All eyes in my little corner of Mahlerwelt are on Hampson these
days: he is singing Das Lied von der Erde with Colorado MahlerFest
next January.  Think of it: a world-class baritone singing with a
very talented, dedicated, but still nonprofessional orchestra that
gets together for barely two weeks a year.  He agreed to do this
after MahlerFest won the International Gustav Mahler Society's gold
medal for service in the Mahlerian cause, the only American outfit
ever to be so honored.

Mitch Friedfeld