On Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, the Matinee Musicale held its November meeting at First United Methodist Church. The featured vocalist was Annalee Crawford, mezzo-soprano accompanied by Tyler Kemp, piano. Mr. Kemp maintains an active performance calendar as a soloist and music director including multiple solo appearances with the Mississippi Symphony. He is in his 10th year on the music faculty of Mississippi College. Ms. Crawford recently earned her Masters in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Mississippi College. Her greatest role was singing Carmen from Bizet’s opera. She performs with Opera Mississippi.

Ms. Crawford sang a collection of arias which she called Expressions of Love. Her rich and powerful voice filled the sanctuary with beautiful music from the first note of Smanie implacabili from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. The audience was charmed by further Arias from Donizetti, Debussy, Massenet, Vaughn Williams and Richard Strauss.

Ms. Crawford and Mr. Kemp received a standing ovation as the program came to a glorious and inspirational conclusion.