Bold Beauty: Songs by Juliana Hall (Molly Fillmore and Elvia Puccinelli)

Soprano Molly Fillmore brings the words of Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg and others to life on Bold Beauty, a new recording of vocal works by Juliana Hall. Joined by pianist Elvia Puccinelli, Ms. Fillmore gives luscious performances of "Letters from Edna," "Symbols of Velvet, Sentences of Plush" (on letters from Emily Dickinson), and "Theme in Yellow" (with texts by Amy Lowell, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Carl Sandburg).

 Fillmore commissioned composer Juliana Hall to write the music to Fillmore’s own poems, Cameo, and the world premiere recording is included on this album. Inspired by Francis Poulenc's Le travail du peintre and an episode of PBS' Antiques Roadshow, Ms. Fillmore’s mission is to draw attention to the works of six female American painters (Sarah Albritton, Kay WalkingStick, Nellie Mae Rowe, Alice Dalton Brown, Agnes Pelton, and Corita Kent) from the last century. She says, “They challenged prescribed roles and expectations - they needed to be bold.”