Finding a title for our June concert was a piece of cake or, as the French would say, un morceau de gâteau. What could be more Romantique than the three pieces included on this program? In Les nuits d’été, Berlioz’s passionate music captures the anguish of love lost. Arthur Honegger’s Pastorale d’été recalls a serene dawn in an Alpine meadow, while Bizet’s high-spirited Symphony in C is an explosion of youthful energy and joy. Enjoy it all with us.

A versatile conductor and opera singer, Daniel Henriks has won acclaim for his dynamic interpretations of orchestral and choral masterpieces. His conducting repertoire boasts major works from the orchestral canon, ranging from Brahms and Mendelssohn to Haydn and Tchaikovsky, as well as compositions by 20th-century composers. As a dramatic baritone, he has performed at opera houses and concert halls worldwide, including the Staatsoper Stuttgart, Oper Köln, Oper Zürich, Theater an der Wien, and Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Equally at home on the concert stage, Henriks has captivated audiences at venues like the Cologne Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and Konzerthaus Dortmund. Now a resident of Central California, he is Director of I Cantori di Carmel.

A graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and the conservatory in Hannover, Germany, Henriks combines his formal training with a passion for exploration. When not in the orchestra pit or on stage, he can be found soaring the skies in small airplanes, hiking along the California coast with his dog Bonsai, or enjoying a glass of Côtes du Rhône.

Soprano Emily Sinclair, whose voice has been hailed as “sweet and strong” by the New York Times, is an active performer and teacher in Santa Cruz. She has performed across the United States with companies such as the Caramoor International Festival, Opera Colorado, and the Littleton Symphony. A champion of new music, she has premiered several works for voice and chamber ensemble. Emily was a Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has been awarded prizes by the Gerda Lissner Foundation and Washington International Competition.

Emily received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, and holds additional degrees from Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music, and Yale University. She is currently the head of the voice area at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she teaches individual lessons and vocal repertoire.