FERNE
Christian pursell, ronny michael greenberg
Recorded in October 2022, this album of songs by classical German composers displays Christian Pursell’s masterful interpretation skills of art song literature. Greenberg’s ever-delicate emotionally-filled playing matches Pursell’s dynamic range. Their artistry shows deeply in this traditional lieder album.
Featuring works by Beethoven, Hugo Wolf, Franz Schubert, Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Strauss, and Johann Sebastian Bach.
MOMENTI
Leah Crocetto, Christian Pursell, Ronny Michael Greenberg
As three uniquely talented artists, their goal as a group is to create something greater than themselves, that moves people from all walks of life. Through their performances, they want to express that music is a universal language, with the power to connect us all on a spiritual level.
“In their debut self-titled EP on Crossover Records, the genre-fluid, will be heard by global audiences for the first time, experiencing what makes their artistry unique. From the virtuosic nature of the first self-titled track, to the soulful cries of “I Don’t Know What Love Is,” from ‘A Star Is Born,’ to the smooth transitions and heartfelt message of Sondheim’s “Move On,” you will be taken on a true musical journey. ”
Handel — Saul
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale
Young David has just slain Goliath, earning him the rapturous admiration of the Israelites and the murderous envy of King Saul. This Biblical tale of love and jealousy, madness and mourning, family feuds and supernatural apparitions inspired one of Handel’s most inventive and popular oratorios.
Christian Pursell sings the role of Samuel under the baton of renowned Handel expert Nic McGegan alongside all-star castmates Daniel Okulitch, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Yulia Van Doren, Sherezade Panthaki, and Aaron Sheehan.
“The most pleasing surprise of the night was Christian Pursell, in the small role of Samuel the prophet. In his confrontation with Saul, Pursell’s resonant bass-baritone was fully equal to the challenge of Okulitch’s voice.”
Spears — Fellow Travelers
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Christian Pursell took on multiple roles for this world premiere recording of Gregory Spears’ Fellow Travelers. Joining him is a cast of established and rising stars that includes Aaron Blake, Joseph Lattanzi, Devon Guthrie, and Vernon Hartman.
Called an “instant masterpiece” (Fred Plotkin, WQXR Operavore), “universal in reach” (Alex Ross, New Yorker), and “the most romantic opera…in years” (Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times), Fellow Travelers is set in Washington, DC during the height of the McCarthy-era "lavender scare," in which gay men and lesbians were persecuted as presumed risks to national security.
“Whatever he sings, Pursell’s diction is a model of clarity, and his intriguingly dark voice is beautifully projected, as witness his firm, committed work in several small roles in Fellow Travelers, which he sang at Cincinnati Opera’s world premiere, in 2016, and at the New York premiere, as part of the 2017 Prototype Festival.”