Baritone Sanford Sylvan to Perform with Pianist David Breitman at the Middlebury College Center for the Arts on March 2 — Program to Include Song Cycle by Composer Jorge Martín of Addison County, Vt.

Praise for Sanford Sylvan: “Sylvan is a treasureable singer; he unapologetically makes beautiful and varied sounds, colors, words and utilizes a broad range to expressive ends. Hearing him is a pleasure; understanding him is a joy.” —The Los Angeles Times

“He brought a great variety of touch, a rich range of colorings, honest supple pianism, and intellectual clarity to his work.” —The New York Times

A familiar face at Middlebury College, baritone Sanford Sylvan, will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 2 in the Concert Hall of the Middlebury College Center for the Arts on Route 30. Accompanied by his long-time collaborator, pianist David Breitman, Sylvan’s program will include two song cycles by Claude Debussy, and Vermont-composer Jorge Martín’s “The Glass Hammer,” a song cycle based on poems by Andrew Hudgins.

Sylvan and Breitman have performed extensively together since 1979 throughout the United States and Europe at venues including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall and London’s Wigmore Hall. In 1996 and 1997, Sylvan and Breitman performed more than 20 recitals nationwide as part of a “Schubert Celebration.”

After his 1997 Carnegie Hall performance, The New York Times exclaimed, “He is a literate singer who thinks deeply about what words mean … every nuance of his artistry is used to make words and images vital.”

Sylvan is also renowned for his appearances in Mozart operas, which have been acclaimed throughout the world and broadcast on the PBS series “Great Performances.”

Breitman, a native of Montreal, is equally at home with modern and classical piano. He performs annual solo recitals for CBC Radio in Montreal, and appears frequently at concerts, lectures and master classes at universities across the United States and Canada.

A Grammy and Emmy award winner for his role in John Adams’ “Nixon in China,” Sylvan has also received three Grammy nominations for best classical vocal performance, including his 1997 recording with Breitman, “L’Horizon Chimérique,” on the Nonesuch label. Sylvan and Breitman were also nominated for their debut recording, “Beloved That Pilgrimage.”

The concert is sponsored by the Middlebury College Concert Series. Tickets for the performance are $9 general admission, $7 for senior citizens. A pre-performance dinner at 6 p.m. will be held at Rehearsals Cafe. To order tickets or make dinner reservations, call the College box office at 802-443-6433.