FSC Professor shows her ‘Many Musical Faces’

By Lindsay Dumont

Editorial Staff

     FSC’s Professor Michelle Abadia, from the modern languages department, shared her striking talent of singing while accompanied by pianist Timothy Zimmerman in the Ecumenical Center last Thursday.

     The recital was called “The Many Musical Faces of Love” and had selected pieces from Mozart, Faure, Rossini and other composers. Many commented on their favorite being Abadia’s choice of five songs from the famous composer George Gershwin.

     This event was sponsored by the Arts and Humanities series. Mark Evans, director of Arts and Humanities, introduced the two performers. He said Abadia is an excellent artist with a wonderful personality, and Zimmerman is a world-renowned organist and a fantastic accompanist.

     The audience was grateful for the pamphlets that had the words to the Italian and Spanish pieces in English. During the second half of the performance, Abadia played guitar while singing selections from Vale, Campos, Alers Escudero and Gershwin.

     Freshman Lisa McEachern said, “It was very good. ‘He Loves, She Loves’ [by Gershwin] was my favorite.”

     Abadia is a lyric coloratura soprano. “I have been singing for 20 years. I started singing when I was 12 years old in weddings,” she said.

     Abadia studied children’s choir and in college she studied contemporary music. It wasn’t until later that she studied classical.

     Zimmerman is a concert organist and not only has he performed all over the United States, but also in Vienna, Prague, London and other cities of Europe. He currently is the associate music director and organist at St. Ignatius Church.

     Zimmerman said, “It was great fun to play the different styles of music. It was marvelous to have that [response] from the audience; it gives us energy and feeds us.”

     Professor Peter Dittami of the Education Department said, “I loved it very much. I never realized Michelle had such a wonderful voice.”