Raguel Gabriel returns with NY recital

RAGUEL Gabriel returns to the stage with another soul-stirring recital, Absence, which explores themes of love, longing and loss.

Absence, produced by RTG Productions, will be staged at Renee Weiler Concert Hall, New York City, on November 3 – which is Gabriel's birthday and that of his pianist, Dr Jeffrey Middleton (Juilliard/Yale), a media release said.

Patrons will experience an emotionally-charged performance as Gabriel reflects on the poetry of life’s absences and the beauty that lingers in its wake, the release said.

The inspiration behind Absence began with Gabriel’s connection to Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été (Summer Nights), a cycle of songs shared by Middleton that resonated with him deeply after Night and Dreams. In particular, the piece Absence sparked the recital’s theme with its poignant longing, captured in lines such as:

Come back, come back my sweetest love!

Like a flower far from the sun,

The flower of my life is closed

Far from your crimson smile!

“Music became my close companion through my own journey of absence. This recital is a return, not only to the stage, but to parts of myself I had to set aside," Gabriel said in the release.

"Absence is my way of reuniting with life through music. As the cycle grew on me, the next song I learned was Sur Les Lagunes – the saddest song in the set. I became obsessed with this song... It is also my favourite one to sing in the entire recital programme. It sits well in my voice and as an actor, I get to express several highs and lows in the song.”

As this recital marks the third in his NYC series, reflecting on its significance, Gabriel said, “I am getting a feeling inside of finality. Whether it is the last recital in NYC or the last one for a while… we'll see. But I know that it being three suggests something to me.”

Gabriel’s programme also spans works by composers such as Duparc, Hahn and Fauré. Each song was carefully selected to reflect life’s complex emotions, creating an evening of introspective yet vibrant music that is sure to captivate audiences, the release said.

Gabriel’s recitals have each marked pivotal stages in his artistic and personal growth and Absence is no exception. This recital represents both a culmination and a moment of transformation in his journey.

Absence invites audiences to share in a deeply transformative musical experience that resonates with themes of love, resilience and renewal, the release said. As Gabriel’s voice fills the concert hall, each song will evoke the beauty of presence within absence, hope within longing and return after retreat.