Erin Morley Enchants at Park Avenue Armory
Notes Bloom as Morley Sings of Flowers and Birds
By: Susan Hall - Apr 13, 2025
It’s a bird, it’s a wind-up doll, it’s Erin Morley—coloratura soprano—singing selections from her first solo recording album in the Officers’ Room at the Park Avenue Armory.
Ricky Ian Gordon’s song cycle opened the program. Inspired by a bouquet of flower photographs gifted by his benefactress, Gordon set texts by Emily Dickinson, Dorothy Parker, Jane Kenyon, and Donald Hall to music.
Ms. Morley is an impeccable performer. She articulates words clearly, her tone is pure, her vocal range stratospheric—all within a setting that seems completely comfortable. Even the most difficult passages are delivered with ease and grace.
Impeccable can sometimes be dull, but not in Ms. Morley’s hands—perhaps because every aspect of her performance is so finely tuned. Her hand and arm gestures look as if they were trained at the Academy of Dramatic Arts. They don’t distract; they deepen the emotional expression and help us connect with the stories being told.
The program balanced emotional depth with humor. In one song, Dorothy Parker wryly laments that she would prefer a limousine to a single perfect rose. Vocalise provided a moment to appreciate the sheer beauty of Ms. Morley’s instrument without words.
She was accompanied by her teacher, Gerald Martin Moore—a dazzling performer in his own right. He tore through flurries of notes and shifted effortlessly through slow, textured passages. As I admired his elegant black suit, I found myself wishing he had worn red socks, a nod to Garrison Keillor. Be careful what you wish for: a moment later, the red peeked out from beneath his trouser leg.
There was much to take in throughout this rich evening. Ms. Morley’s sweeping red dress, rose-colored and dramatic, was memorable—but it was the grey gown, a creation with a bodice in which flower stems topped with fat blooms caught the eye.
In the audience, Lawrence Brownlee—her co-star in next fall’s Daughter of the Regiment—cheered her on. He, like Ms. Morley, is generous in the service of music that is both beautiful and entertaining.