Baritone Nathan Gunn and pianist Julie Gunn will open the Blair School of Music’s 2018 spring concert series with Franz Schubert’s Die Schoene Mullerin on Jan. 16.
The husband-wife duo will perform the complete song cycle without intermission during the free recital, which will begin at 8 p.m. in Ingram Hall.
Nathan has long been known for his powerful baritone voice and charismatic stage presence. His credits include more than 100 performances at the Metropolitan Opera, where he is an alumnus of the Lindemann Young Artists Program, and appearances with other renowned opera houses around the world.
Nathan had the title role in Sweeney Todd with the Houston Grand Opera. He sang in Camelot and Carousel with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Show Boat at Carnegie Hall. Nathan and Julie also have performed together in the Schubert Club’s International Artist Series.
Nathan is a strong supporter of new opera, creating roles in works by Jennifer Higdon, Jake Heggie and others. He received the first annual Beverly Sills Artist Award and the Pittsburgh Opera Renaissance Award. In 2008, he was featured on People magazine’s list of “The Sexiest Men Alive.”
Julie has performed in many prominent recital series, including the Aspen Festival, Boston’s Celebrity Series, Lincoln Center Great Performers and the Carnegie Hall Pure Voice Series.
She enjoys working at the intersection of different disciplines with artists in the fields of theater, dance and design. In addition to her husband, Julie has collaborated with Mandy Patinkin, Kelli O’Hara and the Pacific Quartet, among other artists.
A member of ASCAP, she has composed many arrangements of songs for chamber groups and orchestra. Venues where her works have been performed include Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center, and London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Nathan and Julie have tenured faculty appointments at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where they both earned degrees. As a student, Nathan performed with his teacher and mentor John Wustman in a series of recitals to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Franz Schubert’s birth.
Free parking for the Jan. 16 event is available in West Garage, located at 2500 Children’s Way. Enter the garage through the Children’s Way entrance.
Julie and Nathan also will conduct a master class with Blair voice students at noon Jan. 17 in the Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall. Participation in the class is limited to Blair students by audition, but the public is welcome to attend and observe.
The Gunns’ performance is sponsored by the Mary Cortner Ragland Master Series Fund.