Interview: David Portillo of CONCERT: DAVID PORTILLO AND WARREN JONES at Song Source Festival

Song Source Festival presents their feature recital with international acclaimed musicians David Portillo and Warren Jones. Both heard in previous festivals, these two artists combine for an unforgettable evening of song and celebration of the individual with music by Mozart, Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte, Schumann, Turina, Guastavino, and Ginastera. Sure to be unvergesslich and inolvidable!

We chat with David Portillo about his concert with Song Source Festival.

How does it feel to have live audiences and performances back?

It's a blend of excitement and joy mixed with a new respect for the sacrifices made by audiences and performers. There was so much risk involved coming together in live venues - performing live opera and concerts took so many people to create safe performance - tests, quarantines, masking and spacing rules. All of this was necessary to establish a comfortable, respectful place to enjoy music. Audiences were also so eager for live performances, and the energy of audience to performer is more palpable, and all of it is heightened.

What inspired you to pursue music?

My mother taught music all through my growing up - choir, piano, guitar - and I was always around music because of her. She, along with church choir directors, school music teachers, and my early voice teachers were all my inspirations. I'm so grateful for all of these strong musical women! One time on a church choir tour when I was 14, a freshman in high school, our director brought a video of the Three Tenors concert and two friends and I watched that video three times all the way through. I became obsessed with Luciano Pavarotti and a few choice opera arias after that, and opera became a love from there. Pursuing music was always the next step; after high school choir, I wanted to be the next Robert Shaw (choral conductor), so I got my undergrad degree in choral education. And then when I had a few choice opera roles in undergrad, I decided to get my masters in performance. From there, I just kept trying to get to the 'next step' - young artist programs, competitions, auditions, etc.

Who were your influences and inspirations?

I'm inspired by so many different people in different areas of my life in and out of music. My mother, again, is probably the most influential of my early music life - along with my sister who teaches elementary music, and my first voice teacher, Linda Poetschke. I'm inspired by amazing tenors - Nicolai Gedda, Fritz Wunderlich, Peter Pears, Lawrence Brownlee, and John Osborn. Also, I'm influenced by some great creators like David McVicar, Jane Glover, Wes Anderson, Lizzo, Ru Paul, and my even nephew Carlos.

What are you looking forward to with your concert with the Source Song Festival?

This recital is such a full-circle moment! Working with Warren Jones is a very big bucket-list item! When I was in undergraduate, I took a trip to a NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) competition where the keynote recital was Marylin Horne and Benita Valente with pianist Warren Jones! (I've never told Warren this story, btw) But this recital was one of my top five most moving live music experiences ever. Benita Valente began the concert singing Lascia chio pianga from Rinaldo; the audience was stunned silent for at least half a minute after she stopped singing - it was truly an 'ahhh' moment where performers had the audience at such a beautiful moment together. Also, Warren played the whole concert withOUT music!

I never believed that I would have the chance to work with such a legend, and now it's happening. I'm looking forward to this collaboration with the hopes that the audience will be able to share in a moment of beauty with some moving music.

How did you go about in selecting the songs for your concert?

Our recital as a part of the 'Under Song' season is half German-language favorites of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann, and half Spanish-language art songs of Turina, Guastavino, and Ginastera. We have compiled some of our 'favorites' from both languages, with An die Ferne Geliebte (Beethoven) being the big anchor of the first half. It is known as the 'first art song cycle' and the poetry is reminiscent of a love letter to music, to nature, and to a distant love. Spanish art song has always been a favorite of mine to perform. These popular cycles, Poema en forma de canciones (Turina, Spain) and Cinco Canciones populares Argentinas (Ginastera), show some near-perfect pairing of voice and piano with a blend of styles and colors - there are folk, pastoral, and also romantic songs. We wanted to show another favorite Argentinian composer, Carlos Guastavino, in two short but very sweet songs including the hauntingly beautiful 'La Rosa y el Sauce.'

Do you have a favorite song that you are singing in this concert?

I have several, depending on the day! Mozart's Abendemfindung is such a deeply sad text about death and emotions surrounding grief, but it has a gorgeous Mozart melody. Also, Schumann's Die Beiden Grenadier stands out in the first half as a marchlike ballad, telling a story about two very allegiant French soldiers, and ends with 'Marseillaise.' In the second half, the most haunting song of the program is in the Ginastera set, no.2 Triste - the song truly sounds like sadness. And the most joyful song of the program is the final piece from the same set, Gato no. 5. It's a very cute song about a cat that dances a little 'zapateado.'

What do you hope the audience takes away from your concert?

This season's theme as Undersong involves bringing human's words and music to nature to make others feel deeper and create connections. These songs show a variety of experiences - devotion, passion, and romance - and I hope that our performance can bring the audience to a more connected place than when they left. Source Song Festival has a very smart audience with many of their own experiences with composers like Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann. I hope to bring a new listen to their songs by creating a deeper meaning of these texts, and I hope they will want to continue to listen to more Spanish and Argentinian art song too.

Do you have any favorite local spots in the area?

Since we've lived in Saint Louis Park for five years, we have loved Lake Harriet walks, love biking through Minnetonka, attending the Guthrie and Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, eating at Hai Hai in Northeast, Rosalia in Linden Hills, and Sea Salt near Minnehaha Falls.

Want to know more about the performance? Attend a pre-concert lecture by Dr. Juan Carlos Mendoza, specialist in Spanish language song and the recital tradition.

• Thursday, August 11, 2022
• 7:30 PM 9:00 PM
• Westminster Hall Westminster Hall Presbyterian Church Minneapolis MN 55404

For more ticket and concert information, click the ticket link button below

Photo by Arielle Doneson