Letters From the Front

Fisher Center at Bard presents Artwork: © 2026 • Gindes Music Productions, LLC. Artwork: © 2026 • Gindes Music Productions, LLC. Composed by Patrick Zimmerli with libretto by Mirabelle Ordinaire (Metropolitan Opera), Letters From the Front is a new work for four voices and piano developed from letters sent by American service members and their loved ones during wartime. Executive producer and pianist Ian Gindes teamed with artistic originator Steve Robinson alongside Zimmerli and Ordinaire to select the letters and set their words to music in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States. The performers bring to life the voices of the writers by telling their stories through songs based on letters written during one of our nation’s most crucial wars, including the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. This music is a tribute to the men and women who made the sacrifice of service over the course of 250 years. Each piece represents not only history, but also the hope that their duty was done for a greater purpose—for their families, friends, neighbors, communities, and country. The performance includes narration written by Jeffrey Ernstoff, formerly of Radio City, who has created numerous special events and live productions for television and theater, and is staged and directed by George Cederquist of Chicago’s North Park University. Fisher Center, Sosnoff Theater The concert will last approximately 95 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. All proceeds will directly support the artists. Fisher Center, Sosnoff Theater The concert will last approximately 95 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. All proceeds will directly support the artists. Overture I’ll Live For Your Letters I Sat Myself Down This Moment Preparation For Battle A Minute Doesn’t Go By Vietnam War Song Where Are You Tonight? All Greasy And Salty This Is A Most Horrible War I Have a Rendezvous With Death I’ll Live For Your Letters Reprise Tonite Two Fellows Got Together Poem For Irving F. Diamond A Baby At Home Now There Will Be Stories To Tell Engagement Letter It Won’t Be Long Now Finale Angela Born | Mezzo-soprano Earning critical acclaim for her “rich, clear voice” that is “geared towards storytelling” (Chicagoland Musical Theatre), Chicago-based mezzo-soprano Angela Born is a fach-defying opera theatre artist and interpreter of new classical works. Her many operatic roles include Marjorie in Fizz and Ginger (Whitney E. George), Lucinda in Dark Sisters (Nico Muhly), Patience in Patience and Sarah (Paula Kimper), the titular role in Princess Ida, and The Witch in Hansel und Gretel. She is also the recipient of multiple Chicago DCASE grants and is the 2023 songSLAM winner for her premiere performance of Michelle Isaac’s “What Every Woman Must Not Say.” Ms. Born has performed with many opera companies, including the Lyric Opera of the North, the Loveland Opera Theatre, the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, the Ouroboros Opera Company, and the Chicago City Opera. George Cederquist | Director Award-winning director George Cederquist is the Producing Artistic Director of Chicago Fringe Opera and is both the Artistic Director of Opera and Theatre Department Chair at North Park University. His digital opera short ‘Telekinetik’ for Catapult Opera was later screened at the 2025 Prototype Festival and called “a place where David Lynch would have felt right at home” by the New York Times. He has directed new productions and opera scenes with Opera Festival of Chicago, Chicago Dramatists, the Chicago Sinfonietta, Pittsburgh Opera, the Bay View Music Festival, Chicago Folks Operetta, Wolf Trap Opera, and Chautauqua Opera. In addition to receiving a National Opera Association award, two American Prizes in Directing and Opera America’s 2013 Director-Designer competition award, he has been awarded a Best Music Video Award at the Aladerri International Film Festival. He is the executive producer of ‘Opera Box Score’, America’s Talk Radio Show About Opera, heard on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and WNUR 89.3 FM Chicago. Learn more at https://gjcederquist.com/. Ian Gindes | Piano Pianist and Executive Producer Ian Gindes has performed as a solo artist around the US, including at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the Donald W. Nixon Centre for the Visual and Performing Arts, and as a featured artist with the St. Louis Philharmonic. His 2023 recording, Rachmaninoff (Navona) was lauded by The Whole Note magazine (Canada) for his “illustrious renditions…” of “…Rachmaninoff masterworks.” Gramophone magazine (UK) praised his work on his previous release, American Visions (Centaur, 2016), for his “keyboard brilliance.” His music has been featured by SiriusXM Symphony Hall, WFMT Chicago, Jed Distler’s Between The Keys on WWFM, American Veterans Radio, and Radio Arts Foundation of St. Louis. He has been featured on CBS 2 Chicago and WGN-TV. Ian has