Setting the Historical Record With Song
By Song of America
Learning American history by listening to music may sound like a short cut, but when the teacher is opera star Thomas Hampson, it’s more of a highbrow leg-up.
Mr. Hampson, the 56-year-old baritone from Spokane, Wash., is internationally known for his interpretations of Mahler and Verdi. But he’s also a longtime advocate of American song: His Hampsong Foundation, established in 2003, undertakes projects that support the art of song, commissioning composers, funding research, hosting seminars and classes, and launching new-media initiatives.