
Voice Recital with Isabel Leonard
TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026
7:00 P.M.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ASHEVILLE
The incomparable Isabel Leonard will take the stage alongside pianist John Arida for a recital featuring selections by Garcia-Lorca, Montsalvatge, Bernstein, traditional Spanish songs, and more. A classical icon, Isabel is the featured artist for the 2026 Artist Residency; she has performed iconic leading roles in every major opera house in the world, including The Met Opera, La Scala, and Wiener Staatsoper. See the full program below!
Click the button above to purchase tickets or give our box office a call at (828) 254-7046. Box office hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Program:
Valverde: Clavelitos
García-Lorca: Nana de Sevilla
García-Lorca: La Tarara
Montsalvatge: Cinco Canciones Negras
Intermission
Copland/Dickinson: Why Do They Shut Me Out of Heaven?
Fain/Kahal: I’ll Be Seeing You, from Right This Way
Weill/Gershwin: My Ship, from Lady in the Dark
Kern/Fields: The Way You Look Tonight, from Swing Time
arr. Isabel Leonard and John Arida
Bernstein: I’m a Person Too, from I Hate Music: A Cycle of Five Kid Songs
Bernstein/Comden/Green: Lonely Town, from On the Town
Weill/Nash: I’m a Stranger Here Myself, from One Touch of Venus
David/Hoffman/Livingston: A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes, from Cinderella
arr. Isabel Leonard and John Arida
CONCERT SPONSOR
David & Pamela Lane
Pianist and coach John Arida (MM ’13, collaborative piano) has cultivated relationships with some of classical music’s most esteemed performers both on and off the stage include Julia Bullock, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Samantha Hankey, Christian Van Horn, Isabel Leonard, and Jack Swanson. He has appeared as a collaborative pianist across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico at notable venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Aspen Music Festival, and Tanglewood.
Beyond the concert stage, Arida has assisted many notable conductors including Harry Bicket, Daniela Candilari, John DeMain, Christian Reif, Speranza Scappucci, and Emmanuel Villaume. He has been a member of the music staff of the Santa Fe, Washington National, Central City, and Virginia operas; the Lakes Area Music and Castleton festivals, and Juilliard. A strong supporter of grassroots festivals, Arida was the music director for the inaugural seasons of the Emberlight Festival in Ironwood, Michigan, and the Creede Musical Arts Collective in Creede, Colorado.
Arida has recorded two albums with his frequent collaborator mezzo-soprano Megan Marino. Their first collaboration, The Traveled Road (Ravello Records), featured the music of Evan Mack. Their second, It’s You I Like (Lexicon Classics), contains songs that celebrate childhood.
Arida has held fellowships at the Aspen Music Festival and Music Academy of the West. In addition to his studies at Juilliard, he earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from SUNY Purchase.
First Baptist Church of Asheville
March 21, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Internationally acclaimed vocalist Isabel Leonard — winner of multiple GRAMMY Awards — brings her versatile artistry and raw star power to this flagship event of the 2026 Artist Residency. She will showcase the many glittering facets of the human voice, bringing to life a curated selection of her signature roles and iconic works for voice: Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915, highlights from West Side Story, plus works by Georges Bizet, Manuel de Falla, Gabriela Lena Frank, and more.
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