Excerpt from the New York Amsterdam News
Feb 12 - 18, 2009 Page 27
Songs inspired by Love and Wager
By RAOUL ABDUL

Last Sunday afternoon, a large audience gathered at Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Greenwich Village to witness a concert under the auspices of Opera Exposures. It featured singers Angela Simpson, Julienne Walker, Adrian Gans, Lynn Randolph, pianist Jonathan Kelly and narrator Dwight Owsley. In celebration of Black History Month, founder of the presenting group, Edna Greenwich, gave a delightful account of the career of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield (1824–76), one of the earliest Black concert singers. She toured the United States and Europe under the patronage of Harriet Beecher Stowe. The musical portion of the program was superb. Soprano Angela Simpson brought down the house with her extraordinary singing of arias from “Tosca” and “Aida.” Mezzo-soprano Julienne Walker lent her rich voice to arias from “Cosi fan tutte” and “Carmen, among other pieces. Tenor Lynn Randolph lent his lovely voice to the Flower Song from “Carmen.” Adrian Gans sang the Toreador Song from “Carmen” splendidly. Throughout, Jonathan Kelly gave the singers wonderful support at the piano. Everyone enjoyed Dwight Owsley’s utterly charming and informed running commentary.