Enlarge image Nanette McGuinness Concert (© Germany.info)

Last Wednesday night, May 16th, 2012, Bay Area favorite Nanette McGuinness delighted a crowd of 100 guests with an outstanding concert at the German Consulate General. Accompanied by new chamber music composed by David Garner and performed by pianist Dale Tsang-Hall and cellist Adaiha Mac Adam-Somer, McGuinnes recited two song cycles to texts by poets Annette von Droste-Hülshoff and Mascha Kaléko Enlarge image Nanette McGuinness Concert (© Germany.info)

Following a warm-hearted reception, the performance commenced with a recital of the song cycle "Annettes Lieder", consisting of three poems written by von Droste Hülshoff in the first half of the 19th century. After a short break, the performance continued with the second song cycle of the night "Chanson für Morgen" composed of seven poems written by Kaléko in the first half of the 20th century. With ongoing conflict across the globe, the songs that deal with the dual concerns of exile and the Holocaust appear to be of highest relevance still today, half a century after their composition. Enlarge image Nanette McGuinness Concert (© Germany.info)

The evening was thus a night of ambiguity centered between beauty and horror: The awfulness of the songs' themes of war, torture, and displaced persons were magnificently brought to life through wonderful music and McGuinness' marvelous voice, leaving the audience deeply touched. An after-show reception gave the audience the opportunity to share their impressions over drinks and canapés Enlarge image Nanette McGuinness Concert (© Germany.info)

The concert was organized on the occasion of the annual meeting of the Directors of the Goethe-Institute in North America that happened to take place in San Francisco earlier that day. The Goethe-Institute is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institution that promotes the study of German abroad and encourages international cultural exchange. Through its worldwide operations, it has been fostering knowledge about Germany by providing information on its culture, society and politics for over 50 years.