Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing "Urlicht", her final performance

[Ben]

While no one knew it at the time, 10 years ago today marked the final performance mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson would ever give. I was lucky enough to be in the audience and also see a rehearsal that week of her with the Chicago Symphony performing Mahler 2 with Tilson Thomas conducting. I was blown away during the rehearsal and then, of course, at the performance. She was captivating and her singing was radiant. The CSO has made available the "Urlicht" from those final performances.

http://csosoundsandstories.org/remembering-lorraine-hunt-lieberson-2/

She can be heard on the MTT commercial recording of M2 with the San Francisco Symphony, but hearing her live was a special experience. Brought back some wonderful memories of that concert.

[barry guerrero]

IMHO, Hunt Lieberson's contribution is the best thing in the entire MTT cycle, along with his "Das Klagande Lied" (which was actually an RCA recording). I'm sure she could have sung the tenor part in M8 better than Anthony Dean Griffey.