from Salon 21:

“Reality or Fantasy? Salon 21 invites audiences to experience a musical meditation on the nature of dreams, both abandoned and actualized with mezzo-soprano Lauren McAllister and pianist Stephen Variames. The program will feature pieces by Robert Schumann, Jake Heggie, and a premiere by Variames himself. Schumann’s setting of Queen Mary Stuart’s heartfelt words speaks to the dreams she held for her homeland, her family, and her soul. Variames offers an exploration of texts by Edgar Allen Poe. The night will close with Heggie’s Into the Fire, which offers a glimpse into the life of brilliant sculptor Camille Claudel and her tumultuous relationship with her lover and fellow sculptor, Auguste Rodin.”