by Ellena on January 30, 2018
What a joy to make music with my dear friends Sybil Cheesman and Lynn Raley in Jackson, Mississippi last week! I drove from Atlanta to Jackson on Monday and had a lovely visit with my sister Laura Knight and her family, who graciously hosted me for the first part of my visit. Lynn, Sybil and […]
by Ellena on November 29, 2017
On Sunday, November 19, 2017, I had the privilege of performing a recital with John King Carter at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Family in Jasper, Georgia. The program consisted of art songs by Franz Schubert and Claude Debussy. Following the concert, the choir presented a service of Evensong, and the church hosted a […]
by Ellena on November 6, 2017
On Sunday, November 5, 2017, I performed the mezzo solos in the Mozart Requiem at St. James Episcopal Church with music director Peter Waggoner conducting his church choir and an orchestra. The Mozart Requiem was integrated into the traditional All Souls Day mass, which honors those who have gone before us in life and death. […]
by Ellena on March 14, 2017
On Saturday, March 11, 2017, I had the privilege of singing excerpts from the opera Carmen by Bizet with the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by my friend and colleague Amy Wilson at North Decatur Presbyterian Church. In the concert, titled “C’est la vie!” we had a great cast of characters! I sang the title role […]
by Ellena on January 25, 2017
Enjoy a preview of three songs from my upcoming concert, Oceans of Living Music, Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 2 p.m. at All Saints Church in the Choir Suite. Tickets are $10-$12 available for purchase at Eventbrite. I’d love to see you there! “Under the Night Sky” by James Gibson; and below is today’s post-rehearsal selfie of […]
by Ellena on January 19, 2017
Dear Friends, I’m delighted to share many of the live recordings from our second annual MLK concert on Monday, January 15, 2017, 7 pm, at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church. With the support of The Reverend Susan Sowers, Pastor Mary Peterson, Sammie Tucker, and the entire St. Christopher’s staff; Dasha Teelin and I planned this concert, […]
by Ellena on November 9, 2016
Sarah Ellena Hogrefe, mezzo-soprano, and John King Carter, pianist, perform Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Opus 37. Recorded live in concert in Jasper, Georgia on September 18, 2016, and performed again at Canterbury Court, Monday, November 7, 2016, at 7:30 pm. Sea Slumber-Song Poem by the Hon. Roden Noel. Sea-birds are asleep/The world forgets to weep/Sea murmurs […]
by Ellena on November 9, 2016
In two recent concerts, John King Carter, pianist and I, have sung five of the ten Biblical Songs, Opus 37, by Antonín Dvořák, originally composed in his native Czech. Here are the English texts and recordings of each of the songs. Psalm 97:2-6 Darkness and thunderclouds are round about him; judgment is his abode; righteousness his throne. Fire […]
by Ellena on April 3, 2016
In my career as a singer, I’ve had the privilege of giving multiple world premier performances. The first major world premiere was creating the role of Mrs. Gibbs in Ned Rorem’s opera Our Town. The second was performing as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Edwin Penhorwood’s monumental oratorio, An American Requiem. I’ve also had two composers […]
by Ellena on February 25, 2016
Singing the World: Life, Loss & Love On our upcoming concert, John King Carter and I will perform arias from Bizet’s Carmen, Rossini’s Barber of Seville, and Verdi’s A Masked Ball, in addition to favorite spirituals, early 20th century popular songs, andBrahms’s Four Serious Songs. Join us for this beautiful evening of music at Lawrenceville […]