Thanks, Maggie! Good article. And her teacher sounds like a good man. I hope he's able to protect her from the more predatory types. But from what he says, and from what she said about taking it all "in baby steps," I get the impression that she has a pretty good grasp of the nature of things. Let's hope. . . .

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Actually, considering all of the many good possibilities, and also considering the fact that she has probably already decided on what she wants to sing, I wouldn't presume to try to tell her what she should sing. But a few months back, on the Classic Arts Showcase channel, I heard tenor Finbar Wright (who appeared on the "Three Irish Tenors" telecast on PBS) sing THIS.

But probably not before a screaming audience. It starts out gently, it's very lyrical, and it has a good dynamic range that would let Susan's voice really soar. I think that she could do a fine job of this, and I would love to hear her sing it sometime. Words by ??, music by Fredrick Chopin (Etude, Opus 10, No. 3, "Tristesse").

Don Firth