Via Zoom: Kirsten Leslie Karadzhova for ‘Salon Des Artiste’ Art Song Series on May 7, 2022

CHICAGO – The tradition of the music salon goes as far back as 16th Century Italy, and is designed as a destination “either to please or to educate.” On May 7th, 2022, Soprano Kirsten Leslie Karadzhova and pianist Paul Dykstra will present the first Art Song Series at Dykstra’s “Salon des Artiste” music studio in the Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. For complete details regarding this “free to the public” event, see below.

The duo will perform the song cycle “Clairières dans le ciel,” Lili Boulanger composer. Boulanger (1893-1918) was a child music prodigy who had a tragically short life, passing away at age 24, but in her time won the Prix de Rome composition prize, the first female to do so. Her father Ernest Boulanger also won that prize.

Paul Dykstra and Kirsten Leslie Karadzhova
Photo credit: KirstenlLeslie.com

Kirsten Leslie Karadzhova is a pianist, soprano and actress who has performed nationally and internationally. Her repertoire is diverse in opera and musical theater, including roles as Gilda in “Rigoletto,” Rosalinde in “Die Fledermaus,” Carrie in “Carousel” and Maria in “West Side Story.” She made her Carnegie Hall debut singing Mozart, Vivaldi and a John Rutter composition, who was also the conductor. She was interviewed previously on HollywoodChicago.com as half of the LESLIE SISTER DUO [19].

Pianist Paul Dykstra is the Musical Director and Conductor of the Chicago-based Lira Singers and Founding Conductor of the Lira Symphony Orchestra, He conducted recordings and led performances with Lira at Chicago’s famed Symphony Center. He is the manager of the Salon des Artiste.

In an interview via Zoom with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, soprano Kirsten Leslie Karadzhova previews her performance …

[20]	By PATRICK McDONALD [21] Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com [20]