Vocalists, sopranos in particular, are often the subject of playful ribbing among instrumental musicians. After all, the term diva (goddess) was appropriated to describe them. Sometimes we tease singers about rhythm… Hey, counting can be a challenge. Sometimes we tease them about pitch… Nothing an entourage of pianists and vocal coaches can’t fix. It takes a village, right? Well, Portrait of an Artist 2 will be this singer’s riposte to all those years of unfair teasing.

Jennifer Goltz is not your average soprano. She comes armed with a PhD in Music Theory and a truly staggering range from early European cabaret to sacred music by Mozart to the thorniest 20th and 21st Century compositions.

What’s more, you never know when Jennifer might pull out an accordion or ukulele to accompany herself in French cabaret or on a Rossini aria. One thing is for sure, we have a true diva in our midst.

Artists: Jennifer Goltz, soprano; and Kristen Vining, piano.

Commentary: Timothy Christie