The Desire for Hermitage

Catriela Cohen gave a concert last week—an end-of-the-summer vocal recital, hosted (and accompanied on the piano) by Giovanna Imbesi, at Giovanna's amazing TuttoMedia Studio. This was Catriela's last hurrah before starting college next month at Northwestern.

Catriela Cohen made me cry.

Under the practiced, loving, and critical eye of her vocal coach (the also-amazing Kyra Humphrey), surrounded by friends, family, and many strangers, Cat poured out the exquisite. She was a fragile bird. She was a playful vixen. She was a wounded wife. [She was a concerned student.] She was me. She was everyone.

And just how can a joyful, fresh-faced seventeen-year-old step into being the wounded wife?

Then Cat sang a song about wanting to be shut tight and safe in a little cell, alone [from Samuel Barber's Hermit Songs]. Which completely did me in. It wasn't just her craftsmanship, although that helped. I relate to those words. I am those words.

My safe little studio.