DOUGLAS MOORE

Nadine Sierra sings an aria from Douglas Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe. Premiered in 1956, the opera is based on the life of Elizabeth “Baby” Doe who, in 1880s Colorado, contracted a scandalous marriage with a wealthy mine owner. In the opera, it’s her rendition of “The Willow Song” that first attracts his attention. Sierra performs this demanding aria, a blend of operatic and folk-song styles, with great charisma and eloquence. She’s accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Robert Spano.