Joyce DiDonato: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watch Joyce DiDonato play at the Tiny Desk.
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Jan. 15, 2020 | Tom Huizenga -- When opera star Joyce DiDonato told us she wanted to sing centuries-old Italian love songs at the Tiny Desk we weren't surprised. But when she said she was bringing a jazz band to back her up, we did a double take. But that's Joyce, always taking risks. After all, the last time we filmed the down-to-earth diva, she insisted on singing an opera aria at the Stonewall Inn, the iconic gay tavern in Greenwich Village.
On paper, the idea of jazzing up old classical songs seems iffy. At the least it could come across as mannered and at worst, an anachronistic muddle. But DiDonato somehow makes it all sound indispensable, with her blend of rigor, wit and a sense of spontaneity.
The musical formula for these unorthodox arrangements makes room for typical jazz solos while DiDonato molds her phrases to the flexible rhythms and inserts old-school trills and flamboyant roulades.
Much of the credit goes to her crack band, especially trumpeter Charlie Porter with whom DiDonato trades riffs and raspy growls. Veteran bassist Chuck Israels, who keeps the music swinging hard, has played with everyone from Billie Holiday to the Kronos Quartet, and drummer Jason Haaheim's day job is principal timpanist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Pianist Craig Terry, co-mastermind of the project, directs the young artist program at the Chicago Lyric Opera.
But the star of the show is the continually amazing DiDonato, whose voice is certainly one of the great wonders of her generation. The flexibility of the instrument, the colors she conjures and her fine-tuned dynamic range are a few of the reasons she's still at the peak of her powers. She looks and sounds like she's having the time of her life.
"It's such a rush to be here," DiDonato said to the appreciative audience of NPR staffers. Believe me, Joyce, the rush was all ours.
SET LIST
Parisotti - Rosa: "Se tu m'ami / Star vicino"
Torelli (attrib.): "Tu lo sai"
Conti: "Quella fiamma"
MUSICIANS
Joyce DiDonato: mezzo-soprano; Craig Terry: piano; Charlie Porter: trumpet; Chuck Israels: bass; Jason Haaheim: drums; Antoine Plante: bandoneon
CREDITS
Producers: Tom Huizenga, Maia Stern, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative director: Bob Boilen; Audio engineers: Josh Rogosin, James Willetts, J. Czys; Editor: Maia Stern; Videographers: Kara Frame, Bronson Arcuri, CJ Riculan, Maia Stern; Associate producer: Bobby Carter; Executive producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Catie Dull/NPR

[@victoryisyourportion]

What I enjoy about tiny desk is that there is something for everyone. This is something I typically would never look for myself but I honestly enjoyed it.

[@jangelo56]

I'm enjoying this performance myself.

[@lindashapanka6229]

I adore Joyce Didonato for her musicianship, her pedagogue, her humanity and her taste in clothing. I need that jacket 💜❤️💜

[@bongoloony]

Whoever thought fusing jazz with opera would work? It does! Magnificent! Musicianship... first class!

[@lsailing5961]

To the person who asked "who is listening in the present moment?" I am. I have chills. I've been transported. In the present moment. Thank you Joyce "et al". Thank you. I feel the love.

[@thecapevaper]

This is so amazing and so unexpected! I just learned the answer to a question I never even had. Tiny Desk is the best music program ever invented.

[@conancat]

Marvel: Infinity War is the greatest crossover ever Joyce DiDonato: hold my wine

[@largemouthbrassband]

**spits coffee out laughing**

[@carinakarina897]

what a great woman she is really

[@anonomys6049]

I was born catholic and that intro had me trying to kneel at work.

[@kagishoabel5362]

🤣🤣🤣 Oh my stomach

[@BriannaFinnell]

I LOVE THIS!!!! I wish there were more opera modern crossovers. I wish I could meet an edm producer and do a crossover.

[@tomas5376]

A fantastic collision of classic and jazz!👍✌️😊🙏🏼🎶🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎶

[@EileenOR]

Well said!!

[@bigcountryspoundcake4513]

The description is always nice to read

[@DavinnaJo]

It never occurred to me to read those. Thanks for pointing it out!

[@Xevoguy]

WHY AM I NOW DISCOVERING THIS! COME ON JOYCE!

[@Victoriaguzmansoprano]

Joyce is amazing!!!!!!!

[@stinkyboomboom]

It wasn't what I was expecting at first, but I stuck with it and am glad I did!!!! What a talented band and singer. The end of the first song at 5:50 was amazing.

[@lauragantz6876]

Listen to the whole album on spotify! It's nominated for a grammy

[@Ninachristmas2024]

Yessss, she is Saucy!!!! Loving the vibe, I watched because the look in her eye!

[@G5349]

Saw Joyce DiDonato on Tiny Desk, had to click

[@debbimaxwell2438]

Always love what Tiny Desk brings to me...I learn so much about genres of music I was not accustomed to. Thank your for your musical diversity...Joyce is amazing!

[@camorbz]

This concert is making my eyes water - in the best kind of way. Love it!

[@frogmouth]

great fun. love the bandoneon and trumpet esp. loved joyces improvisations/ ornamentatioms

[@conancat]

I'd like to think this is what opera singers do every weekend at brunch

[@pulum40]

Thank you. It is called M U S I C, our real muse. and it sounds like EVERYTHING!

[@ria1636]

Wow, I've never heard this fusion before, amazing. Thank you NPR.

[@bernardogomez7924]

How fun ! Charlie Porter continues to WOW me with his trumpet playing !!

[@michaelkazmierskidunn7189]

LOVE THIS!!!!! AWESOME, JOYCE! Joyce really practices what she preaches indeed and she's the one whose suggestion of learning to trill hit me super hard to the point where I cringe at hearing opera singers with slow vibratos and try to get them to learn the trill tecnnique over everything else. In fact, both Joyce and another sadly deceased opera singer Cristina Deutekom (1931 - 2014) both wrote at different times that, the reason why a lot of singers have unknowingly slow vibratos and take this perfectly for granted is because they have not been taught to do this exercise covered in the video. This involves learning the trill and also runs up and down the scale on one syllable, sometimes separating several notes on the same pitch. (Cristina Deutekom could do these scalic runs the best - in fact she did it so well that a lot of people literally thought it was a violin playing the scales, when really, it was because Cristina spent literally eight years doing nothing but trills and scales). According to an article in 1986 written in English by Cristina herself, very few people are aware that this trill technique is the real ticket to a healthy vibrato, which is primarily the reason why a lot of singers have the wrong type of vibrato - instead, Cristina dissatisfactorily claims, they literally just dive in and hope to become famous with the even more negative consequence of having seriously untrained voices. Cristina further emphasizes that because of this overlooked skipping of trill lessons and not graduating up to the highest levels - instead just taking the test without ever studying for it, or running the marathon without a single bit of tra*g, she compares - in other words, hoping they will get a vibrato purely by just singing over and over, without this key exercise - here we are with a huge number of singers with unknowingly slow wobble vibratos, oblivious to the fact that they simply have not worked on DiDonato's exercise.

[@AlexiHolford]

Wow. You know your stuff! Thanks for the education. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@theeholliday]

She's got that "I'd like to speak with the conductor" look about her.

[@lauragantz6876]

Cause she's so prepared "she likes to know the score better than a conductor so her notes can have a meaning found in the partitura"

[@VaccumBlister6]

She’s the most popular female classical singer in America (and possibly the world) right now. She can (and would) probably get anything she wanted.

[@luiscuesta0719]

Stop, shes literally the sweetest in her masterclasses 💀

[@ThePrinceVincent]

Love this type of sound!

[@gabriellaenekes71]

Wooooooow!!!!! Very especial performance 🤩😍

[@michaelbruchas6663]

What a presence! Great band!

[@fluffynamedkimba]

Oh this is brilliant. What a superb team. Love this.

[@aces3535]

I must say...I was pleasantly surprised! Never judge a book by its cover (or a tiny desk performance)✌🏾❤

[@janet7640]

Some of us just ain’t ready for it. I never heard 12 notes sound so good.

[@muzakdeep]

Love it! Thanks npr

[@jeremyscheatday7305]

This is a very interesting sound. I find something new everytime with Tiny Desk.

[@sherilynn]

Joyce! Love her

[@user-ku4si8ke1d]

Великолепно✨ пересматриваю без конца...

[@bruceanderson8720]

WOW! What a voice!

[@pascaldibetta4448]

Merveilleux !

[@Ruth-tu9mu]

This is so freaking cool! 💙

[@Raindr0psssssssss]

I only clicked because she has my name, but I'm captivated! watching to the end now

[@joycewible8816]

This was very, very cool.

[@danielao9585]

Incredibile! La mia cantante preferita a Tiny desk…❤❤❤

[@alexrutasiete]

this is really really good and unique!!!!!

[@BullsEye72]

loved it!

[@IANSAMUJANGO]

WOW!!! Craig is awesome, missing you Craig

[@joellakrall7445]

Wonderful!

[@fernandaatenas3886]

I loved it

[@erbmon0442]

❤ maravillosa

[@aliidris657]

Who's listening to this in the present moment?

[@anniwndrrr]

i do and i dig it

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

here in 2022

[@gunnso1]

***

[@sunra59]

5,624 people and counting.

[@trab49]

A fellow Malaysian who loves Joyce?? I suddenly feel less alone! :D

[@jannabalthaser]

6:30 Love the Le Jazz Hot--Victor/Victoria moment.

[@thandie67]

Wow, wow, wow.

[@bleepdupdupbloop6777]

Yo when are we getting a Marc Rebillet tiny desk?

[@edgarSmile]

Please bring Cultura Profetica to tiny desk!

[@tamaraaispuro6976]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@ninjastah]

A cup of tea.

[@sicariiavantgarde1873]

Opera vocalist over jazz band........delightful

[@rosalienmander9357]

Woww!!

[@araselireyes221]

Yessssss

[@user-rv5ux6gd3w]

Великолепно!!!!

[@Peter32tjrksor]

Can’t say I expected that voice

[@Gkuljian]

Charlie Porter! I sub to his channel. He's a genius in his own right.

[@1earflapping]

Besides her amazing voice, she's the sexiest mezzo I know of.

[@bonecoarrogante9397]

Nicolas jaar, merece um conserto aí... Saudações brasileiras

[@golf4funjn532]

Mr. Porter, you sure get around!

[@user-or4qq7nt2l]

❤️️❤️️❤️️

[@samuelboadu160]

WE NEED A STEVE LACY TINY DESK!!!!!!

[@isweartofuckinggod]

i bet this was fantastic live.

[@FlorenceW101]

She's like a sophisticated opera singer with a really cool old band.

[@Ninachristmas2024]

Florence WilliamS Felt! I’m digging her Vibe!!!!

[@Akkordinator]

lol.. she's not "like" a sophisicated opera singer, she actually is one. Shes been in opera houses for over 20 years.

[@FlorenceW101]

@@Akkordinator good to know. Never really listened to that genre of music. But that's why i love npr exposes u to different kinds of music.

[@EileenOR]

Jazz band

[@JazzySingz]

❤❤❤

[@moochincrawdad]

Interesting 😃

[@EileenOR]

Thank you NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert! Delightful! And much appreciated respite from the political insanity!

[@justme8885]

Wasn't a fan of opera until now.... the trumpet player may have sealed the deal on that. Throughly enjoyed.

[@mbsnyderc]

Opera with Jazz some old things made into something new.good or bad i don't know yet might take awhile to sink in.

[@Igoroots]

imagine how beautiful TOM ZE would be in tiny desk

[@Akkordinator]

The album Songplay from which she sings here has been nominated for a Grammy (best classical solo vocal album)! For me, this year definitely seems to be one of strangely awesome soprano performances. First I've found "The most unwanted music" with a rapping soprano, then this. Though this is definitely more on the awesome side.

[@conancat]

Omg KZbin recommended me The Most Unwanted Music video too! Let's go shopping at Walmart! KZbin algorithm works in mysterious ways

[@frogmouth]

Mezzo is easier on the ears than soprano for people not brought up in clasical tradition. its closer to speech range

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

😂😍

[@yunhewang380]

我的女神❤

[@mariaalejandrasolano8662]

[@gmcummings]

Oh my! 6:30

[@dearfenes]

Can we get gregory allen isakov on this please. Get this to the top so they see

[@cakredi4132]

D O N N Y B E N E T

[@alexvinolas4738]

Good maridage!

[@burger1113]

Wow charlie porter? Lol

[@kagitsune]

Why does it end?? :'(

[@monika118]

Joyce DiDonato is one of my favourite sopranos right now. She is awesome. The band is also great but the fusion in these in these songs is not really my taste. It's great to see the experimentation though.

[@canterlevi]

monika118 (mezzo) 😉😊

[@guysxlr8628]

!

[@tatyanagarner6984]

I want Françoise Hardy😭😭😭😭

[@milaloutre4905]

16:57 OMEGALULZ

[@vitorhaase7821]

Parisotti goes jazz by Joyce DiDonato SE TU M’AMI A. Parisotti Se tu m'ami, se tu sospiri Sol per me, gentil pastor Ho dolor de' tuoi martiri Ho diletto del tuo amor Ma se pensi che soletto Io ti debba riamar Pastorello, sei soggetto Facilmente a t'ingannar Pastorello, sei soggetto Facilmente a t'ingannar Bella rosa porporina Oggi Silvia sceglierà Con la scusa della spina Doman poi la sprezzerà Ma degli uomini il consiglio Io per me non seguirò Non perché mi piace il giglio Gli altri fiori sprezzerò Se tu m'ami, se tu sospiri Sol per me, gentil pastor Ho dolor de' tuoi martiri Ho diletto del tuo amor Ma se pensi che soletto Io ti debba riamar Pastorello, sei soggetto Facilmente a t'ingannar Pastorello, sei soggetto Facilmente a t'ingannar STAR VICINO S. Rosa Star vicino al bell'idol che s'ama, È il più vago diletto d'amor. Star lontano dal ben che si brama E' d'amore il più vivo dolore (Star lontano da colei che si brama E' d'amore il più mesto dolor.) TU LO SAI G. Torelli Tu lo sai quanto t′amai. Tu lo sai, lo sai crudel! Io non bramo altra mercè Ma ricordati di me, E poi sprezza un infedel, E poi sprezza un infedel! Tu lo sai quanto t'amai Tu lo sai, lo sai crudel Tu lo sai, quanto t′amai Tu lo sai, lo sai crudel QUELLA FIAMMA F. Conti Il mio bel foco O lontano o vicino ch'esser poss'io Senza cangiar mai tempre Per voi, care pupille, arderá sempre Quella fiamma che m'accende Piace tanto all'alma mia Che giammai s'estinguerà E se il fato a voi mi rende Vaghi rai del mio bel sole Altra luce ella non vuole Nè voler giammai potrà Quella fiamma che m'accende Piace tanto all'alma mia Che giammai s'estinguerà

[@thisismusica4322]

Watch More of Joyce didonato on my Channel !! (Don't forget to Subscribe

[@alexrutasiete]

after this, Robi Lakatos should be next...

[@Smogget]

Jazz opera, who knew?

[@leandrodutra329]

the thrompet guy left mythbusters to play here

[@stefanolibero8975]

69th comment lets goooooo! also, NPR is turning me into a man of culture

[@orangepuffs6796]

This is not Vulfpeck.

[@Baribrotzer]

This isn't quite as unlikely as it might sound. Mainstream jazz, particularly vocal jazz, is built on loose, extended, improvisational interpretations of the Great American Songbook, and a whole lot of those songs were written by European immigrants trained as classical composers. So the musical language is related, and adapting them to jazz treatments might not be too much of a stretch. The primary difference may be in the musical structures: Most Great American Songbook tunes follow a fairly strict 32-bar AABA layout, whereas the classical material still tends toward some type of ABA form, but the details and lengths might be unique to each individual song.

[@kryzhalid5195]

Plz! BRING MAC AYRES!

[@25447carepear]

" HARPO! WHO DIS WOMAN?"😒

[@FlorenceW101]

Lol

[@ceeceeshine]

She's really famous and beautiful mezzo-soprano! You're welcome Orange!

[@aliidris657]

3rd

[@tylerlordhamilton252]

So posh.

[@thesmellycatjazz]

I'm not really feeling the style of the singer, but this is neat, especially the last song. The trumpet player is a killer. Dude rips

[@RainbowDreams321]

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I’m sad for jazz and classical now