Raguel Gabriel brings Night & Dreams recital to Central Bank Auditorium

FOLLOWING a critically acclaimed, sold-out debut in New York City, internationally trained tenor and son of the soil, Raguel Gabriel is bringing his soul-stirring recital, Night & Dreams to the Central Bank Auditorium on May 31, for one night only.

A media release said, originally inspired by the haunting words of Schubert’s Nacht und Träume – “They call, when day awakes: Come back, holy night! Beauteous dreams, come back again!” – the recital is a heartfelt meditation on the peace, escape and quiet vulnerability we find in our dreams.

Trinidad and Tobago-born Gabriel invites audiences to experience the power of classical music, that moved New York to silence and standing ovations.

“It’s like Shakespeare wrote himself in Hamlet 'to sleep perchance to dream'. As an adult now it means even more. Working so hard, enduring the human experience…, dreams mean even more these days. But then you have to wake up, and back to the grind we go. And so came the theme for the recital.

"When I stepped off the stage after Night and Dreams in 2023, I said to myself, ‘I wish I could share this powerful music with Trinidad,’” said Gabriel.

Joining him once again is long-time collaborator and celebrated pianist, Dr Jeffrey Middleton. Their musical partnership, born during Gabriel’s operatic debut at the very same Central Bank Auditorium in 2011, now comes full circle with a performance shaped by over a decade of artistic growth, study and deep personal introspection, the release said.

The programme, carefully curated to follow a dramatic emotional arc, features works by Schubert, Mahler, Faure, Duparc, Hahn, Chausson and more, traversing German, French and English traditional arias, the release said.

The recital will evoke various moods: ethereal, spiritual, love and romance. As Gabriel explains, “If the audience listens closely enough, they’ll find that the entire recital is a journey – from Night to Day, with many ups and downs in between.”

New York audiences described Night & Dreams as “Outstanding… I have no words. Just wonderful,” in the words of acclaimed actor and magician Todd Robbins.

Showtime is 5.30 pm.

Tickets are available online at www.raguelgabriel.com and at the Central Bank box office.