San Francisco Opera star, and two-time GRAMMY Award-winning mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke has announced that she will join pianist Myra Huang hCW on a five-city recital tour, titled Of Thee I Sing.
This fall, Cooke and Huang will perform in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center (11/4) as part of Vocal Arts DC’s 35th Anniversary season, Baylor University in Waco, Texas (11/6), the Park Ave Armory in New York, NY (11/13 & 15), Boston at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (11/16), and in Duluth, MN (11/18) as part of the Matinee Musicale chamber series.
The recital presentations will include the world premiere of American composer Jasmine Barnes’ newest song cycle titled American Lament, which draws text from the famous Langston Hughes poem “Let America be America Again.” Furthermore, the program as a whole celebrates the rich tapestry of American song while offering a nuanced exploration of the still-unrealized American dream—reflecting on how, throughout history, Americans have wrestled with a complicated past
“Putting this recital tour together with Myra Huang is something I have looked forward to for quite some time,” said Sasha Cooke. “The program itself is full of music that captures the beauty, complexity, and spirit of America. From timeless classics to powerful new works, especially Jasmine Barnes’ American Lament, I hope each song invites listeners to reflect and connect in new ways to their own American experience and what America means, then and now. Sharing this journey with Myra and our audiences feels like a celebration of where we’ve been and where we’re going”
Alongside the world premiere of Jasmine Barnes’ American Lament, each performance will feature works by iconic 20th and 21st century American composers such as: William Bolcom, George Gershwin, Samuel Barber, Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Copland, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Stephen Sondheim. The thoughtfully curated program includes works by émigré composers like Alma Mahler and Erich Wolfgang Korngold, who adopted American identities after fleeing war and exile. Through this poignant juxtaposition, the recital explores themes of identity, wandering, and renewal. From folk-rooted melodies to contemporary reflections, Cooke and Huang bring each work vividly to life, illuminating the many paths that lead toward a sense of home.
A highlight of the program is the world premiere of the new song cycle, American Lament, by composer Jasmine Barnes, whose music has been called “beautifully lyrical” (The Telegraph.) In this evocative new work, the composer brings the audience on a journey of what it means to be a “dreamer” in the America of past and present; the promises made and forgotten; the yearning for justice; and a steadfast belief in the possibility of a more free and inclusive nation.
Cooke, who just finished her third summer as Co-Director of the Lehrer Vocal Institute at the Music Academy of the West, and was featured in summer 2025 performances at Ravinia, Grand Tetons, and Saratoga Performing Arts Center, is seen as one of today’s most compelling and versatile vocalists.
She has performed on the world’s leading stages, from the Metropolitan Opera to San Francisco Opera, Wigmore Hall, and Carnegie Hall—and with over eighty orchestras across the globe. A dedicated champion of American music and new voices, she has premiered dozens of works by today’s most influential composers and earned critical acclaim for her imaginative and deeply human interpretations.
Tour Dates:
November 4, 2025: The Kennedy Center — Washington, D.C. | Tickets
November 6, 2025: Baylor University — Waco, TX | Tickets
November 13 & 15, 2025: Park Ave Armory — New York, NY | Tickets
November 16, 2025: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum — Boston, MA | Tickets
November 18, 2025: Matinee Musicale — Duluth, MN | Tickets