American Standards

Soundcheck | May 3, 2010
According to Peter Davis, music critic for New York magazine and author of The American Opera Singer, American opera singers historically faced an uphill battle in their quest for artistic recognition. Opera was never an art form that Americans considered their own, and thus a repertory of pieces written and performed in English are few and far between. He joins us to shed light on whether there is today an “American” style of opera singing. By contrast, Irish-American fiddler Eileen Ivers has long held firm ties to her European ancestry. Born in the Irish Woodlawn section of the Bronx in New York City, she was a featured performer in Riverdance and has won more than 30 All-Ireland fiddling championships. Still, she has no qualms in absorbing the influences she has gathered on her world travels, including African, South American, and European sounds.
Additional Resources:
  • Read Peter G. Davis’s reviews in New York magazine
  • More about Eileen Ivers

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