While Holiday has made a name for himself in classical music, he says his goal is to be a bridge between the many genres of music he sings. And in this set he gives us a pretty wide range, including an elegant, Bach-inflected French art song, a regal opera aria by Handel, a moving traditional spiritual and the devastating jazz song “Strange Fruit,” made famous by Billie Holiday. “It’s not a feel good song,” the countertenor warns, adding that it “represents so much in our country’s history that sometimes we like to skirt.”
To listen to the accompanying performance, click HERE.
