The bustiest and most fulfilling summer of my life came to a close with one of the most enriching musical experiences in my life. Gracias a la Vida, this year’s program of NYFOS@North Fork had been conceived from the beginning to be a deep dive into Latin American song, one of my biggest musical passions and corner stones of my identity as an artist. I was thrilled when Soprano Shelén Hughes, whom I met at Opera Theater of Saint Louis and worked with in Carmen, confirmed that she would join us. The week we spend in orient was nothing short of magical.

Gracias a la Vida, a fitting title for what we all felt that week.