I was saddened earlier this month to realize that I couldn’t sing in the concert I was most looking forward to in this symphony season, the Boston premiere of El Niño (The Child) by John Adams. I was particularly down because I would be missing the chance to sing with Dawn Upshaw, who has been one of my favorite soloists since I stumbled across her stunning voice on the definitive recording of Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 … wow, twelve or thirteen years ago now.
I’m now sadder because I wouldn’t have had a chance to sing with her in any circumstances. According to a news clip buried in yesterday’s Globe, as well as an earlier alert on the TFC grapevine, Ms. Upshaw is bowing out of the concert and other performances because she is being treated for early stage breast cancer. According to her manager, she plans to be back on stage in three months, so hopefully this is simply one of those things that has been caught in time. I hope I will have many chances to sing with her in the future.