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Anthony Roth Costanzo, the Grammy
award-winning opera star, celebrated the
launch of his new book, Countertenor,
and companion album at the Frick
Collection. “‘Frick-ing incredible’ is
the phrase that keeps coming to mind,”
said he, “To launch this book at the
magnificent Frick Collection almost felt
like a mirage. It's a night I will never
forget, one that makes me feel like
what, I suppose, I now am: a published
author surrounded by the best friends a
falsetto freak could ever hope to have!”
The evening's concert, conducted by Dan
Schlosberg, featured works by
Renaissance composers John Dowland and
Thomas Morley, Baroque composer Vivaldi,
and contemporary composer Osvaldo
Golijov, alongside popular songs such as
Lou Christie's and Twyla Herbert's
Lightnin’ Strikes and Bob Crewe and Bob
Gaudio's Walk Like a Man.
At a reception following the concert,
Axel Rüger, the Frick's Anna-Maria and
Stephen Kellen Director, said “Anthony
Roth Costanzo is an extraordinary artist
whose curiosity and creativity extend
well beyond the opera stage. His ability
to bring together music, history, and
personal storytelling makes his book
especially compelling. We are delighted
to welcome him to the Frick for this
celebration and to help share his work.”
Barbara Tober, who generously underwrote
the reception, added “Anthony has a rare
ability to bring people together, and
his enthusiasm, wit, and generosity make
being part of his world a pleasure. I
saw him recently in France. I’ve tickets
to see him in Philadelphia. You can’t
get enough!”
Director James Ivory, who cast Costanzo
in A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, was
in attendance, as was actress Leelee
Sobieski, Costanzo's childhood friend
and co-star in the film.
Countertenor traces the history of a
voice type that has helped define
contemporary opera for more than half a
century. Countertenors inherited a
repertoire originally written for
castrated men during the Baroque period.
The book follows the evolution of that
tradition and draws on Costanzo's own
experiences as a performer. He examines
the voice through the lenses of gender,
sexuality, identity, and artistic
expression. The companion album brings
these ideas to life through ten tracks
spanning Renaissance and Baroque music,
opera, traditional Hawaiian music, and
contemporary popular songs. It features
works by composers including John
Dowland, Vivaldi, and Philip Glass,
alongside popular selections that
reflect the breadth of Costanzo's
musical interests.
For more information or to purchase,
visit
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374614676/counterte |