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Brahms, Ein Deutsches Requiem

Liz Lang, soprano

Lester Lynch, baritone

The Chancel Choir and Orchestra

Brahms created his Requiem as comfort and consolation to the living. He chose a deeply personal set of texts from Scripture, and set them to music of radiant tenderness. Renowned soloists Liz Lang and Lester Lynch, with the Chancel Choir and Orchestra offer this message of solace to all those in need of hope and healing. This performance marks the premiere of a new orchestration by Abraham Wayman, adapting the massive forces of the original version to the intimate setting of Brick Church. 

Meet the Artists Reception to Follow

Brick Church is grateful to Sam and Debbie Seraphim for their generous support of this concert.

Hailed by Opera News for her “comedic timing and clear resonant tone,” soprano Liz Lang is a crossover artist whose work moves fluidly between opera, concert music, musical theater, jazz, and projects that require saying “Yes, and.”

Recognized for bringing “touches of smoldering drama” (Musical America), Liz is known for her stylistic versatility and continues to develop and perform innovative multi-genre concert projects, including Rooted, a musical exploration of identity inspired by her Lebanese heritage, and This Silent Music, a site-specific work created for the James Turrell Skyspace in Philadelphia.

A frequent soloist with Voices of Ascension and Riverside Orchestra, Liz has appeared with MasterVoices, New York Choral Society, Modus Operandi Orchestra, St. John's Ensemble, and the Winter Park Oratorio Society. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, throughout Italy, and at the Salzburg Festival, and has collaborated with distinguished artists including James Morris, Frederica von Stade, Sherrill Milnes, Paul O'Dette, Stephen Stubbs, and Metropolitan Opera pianist Howard Watkins. She is also featured on the Grammy-nominated recording Requiem of Light with Clarion.

Operatic highlights include Mimì in La bohème, Iris in Opera Omaha's Semele, and leading roles in La Traviata, Dialogues of the Carmelites, Serse, Almira, and Die Zauberflöte. Equally at home in contemporary and crossover repertoire, Liz has appeared Off-Broadway, participated in the development of new musicals, and performs with her jazz-fusion band. She is the recipient of the Sherrill Milnes American Opera Award and is based in New York City. Learn more at lizlangsoprano.com.

Lester Lynch has become recognized for his charismatic portrayals and commanding voice with rave reviews as some of opera’s most important characters. In contemporary repertoire he is known for his portrayals in pieces such as Dallapiccola’s Il Prigioniero, Busoni’s Doktor Faust and Nico Muhly’s The Glitch.

Lynch made his debut at the renowned Teatro alla Scala singing the role of Crown in Porgy and Bess and at the Royal Opera House as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Other appearances on major stages include Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, Semperoper Dresden, Seattle Opera, Berliner Philharmoniker, Vienna Volksoper, English National Opera, Norway’s Bergen National Opera, Santa Fe Opera and San Francisco Opera. 

Recent performances include Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder with Bozeman Symphony and Zemlinsky's Symphonische Gesänge with Sir Simon Rattle and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. He made his film debut in November 2021 as Merrivale in Gordon Getty's new opera, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, based on the popular 1934 novella by James Hilton. 

Upcoming performances include a recital at Cal Performances in Berkeley, California and a performance of Elijah by Mendelssohn. 

Mr. Lynch’s recording work is featured on Pentatone, including his 2017 debut solo album, “On My Journey Now” and his 2024 album, “Full Circle.”

Lynch recently joined the faculty as Professor of Voice of at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.