St. Louis native Julia Bullock proved why she is considered by many to be one of opera music’s brightest rising stars with her performance at The Sheldon Concert Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 24th. The concert was a collaborative presentation by the Sheldon and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. She began her concert with a series of Austrian classical/romantic songs by Franz Schubert, none of which were recognizable to my novice opera ears. They were, however, each impressive, and showcased her soprano operatic abilities. She is an effusive singer, often gesturing to emphasize her words, all the while captivating the audience with her confidence and friendly nature. She was dressed in a beautiful green flowy dress with a slight floral pattern and had a stage presence that took over the concert hall. Her accompanying pianist was dressed traditionally, in a black suit with a white shirt and tie. His accompaniments were the perfect compliment to her soprano voice.
In between some songs, she offered a bit of delightful commentary, but the beginning set of Schubert flowed smoothly from song to song. She then performed a series of songs by American composer Samuel Barber, “Hermit Songs.” During the suite of songs, her powerful voice warmed up and cascaded over the captivated audience. Bullock’s asides were quite enjoyable – and showed her personal connection to the music and to the specific arrangements she had commissioned for her use.
The second half of the concert had a more modern approach, with some recognizable songs, or at least more recognizable artists. She began the second set with a series of songs in French by Gabriel Faure, and again, I had no idea what the subject matter might be, but was thoroughly entranced by her powerfully beautiful soprano voice. At the end the night, she finished with a number of songs by well-known American artists such as Nina Simone, Billie Holliday, Bessie Smith and fellow native St. Louisan Josephine Baker. These last songs were my favorite of the concert. Her voice was fully warmed up at that point, hitting notes from the lowest, deepest place all the way to falsetto, and everything in between. Bullock’s vocal range is notable and exceptional, and the standing ovation came as no surprise. She truly honored those great American female blues artists with her renditions.
Julia Bullock was born in St. Louis in 1987 and has been making a name for herself in concert halls and auditoriums all over the world for the past few years. An alumnus of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Young Artists program, she received her bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music and her master’s from Bard College’s graduate vocal arts program. Bullock also went on to earn an artist diploma at Juilliard in 2015. She is the Lindemann Vocal Chair of Young Concert Artists and is supported by the Barbara Forester Austin Fund for Art Song. Suffice it to say, she has not only raw talent, but an excellent education in music as well, and the support to allow her to tour.
The concert was held at The Sheldon, which is one of the best acoustically-designed concert halls in the city. In fact, the acoustics are so incredible that neither Bullock nor the pianist used a microphone. It appears that there is not a bad seat in that hall, in terms of acoustics. Bullock’s performance was varied, intense, beautiful, and memorable. Her stage presence is mesmerizing, and her voice fills the room in a deep, richly textured manner. If you ever get a chance to catch her in concert, or in a musical production, take advantage of the opportunity. Julia Bullock will return to St. Louis next June to make her Opera Theatre of Saint Louis mainstage debut in the role of Destiny in the world premiere of “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” the second work commissioned by Grammy Award winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard.
