Praised by The Guardian for his “astonishingly beautiful,” “golden toned” voice, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen brings striking vocal beauty and dramatic depth to repertoire from the Baroque to the contemporary. A GRAMMY® winner and Grand Prize winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, he is hailed as “a redefining force in the countertenor field” (Limelight).
PROGRAM: UNCHARTED
KORNGOLD: Selections from Lieder des Abschieds, Op. 14
LESLIE ADAMS: “Prayer” from Nightsongs
F. PRICE: Sunset
HANDEL: “O Lord, Whose Mercies Numberless” from Saul
C. SCHUMANN: “Ich stand in dunkeln Träumen,” Op. 13, No. 1
BRAHMS: “In meiner Nächte Sehnen,” Op. 57, No. 5
BRAHMS: “Unbewegte laue Luft,” Op. 57, No. 8
JANOWSKI: Avinu Malkeinu
RAVEL: “Kaddisch” from Deux mélodies hébraïques
Intermission
JAKE HEGGIE: “Oh Children”
R. SCHUMANN: Liederkreis, Op. 39
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
In this sweeping program centered around the beauty found walking in nature, Nussbaum Cohen brings his “ravishing, otherworldly” (Opera News) tone to a wide range of repertoire never before sung by a Countertenor. A rising star of opera and art song, he has been called a “complete artist,” “a young star” (NYTimes), an “astonishingly beautiful” singer (The Guardian), and “extravagantly gifted… poised to redefine what’s possible for singers of this distinctive voice type” (SF Chronicle).
Heightened by the deeply sensitive playing of pianist John Churchwell, with this moving program, Nussbaum Cohen opens up new paths for his voice type. The program includes the rarely performed Songs of Farewell by Korngold, Robert Schumann’s Liederkreis op. 39, works from Nussbaum Cohen’s Jewish heritage, songs by Black American composers H. Leslie Adams and Florence Price, and a new work composed for this program by leading American composer, Jake Heggie. Having recently recorded the German song repertoire on the program, never before recorded by a Countertenor, this program’s departure from the standard repertory of the voice type promises to create a moving and memorable performance.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen is recognized for his “astonishingly beautiful” and “golden-toned” voice (The Guardian) and hailed by The New York Times as a “young star” and “complete artist.” Praised as “a redefining force in the countertenor field” (Limelight), he brings passionate artistry and expressive depth to repertoire spanning the Baroque to the contemporary.
He is a GRAMMY® winner for his debut commercial recording with the London Symphony Orchestra and a prizewinner at major competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and the 2024 Gerda Lissner Foundation Vocal Competition.
In the 2024–25 season, he performs in the world premiere of Fanny and Alexander at La Monnaie de Munt and makes his Salzburg Festival debut in Three Sisters. He appears with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ars Lyrica Houston, and returns to Carnegie Hall for Messiah. His recital tour with pianist John Churchwell supports his upcoming solo album Uncharted (AVIE Records), featuring Romantic works by Clara and Robert Schumann, Brahms, and Korngold.
A champion of Jewish music, he leads the JIVE (Jewish Innovative Voices & Experiences) series in California. Recent triumphs include the title role in Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne and a Metropolitan Opera debut in Brett Dean’s Hamlet. He has sung leading roles with major companies including San Francisco Opera, Opernhaus Zürich, and Bayerische Staatsoper.
A graduate of Princeton University and Houston Grand Opera Studio, Aryeh lives in Northern California with his wife and serves on the board of the American Guild of Musical Artists.
