Recital: Cassandra Rita Pinataro '22, Soprano
NEC's students meet one-on-one each week with a faculty artist to perfect their craft. As each one leaves NEC to make their mark in the performance world, they present a full, professional recital that is free and open to the public. It's your first look at the artists of tomorrow.
Cassandra Rita Pinataro '22 studies Voice with Lisa Saffer.
This performance is open to in-person audiences, and can also be viewed via livestream.
- Cassandra Rita Pinataro '22, soprano
- Marie-Elise Boyer, piano, harpsichord
- Lisa Saffer, studio teacher
Libby Larsen | Three Cowboy Songs
The Bucking Bronco
Lift Me Into Heaven Slowly
Billy the KidTexts
The Bucking Bronco
My true love is a rider
Wild broncos he breaks
Though he promised to quit for my sake
It’s one foot in the stirrup
And the saddle put on
With a swing and a jump
He is mounted and gone
The first time I met him
It was early one spring
A riding a bronco, a high headed thing
The next time I saw him
’Twas late in the fall
A swinging the girls at Tomlinson’s ball
He gave me some presents
Among them a ring
The return that I gave him was a far better thing
A young maiden’s heart
I’d have you all know
That he won it by riding his bucking bronco
Now all young maidens
Where’er you reside
Beware of the cowboy who swings raw hide
He’ll court you and pet you
And leave you to go
In the spring up the trail
On his bucking bronco
Belle Starr
Lift Me into Heaven Slowly
Lift me into heaven slowly
‘Cause my back’s sore
And my mind’s thoughtful
And I’m not even sure I want to go
Robert Creeley
Billy the Kid
Billy was a bad man
Carried a big gun
He was always after good folks
And he kept them on the run
He shot on ev’ry morning
To make his morning meal
Let a man sass him
He was sure to feel his steel
He kept folks in hot water
Stole from ev’ry stage
When he was full of liquor
He was always in a rage
He kept things boilin’ over
He stayed out in the brush
When he was full of dead eye
Other folks’ld better hush
Billy was a bad man
But one day he met a man a whole lot badder
And now he’s dead
And we ain’t none the sadder
Anonymous
Vincenzo di Chiara | La Spagnola
Text
La Spagnola
Di Spagna sono la bella,
Regina son dell'amor!
Tutti mi dicono stella,
Stella di vivo splendor.
Stretti, stretti
Nell'estasi d'amor!
La spagnola sa amar così,
Bocca e bocca la notte e il dì.
Amo con tutto l'ardore
A chi è sincero con me…
Degli anni miei il vigore
Gli fo ben presto veder.
Stretti, stretti
Nell'estasi d'amor!
La spagnola sa amar così,
Bocca e bocca la notte e il dì.
Sguardi che mandan saette,
Movenze di voluttà!
Le labbra son tumidette,
Fo il Paradiso toccar!
Stretti, stretti
Nell'estasi d'amor!
La spagnola sa amar così,
Bocca e bocca la notte e il dì.
Vincenzo Di ChiaraThe Spanish Woman
I’m the beauty of Spain,
I’m the queen of love!
Everybody calls me star,
Bright light star.
In a tight embrace
In the ecstasy of love!
The Spanish woman can love this way,
Kissing without ending, day and night.
I love with all my passion
The one who is honest with me…
The vigor of my youth
I show it to him.
In a tight embrace
In the ecstasy of love!
The Spanish woman can love this way,
Kissing without ending, day and night.
Looks that strike like a lightning,
Sensual movements!
Passionate lips,
I can make you touch the Paradise!
In a tight embrace
In the ecstasy of love!
The Spanish woman can love this way,
Kissing without ending, day and night.
English Translation © Natalia ChernegaGiacomo Puccini | Sole e Amore
Text
Sole e amore
Il sole allegramente
Batte ai tuoi vetri. Amor
Pian batte al tuo cuore,
E l'uno e l'altro chiama.
Il sole dice: O dormente,
Mostrati che sei bella.
Dice l'amor: Sorella,
Col tuo primo pensier pensa a chi t'ama!
AnonymousSun and Love
The sun cheerfully
Beats at your window. Love
Softly beats at your heart,
And both of them call out.
The sun says: O sleeping one,
Show yourself for you are beautiful.
Love says: Sister,
With your first thought think of the one who loves you!
English Translation © Jennifer Rushworth
Text and translation provided courtesy of
Oxford Lieder (www.oxfordlieder.co.uk)Gioacchino Rossini | La Pastorella delle Alpi
Text
La Pastorella delle Alpi
Son bella pastorella
Che scende ogni mattino
Ed offre un cestellino
Di fresche frutta e fior
Chi viene al primo albore
Avrà vezzose rose
E poma rugiadose
Venite al mio giardin.
Ahu! A! Ahu!
Chi net notturno orrore
Smarrì la buona via
Alla capanna mia
Ritroverà il cammin
Venite o passeggiero
La pastorella è qua
Ma il fior del suo pensiero
Ad uno sol darà
Ahu! A! Ahu!
Count Carlo PepoliThe Shepherdess of the Alps
I am the pretty shepherdess,
Who comes down every morning,
Offering a little basket
Of fresh fruit and flowers.
Those who come at first light
Will find delightful roses
And apples damp with dew,
Come all to my garden.
Ahu! A! Ahu!
Those who lost their way
In the horror of the night,
Will find their path once more
At my little cabin.
Come, oh passing traveller,
The shepherdess is here,
Yet the flower of her thoughts
She will give to one and one alone!
Ahu! A! Ahu!
English Translation © Nicholas Cornforth
Text and translation provided courtesy of
Oxford Lieder (www.oxfordlieder.co.uk)Hugo Wolf | from Goethe-Lieder
Hugo Wolf’s Goethe-Lieder is a series of 51 songs set to Goethe’s poetry.
No. 26: Die Spröde
No. 27: Die Bekehrte
No. 50: GanymedTexts
Die Spröde
An dem reinsten Frühlingsmorgen
Ging die Schäferin und sang,
Jung und schön und ohne Sorgen,
Daß es durch die Felder klang,
So la la! le ralla!
Thyrsis bot ihr für ein Mäulchen
Zwei, drei Schäfchen gleich am Ort,
Schalkhaft blickte sie ein Weilchen;
Doch sie sang und lachte fort,
So la la! le ralla!
Und ein andrer bot ihr Bänder,
Und der dritte bot sein Herz;
Doch sie trieb mit Herz und Bändern
So wie mit den Lämmern Scherz,
Nur la la! le ralla!
Die Bekehrte
Bei dem Glanz der Abendröte
Ging ich still den Wald entlang,
Damon saß und blies die Flöte,
Daß es von den Felsen klang,
So la la!
Und er zog mich zu sich nieder,
Küßte mich so hold, so süß.
Und ich sagte: „Blase wieder!“
Und der gute Junge blies,
So la la!
Meine Ruh’ ist nun verloren,
Meine Freude floh davon,
Und ich hör’ vor meinen Ohren
Immer nur den alten Ton,
So la la, le ralla!
Ganymed
Wie im Morgenglanze
Du rings mich anglühst,
Frühling, Geliebter!
Mit tausendfacher Liebeswonne
Sich an mein Herz drängt
Deiner ewigen Wärme
Heilig Gefühl,
Unendliche Schöne!
Dass ich dich fassen möcht’
In diesen Arm!
Ach, an deinem Busen
Lieg’ ich, schmachte,
Und deine Blumen, dein Gras
Drängen sich an mein Herz.
Du kühlst den brennenden
Durst meines Busens,
Lieblicher Morgenwind!
Ruft drein die Nachtigall
Liebend mach mir aus dem Nebeltal.
Ich komm’, ich komme!
Wohin? Ach wohin?
Hinauf! Hinauf strebt’s.
Es schweben die Wolken
Abwärts, die Wolken
Neigen sich der sehnenden Liebe.
Mir! Mir!
In euerm Schosse
Aufwärts!
Umfangend umfangen!
Aufwärts an deinen Busen,
Alliebender Vater!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Coy
On the clearest of spring mornings
The shepherdess went out and sang,
Carefree, young and beautiful,
Till it echoed through the fields,
So la la! le ralla!
Thyrsis offered her for a kiss
Two, three lambs without delay,
She looked on archly for a while;
But went laughing and singing on her way,
So la la! le ralla!
And another offered ribbons,
And a third bid his heart;
But she made fun of heart and ribbons,
As she had done with the lambs,
Only la la! le ralla!
Converted
In the red glow of sunset
I wandered quietly through the wood,
Damon sat and played his flute,
Making the rocks resound,
So la la!
And he drew me down to him,
Kissed me so gently, so sweetly.
And I said: ‘Play once more!’
And the good lad played,
So la la!
Now my peace is lost,
My joy has flown away,
And ringing in my ears I hear
Nothing but the old refrain,
So la la, le ralla!
Translations © Richard Stokes, author of
The Book of Lieder, published by Faber,
provided courtesy of Oxford Lieder
(www.oxfordlieder.co.uk)
Ganymede
How your glow envelops me
in the morning radiance,
spring, my beloved!
With love’s thousandfold joy
the hallowed sensation
of your eternal warmth
floods my heart,
infinite beauty!
O that I might clasp you
in my arms!
Ah, on your breast
I lie languishing,
and your flowers, your grass
press close to my heart.
You cool the burning
thirst within my breast,
sweet morning breeze,
as the nightingale calls
tenderly to me from the misty valley.
I come, I come!
But whither? Ah, whither?
Upwards! Strive upwards!
The clouds drift
down, yielding
to yearning love,
to me, to me!
In your lap,
upwards,
embracing and embraced!
Upwards to your bosom,
all-loving Father!
Translation by Richard Wigmore first published
by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion
Schubert SongEdition. Richard Wigmore is the
author of Schubert: The Complete Song Texts,
published by Schirmer Books, provided courtesy of
Oxford Lieder (www.oxfordlieder.co.uk)Jean-Philippe Rameau | “Aux langeurs d’Apollon”, Arie de la Folie from Platée
Rameau created a revolutionary work of comic Baroque opera with Platée. In this aria, La Folie, who embodies madness, tells of Jupiter, who falls for a hideous marsh nymph called Platée. La Folie presents this aria as a kind of party piece commenting on Jupiter and Platée satirically. This work went on to be one of the greatest successes in Baroque opera as it points to the foibles of love for humans and gods alike.
Text
Aux langeurs d’Apollon,
Arie de la folie (Platée)
Prélude
Formons les plus brillant concerts;
Quand Jupiter porte les fers
De l’incomparable Platée,
Je veux que les tra.nsports de son âme enchantée
S’expriment par mes chants divers.
Essayons du brilliant
Donnons dans la saillie!Ariette
Jacques Autreau
Aux langueurs d’Apollon Daphné se refusa: Ah!
L’amour sur son tombeau
Eteignit son flambeau
La métamorphosa
C’est ainsi que l’Amour de tout temps s’est vengé
Que l’amour est cruel
Quand il est outragé.Apollo is taken with love
Aria of Madness from Platée
Prelude
Let us make the most brilliant music;
When Jupiter lies in chains
Made by the incomparable Plataea,
It is my will that the raptures of his bewitched heart
Be expressed in these, my diverse songs.
Let’s try something brilliant!
Let’s goAriette
Apollo is taken with love for Daphne, who refuses him:
Love lying on her tomb
Extinguishes the flame
And thus transformed her.
This is how love took its revenge.
How cruel love is
When it is outraged!
Translation by Scott Horton, reprinted with permissionI would like to extend my gratitude to my teacher and mentor,
Lisa Saffer.
Our time together has not only improved my musicianship and vocal technique
more than I knew was possible, but has also created a beautiful mentorship
that has helped me learn what it truly means to be a vocalist, artist, and woman
in this industry. The discipline and appreciation I have learned to have for my voice
over the past four years is fully credited to our work together.
I am forever grateful for you and already miss the laughter that could be heard in our lessons! You help me bring out even more joy in vocalizing.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
To Marie-Elise,
thank you so much for your guidance and friendship
as we have worked together throughout this year.
Working with you has helped me have a deeper understanding of collaboration,
and I am honored to perform alongside you.
Thank you for reminding me why I love singing and for encouraging me
to take a breath (on stage and in life….). (:
To my teachers,
thank you for believing in me, helping me work around my wildly busy schedule,
and for encouraging me to pursue every dream I have.
In particular, I would like to extend my gratitude to Tanya Blaich, JJ Penna, Justin Williams, and Mark Zaleski.
My smile increases tenfold every time I see each of you on campus
as I reflect on the work we have done together
and the many times you all have considered me for opportunities
or reached out in support or congratulations.
Teachers like you are the reason NEC students go on wanting to inspire others.
To the Miss Boston Organization
and particularly my manager, Fran Simone,
thank you for supporting me as I work to compete for Miss Massachusetts
and simultaneously work for this degree.
Your encouragement and excitement around my singing
has only made me happier about joining the world of the Miss America Organization
and I’m so excited to see the work we do together.
To my friends at NEC and beyond watching or streaming this concert
and to those who could not be here tonight,
thank you for supporting me and my goals, for the laughter, the tears,
the excitement, and the genuine friendship.
I never knew it was possible to be surrounded by so many kind,
hardworking, and compassionate people.
I am honored to know each of you.
And to my girls, Natalie and Madeleine,
thank you for being my rocks up here in Boston.
The memories we have made over the past three years will be with me forever.And most importantly, thank you to my family.
There is no way to describe the sacrifices and love you have shown throughout my life.
Thank you to my parents for supporting me as an artist
and for not batting an eye when, two years into a classical singing degree,
I told you I wanted to start releasing pop songs.
Thank you to my brother for always looking out for me
and to my whole family for always helping me search for ways to improve myself and my life. Your love and care give me the energy I need to stay motivated
and continue working for my future.
I wish everyone could know the love I feel in my family,
but I hope tonight’s performance shows what that kind of love can do.