Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Ravel’s Shéhérazade

Currently a young artist at the Lyric Opera’s Ryan Opera Center, Bridges possesses a clear and flexible voice and her performance of Ravel’s Chansons madecasses was first class in every way. The young mezzo brought just the right degree of sensual languor to “Nahandove” in a flowing and sensitive rendering. She put across the emotional intensity of the anti-colonialist 'Aoua!' with bracing fervor and dusky chest tone without losing Gallic refinement or going over the top. The relaxed romantic essence of 'Il est doux' was equally poised and expressive. The trio support by Aucoin at the piano, cellist Kenneth Olsen and Jennifer Gunn doubling flute and piccolo was on a comparably high level.

Chicago Classical Review