A Love Letter to Lieder

A Love Letter to Lieder: From Gretchen to Jenny is an intimate concert tracing the evolution of German song through some of its most unforgettable heroines. From the yearning innocence of Gretchen to the sharp-witted modernity of Jenny, this program explores love, longing, wit, and wonder across two centuries of musical storytelling. Mezzo-soprano Olivia Grugan, praised for her expressive depth and radiant tone, joins pianist Christopher Bradshaw, a sensitive and dynamic collaborator, in a richly varied selection of songs by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Korngold, and Weill. Together, they illuminate the emotional power of Lieder—from Romantic intimacy to cabaret-tinged modernism—revealing how composers used the human voice and piano to write deeply personal letters to the heart. By turns tender, dramatic, and slyly playful, A Love Letter to Lieder invites audiences into a world where poetry and music intertwine, and where timeless emotions speak with striking immediacy. An evening for lovers of song, storytelling, and the enduring magic of the recital stage.