On November 3rd at Renee Weiler Concert Hall, NYC
Following the hauntingly evocative Night and Dreams recital last year, tenor Raguel Gabriel returns to the stage with Absence, produced by RTG Productions. This recital explores themes of love, longing and loss and takes place on November 3rd—a shared birthday for both Gabriel and his pianist, Dr. Jeffrey Middleton (Juilliard/Yale)—at 3:00pm in the Renee Weiler Concert Hall, Greenwich House, NYC. Patrons will experience an emotionally charged performance as Gabriel reflects on the poetry of life’s absences and the beauty that lingers in its wake.
The inspiration behind Absence began with Gabriel’s connection to Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été (“Summer Nights”), a cycle of songs shared by his pianist, Jeff, that resonated with him deeply after Night and Dreams.
In particular, the piece Absence sparked the recital’s theme with its poignant longing,
captured in lines such as:
“Come back, come back my sweetest love!
Like a flower far from the sun,
The flower of my life is closed
Far from your crimson smile!”
Gabriel shares, “Music became my close companion through my own journey of absence. This recital is a return, not only to the stage but to parts of myself I had to set aside. Absence is my way of reuniting with life through music. As the cycle grew on me, the next song I learned was Sur Les Lagunes – the saddest song in the set. I became obsessed with this song… It is also my favourite one to sing in the entire recital program. It sits well in my voice and as an actor, I get to express several highs and lows in the song.”
As this recital marks the third in his NYC series, Gabriel reflects on its significance, stating, “I am getting a feeling inside of finality. Whether it is the last recital in NYC or the last one for a while… we’ll see. But I know that it being three suggests something to me.”
In addition to his compelling interpretations of Berlioz, Gabriel’s programme spans works by composers such as Duparc, Hahn and Fauré. Each song was carefully selected to reflect life’s complex emotions, creating an evening of introspective yet vibrant music that is sure to captivate audiences.
Gabriel’s recitals have each marked pivotal stages in his artistic and personal growth and Absence is no exception. This recital represents both a culmination and a moment of transformation in his journey.
Absence invites audiences to share in a deeply transformative musical experience that resonates with
themes of love, resilience and renewal. As Gabriel’s voice fills the concert hall, each song will evoke the beauty of presence within absence, hope within longing and return after retreat. Join him as he celebrates another milestone in this new season.
All images courtesy Raguel Gabriel.
