Published: March 9, 2026
On Monday, March 2, at 7:30 PM, the Performance Hall in the Crewe Center for the Arts hosted a junior recital featuring mezzo-soprano Hope Poore and soprano Emily Hayes, with collaborative pianist Scott Wheatley. Both singers study with Dr. Malinda Haslett and are coached by Wheatley, and the recital showcased a wide-ranging program of art song and musical theatre repertoire.
The recital opened with El Desdichado by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed as a duet by Hope Poore and Emily Hayes. Poore then performed a set of songs by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, including Als Luise die Briefe, Quando miro quel bel ciglio, and Das Veilchen. Hayes followed with selections from Three Browning Songs, Op. 44 by Amy Beach, performing The Year’s at the Spring and Ah, Love, but a Day. After intermission, Poore performed Haï Luli and Madrid by Pauline Viardot. Hayes then presented two songs by Franz Schubert, Die Liebende schreibt and An die Musik. Poore later returned with When Daisies Pied by Thomas Arne, At the Aquarium by John Duke, and Finding Home by Ricky Ian Gordon. The recital concluded with musical theatre selections performed by Hayes, including Screw Loose from Cry-Baby by Adam Schlesinger and Losing My Mind from Follies by Stephen Sondheim, before both singers joined together for the final duet For Good from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the evening was Poore’s performance following a recent battle with laryngitis that had temporarily taken her voice. Despite this setback and after multiple days of vocal rest, her singing throughout the recital was poised and expressive, and audience members would never have guessed the challenges she had faced leading up to the performance.
Poore’s performance of Finding Home by Ricky Ian Gordon brought many concert-goers to tears. When the piece began, Poore leaned gently over the piano to meet Wheatley’s gaze as he began playing. Wheatley looked back at her with the unmistakable expression of a proud teacher. That sense of trust and chemistry carried through the performance, giving the piece an especially heartfelt quality.
Hayes performance of “Screw Loose” from Cry-Baby by Adam Schlesinger stood out as one of the evening’s highlights. Hayes brought humor, personality, and confident stage presence to the piece, drawing clear laughs from the audience.
The recital concluded with the duet “For Good” from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz, offering a fitting close to the evening. Throughout the program, the partnership between Hope Poore, Emily Hayes, and collaborative pianist Scott Wheatley remained central to the performance. Their work together reflected both careful preparation and a strong sense of musical trust. The recital ultimately showcased the performers’ versatility across styles while highlighting the supportive teaching and coaching environment created by Dr. Malinda Haslett and Wheatley at the Osher School of Music.
