➤ GIEBLER, from p.28
It’d also be the perfect opportunity
to mix in some musical theater as
well: even more content to choose
from in that genre. Of course, you
can’t go wrong with Barber, Copland,
and Bernstein as well!
Shengold: Please tell me something
about Britten’s canticle
“Abraham and Isaac.” Had you
heard it performed by two male
voices before? Have you worked
with assisting artist Reginald
Mobley in other contexts? Have
you performed it as a duet with
him (or other countertenors)
live?
Giebler: There was no one else
I wanted to do this with; we actually
moved the recording dates to
accommodate his schedule! Reggie
and I have been friends and
colleagues for probably six years.
Singing with him has always
meshed in a way that I thought
would be really special on the Britten
— not to mention my sheer
admiration for his stunning talent,
social activism, and amazing
career. Sadly, Reggie and I haven’t
had the chance to perform this
live.
I wish we could have had that
chance at a proper release party,
or a small recital tour of the album.
I had originally heard and
fallen in love with “Abraham and
Isaac” when it was done with Ian
Bostridge and David Daniels. I
actually didn’t know it was originally
written for a female alto, not
a countertenor. It turns out many
purists guffawed at the idea of two
men singing it together!
Shengold: What were the real
discoveries for you of the songs
on the recording, and why?
Giebler: My biggest discovery
was composer Ian Venables. It was
never my intention to include the
work of a living composer, but my
manager introduced us, as hen is
chair of the Ivor Gurney Society.
Mr. Venables alerted me to a song
cycle of his that — like Gurney’s
— set A.E. Housman texts. This
happened three weeks prior to the
recording dates. My quintet and I
decided to fi nd time in the schedule
to read down and include one
of the pieces on the disc. “Because
I Liked You Better” ended up the
perfect way to close — fi rst as a
way to bring back a Housman text
summing up the gay experience
Brian Giebler was also named Musical America magazine’s “Artist of the month” in January.
of the early 20th century (unrequited
love), and then to bring in
a thicker, richer modern English
song texture, different from what
you hear on most of the songs. I’m
particularly proud of that piece. I
only wish we had had time to do
the full cycle; I hope I might be able
to record more of some of his really
beautiful, passionate music — his
latest disc, “Love Lives Beyond the
Tomb,” contains some real gems.
Shengold: How do you see
things proceeding from here on?
Do you have dream roles in opera
or musical comedy?
Giebler: My favorite aspect of
my career is the diversity of repertoire
I’ve had the chance to
perform. Week to week, I could
be singing a 21st century opera
with large orchestra in Boston one
week, and then early 16th century
French opera with small chamber
baroque ensemble in Germany the
next (yes, that happened). My voice
teacher always keeps me fresh by
reminding me to use “my voice” on
everything I encounter, and to concentrate
on performance practice
when changing styles.
I really hope I get the opportunity
to sing more Handel. (I am
dying to do La Resurrezione). Another
role I would love to take on
is Timothy Laughlin in Gregory
Spears’ Fellow Travelers. I’d also
love to do some Mozart, sing more
Bach Passions, and do a Britten
opera or two. Why not some musical
theater — Brigadoon, West Side
Story, or anything by Jason Robert
Brown or Adam Guettel? Some
Broadway theater things that have
J. DEMETRIE PHOTOGRAPHY
really personally moved me: Kyle
Soller’s affecting performance as
Eric Glass in “The Inheritance,”
Michael Urie in “Torch Song,” and
William Finn’s shows “Falsettos”
and “A New Brain.” To live out
those types of roles onstage would
be deeply meaningful.
Shengold: What pop artists
among those also Grammy-nominated
do you follow? Anyone
with whom you’d want to collaborate?
How will you be spending
Grammy night?
Giebler: P¡nk’s 2010 performance
singing “Glitter in the Air”
where she performed an aerial
routine blew me away. Jennifer
Hudson’s tribute to Whitney in
2012 left me speechless. And
Lady Gaga and Elton John’s 2015
collaboration! I’m a big fan of Gaga
and her collaboration with another
favorite, Ariana Grande, Rain
on Me. Huge fan of John Legend
(everything he does is fi lled with
passion and intention).
P!nk, John Legend, and Ariana
Grande would be my dream
pop collaborators. Sadly, this year
won’t be the dreamed-of glamorous
red carpet situation. I’ve chosen to
keep it small and intimate, and celebrate
with my husband, parents,
and hopefully Steve. I still plan on
dressing up (Armani suit jacket
in hand, and yes, I will wear real
tux pants, not pajamas — it’s the
Grammys, after all). The nominees
who win will be on screen in Zoom
fashion, so I’ll be ready in case the
unexpected happens!
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