Armenian-Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian is eclectic. Not only a world class opera singer with a very beautiful voice, she has been a featured vocalist for 2 big movie soundtracks (“Lord of The Rings” trilogy: The Two Towers” and Atom Egoyen’s “Ararat”), is a concert artist with orchestras and in recital, and she holds a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Ms. Bayrakdarian has strong links to our fair city, having attended the Music Academy of the West, performed in recitals and the title role in Opera Santa Barbara’s production of “The Cunning Little Vixen,” and, since 2016, has been an assistant professor of voice here at UCSB. For the final concert of CAMA Santa Barbara’s 2017-18 season, she was joined by Canada’s St. Lawrence String Quartet for a concert that was delightfully eclectic as well. The evening began with Respighi’s “il tramonto (The Sunset)” based on on a poem by Shelley, followed by just the quartet performing Osvaldo Golijov’s “Qohelet.” Ms. Bayrakdarian rejoined in a different glamorous gown for 4 songs by Leonard Bernstein, and after a brief pause, took to the Lobero stage wearing a third gown for a series of spirited Tangos arranged by Peter Tiefenbach. Throughout, the singing (and a good deal of acting) was sublime with energetic and sensitive accompaniment by the highly talented quartet. Here’s a taste of Ms. Bayrakdarian’s lovely soprano (from The Ukrainian Art Song Project’s Yakiv Stepovy CD set) here.
