(Credit: Stephanie Berger Photography)

Beneath a chandelier of pointed bayonets, watched over by painted portraits of military men posturing in pride, a soprano leggero bounds onstage in a fluffy pink dress. Sometimes lightness feels like an act of tenacity, a bold declaration of self and self-assurance: Juliette’s “Ah! Je veux vivre;” Monet’s water lilies. Such was the case for Liv Redpath’s performance at Park Avenue Armory’s Recital Series, which earned her and pianist Harry Rylance an echoing ovation.

The program was French art song: Messiaen, Debussy, Poulenc, and Fauré, with not one, but two cycles setting the poetry of Paul Verlaine. Love “transforms our perception of the world around and within us, and we form narratives so powerful they can overcome reason or reality with their force of belief–at least for a time,” Redpath wrote in her own program note for the recital.

Redpath largely let the words in the program and the music speak for itself, rather than directly speak to the audience, despite the intimacy of the Armory’s Board of Officers Room. Without her addressing the audience, it did feel possible to float off into the romantic visions presented in the songs (at least until a siren outside reminded you where you were). Redpath herself seemed to sink into the vision of the songs–per the program, she translated many of them from their original French herself, so she felt in tune with the stories she was telling.

As a soprano leggero, her voice was honeyed and especially warm in her mid and lower range, which suited the chamber setting nicely. She sang smartly to the room, and the French pieces were a great fit to demonstrate her voice’s lightness and smooth shadow, along with technical prowess for each composer and his own particularities, although once or twice she seemed to need a tight push when transitioning registers.

Her singing was very well balanced by pianist Rylance. He expertly navigated through the French composers, not letting the intricacy of the works overpower the vocals he was accompanying. I’m grateful he got to show off his own work, as he performed a solo Messiaen piece, “Vingt regards sur l’Enfant Jésus,” in the middle of the recital. It was a marvelous display of artistry that he held firmly in his control.

While the Debussy and Messiaen songs were lovely, I especially enjoyed the Poulenc “Fiançailles pour rire” cycle. The music sets the poetry of Louise de Vilmorin, which often literally tells stories and sets scenes rather than wax poetic on love and ardor. With that, Redpath could play with the performance a little more.

The program ended with one more Poulenc piece, “La dame de Monte-Carlo.” Here, Redpath really loosened up and fell into more of a cabaret-style vamp–which was appreciated. She sang it like you’d sing your favorite song at karaoke, comfortably and freely, without having to think about the lyrics or phrasing. While it was the pop hit of the night, it made me wonder how fresh a Redpath recital would be if she let that joy and humor, rather than reverence, shine through the whole program.

That’s a positive. Park Avenue Armory billed this show as one of “three exciting new voices,” and Redpath’s biography notes her as “one of the most promising of her generation.” That promise and potential absolutely is there–and indeed, she’s already a success; it’s not nothing to winningly carry a full evening of French art song. This recital seemed a big step in ownership of her voice and vocal choices, and as that confidence grows, she’s sure to have many more loud ovations in her future.

The Park Avenue Armory Recital Series is continuing through 2026, with countertenor Carlo Vistoli and pianist Giulio Zappa in September, tenor Ben Bliss and pianist Christopher Allen in October, mezzo-soprano Deepa Johnny and pianist Jonathan Ware in November, and percussionist Steven Schick and composer Tyshawn Sorey in December. The space is warmly imposing, for those performers courageous enough to go toe-to-toe with the smiling sergeants, and quite welcoming to audiences.