Anima Mundi Productions presents Portland-based vocal artists Jocelyn Claire Thomas and Zachary Lenox in concert with pianist Jodi French
Ashland, Oregon—On Sunday, February 18th at 3 PM at the SOU Music Recital Hall, Ashland-based nonprofit Anima Mundi Productions presents The Meaning of Love, a unique duo recital that celebrates love in its different forms—romantic lovers, love for humanity, love for the earth and our natural world, and love in its mystical and spiritual dimensions—through a rich variety of musical styles.
The program combines solo and duet selections ranging from classical art song to Broadway showtunes to new works by local creators Ethan Gans-Morse, Tiziana DellaRovere, and Michael Silversher.
A real-life love story
Soprano Jocelyn Claire Thomas and baritone Zachary Lenox have been married since 2017. They live in Portland and perform regularly with Portland Opera, Oregon Symphony, Eugene Opera, Opera Bend, Harmonia Seattle, Symphony Tacoma, among many others. The couple met singing opera, and have performed opposite each other as romantic leads in La Boheme, Pagliacci, The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, and Anima Mundi Productions’ own Tango of the White Gardenia.
But it’s not all classical music for Thomas and Lenox! The pair has performed the National Anthem three times on nationally televised Portland Trail Blazers NBA games and have delighted audiences of all ages across the country with showtunes, Disney songs, and the Great American Songbook.
The Heart of Humanity concert series continues
Anima Mundi Productions resident composer and executive director Ethan Gans-Morse says, “The Meaning of Love continues our commitment to bringing exceptional talent to our region to explore artistic, environmental, and societal themes that touch the lives and hearts of our community.”
Past seasons have featured multiple Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated artists and premiers of over 15 new commissions. Now in its fifth season and inspired by the sold-out success of our Uptown String Quartet concert last November, the Heart of Humanity Series continues its mission of turning the concert hall into a space for renewed hope, communal healing, and mutual understanding.
“This is an exciting concert because Valentine’s Day usually refers only to romance, but here we have a chance to extend our expression of love to include the earth, spirituality, and all of humanity,” says resident poet Tiziana DellaRovere, who is also the co-artistic director of Anima Mundi Productions. The program is presented mostly in English; the few songs with poetry in other languages will be read by a native speaker of each language, and English translations will be projected overhead.
This eclectic program journeys from classical composers like Antonín Dvořák, Richard Strauss, and Ralph Vaughan Williams to hit shows and movies like West Side Story and The Music Man. Anima Mundi Productions is proud to premiere new works by Gans-Morse and DellaRovere, as well as Ashland resident and legendary songwriter Michael Silversher, whose award-winning film and television career included over 100 songs for Disney, Jim Henson, Warner Bros, and PBS.
Tickets at www.HumanityTickets.com or (541) 833-3066 or
tickets@animamundiproductions.com
Special reduced ticket pricing is available at the door for students under 25, SOU faculty & staff, and Oregon Trail cardholders. Please arrive 30 minutes early to purchase discounted tickets.
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