Album Notes

As a pre-eminent singer and artist of his generation, dramtic baritone Donnie Ray Albert has sung major roles with opera companies of Chicago, New York City, Houston, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Bordeaux, Berlin and Montreal, among others. As a concert artist, Mr. Albert has sung with the orchestras of Washington DC (National), Köln, Southwest Florida, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Jerusalem, Seattle, Minnesota, St. Paul, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Greensboro, Grant Park Music Festival, and Madison, Vienna and Linz, Austria. He has served as a resident artist with the Center for Black Music Research at Chicago's Columbia College. Mr. Albert appeared at President Carter's Inauguration and in London's Royal Festival Hall. Mr.Albert received his Bachelor of Music degree from Louisiana State University and a Master of Music degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He has served as a resident artist with the Center for Black Music Research at Chicago's Columbia College. Mr. Albert's recordings include the Grammy award winning Porgy and Bess with the Houston Grand Opera.

Pianist Jo Anne Ritacca was an Assistant Conductor of the Dallas Opera for ten years, and she has prepared productions at the Houston Grand Opera, The Boston Opera, and the Florentine Opera of Milwaukee. As a recitalist, she has performed with singers and instrumentalists throughout the United States. Born and educated in California, she holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California where her major professor and mentor was Gwendolyn Koldofsky. Miss Ritacca is an Affiliate Artist at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, and she has taught at Rice University, Southern Methodist University, Grinnell College, Pomona College, and California State University at Fullerton. As an organist and church musician, she has held positions in major churches in southern California, Iowa, and Texas.