBER
15 San Antonio, TX
Soloist with Pacifica String 4tet, San Antonio Chamber Music Soc.
Temple Beth-El
https://www.sacms.org/project/pacifica-quartet-sharon-isbin/

17 New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Friends of Music
Soloist with Pacifica String 4tet, Dixon Hall
https://www.friendsofmusic.org/Online/default.asp

NOVEMBER
3 Cleveland, OH
Master class, Cleveland Guitar Society

4 Cleveland, OH
Solo recital, Cleveland Guitar Society
http://cleguitar.org/event/sharon-isbin-in-concert/

17, 18 & 19 Madison, WI
Soloist w/ Madison Symphony Orchestra
Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo
Affinity: Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra by Chris Brubeck (written for Sharon Isbin)
https://www.madisonsymphony.org/isbin

DECEMBER
2 New York, NY
Recital, 92nd St Y
http://www.92y.org/event/sharon-isbin

6 Tucson, AZ
Soloist with Pacifica String 4tet, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music
http://arizonachambermusic.org/events/pacifica-quartet-sharon-isbin/

7 Phoenix, AZ
Soloist with Pacifica 4tet, MIM Phoenix, 7:30pm
https://mim.org/events/sharon-isbin-pacifica-quartet/

2018

JANUARY
27 Erie, PA
Soloist with Erie Philharmonic
Fantasia para un gentilhombre by Joaquin Rodrigo
Warner Theatre, 8pm
http://eriephil.org/sharon/

APRIL
7 & 8 Colorado Springs, CO
Soloist with Colorado Springs Symphony
Rodrigo Fantasia para un gentilhombre
World premiere Enric Palomar guitar concerto to be written for Isbin
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30pm
https://csphilharmonic.org/concert/ravel-la-valse/

JUNE
28 Katonah, New York,
Caramoor Festival, Recital Sharon Isbin & Isabel Leonard

JULY
July 23-August 19 Aspen, CO
Aspen Music Festival, performances & master classes, Director Guitar Dept.
http://www.aspenmusicfestival.com/events/performers/sharon-isbin-guitar/

AUGUST
11 Aspen, CO
Recital Sharon Isbin & Isabel Leonard, Harris Hall

 

ISABEL LEONARD – 2017-18 SEASON

2017

SEPTEMBER
22, 23, 24 San Francisco, CA
Soloist w/ San Francisco Symphony, Davies Hall
http://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2017-18/Celebrating-Bernstein-with-MTT.aspx

OCTOBER
1 San Francisco, CA
Recital, San Francisco Performances, Herbst Theatre
https://sfperformances.org/performances/1718/IsabelLeonard.html

NOVEMBER
9, 10, 11 Los Angeles, CA
Soloist w/ Los Angeles Philharmonic, Disney Concert Hall
https://www.laphil.com/tickets/dutoit-conducts-ravel/2017-11-09

16 Fort Worth, TX
Recital, Cliburn Concerts, Kimball Art Museum
https://www.cliburn.org/?performance=isabel-leonard-mezzo-soprano

DECEMBER
Dec 29 - January 19 New York, NY
Metropolitan Opera, Marriage of Figaro
https://www.metopera.org/Season/2017-18-Season/nozze-di-figaro-mozart-tickets/

2018

MARCH
10, 13, 16 Munich, GERMANY
La Ceneretola, Munich Opera
https://www.staatsoper.de/en/productioninfo/la-cenerentola/2018-03-10-18-00.html

APRIL
15 Washington, DC
Recital, Fortas Series, Terrace Thtr
http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/MSFSQ#artists

April 28 - May 19 Washington, DC
Washington National Opera, Barber of Seville, Kennedy Ctr
http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/OSOSE