Beverly Hoch - Graun: MONTEZUMA, Non han calma, New York 1992, High F

THE SONGBIRD: Beverly Hoch is one of those singers whose name fits her voice well since "hoch" means "high" in German. She was born in Kansas in 1951 and her music studies included a Bachelor of Music from Oklahoma City University in 1975 and a Masters of Music from Wichita State University in 1978. Hoch won the regional division The Met national auditions in 1977 and the Young Concert Artists contest in 1979. Her professional debut was at the Santa Fe Opera in "La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein.” Other U.S. opera engagements included the Dew Fairy at Wolf Trap, Tiny in Britten's "Paul Bunyan" in Saint Louis, Olympia in Hawaii, Lakme in Arizona, and Ann Page in Washington D.C. Internationally she sang Adele in Strasbourg, Philine at the Wexford Festival, Queen of the Night at Glyndebourne, Lucia in Stockholm, Blonde in Lyon, and Zerbinetta in cities throughout Germany.

THE MUSIC: Carl Heinrich Graun's opera seria "Montezuma" premiered in Berlin in 1755 and is a heroic work focused on how Montezuma was conquered in Mexico by Cortes. The florid aria "Non han calma" for the character Eupaforice is best known from Joan Sutherland's 1967 recording with her trademark elaborate embellishments which can be heard here for comparison:    • Graun: Montezuma: Non han calma le mi...